Which Queenstown Jet Boat Should You Book?

What separates them

Three things, and price is the least of them.

The water. The Shotover Jet runs the lower Shotover canyons and Skippers Canyon Jet runs the upper ones. KJet and Thunder Jet work Lake Wakatipu and the lower Kawarau, which is open, scenic water. The Dart trips run a braided glacial river inside a national park. These are different landscapes, not different lengths of the same one.

Where you start. KJet, Thunder Jet and the Hydro Attack all board in central Queenstown. The Shotover Jet is ten minutes out at Arthurs Point. The Dart trips start at Glenorchy, about forty-five minutes away.

Who can ride. KJet and Thunder Jet have no height limit. The Shotover Jet needs children to be a metre tall, and says that can rise to 1.2 metres in high water. The full list is on the age and height limits page, and the Shotover Jet’s own rules are in who can ride, in full.

The full comparison

Every figure is the per-person GetYourGuide from-price in US$ and the operator’s own stated limit, checked in October 2026.

Operator prices in NZ$, side by side

Booking direct, the five main operators charge in New Zealand dollars. These are their own published rates in October 2026 unless a reseller is named; resellers often discount, and prices change, so check the live booking page.

Dart River’s peak season runs from 1 October 2026 to 30 April 2027 and off-peak from 1 May to 30 September. Price per minute varies nearly fourfold, from about NZ$2.20 on Thunder Jet’s 45-minute early ride to almost NZ$8 on the Shotover Jet.

A best pick for each kind of trip

• Best overall: Shotover Jet. It has the exclusive canyon, the heritage and the most TripAdvisor reviews of the five.
• Best thrill: the Shotover Jet, with Skippers Canyon Jet close behind for the narrow upper-Shotover canyons.
• Best value: KJet’s hour or Thunder Jet’s hour, both NZ$159, about NZ$2.65 a minute.
• Cheapest: Thunder Jet’s 9am ride at NZ$99 for 45 minutes, sold direct as Rise & Ride. Bookme last-minute deals can go lower.
• Families with small children: KJet, with no height minimum, ages 2–4 free on a parent’s knee and heated handrails. Thunder Jet is the runner-up, from age 2 and 13 kg.
• Scenery and wilderness: Dart River Wilderness Jet.
• History and Lord of the Rings: Skippers Canyon Jet. The Dart River also passes Middle-earth filming country around Glenorchy.
• Winter: KJet, with heated handrails and year-round running. The Shotover Jet also runs daily all year.
• From the town centre: KJet at the Main Town Pier or Thunder Jet at Steamer Wharf, about two minutes’ walk apart.
• Combos: the Dart River canoe and jet day for a full wilderness day, the Kawarau rafting and jet boat ride for adrenaline, and the Shotover Swing + Jet, sold direct by the operators, for canyon thrills.

A quick way to decide

1. Time or budget for one ride, and you want the famous one? The Shotover Jet.
2. A child under 1 metre? KJet (no height limit) or Thunder Jet (age 2+ and 13 kg+). The Shotover Jet and the Dart River need 1 m.
3. No car and an hour free? Walk to KJet at the Main Town Pier or Thunder Jet at Steamer Wharf.
4. Wilderness and photos more than G-force? The Dart River Wilderness Jet; allow half a day (Dart River vs Shotover Jet compared).
5. History, gold-rush stories or Lord of the Rings? Skippers Canyon Jet; allow 2.5–3 hours.
6. A tight budget? Thunder Jet’s NZ$99 early ride, or Bookme for KJet and Thunder Jet deals.
7. Two adrenaline hits in one booking? The Kawarau rafting and jet boat ride, the Shotover Swing + Jet, or the Hydro Attack and Thunder Jet combo (US$142; two reviews so far, so lean on each half’s own reviews).
8. Pregnant? Skip jet boating. The Shotover Jet, KJet and the Dart River do not allow pregnant passengers, and Thunder Jet does not recommend it.

The five operators in detail

Shotover Jet: the canyon ride

The Shotover Jet is the benchmark: about 25 minutes skimming the walls of the Shotover canyons, which no other operator may enter. The company says it has run an exclusive section of the river since 1965 and is “the only jet boat operator permitted in the Shotover Canyons.”

