Canyon blast, wilderness safari or quick lake spin. Here is which river each ride runs, how long you are on the water, and what it costs per person.
Pick a day, or the first and last day you are in Queenstown. We check the booking calendar of every jet boat ride and show which ones still have seats.
In the next 7 days, all 6 tours on this page still have places.
Time in the jet boat: 60 min
Time in the jet boat: 25 min
Time in the jet boat: 30 min
Time in the jet boat: 25–60 min by option
Time in the jet boat: 2 h from the Glenorchy base
Duration: 6.5 h
Queenstown calls itself the home of jet boating, and several operators compete for your seat. That sounds like the same ride under different names, and is not. One runs the narrow Shotover canyons under an exclusive licence, one covers three waterways from a pier in the town centre, one pairs its canyon run with a back-country road trip, one heads into UNESCO World Heritage wilderness (by jet boat alone or as a full day with a canoe paddle), and one keeps it short and simple on the lake and the Kawarau. The ride names on booking sites rarely make those differences obvious. Pick the right river first; the rides below are laid out with the same facts so you can.
Canyon, lake, back country or wilderness: each card says which water the ride covers and for how long.
The famous red boats: 25 minutes through the narrow Shotover canyons at up to 90 km/h, with 360-degree spins. No other operator is licensed to run in there.
The ride Queenstown is famous for: 25 minutes through the narrow Shotover canyons at up to 90 km/h, with the full 360-degree spins the red boats are known for. Shotover Jet holds the exclusive licence to run in these canyons (no other operator is allowed in), and the base is less than ten minutes' drive from Queenstown.
Go in knowing what you are buying: this is a short, intense blast, not a scenic cruise. Critical reviews mention that 25 minutes feels brief for the price and that photo and video options can be limited on the day. The praise, for balance: the drivers, the canyon walls at speed and the spins.
Ride details as the operator publishes them on its GetYourGuide product page.
A full hour across Lake Wakatipu, the Kawarau and the Shotover, departing from the Main Town Pier in central Queenstown. Does not enter the Shotover canyons.
The ride that starts in the middle of town: a full hour across Lake Wakatipu, the Kawarau River and the Shotover River: around 45 km of water in one trip, departing from the Main Town Pier and running 365 days a year.
One thing to be clear about, because it is the recurring theme in disappointed reviews: KJet runs the shallow channels of the Shotover River, not the narrow Shotover canyons. The canyon run is Shotover Jet's exclusive territory. What KJet offers instead is a full hour on the water, spins included, from a departure point in the town centre.
Main Town Pier, central Queenstown. No transfer needed.
Ride details as the operator publishes them on its GetYourGuide product page.
Three hours, of which about 30 minutes are on the upper Shotover. The guided bus drive along the historic Skippers Road is the other half of the experience.
Half ride, half expedition: the trip into Skippers Canyon takes about three hours, of which roughly 30 minutes are in the jet boat on the upper Shotover River. The rest is a guided bus drive along the historic Skippers Road, carved into the canyon wall by gold miners more than 130 years ago. The operator treats the drive as part of the experience, and the reviewers who mention it agree.
Book it for the combination, not for maximum boat time: if you only want minutes on the water, the in-town rides give you more of them. If you want the drive into Skippers Canyon plus a jet boat ride, this is the one.
Ride details as the operator publishes them on its GetYourGuide product page.
Two hours on the braided Dart River from Glenorchy into UNESCO World Heritage wilderness, with Māori commentary. Scenery first, adrenaline second.
The scenic one: a two-hour wilderness trip on the braided Dart River from Glenorchy, into the edge of Mount Aspiring National Park, part of the Te Wāhipounamu UNESCO World Heritage area and a recurring Lord of the Rings filming backdrop. The commentary weaves in Māori stories of the valley.
This ride is about the landscape, not the adrenaline. Two things to know: with the Queenstown transfer option, the round trip takes around four hours for the two-hour trip, and reviewers mention rain and wind-blown dust on some days. If you are based in Queenstown and short on time, weigh the transfer share before booking.
Ride details as the operator publishes them on its GetYourGuide product page.
A full day of 6.5 to 8.5 h: jet boat up the braided Dart River into Mount Aspiring National Park, then paddle back down in inflatable Funyak canoes, with a picnic lunch on the way. From age 5.
The full-day version of the Dart River: a guided jet boat trip upstream through the braided, glacier-fed waterways of Mount Aspiring National Park (part of a UNESCO World Heritage area), then a switch into Funyaks (stable inflatable canoes) for a relaxed paddle back downstream, with stops to explore side streams and native beech forest. A picnic lunch is served midway at a riverside spot, and the guides tell stories of Māori history, the ancient Greenstone Trail and the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film locations.
