Six lines crossing the Kaituna gorge, where waterfalls meet native bush
Hand-picked by our editors — only the best 3 zipline experiences from 12 reviewed.
Verified partners for Okere Falls Zipline tours, free cancellation where available, and instant confirmation on every booking.
2 hr
Fly through native forest canopy on four ziplines, crossing swing bridges and soaring above cascading waterfalls
Reserve
3 hr 30 min
Soar through a thousand-year-old native forest on six thrilling ziplines while supporting conservation
Reserve
2 hr 30 min
Conquer the world's tallest commercially rafted waterfall on this culturally immersive whitewater journey
ReservePrices from verified partners. Availability updates in real time at checkout. Free cancellation policies apply where shown.
The landmarks, rooms, and views travelers on Okere Falls Zipline tours remember — all visible on a single visit.
Soar directly over this 7-meter waterfall, which holds the record as the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world.
This structure provides an elevated vantage point to view the Kaituna River canopy and native forest below.
Traverse these hand-built paths that wind through ancient rimu, totara, and kahikatea trees.
Every guest has the opportunity to plant a native tree as part of the reforestation mission at this site.
Every Okere Falls Zipline tour side-by-side — duration, what's included, how you redeem.
| Experience | Duration | Rating | Pickup | Guide | Small group | Free cancel. | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Standard Entry Most popular
Okere Falls Zipline Adventure with Waterfall Views
|
2 hr | ★ 4.9 | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | $100 | Book → |
|
Standard Entry
Original Canopy Tour: Zipline Adventure Through Ancient Forest
|
3 hr 30 min | ★ 4.9 | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | €101 | Book → |
|
Standard Entry
Kaituna River White Water Rafting Adventure
|
2 hr 30 min | ★ 4.9 | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | €50 | Book → |
All prices from verified partners. Availability and exact terms confirmed at checkout.
The okere falls zipline offers a high-energy journey past cascading waterfalls, while Rotorua Canopy Tours provides a deep-forest immersion; most visitors find the former more exhilarating due to the water proximity.
| Feature | Top pick Rotorua Ziplines | Rotorua Canopy Tours |
|---|---|---|
Primary Feature |
Waterfall views and speed | |
Forest Vibe |
Open gorge and river scenery | |
Adventure Focus |
High-speed lines and adrenaline | |
Cultural Integration |
Local Māori heritage focus | |
Tour Duration |
2.5 hours | |
| See tickets → |
Verdict: Choose the okere falls zipline tour if you prioritize dynamic waterfall vistas, or select the rival if you prefer in-depth nature education, though booking okere falls zipline tickets in advance is recommended for your preferred time slot.
Choose your ticket, select your date, and reserve in under two minutes. Secure checkout handled by our verified partner.
Instant confirmation by email, with a mobile voucher you can save offline. No printing, no queuing at a collection desk.
Arrive at the entrance, show your voucher on your phone, and walk in. Most tickets include priority or skip-the-line access.
Practical details for Okere Falls Zipline tickets straight from our verified partners — hours, access, rules, and how to get there.
Participants must wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing. Sturdy, closed-toe footwear is strictly required for the forest terrain.
Lockers are available at the base to store bags and personal items. Small personal belongings like phones can be taken at your own risk, provided they can be secured.
You are welcome to bring your own devices at your own risk. Action cameras are also available for hire, and guides often capture photos during your okere falls zipline tour.
Due to the natural forest environment involving stairs and uneven paths, this activity is not suitable for wheelchair users. Guests should be able to walk at least 400 meters independently.
Mobile phones are permitted at your own risk. It is recommended to use a lanyard or secure pocket to prevent loss during the flight.
The okere falls zipline experience is suitable for ages 5 and up. Children may be required to buddy up with a parent or guide for their initial zip.
Complimentary ancient native tea is provided during the tour. No outside food or drinks should be brought into the forest to maintain minimal environmental impact.
Pets are not permitted on the zipline course or within the forest areas used by Rotorua Ziplines.
Last entry is typically 1 hour before closing. Check the specific ticket for timing.
Best time to go, insider tips, nearby landmarks, and the cancellation fine print — flip through to skim what matters to you.
Flexible, no hidden fees.