• Price: NZ$199 adult, NZ$109 child (5–15), NZ$507 family pass for two adults and two children, direct. From US$113 on GetYourGuide.
• Time: about 25 minutes on the water. Allow about 1 hour 45 minutes return on the free shuttle from central Queenstown.
• Departures: daily from 9.30am to 4pm except Christmas Day, weather permitting.
• Kids: no minimum age, but riders must be at least 1 metre tall, which may rise to 1.2 m in some river conditions. Under-5s who meet the height ride free with a paying adult.
• Combos: Swing + Jet with the Shotover Canyon Swing, NZ$489 adult and NZ$399 child, valid to 30 September 2027, plus Milford Sound, Remarkables scenic and Essential Queenstown combos, all sold direct.
• Ratings: 4.9 from 1,759 reviews on GetYourGuide; 4.8 from 6,892 on TripAdvisor.
• Safety note: on 10 July 2026 a Shotover Jet boat carrying 14 people hit rocks near Arthurs Point. St John reported five people with minor injuries, two taken to Lakes District Hospital. Ngāi Tahu Tourism’s general manager Jolanda Cave said: “We are working closely with the relevant authorities as they establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.” We found no published investigation outcome in October 2026.

It is expensive per minute and short, but it is the ride people mean when they say “the Queenstown jet boat”. Book it if you only do one. The full review, history and safety record are in is the Shotover Jet worth it, and fares for every ride are on tickets and prices.

KJet: an hour from the town pier

KJet gives you a full hour and two rivers, starting from the pier in the middle of Queenstown Bay, which makes it the easiest full-length ride in town. KJet describes a 45 km run across Lake Wakatipu and down the Kawarau and Shotover rivers at up to 95 km/h, with 360° spins, in water “less than 5cm deep in places.”

• Price: NZ$159 adult, NZ$79 child (5–14), NZ$397 family for two adults and two children, direct; from US$84 on GetYourGuide. Bookme showed deals from NZ$89 on some time slots in October 2026.
• Time: 60 minutes from the Main Town Pier, about 40 minutes from KJet Marina in Frankton. Boats leave every hour on the hour from 10am to 6pm.
• Kids: no height restriction. Infants aged 2–4 ride free on a parent’s knee, one per adult. Children must fit a KJet life jacket; adult sizes go up to 4XL.
• Pregnancy: “pregnant thrill-seekers are unable to ride KJet.”
• Accessibility: wheelchair users can ride if a caregiver helps them down a set of stairs and in and out of the boat.
• Winter: runs year-round, with heated handrails.
• Add-ons sold direct by KJet: KJet with the Time Tripper underwater observatory (NZ$169), KJet with the Kawarau Zipride, and combos with the Kawarau Bungy, the Kawarau Swing, a scenic helicopter flight and a wine tour. A Queenstown Superpass can be exchanged for a KJet ride.
• Heritage: KJet says it has operated since 1958 and calls itself the world’s first commercial jet boat operator, with a nine-boat fleet and the largest jet boat capacity in New Zealand.
• Ratings: 4.7 from 2,022 reviews on GetYourGuide; 4.6 from 1,051 on TripAdvisor.

KJet suits travellers short on time or money, families with toddlers, and anyone nervous about narrow canyons. You give up the canyon walls and get more spins and more river for the money. Shotover Jet or KJet compares the two in detail.

Thunder Jet: the lowest fares and the most ride lengths

Thunder Jet sells the most ride lengths and the lowest headline price of the in-town operators, from NZ$99 for a 45-minute early ride. It calls itself Queenstown’s “big-water jet boat ride”: a 47 km run from Lake Wakatipu down the Kawarau River at up to 95 km/h.

