Queenstown: Kawarau River Rafting and Jet Boat Ride

About This Experience

On this trip the jet boat is transport rather than the attraction, and it works better for it. RealNZ shuttles you from the centre of Queenstown to the raft base to be fitted with gear, brings you back into town, then puts you on a jet boat for 25 minutes and 22 kilometres up the Kawarau at 95 km/h, with 360-degree spins, to reach the rafting put-in.

The rafting itself is an hour over eight kilometres of the Kawarau, on grade 2-3 rapids with the occasional grade 2-4 when the water is high. The operator pitches it as a first-timer's introduction to whitewater, and the river gives flat stretches between the rapids where you can swim or race the other rafts. It finishes on the Dog Leg, a 400-metre grade 3/4 rapid the operator calls the longest commercially rafted rapid in New Zealand.

Everything technical is included: the return bus transfer, the jet boat leg, the guides, an extensive safety briefing, and a full kit of wetsuit, wetsuit jacket, spray jacket, paddle, helmet, booties and life jacket. Hot showers are there at the end. Food, drinks and hotel pickup are not included.

The eligibility rules are the strictest of any ride here and worth reading before you book: no one under 13, over 120 kg, under 40 kg, pregnant, with a heart condition or on heart medication, and no non-swimmers. Everyone signs a waiver, under-16s need a guardian along, and under-18s need a guardian's signature. Trips can be cancelled for river, road or weather conditions, with a refund or a date change offered.

Highlights

• Experience the thrill of whitewater rafting on the beautiful Kawarau River
• Enjoy plenty of whitewater action and soak in the spectacular scenery
• Take on New Zealand's longest commercially rafted rapid
• Discover stunning surroundings used as film backdrops in major motion pictures
• Start your adventure with a thrilling high speed jet boat ride

What's Included

• ✓ Roundtrip bus transfer between Queenstown and the rafting base
• ✓ 25-minute jet boat transfer
• ✓ 1-hour rafting experience on the Kawarau River
• ✓ Experienced rafting guides
• ✓ Extensive safety briefing
• ✓ All rafting and safety equipment including wetsuit, wetsuit jacket, spray jacket, paddle, helmet, wetsuit booties, and life jacket
• ✓ Hot showers

Not Included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• Food and drinks

What to Bring

• Swimwear
• Towel

Good to Know & Caveats

• Valuables should be left behind at your accommodation.
• This activity is not suitable for pregnant women, those less than 13 years old, those less than 40-kilograms, those over 120kgs or those with a heart condition or taking heart medication.
• All participants must sign a waiver form. Rafters under 16 years old must have a guardian travel with them and all rafters under 18 years old must have a waiver form signed by a guardian.
• RealNZ reserves the right to refuse participation if participants do not meet the eligibility criteria
• Trips may be cancelled due to river, road, or weather conditions or insufficient numbers in the interest of all rafters' safety. In such cases, guests will be offered to options of a full refund or changing to a different date.
• Participation in rafting activities involves a degree of risk and the rafting operator cannot absolutely guarantee participants' safety. Whitewater rafting risk disclosures available on the RealNZ website

Meeting Point

Please arrive 20 minutes in advance.