Customise your camp with a choice of activities
Finlay Park has loads of fun activities for you to enjoy when you come to camp with us. When you’re organising your camp, we’ll work with you to pick the best activities to fit the goals of your camp.
You can go all out with a program packed with Kayaking, the Magic Carpet, and the Hydro Slide. Or take it slower with bush cooking, climbing, and checking out the glow worms. Or a combination of them all. Whatever kind of adventure you’re after, we’ll help you design a set of activities just for your camp.
Activity Safety Action Plans (previously RAMMS)
The Safety Action Plan will take you through all the adult ratios, risks and equipment that is relevant to that activity. It is important that you read and understand these documents and then share them with all of the people attending camp.
Experience the beauty of Lake Karapiro and the serene Pokaiwhenua stream with our instructed kayaking sessions. Our qualified instructors will teach your group the basics of kayaking, ensuring a fun and educational experience for everyone.
We use a variety of engaging water games to build your group’s competence and confidence on the water. Each session is 90 mins and we will work with you to deliver a educational and challenging session for your groups, whatever the age and ability.
Our fleet includes 30 kayaks all equipped with lifejackets to fit every participant. With a instructor included, you’re guaranteed a safe and enjoyable adventure.
Experience the thrill of a lifetime with The Magic Carpet! Hop on and hang on tight as you’re towed behind our ski boat for an exhilarating ride. The further back you go, the more extreme the adventure. An instructor is included to ensure your safety and maximize your fun. Get ready for an unforgettable experience!
Try our extremely popular new activity, Stand-Up Paddleboarding! Perfect for teaching water confidence and balance, it’s a fantastic way to enjoy the water with your group. This seasonal activity guarantees plenty of fun times on and in the water!
This is a Finlay Park Classic! Down the 30m straight Hydro slide into the lake, head first on a boogie board. Speeds approaching 50km/hr. If you are really good you can skim up to 40m across the lake to end your ride. Once you have got your breath back from the exhilaration it is back up to the top for another go.
Rafting is a great opportunity to work together in smaller groups to get your prebuilt raft down the river and back to camp. You will be provided with a raft and a paddle and it is a race to make it back to camp. Your adults will be in a kayakk to encourage and cheer each group toward the finish. An instructor will be in the safety boat to make sure that everyone is safe.
Get ready for an adrenaline-pumping experience with The Blob! This huge inflatable balloon on the lake features a jumping tower for thrill seekers ready to be launched high above the water. One person sits at the far end of the Blob while someone else leaps off the tower onto the Blob, sending the person at the end soaring through the air. It’s a thrilling adventure for participants and a fantastic spectator sport!
Test your balance and agility with Walk the Plank! This 20-meter inflatable log in the pool is perfect for all ages. Challenge yourself or others to see how far you can walk along the log, with markings to measure your distance. It’s ideal for friendly competitions or just having a blast while trying to stay upright!
Available in main camp
Set in the middle of the village perfect for cooling off after a hard day camping or relaxing.
Unwind in our covered 40-seat spa pool, the perfect way to relax after a day of adventure. Enjoy the soothing bubbles and tranquil atmosphere. Available on request during the summer season (additional charges may apply). Treat yourself to some well-deserved relaxation!
Includes 4 wall climbs, the ladder climb, the rope climb, the crate climb & the high ropes course
Experience the ultimate thrill in our gymnasium with our 8-meter climbing wall, featuring four different gradients to challenge climbers of all levels. Guided by our expert instructor, you’ll hone your climbing skills and conquer new heights.
For those seeking an adrenaline rush, our High Ropes course is perfect for testing your bravery and overcoming your fear of heights. This course is designed to challenge your skills and balance, with the safety of a continuous mono rail overhead, so there’s no need to switch ropes or karabiners.
And if straight up is the way for you try our Crate Climb, Rope Climb, and Ladder Climb. These activities offer great personal challenges and are perfect for anyone who likes a vertical challenge.
Instructor included to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all participants.
Test your driving skills on our purpose-built go-karts around a thrilling concrete track. Our instructors will guide you on how to drive and help keep you on track. Instructor included for a safe and exciting experience.
Test your aim in our shooting and archery ranges! Start with our air rifles, where instructors will teach you how to load, aim, and shoot safely. The shooting range is covered, making it a perfect rainy day activity.
Once you’ve mastered the air rifles, move to the enclosed archery range to test your skills. We offer standard and recurve bows to accommodate a variety of strengths and abilities.
To top off the skills session, try your hand at Axe Throwing! There’s nothing quite like watching a custom throwing axe spin away from your hand and stick into the target with a satisfying thud. Suitable for most ages above 5 and skill levels, it’s an experience you won’t want to miss.
Instructor included to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.
Embark on an exhilarating journey to Skull Island, where each group member is assigned a different animal and must compete against others to find food stations and stay alive. Transported by our barge to the vines and mud of the island, your animal type will determine who you can kill and who can kill you. This thrilling game tests your fitness and cunning, with only the fittest (or sneakiest) surviving. This adventure promises intense competition and strategic gameplay. Instructor included to ensure a safe and unforgettable experience.
Out camp Experience
This bush hide out is a great place to get your students the outdoors, back to basics, fun and adventure experience they need. Part of this amazing experience is a two hour “hike in” to arrive at the location surrounded by tea tree and a beautiful stream. On site anything is possible from bridge building to bivouac making, and anything else that you might like the students to experience in this amazing place.
Challenge yourself and others in various team games. Up to six groups can compete against each other at various challenges around camp. The challenges will test your creativity, coordination, puzzle solving skills, and team work. A great activity for large groups. You are welcome to use our gear for free or for a small charge we can provide an instructor.
A fascinating study about one of the first power station in the North Island, with national film archive footage, a unique model of the area around Finlay Park between 1910 and 1947, and a hands on experience for students.
Awesome game where students will quickly learn the importance of strategies and team play. One of the most favorite activities among schools.
This activity will take your group through the importance of fire and provide a hands-on experience in making fire using different traditional methods. You’ll learn how to prepare your materials and then get to try making fire using a bow and drill, char cloth, and flint and steel. The process will show that fire-making isn’t as easy as it looks in movies, but with perseverance, you will succeed. The reward for your hard work will be cooking your own damper over an open fire.
Gluten free options available on request.
The Adventure Trail
A short (45 minute) Bush walk following a small stream through a steep gorge. Great walk to teach your group about team work and survival.
Other Activities near Finlay Park
A 25 min bus ride from Finlay Park and you can go and visit Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari.
Education at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari
Today’s student tomorrow’s kaitiaki (guardian). We are incredibly proud of our education programme that actively connects with students across the country to provide a tangible experience of what Aotearoa/New Zealand once looked like and what the achievement of predator free status will look like in years to come. In 2023 we welcomed 4000 students through our programme.
Check out what some of the visiting teachers have said…
“We all had a blast and were so impressed with how seamless the visit was. The kids all had so much fun!
I am impressed with the delivery, knowledge and overall 100% happy with our experience.”
“I personally feel that every school student in the Waikato should be coming through Maungatautari. Such an incredible place.”
“Kids were discussing the visit with family members well after their return home. Most kids were excited about revisiting with their families.”
Our sessions typically consist of a classroom based introduction followed by a hikoi in the ngahere where students can experience old growth native forest and (hopefully) see some of Aotearoa’s rare taonga species.
We can be flexible with both timings and content so that sessions meet the needs of your learners. We also offer night walks if you are looking for an evening activity. Or one of our educators can come to you and deliver an outreach session if you’d rather not leave camp once you’re there.
If you’d like to book a trip or just want to find out more, you can check out our website or email us at education@maungatrust.org