Upper Navua Gorge

The Upper Navua runs through a gorge where the walls close in to a few metres apart, hung with ferns and moss, with waterfalls dropping straight into the river from both sides. It is protected as a conservation area under an agreement between the rafting operator, the landowning clans, the logging licence-holder and the government, with a per-visitor levy paid to the villages, and it is often cited as a working example of that model. The rafting is gentle enough for beginners.

What you actually see

• The narrows - sections where the canyon walls close to a few metres apart.
• The waterfalls - falls dropping into the river directly off the walls.
• The ferns and moss - vegetation covering the rock the whole way through.
• The conservation agreement - the arrangement with landowning clans that protects the gorge.

When to go

May to October is the drier season with clearer water. The wet season raises the river and can cancel trips. Rain upstream changes levels within hours in any month.

Honest expectations

The gorge is only accessible on a commercial rafting trip; there is no independent access. The day is long, with a drive in and out on rough roads. Water levels determine whether the trip runs at all.

Nearby

Navua and Pacific Harbour are downstream, and the Namosi highlands are north.