• Price, direct: the 45-minute Rise & Ride at 9am from Frankton Marina is NZ$99 adult and NZ$45 child; the 30-minute ride NZ$119 and NZ$59; the 60-minute ride NZ$159 and NZ$79. GetYourGuide sells the 30- and 60-minute rides from US$56. Bookme listed a 60-minute family fare (2A+2C) at NZ$397 and short-notice deals from NZ$78 (30 min) and NZ$88 (60 min) in October 2026.
• Departs: the Watersports kiosk at Steamer Wharf, on the hour. Rise & Ride leaves Frankton Marina at 9am and is back by 9.45am.
• Kids: age 2+ and over 13 kg, and must fit the smallest life jacket. Children 12 and under ride with an adult. There is no upper weight limit.
• Getting wet: spray jackets are not provided, so bring a waterproof.
• Pregnancy: “We don’t recommend going jet boating while pregnant.”
• Combos: the Hydro Attack shark ride with Thunder Jet (“Fin2Spin” and “Full Throttle”), and Paraflights with Thunder Jet (“Jet & Fly”, “Chill & Thrill”). Private boats take groups of up to 21.
• Who runs it: Watersports Ltd. Its owner Iraj Barabi, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who developed Queenstown Marina, bought RealNZ’s jet boat company, “Queenstown Jet Boat (formerly Thunder Jet)”, according to the Otago Daily Times, which reported in July 2023 that RealNZ called the boats “a step away from our core focus as a business.” Older reviews of the same boats may sit under RealNZ or “Queenstown Jet”.
• Ratings: 4.8 from 256 reviews on GetYourGuide. The new TripAdvisor listing had too few reviews to judge in October 2026.

The 9am ride is the cheapest worthwhile jet boat in Queenstown, and the 30-minute ride fits between other activities. The 60-minute ride costs the same as KJet and feels similar, except it does not go up the Shotover.

Skippers Canyon Jet: history and a backcountry road

Skippers Canyon Jet is a half-day backcountry trip with a canyon jet boat ride in the middle, and the drive in is half of it. A guided bus takes the historic Skippers Road, which the operator says miners carved out of a vertical rock face more than 130 years ago, then you jet the narrow canyons of the upper Shotover.

• Price, direct: NZ$229 adult, NZ$109 child (3–15), NZ$458 family for two adults and one child; from US$118 on GetYourGuide.
• Time: allow 2.5–3 hours return from central Queenstown. The operator lists a 25-minute jet ride; some resellers say 30.
• Departures: from October to April at 8.30am, 12pm and 3.30pm; from May to September at 9am and 1pm. Buses leave from the Camp St side of the Station Building.
• Included: return transport, commentary, life jackets and spray jackets, plus gloves in winter.
• What sets it apart: the operator says it is the only jet boat ride where you see gold-mining relics still in the river and Lord of the Rings locations, and Skippers Road is a road “where no rental car is insured.”
• Ratings: 4.9 from 795 reviews on GetYourGuide; 4.9 from 1,695 on TripAdvisor. Reviewers praise the bus commentary and the value, and complain about short-notice cancellations for river and road conditions and a jet section that feels short.
• Safety record: on 25 February 2025 the boat Discovery 2 lost engine power in Skippers Canyon and hit the canyon wall at an estimated 30–35 km/h. TAIC says “two adults and two children from the same family were evacuated by helicopter,” and one passenger fractured a wrist. Its inquiry (MO-2025-202, published 16 April 2026) found it “virtually certain” a chafed engine wiring harness shut the engine down. The operator has since added risk disclosure at booking and a brace-position briefing. A separate 2019 crash led to a NZ$50,000 fine and NZ$260,000 in reparations, the Otago Daily Times reported.

Choose it if stories, scenery and a white-knuckle road appeal as much as speed. It is also a way to see Skippers Canyon without risking your rental car (our breakdown). Skippers Bridge has been closed to everyone since late 2025; the jet boats turn around at it, but no tour can cross it. The road, the closure and the safety record are in our Skippers Canyon guide.

Dart River: scenery and wilderness

Dart River’s Wilderness Jet is the longest and most scenic jet boat ride in the region: about 2 hours up a braided, glacier-fed river into Mount Aspiring National Park, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Area. Dart River says it has “exclusive jetboat access to the largest sections of the Dart River,” and guides cover Māori legend and the pounamu (greenstone) trail on the way.

