If braided rivers are your jam, the route up the Havelock River will take you way up into the central divide of Canterbury. Offering river crossings, long river bed sections and stunning alpine valley views, the trip into the upper valley will challenge you and reward you with remote backcountry scenery.

This is genuine braided-river country, so the going is over loose riverbed gravels and shifting channels rather than a formed track. Keeping a close eye on the weather is wise here, as river levels can rise fast, and bringing a second vehicle is a very good idea in case something goes wrong.

Like any route through a river, the mapped line is a best guess only. Things change quickly with every flood, so read the water and pick your path wisely through the braids. Self-sufficiency, recovery gear and good judgement are essential for a trip this far into the divide.