The day starts with the drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy and ends with a back-country bus ride through Paradise before the return to Queenstown; you can also drive yourself to Glenorchy. Wetsuits, lifejackets, booties and all paddling gear are included, plus thermals and gloves in winter. Two things to know from the reviews: one reviewer found the wind on the jet boat cold, and one mentions persistent sandflies. Bring a warm layer and insect repellent.
Ride details as the operator publishes them on its GetYourGuide product page.
Short and simple: about half an hour or a full hour on Lake Wakatipu and the Kawarau at up to 95 km/h, from age 2, with photo stops for your own camera.
The short, simple way onto the water: Thunder Jet (run by Watersports LTD) covers Lake Wakatipu and the Kawarau River at up to 95 km/h, bookable as a ride of about half an hour or a full hour. Children can join from age 2, and the trip includes photo stops where you use your own camera, so a souvenir shot needs no upsell.
It is not the canyon run: like KJet it stays on the lake and the Kawarau. If your goal is spins, speed and spray in a compact format, start here.
Ride details as the operator publishes them on its GetYourGuide product page.
One ride per wish, picked on what its listing says. The full comparison follows further down.
25 minutes through the narrow Shotover canyons at up to 90 km/h, with 360-degree spins. No other operator has access to these canyons. Return transport from Queenstown is a booking option, and children need to be at least 100 cm tall.
One hour and 45 kilometres across Lake Wakatipu, the Kawarau and the Shotover, starting at the Main Town Pier in central Queenstown. It does not enter the Shotover canyons. Heated handrails in winter, and your own camera is welcome.
About two hours from the Glenorchy base on the glacier-fed Dart River into Mount Aspiring National Park, part of a World Heritage Area, with stories of Māori legends and film locations. Water- and windproof jackets are included; return transport from Queenstown is an option.
Children can ride from age 2, with no height limit. Choose about half an hour or a full hour on Lake Wakatipu and the Kawarau, with photo stops for your own camera.
Tell us what you want from the ride, how much time you have and who comes along. We suggest the ride that fits.
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No tour fits every answer, so here is the closest one.
The ride Queenstown is known for: 25 minutes through the narrow Shotover canyons with 360-degree spins, less than ten minutes from town. Only Shotover Jet is licensed to run in the canyons.
Jet boat plus back-country trip: about 30 minutes on the upper Shotover and a guided bus drive along the historic Skippers Road, around three hours in total. Children from age 3.
A full hour across Lake Wakatipu, the Kawarau and the Shotover, starting from the Main Town Pier in central Queenstown. Children ride from age 2. It does not enter the Shotover canyons.
Short and simple: about half an hour or a full hour on Lake Wakatipu and the Kawarau at up to 95 km/h, from age 2, with photo stops for your own camera.
Two hours on the Dart River from Glenorchy into UNESCO World Heritage wilderness, with Māori commentary. With the transfer option from Queenstown, plan about four hours.
Jet boat upstream into Mount Aspiring National Park, then a Funyak canoe paddle back downstream with a picnic lunch. 6.5 to 8.5 hours depending on the option, from age 5.
Also a good fit
Sorted by number of reviews. Tap a column header to re-sort.
| Photo | Ride | What's in it | Rating ↕ | Price ↕ | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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KJet — three waterways from the pier | Lake Wakatipu + Kawarau + Shotover, from central Queenstown · 1 h | ★ 4.7 (2,034) | NZ$ 159 per person | Book now |
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Shotover Jet — the canyon ride | Shotover canyons (exclusive licence), 360° spins · 25 min | ★ 4.8 (1,778) | NZ$ 199 per person | Book now |
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Skippers Canyon Jet + Skippers Road | Upper Shotover jet ride + guided bus drive on the historic Skippers Road · 3 h total, ~30 min on the water | ★ 4.9 (801) | NZ$ 229 per person | Book now |
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Thunder Jet — lake and river spins | Lake Wakatipu + Kawarau River, photo stops · approx. 30 or 60 min | ★ 4.8 (258) | NZ$ 99 per person | Book now |
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Dart River Jet + Funyak canoe day | Jet boat upstream + Funyak canoe paddle downstream, picnic lunch, Mount Aspiring National Park · 6.5 to 8.5 h (transport from Queenstown optional) | ★ 4.8 (191) | NZ$ 499 per person | Book now |
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Dart River Wilderness Jet | Dart River wilderness from Glenorchy, Māori commentary · 2 h (about 4 h with Queenstown transfer) | ★ 4.8 (173) | NZ$ 319 per person | Book now |
Jet boat prices in this table come live from GetYourGuide, with taxes and booking fees included. Optional extras such as the Shotover Jet photo and video packages are not part of the price. “What’s in it” summarises the product title. The full list of inclusions is on each product page.
