Queenstown River Cruises: the 14 to Book First

1.Shotover River Extreme Jet Boat Ride in Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,540 reviews · from $113Our pick

Race through the Shotover River’s narrow canyons on a 25-minute jet boat ride with high-speed turns, white-water rapids, and 360-degree spins. Drivers such as Peter, Joe, Paul, and Matt add local stories and humor. A complimentary Queenstown shuttle is available, and groups stay small.

“Best boat ride ever, Crew was amazing and friendly. Had the best time with my family and it will definitely be one for the books.”

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2.Shotover River and Kawarau River Jet Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,682 reviews · 1 hour · from $89Best value

Join KJet at Queenstown’s Main Town Pier for a fast, splashy ride across Lake Wakatipu, the Kawarau River, and the Shotover River. Your English-speaking driver may be Puni, Sam, Reuben, Charles, or another KJet pilot. Expect speeds up to 95 km/h, sharp turns, and repeated 360-degree spins.

“Very fun activity in just an hour. Guide was excellent and kept us entertained with splashes and spins. Water was beautiful blue.”

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3.Shotover River Extreme Jet Boat Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,203 reviews · 25 - 90 minutes · from $107

You’ll race through the Shotover Canyons with Shotover Jet, the only operator permitted in this section of the river. Expect a 25-minute ride, close rock passes, rapids, and sharp 360-degree spins. Drivers such as Paul, Matt, Joe, and Missy add commentary on local geology, Maori culture, and river history.

“This was just a great experience, very thrilling and felt like a long time on the boat. Our jet boat driver Will was very expert and gave us good insights into the boat and the history of the river. Thank you for a great experience!”

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4.KJet Queenstown Jet Boat Ride on the Kawarau and Shotover Rivers

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 590 reviews · from $92

Ride KJet for one fast, wet hour across Lake Wakatipu, the Kawarau River, and the Shotover River. Expect mountain views, shallow-water speed, sharp turns, and 360-degree spins led by drivers such as Puni, Ben, Jack, Anton, and Reuben.

“This was our first experience on a Shotover and it was awesomely thrilling. The staffs were great and helpful. The jet driver Puni was skilled and made our trip fun and exciting. Special thanks to Puni who made sure I got my beanie back which I had forgotten on the jet.”

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5.Dart River Jet Boat and Wilderness Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 531 reviews · from $190

Travel from Queenstown to Glenorchy, then ride a jet boat 45 kilometers along the glacier-fed Dart River. Your guide may include spins, river lore, Māori culture, and film-location scenery. Jordan, John, Pedro, Dean, and other drivers are praised for friendly, careful commentary.

“This was an amazing thrill ride experience. Pedro our driver and guide for the trip was very knowledgeable and passionate about the surroundings we were in and passing through explaining all the views to us. It was such a fun trip and all our fellow passengers were excited about the whole experience. This is an opportunity not to miss.”

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6.Dart River Canoe and Jet Boat Experience from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 342 reviews · from $273

Travel from Queenstown to Glenorchy, then speed 30 kilometers up the Dart River by jet boat before paddling a funyak through side streams, rock pools, and a clear-water chasm. Guides such as Nikki, Rob, Jordan, and Ella have led trips, with lunch and all river gear supplied.

“This was a very active and fun day. The scenery is amazing. The jet boat is very fun and not early as scary as I thought it would be. Our driver was very experienced and we felt very safe. The guides for the funyak were super helpful and made that part very fun too. I was surprised how long the funyak part was - it was very pleasant.”

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7.Queenstown Shotover River White Water Rafting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 309 reviews · from $154

Travel from Queenstown to Deep Creek by shuttle and 4WD, then paddle the Shotover River through grade 3 to 5 rapids, including Jaws, Toilet, Sequel, and the 170-metre Oxenbridge Tunnel. Guides such as Morgan, Jess, Benji, and Erin lead the private rafting activity. Hot showers and digital photos are included.

“We had a great time! Guide was experienced and knowledgeable. It was fun and well organized. Would recommend!”