Full refunds are available for cancellations made at least 24 hours before the experience. No-shows or cancellations within 24 hours are non-refundable.
The Kaituna River carved its gorge through ignimbrite rock over twelve thousand years, leaving vertical walls that drop twenty-two metres to churning whitewater below.
Okere Falls sits at the fault line where geothermal Rotorua meets the cooler forested plateau, creating a microclimate dense with rimu, kahikatea, and tree ferns that predate European settlement by centuries. The waterfall itself—a seven-metre cascade visible from State Highway 33—was sacred to Te Arawa iwi, who named the site Ōkere-a-kewa after an ancestor who settled here in the fourteenth century. Commercial logging threatened the canopy in the 1970s before conservation trusts secured protected status for the remaining old-growth stands.
The okere falls zipline course threads through this preserved corridor, using the gorge's natural architecture to suspend six steel cables across gaps the forest floor cannot bridge. The longest span stretches two hundred and twenty metres, high enough that riders cross above the rimu crowns rather than below them. Engineers anchored platforms to mature trunks using compression collars that expand as the trees grow, a technique borrowed from Australian mine-rescue systems. The fourth line passes within three metres of Tutea Falls, where the Kaituna drops through a slot canyon and generates perpetual mist—riders emerge soaked if the wind shifts east.
Riding the okere falls zipline over waterfalls experience requires no prior skill, only the ability to hold a handlebar and tolerate gravity. Guides clip participants into chest harnesses at the ridgeline base, then lead a fifteen-minute climb through nikau groves to the first platform. The descents themselves are passive—riders brake by leaning back, a motion most master by the second line. What separates this from gentler canopy tours is vertical exposure: the Kaituna gorge offers no graduated introduction, and the first crossing peers straight down to boulders rounded by ten millennia of flood events. Rotorua's volcanic soils mean the forest here grows faster and denser than temperate equivalents, closing sightlines within ten metres of the trail. Only from the ziplines does the gorge's full topography become legible—a drowned valley where waterfalls mark ancient lava flows and every ridge hides another drop.
"Only from the ziplines does the gorge's full topography become legible—a drowned valley where waterfalls mark ancient lava flows."
A step-by-step walkthrough of Okere Falls Zipline tickets — what you'll see, how long each stage takes, and the details that matter.
You meet your group at the timber base station on State Highway 33, where guides distribute harnesses and conduct a five-minute safety briefing that covers braking technique and emergency signals.
The walk to the first platform follows a graded trail through tree ferns and supplejack, gaining forty metres in elevation before emerging at a kahikatea anchored with steel. Your guide double-checks each carabiner, then sends the first rider across the gorge—you watch them shrink to a silhouette against green canopy, two hundred metres of open air beneath their boots.
When your turn comes, you step off the platform and accelerate immediately, the handlebar vibrating as the trolley hits thirty kilometres per hour. The forest floor drops away, replaced by the white thread of Tutea Falls and the Kaituna's jade current far below. By the third line you stop gripping the handlebar and start watching for kereru—native pigeons that nest in the rimu crowns. The fifth crossing is the longest, a slow glide that gives you time to count the waterfalls feeding the river. Between lines, platforms offer brief pauses where guides point out centuries-old scars on the kahikatea bark, marks left by Māori climbers harvesting birds before colonial contact.
The final descent brings you back to ridge level, legs shaky from adrenaline and twenty minutes of sustained harness pressure. You return the gear and walk the access trail in reverse, still tasting the mist.
Rotorua Ziplines is open daily from 08:00–17:00.
The minimum age is 5 years old, making it a great experience for most families.
Yes, you may bring your phone or camera at your own risk, but Rotorua Ziplines also provides free photos captured by your guides.
The maximum weight limit is 130kg for the zipline experience.
We recommend an arrival between 08:00–14:00 to avoid afternoon heat and for optimal lighting.
Unfortunately, the boardwalks and forest terrain are not wheelchair accessible and require a moderate level of fitness.
Water and traditional native tea are provided; guests are encouraged to eat at local cafes before their tour.
The base is located at 761 State Highway 33, Rotorua 3074, which is approximately a 20-minute drive from the city.
Tours operate in rain or shine; however, if extreme weather causes a cancellation, you are eligible for a full refund of your 169 NZD ticket.
