Waitaki Valley RealSwim Adventure

Based in the village of Otematata, North Otago, surrounded by rugged peaks and stunning scenic views, we will explore areas of the hydro lakes; Benmore, and Aviemore. Lake Benmore is NZ’s largest manmade lake and the dam is the largest earth dam in New Zealand.

This unique swim adventure has many highlights, including swimming a flooded canyon and exploring multiple swimming locations on two different lakes. It is some of the best fresh water swimming you’ll get in the South Island, if not New Zealand.

Join us for what will be a memorable five days in the south!

Water Temperature
The water temperature could be anywhere between 15c and 20c. It is of course dependent on the weather in the weeks leading up to the swim trip.

If you have any questions about this camp, please email Penelope: info@fitandabel.com

March 2027

4 nights, 5 days, 7 swims

Below is a basic schedule for this camp. It will change dependant on weather across the four days. Lakes Benmore and Aviemore offer many different, unique and beautiful swim locations,  providing us a great variety of excellent swim adventures to choose from at the time. Our decisions are always based around safety, our number one priority.

Day One: Wednesday 03 March

Day Two: Thursday 04 March 

Day Three: Friday 05 March

Day Four: Saturday 06 March

Day Five: Sunday 07 March 

What you can expect;
– precise and specialist swim planning, delivery and safety for five days
– on water safety, including boats and swim equipment
– a total of seven swims across the five days, exploring different areas of the lakes
– 1x dinner, 1x lunch, 1x brunch
– a swim cap
– three experienced swim guides with a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise.

Total cost; $1,299NZD per person. A $325NZD non-refundable deposit is required to secure your booking.

Accommodation, transport and other meals not included.

• A non refundable deposit is required to confirm your RealSwim Adventure booking.
• Full payment is required for a booking no later than 60 days from the trip start date.
• If a payment plan is a good option for you, we are happy to work with you to achieve this. Please email; info@fitandabel.com

You’ll need appropriate gear for all weather conditions…just in case 😉

• Swim Suits  
• Wetsuit 
• Rain Jacket – “just in case” 
• Sun Screen
• Sun Hat and Warm Hat
• Sun Glasses
• Personal Medication
• Goggles x 2 pairs – 1 pair clear and 1 pair tinted
• Drink Bottles – clearly labelled with your name
• Trainers / comfortable lightweight walking shoes 
• Towels – if you have a towel robe these are great for post swim changing lakeside
• Tow float – if you don’t own one, you borrow one from us for the duration of the trip. These will be compulsory on all swims. Pink, orange or yellow are all excellent visible colours.
• Personal anti – chaffe
• Nutrition: your choice of snacks that you may want to have available during a swim.
• Hydration: electrolytes or similar if you choose to use these

There are numerous options in Otematata which include bachs, Air Bnb houses, the Valley Lodge, units at the Otematata Pub (we recommend the units out the back separate from the pub, not attached to the pub) or pitching your tent at the Camping Ground…the choice is yours. We structured the trip this way so you can choose an option that suits your budget, and if you’d like to share with others or go solo.

Please email info@fitandabel.com if you would like any further assistance with accommodation information. We recommend booking early as Otematata is a popular summer holiday spot.