Rafting

Kawarau River Rafting & Jet Boat Ride Experience

Kawarau River jet boat navigating through rapids in Queenstown, New Zealand.

Embrace the adrenaline as you take on rafting and jet boating on the challenging waters of Kawarau River with an expert guide by your side.

Highlights

Experience the thrill of white water rafting and a jet boat ride down the crystal blue and challenging waters of the famous Kawarau River.
Start your adventure by zipping through narrow canyons and experiencing dramatic 360-degrees spins and turns on your 25-minute jet boat ride.
With an expert rafting guide onboard, tackle the 400m Dog Leg rapid, New Zealand's longest commercially rafted rapid with ease.
In between rapids, enjoy calm stretches of water where you can take in the rugged cliffs and the lush greenery of Queenstown.
Fun fact: The Kawarau River featured as a setting for the ‘Gates of Argonath’ in the 2001 film, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Inclusions

25-minute jet boat ride
Whitewater rafting
Expert rafting guide
Round-trip transfers from Queenstown
Rafting & safety equipment
Safety briefing
360-degree spins
Hot shower at rafting base

Cancellation policy

You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

Your experience

If you are looking to take your family on an adventure or a thrill seeker looking for something different, this experience might just be what you are looking for. Your experience starts with a shuttle from Queenstown to the rafting base where you will be fitted in your gear and given a safety briefing. Then, you hop on a jet boat where you bounce across 22 km of the Kawarau river at 95 km/h with dizzying 360-degree spins before jumping onto your raft. The rafting adventure covers 8 kilometers of the river where you will tackle grade 2 and 3 rapids. Then, you get to enjoy flat and calm stretches of the river between the rapids where you can take in the greenery and clifftops. On your way back, raft through the 400-meter long Dog Leg, considered the longest commercially rafted rapid in New Zealand. Return back to the rafting base where you can take some hot showers before hopping on the transfer back to Queenstown.

Know before you go

What to bring

Bring a towel and swimsuit for the experience.
Bring your sunglasses or prescription glasses for the experience. However, ensure they come with a strap to keep the glasses from falling off during the experience.

What’s not allowed

Keep in mind cameras and go pros are not allowed on this experience. Pack wisely!
Safety is a priority. So, this experience is restricted for guests under the age of 13 years, under the weight of 40 kg, and over the weight of 120 kg.

Accessibility

Your safety comes first. So, pregnant women and guests with cardiac issues are restricted from participating in this experience.

Additional information

Facilities: Lockers
These rafting trips operate with a minimum number of people. Guests must reconfirm at least 24 hours prior to departure to ensure their trip will be operating.
Guests under 16 years must be accompanied by a guardian, while rafters under 18 years must have a waiver form signed by a guardian.
Guests must be of moderate fitness and be able to swim 25m without assistance to participate in this experience.
The rafts can accommodate six to seven people plus the rafting guide. The operator can accommodate guests traveling with friends or in a group in the same raft.
The operator may cancel trips or substitute another river or section of the river for safety reasons.

My tickets

Your voucher will be emailed to you instantly.
Please arrive at the boarding point 15 mins before the scheduled time of your boat to avoid any delays.
Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the boarding point.