From Queenstown: Dart River Canoe & Jet Boat Day Trip
About This Experience
This is the longest and most expensive trip in the catalogue, and the only one that gives you the river twice. The jet boat carries you upstream through braided, glacier-fed channels into Mt Aspiring National Park, and then you come back down the same water slowly, in a Funyak, which is a stable inflatable canoe built for backcountry use.
The paddling is gentle and the pace is unhurried. Guides stop along the way to explore hidden side streams, native beech forest and stretches of wilderness that the jet boat passes at speed. Midway, a picnic lunch is served at a remote riverside spot inside the national park, which is a large part of why the day runs six and a half hours.
Everything is provided: the jet boat leg, the Funyak and all paddling and safety equipment, wetsuits, life jackets, booties, thermals, and gloves in winter, the wilderness lunch, and driver-guides carrying commentary on Māori history and the Greenstone Trail. Return transport from Queenstown to Glenorchy is a booking option rather than automatic.
If you are making your own way, check in with the Dart River team at 45 Mull Street, Glenorchy, 15 minutes before your booking time. Treat this as a full day out of Queenstown rather than an activity you fit around something else, and understand that the jet boat here is the way in, not the reason to come.
Highlights
- Full-day wilderness adventure in Mt Aspiring National Park
- Combination of jet boating and Funyak canoeing on the Dart River
- Paddle through remote side streams and untouched native bush
- Immerse yourself in the local culture, history, and wilderness of the land
- Optional scenic return transport from Queenstown to Glenorchy
What's Included
- ✓ Guided jet boat journey on the Dart River
- ✓ Funyak inflatable canoe experience
- ✓ All paddling and safety equipment
- ✓ Wetsuits, lifejackets, booties, thermals, gloves (in winter)
- ✓ Wilderness picnic lunch
- ✓ Professional driver-guides with live commentary
- ✓ Return transport from Queenstown (if option selected)
What to Bring
- Sunglasses
- Swimwear
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
Good to Know & Caveats
- There is a minimum number of 8 pax for this experience that must be met. If minimum numbers are not met, you will be moved to the next available departure, offered an alternate experience if available or provided a full refund.
- Children must be at least 1-meter tall and 5 years or older
- Children must be accompanied by a paying adult
- You're welcome to self-drive and join the experience from Glenorchy - please select the option whilst booking
- Buffet-style Lunch includes bread, salads, a selection of meats, sweet slices, and fruit. Please advise the operator if any special dietary requirements should apply.
- You are welcome to bring your camera to capture your own images throughout the day
Not Suitable For
- Children under 5 years
- Pregnant women
- People with mobility impairments
Meeting Point
If you are making your own way to Glenorchy, please check in with the Dart River team at the river base 15 minutes prior to your booking time, 45 Mull Street, Glenorchy
What Travelers Say
Rated 4.8/5 by 182 verified GetYourGuide travelers.
What a wonderful way to spend a day! Our guide (Matt) and his fellow guides were absolutely fantastic! They made the whole day enjoyable with constant jokes, guidance and knowledge. The lunch provided was beautiful with a range of sandwich meats, cheeses, salads and also fruit and sweets, it was great! To see the landscape from the river was pure magic, I would highly recommend this tour!
— Sharnie, September 12, 2026
Loved this trip. Combo of Canoe and jet boat was perfect. Guides and drivers all great. Highly recommended.
— Tania, July 3, 2026
Definitely worth the money, was abit cloudy but overall experience just as advertised, happy to see where glacier waters flows and how pretty it could be Guide was attentive, our guide is Shell or Shay , thanks to her our family have a good time, big love.
— Zhen, April 14, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of the day is jet boating?
The jet boat is the upstream leg only. The bulk of the six and a half hours is paddling back down by Funyak, stopping at side streams and beech forest, plus the picnic lunch and the transport at either end. Book a dedicated jet boat ride if the boat is what you want.
What is a Funyak?
An inflatable canoe, stable enough for remote backcountry water, which is what lets the trip come back down the Dart slowly. The paddling is described as gentle and at a relaxed pace, not as whitewater.
Is lunch really included?
Yes. A wilderness picnic lunch is served midway, at a remote riverside location inside Mt Aspiring National Park. It is one of the few trips in this catalogue where food is part of the fare rather than an exclusion.
What gear do I need to bring?
Very little. Wetsuits, life jackets, booties, thermals and, in winter, gloves are all supplied along with the paddling and safety equipment. Check in at 45 Mull Street, Glenorchy, 15 minutes before your time if you are driving yourself.
Is return transport from Queenstown included?
Only if you select the option that includes it. Otherwise the drive to Glenorchy, about 45 minutes each way along Lake Wakatipu, is yours to make. Given the length of the day, the transport option is worth pricing before you decide.
Other Rides on This River
From Queenstown: Dart River Wilderness Jet Boat Experience
Queenstown: Hydro Attack Shark Ride
Queenstown: Kawarau River Rafting and Jet Boat Ride
Queenstown: Shotover River and Kawarau River Jet Boat Ride
Queenstown: Shotover River Extreme Jet Boat Experience
Queenstown: Shotover River Whitewater Rafting Trip
From Queenstown: Skippers Canyon Jet Boat Ride