• Wilderness Jet price, direct: at peak (1 October 2026 to 30 April 2027) NZ$399 adult, NZ$299 child (5–15) and NZ$1,097 family (2A+2C); off-peak (1 May to 30 September 2026) NZ$319, NZ$219 and NZ$857. From US$181 on GetYourGuide.
• Transport: free coaches run between Queenstown and Glenorchy on selected departures. If you drive, Dart River suggests allowing at least an hour each way; Glenorchy is about 45 minutes along the lake.
• Kids: at least 3 years old and 100 cm tall, which may rise to 120 cm in some conditions. Children aged 3–4 ride free.
• Not suitable for: pregnant women, or people with back or neck injuries without checking with the operator first. Life jackets go up to 2XL.
• Weather: “Beyond fog or torrential rain – we operate in all safe weather.”
• The canoe-and-jet day: the jet boat, an inflatable Funyak canoe and lunch, sold on GetYourGuide as the Dart River canoe and jet boat day trip from US$283. Direct, it is listed at NZ$599 adult at peak (the child peak price is also NZ$599, as listed by the operator) and NZ$499 adult and NZ$399 child off-peak. Minimum age 5. Buses leave Queenstown at 8.30am and return about 5 to 5.30pm.
• Ownership: Ngāi Tahu Tourism, the group that owns Shotover Jet.
• Ratings: 4.8 from 171 reviews on GetYourGuide; the jet product is 4.8 from 521 on TripAdvisor. Reviewers praise the small groups, guides and scenery, and the main complaint is the price.

This is the most expensive ride here, and it is a nature excursion as much as a thrill ride. Pair it with a day in Glenorchy (our breakdown).

Other jet boat options near Queenstown

• The Kawarau River rafting and jet boat trip: about 4.5 hours combining a jet boat ride with grade 2–3 rafting on the Kawarau, including the 400 m Dog Leg rapid. RealNZ sells it direct as Jet2Raft from NZ$329, with a return shuttle and hot showers, and GetYourGuide lists it as the Kawarau River rafting and jet boat ride from US$186, 4.8 from 149 reviews. Rafting weight limits are 40–120 kg; our Queenstown rafting guide covers the Kawarau and Shotover trips in full. RealNZ has sold its jet boats, so check which operator runs the jet leg; Bookme says it lasts 40 minutes, RealNZ says 25.
• Wānaka, on the Clutha River: an hour from Queenstown. Lakeland’s jet boat ride covers Lake Wānaka and the Clutha in 60 minutes for NZ$139 adult, NZ$65 child and NZ$369 family, operator-listed, and is rated 4.9/5 from 242 reviews on Viator. Go Jets Wanaka runs the Clutha past the Red Bridge, listed on Bookme at NZ$149 adult and NZ$75 child, and rated 5.0/5 from 332 reviews on Viator.
• The Hydro Attack (not a jet boat): a semi-submersible “shark” in Queenstown Bay, often sold with Thunder Jet. From US$101, 4.6 from 77 reviews.

How to choose: five things that matter

1. Canyon or open river. Canyon rides (the Shotover Jet, Skippers) feel more intense because the rock walls rush past a metre or so away. Open-river rides (KJet, Thunder Jet, the Dart) give longer runs, more shallows and wider views.
2. Time on the water against total time. The Shotover Jet is about 25 minutes and the Dart River about 2 hours. Skippers takes 2.5–3 hours in total for a 25-minute jet.
3. Getting there. KJet and Thunder Jet leave from the waterfront. The Shotover Jet is 10 minutes away at Arthurs Point, with a free shuttle. The Dart River is 45 minutes or more away in Glenorchy.
4. Who is coming. Height, age and pregnancy rules vary a lot; see the NZ$ table above.
5. Weather and river levels. Every operator depends on conditions. Height minimums can rise in high water, and backcountry trips can cancel at short notice.

When the obvious pick is wrong

You have an afternoon, not a morning. The Shotover Jet is the easiest to slot into a day: ten minutes out, twenty-five minutes on the water, back. Skippers and the Dart trips are outings in themselves.

You are not sure you like this sort of thing. Thunder Jet from US$56 is the cheapest way to find out, and the operator is unusually direct that you will get a little wet.

You want scenery more than adrenaline. The Dart River wilderness trip is two hours inside Mt Aspiring National Park with commentary on Māori history and the Greenstone Trail. It is a jet boat, but the boat is not the point.

You want to be in the river, not on it. The Shotover whitewater trip runs six grade 4–5 rapids and rafts through the 170-metre Oxenbridge Tunnel (our breakdown).

You want something that is not a boat at all. The Hydro Attack is a semi-submersible shaped like a shark, one passenger at a time, fifteen minutes, and a dry cockpit.

Where jet boating started

Queenstown is where commercial jet boating began. KJet says it has operated since 1958 and calls itself the world’s first commercial jet boat operator. That year the Invercargill brothers Alan and Harold Melhop made the first jet-powered run of the Kawarau Falls dam in a new Hamilton jet, and Queenstown’s tourism body says that in 1959 they began giving joy rides for five shillings a spin to raise money for the Lakeland Christian Camp.

