The Ngaruroro runs for 164km from its source, emptying into Hawke Bay near Clive - sharing a river mouth with the Tutaekuri River and Te Awa o Mokotūāraro (Clive River) to form the Waitangi Estuary.
The Ngaruroro offers great fishing, with predominantly rainbow trout but the occasional brown also. The river is also a popular watersports venue, with two main sections for kayaking and rafting.
The upper section is accessible only by aircraft. This section makes its way through mixed Beech and Kanuka forest, flowing through a myriad of small Grade 2+ (easy) rapids before meeting the Napier – Taihape Road at Kuripapango.
The second section starts at Kuripapango and again flows through forest before entering farmed hill country and finally the plains of Hawke's Bay. This section starts with easier Grade 2 rapids with a section of Grade 3+ rapids just before the nights camp. This is fun white water and is best run as an overnight trip.
The lower reaches of the river can also be enjoyed by bike, with a section of the Hawke's Bay Trails Wineries Ride following the true right bank from Fernhill all the way to the sea at Waitangi Estuary.
The Ngaruroro River is also best known for helping to create the world-renowned Gimblett Gravels winegrowing district. Before 1867, the Gimblett Gravel District made up the Omahu channel of the Ngaruroro River, part of the Heretaunga Plains. After a flooding event in 1867, the channel moved north to the other side of Roy’s Hill where it presently flows, leaving a mix of gravel, sand, and silt - free-draining soils that provide an ideal conditions for viticulture. The gravelly terrain absorbs heat during the day, radiating it back to the vines at night, aiding ripening and intensifying flavour development.