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8.Shotover River Whitewater Rafting Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 234 reviews · from $175

Join RealNZ for a 4.5-hour Shotover River rafting trip from Queenstown. Ride through Skippers Canyon by bus, tackle grade 3 to 5 rapids, and paddle through the historic Oxenbridge Tunnel. Guides such as Jess, Benji, and Morgan are known for clear instruction and a calm approach.

“We had a great day with Justin out on the shot over river! The rapids were really fun and his instructions were clear. Would highly recommend to anyone visiting Queenstown.”

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9.Dart River Canoe & Jet Boat Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 148 reviews · 390 - 510 minutes · from $256

Ride a jet boat up the glacier-fed Dart River, then paddle a Funyak through calm water, rock pools, and Rockburn Chasm with guides such as Ellie, Wolfgang, and Dean. Your day also includes lunch, full wet-weather gear, Queenstown transfers, and a back-country drive through Paradise Valley.

“Erin was lovely and very good on communication with what to do on the canoes. The bus trip was nice.”

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10.Kawarau River Rafting and Jet Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 145 reviews · 4h 30m · from $190

Combine a 25-minute jet boat ride with 8 km of Kawarau River rafting. You will tackle grade 2 to 3 rapids, finish with the 400-meter Dog Leg rapid, and have time to swim or cliff jump. Guides such as Morgan, Jess, Nico, and Josh are praised for clear safety briefings and good humor.

“We had an amazing time on this experience with RealNZ. We drove ourselves to the base site, got changed into our wetsuits, and were then taken back into town by bus with some incredibly friendly, chatty staff. From there, we jumped on the jet boat and travelled from Queenstown back to the base site along the river. The white water rafting was so much fun. Our guide, Nico, was outstanding: informative, funny, and always made us feel safe and confident while clearly explaining what was happening. We loved that we were able to swim in the river, try a few tricks, and really enjoy time in the rapids. Nico went…”

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11.Dart River Wilderness Jet Boat Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 123 reviews · 2 - 4 hours · from $178

Take a two-hour wilderness jet boat ride up and down the Dart River with an English-speaking guide such as Pedro, Finn, or Dean. Add the Queenstown transfer for a scenic drive to Glenorchy, then race through Mt Aspiring National Park, hear Māori stories, and spot Lord of the Rings filming country.

“We booked the bus ride to Glenorchy with the Jetboat adventure. We loved the whole experience, starting with getting to know fellow travellers on the bus, the lovely staff at Glenorchy, spins on the river, getting stuck and waiting to be rescued surrounded by stunning snowy mountains, the actual jetboat ride down the Dart River - from start to finish, this was a wonderful day out and well worth the price!”

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12.Shotover River Whitewater Rafting Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 72 reviews · 4 hours · from $178

Meet your English-speaking guide at Arthurs Point, suit up, and raft six Shotover River rapids, including the 170-meter Oxenbridge Tunnel and Cascade Rapid. Guides such as Jess, Raju, Kai, and Muzz have earned praise for clear instruction and good humor. Expect cold water, rugged scenery, and a serious safety briefing.

“The whole trip was incredible! The drive over was an experience in itself, and the river was beautiful to see while rafting. The guides were great and definitely a trip to put on your list! You get a variety of rapids, but the guides train you well to navigate your way through them. Overall we loved every bit of it!”

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13.White Water Surfing Along the Kawarau River

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 30 reviews · 4h 30m · from $164

Suit up in a 5mm wetsuit and bodyboard up to 12km along the Kawarau River near Queenstown. You’ll tackle grade 2 and 3 rapids, ride standing waves, spin through whirlpools, and stop for a cliff jump if conditions allow. Small groups keep the session active and personal.

“The crew were epic!! Did this 17 years ago when I was 21 on a contiki had a ball then and had a ball today!! Can’t wait for my own kids to be at least 8 years old and experience this with them!! Cheers guys Swifty 🤘”

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14.Kawarau River Whitewater Rafting

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 18 reviews · from $140

Raft 8 kilometers of the Kawarau River with an English-speaking guide, tackling grade 2 to 3 rapids and the 400-meter Dog Leg. You’ll have time to swim, race other rafts, or try an optional cliff jump, then warm up with a hot shower.

“The guides were all great, very friendly and really knew what they were doing. The river is beautiful. Kudos to RealNZ because they email you pictures of the trip for free! I would 100% recommend this!”

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