The jet boat is a New Zealand invention. Sir William (Bill) Hamilton developed the waterjet at Irishman Creek Station in the South Island for shallow, rocky rivers that wrecked propellers, and HamiltonJet dates his first jet unit, a centrifugal pump driven by a bevel gear, to 1954. The 360-degree “Hamilton spin” is named after him: he used it to show his boats off to buyers. More on what a jet boat is and how it works.

Shotover Jet followed in 1965 on the Shotover River and passed 4.6 million riders by its 60th anniversary in 2025. It is now wholly owned by Ngāi Tahu, the iwi whose ancestral connection to the Kimiākau, the Shotover River, the company highlights. The full story is in our Shotover Jet review.

Queenstown jet boat prices and how to pay less

Adult fares booked direct run from NZ$99 (Thunder Jet’s 45-minute early ride) to NZ$399 (the Dart River Wilderness Jet at peak) in 2026. Our Shotover Jet prices and deals page works out which combos save money. Ways to pay less:

• Buy the family pass. KJet’s NZ$397 pass for two adults and two children costs less than four tickets; the Shotover Jet’s is NZ$507.
• Go early. Thunder Jet’s 9am ride is NZ$99, against NZ$159 for its 60-minute ride.
• Check Bookme for last-minute deals. In October 2026 it showed KJet from NZ$89 and Thunder Jet from NZ$78–88 on selected times.
• Go off-peak for the Dart River. From May to September the adult fare is NZ$80 lower (NZ$319 against NZ$399).
• Use combos and passes if you were doing both anyway: Swing + Jet, KJet with the Zipride, and the Queenstown Superpass, which exchanges for a KJet ride. The savings on each are in our adventure combos compared page.
• Locals’ days. If you live in the area, the Shotover Jet ran a NZ$69 Locals Day on 17 October 2026 for Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago residents.
• Check the currency on resellers. Viator, TripAdvisor and GetYourGuide often show US$ or A$, and one TripAdvisor reviewer warned that the “price is in USD.” The from-prices on this site are GetYourGuide’s US$ figures.

The tickets and prices page breaks down what each fare includes, and the combos page covers the bundles.

When to go

• Summer (December to February): warmest, busiest and most likely to sell out, so book ahead. Skippers runs three departures a day from October to April.
• Autumn (March to May): fewer crowds, golden poplars and crisp light for photos.
• Winter (June to August): every major operator runs year-round, and the snow-capped peaks look their best. It is cold at 90 km/h: KJet and the Shotover Jet have heated handrails, and the Dart River switches to off-peak prices and a winter timetable.
• Time of day: Thunder Jet’s 9am slot is its cheapest, and in winter a late-morning or early-afternoon ride is warmer. The best time to ride the Shotover Jet guide covers the seasons and ride times.

What to wear, and will you get wet?

You will probably get some spray, especially in the front rows, so dress warmer than the weather suggests. Every operator supplies life jackets. Skippers Canyon Jet includes spray jackets; the Shotover Jet and Thunder Jet do not, and the Dart River asks you to wear a waterproof, so bring your own. More on the canyon ride in do you get wet on the Shotover Jet.

• A waterproof or windproof jacket, plus a warm layer
• Sunglasses; the Dart River asks for eye protection, and in winter KJet suggests goggles, a beanie and gloves
• Sunscreen in summer, and insect repellent for the sandflies at the Dart River and Skippers
• Closed, sturdy shoes
• Phones and cameras: KJet allows them only stowed or at photo stops, with hands-free mounted action cameras while moving, and bans selfie sticks; the Shotover Jet’s rule is similar

To stay drier, ask for a centre seat, though KJet says it cannot guarantee seating.

Is jet boating in Queenstown safe?

Commercial jet boating in New Zealand is regulated by Maritime NZ under Maritime Rules Part 82, which requires licensed drivers, audited Safe Operational Plans and regular boat inspections. It still carries real risk: TAIC’s April 2026 report calls canyon jet boating “a high-risk activity that leaves little room for error.”

Recent incidents include the Skippers Canyon Jet crash in February 2025; a KJet crash on the Shotover in March 2021 that 1News reported injured five people including the driver, after which KJet fitted passenger emergency buttons; and the Shotover Jet rock strike on 10 July 2026, with five minor injuries. To lower your own risk, listen to the briefing, keep both hands on the rail, brace your feet during spins, ask the driver what the brace position is, and tell the operator about any back, neck or heart condition.

Before you pay

• Check whether transport is in your fare. The Shotover Jet’s shuttle is free on selected departures; Skippers includes it; the Dart trips sell it separately on some options.
• Check the camera rule. The Shotover Jet permits only a head-mounted action camera while moving. KJet and Thunder Jet let you bring your own camera.
• Check the season, not the weather. KJet states it runs 365 days a year, and heated handrails are standard on both it and the Shotover Jet. See best time to ride the Shotover Jet.
• Free cancellation up to 24 hours before applies across these listings, so booking early costs nothing if plans move.

The verdict

Book the Shotover Jet if you only do one ride. It is short and pricey, but nothing else in Queenstown matches the canyon walls. If your budget or timing is tight, or you have small children, take KJet or Thunder Jet from the waterfront and get a full hour for NZ$159. Spend more on the Dart River for a half-day in wilderness, and choose Skippers Canyon Jet if the history and the drive appeal. Check the height and age rules for your group, and book summer slots early, because they sell out first.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best jet boat ride in Queenstown?

The Shotover Jet is the best all-round choice for a first visit, because it is the only operator allowed in the narrow Shotover canyons. KJet’s 60-minute ride is better value, and the Dart River Wilderness Jet has the best scenery.

How much does a jet boat ride in Queenstown cost?

Booked direct in 2026, adult fares run from NZ$99 (Thunder Jet’s 45-minute early ride) to NZ$399 (the Dart River Wilderness Jet at peak). The Shotover Jet is NZ$199, KJet NZ$159 and Skippers Canyon Jet NZ$229. GetYourGuide from-prices run from US$56 to US$283.

Which is better, Shotover Jet or KJet?

The Shotover Jet is more intense: a 25-minute canyon ride for NZ$199. KJet gives you 60 minutes on the lake and the Kawarau and Shotover rivers for NZ$159, from the town pier. Choose the Shotover Jet for the thrill and KJet for time on the water and convenience.

What is the cheapest jet boat in Queenstown?

Thunder Jet’s 9am Rise & Ride is the cheapest standard fare at NZ$99 adult and NZ$45 child for 45 minutes. Bookme deals on KJet and Thunder Jet sometimes go lower.

Can toddlers go jet boating in Queenstown?

Yes, with KJet (no height limit; ages 2–4 ride free on a parent’s knee) or Thunder Jet (from age 2 and over 13 kg). The Shotover Jet and the Dart River need children to be at least 1 metre tall.

Can you go jet boating while pregnant?

Generally no. The Shotover Jet, KJet and the Dart River do not allow pregnant passengers, and Thunder Jet does not recommend it.

Do Queenstown jet boats run in winter?

Yes. The Shotover Jet, KJet, Thunder Jet, Skippers Canyon Jet and the Dart River all run year-round, conditions permitting. KJet and the Shotover Jet have heated handrails.

Will I get wet on a jet boat?

Probably a little, especially in the front seats. Bring a waterproof jacket, because the Shotover Jet and Thunder Jet do not supply spray jackets.

Which jet boat goes through the Shotover Canyon?

The Shotover Jet is the only operator in the lower Shotover canyons at Arthurs Point. Skippers Canyon Jet runs the upper Shotover in Skippers Canyon, and KJet uses a different, more open section of the river.

Is the Dart River jet boat worth it?

Yes, if you value wilderness over speed. It is a 2-hour ride into Mount Aspiring National Park with commentary, but at NZ$399 at peak it is the most expensive option.

Which was the first jet boat company in the world?

KJet (Kawarau Jet) in Queenstown, which says it has operated since 1958 and calls itself the world’s first commercial jet boat operator.

How long is the Shotover Jet ride?

About 25 minutes on the water. Allow about 1 hour 45 minutes return on the free shuttle from central Queenstown, or about an hour if you drive.

Can I combine jet boating and rafting in Queenstown?

Yes. The Kawarau River rafting and jet boat trip combines a jet boat ride with grade 2–3 rafting in about 4.5 hours, from NZ$329 direct or US$186 on GetYourGuide.

Prices were checked against the operators’ websites, Bookme and the live GetYourGuide listings in October 2026.