From the GetYourGuide listing of each ride. If a listing gives no figure, the cell says so.
| Ride | Time in the jet boat | River or lake | Minimum age or height | Transfer from Queenstown | Whole trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KJet on Lake Wakatipu, the Kawarau and the Shotover | 60 min | Lake Wakatipu, Kawarau, Shotover (not the canyons) | From age 2, no height limit | Not needed, starts at the Main Town Pier | 60 min |
| Shotover Jet through the Shotover canyons | 25 min | Shotover canyons | 100 cm tall, 120 cm at high water | Return trip as a booking option | 25–90 min |
| Skippers Canyon Jet Boat Ride | 30 min | Upper Shotover, Skippers Canyon | From age 3 | Return trip from the centre included | 3 h |
| Lake Wakatipu & Kawarau River Jet Boat Ride (Thunder Jet) | 25–60 min by option | Lake Wakatipu and Kawarau | From age 2, no height limit | Not included | 30–60 min |
| Dart River Wilderness Jet Boat Experience | 2 h from the Glenorchy base | Dart River | From age 5 and 100 cm | Return trip as a booking option | 2–4 h |
| Dart River Canoe & Jet Boat Day Trip (Funyak) | Not stated | Dart River, plus Funyak canoe | From age 5 and 100 cm | Return trip as a booking option | 6.5–8.5 h |
Checked in October 2026. Boat time is the figure in each listing; the Dart River Wilderness Jet only gives the round trip from its Glenorchy base, and the Funyak day does not give the jet boat share. Whole trip is the provider’s figure.
You will get wet, and in winter, cold. Spray in the face is part of every ride; between June and September, dress warmer than you think you need. The famous ride is short. Shotover Jet is 25 minutes on the water, and the photo and video packages sold afterwards are optional. Not every ride is the canyon ride. KJet and Thunder Jet run the lake and the Kawarau, not the Shotover canyons. A good trip, but a different one. The full trade-off: which jet boat is best for you.
Praise and complaints from GetYourGuide reviews of the in-town rides. Skippers and Dart River reviews are on their own pages.
★ 4.8 (1,778 reviews)
“My husband and my second time, first time with our kids 7&12, was very exhilarating! Our driver Joe was very friendly and we were made to feel very safe.”
“Was a fantastic experience. Felt safe and was well organised. So much fun and would do it again in a heartbeat. Wear warm clothes even on a sunny day. Driver was lovely, sorry can’t remember his name”
“Overall little bit disappointing, expected more not as exhilarating as advertised. Apart from that our guide was lovely and the location was insane. Just felt for the price of $150 each for 25 mins is VERY extortionate.”
The praise in these reviews centres on skilled drivers, a strong feeling of safety, and the canyon itself. The critical reviews raise four points: busy departures can feel rushed and processed, with larger groups split across boats; photos are a sore spot, because phones and hand-held cameras are banned on board and the paid photo packages can be unavailable; one reviewer finds the price high for 25 minutes on the water; and two riders expected the ride to feel more extreme than it did. If any of those would spoil it for you, weigh them before booking.
★ 4.7 (2,034 reviews)
“Great fun! Kids and my family loved it! Great duration and info on the area with fun at same time”
“Fantastic! Got soaked but would absolutely do it again”
“Activity wasn’t as I had expected. It wasn’t much of a thrill seeking activity - it wasn’t that fast and the spins weren’t that often or that fast. … We had also booked this ride because it was in the shot over river and had assumed that it went through the canyon. He got halfway up the river and said we were at the end and turning around. When everyone asked about the canyon he said it was only shot over jet that did that. Don’t make our mistake and book this tour thinking it’s a better deal.”
One theme dominates the critical reviews, and it matters enough to say plainly: KJet runs the shallow channels of the Shotover and does not enter the Shotover canyons, and travellers who booked it expecting the canyon run came away disappointed. Three more points come from single reviews: the boats run rain or shine, and heavy rain at speed is described as painful; full boats can make the commentary hard to hear at the back; and one thrill-seeker found it tamer than expected. What the positive reviews praise is exactly what the ride is: a long trip, big scenery and good drivers.
★ 4.8 (258 reviews)
“Very easy to find! All the staff were very helpful and welcoming. Mitch our driver was a legend! We had good music playing, amazing views and super fun time.”
“It was great, I booked the 30min jet boat ride but they upgraded me to 1hr because there weren’t enough people. I found staff really amazing. Definitely would come back again :)”
“Location, locations, location. We were placed in the center of the boat. If you get motion sick & don’t want to get wet. This is the perfect seats. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the experience I was expecting or hoping for. … My advice, don’t let them seat you in the middle of the boat unless staying dry and lack of much excitement if that’s what you want.”
The positive reviews centre on the drivers by name and the easy, family-friendly feel. One traveller was even upgraded from the 30- to the 60-minute ride for free when numbers were low. The critical reviews cluster around two things. Weather goodwill is a friction point: the 24-hour cancellation rule is enforced even when the forecast is grim, while trips cancelled for low numbers frustrate the other way (the product page offers rebooking or a full refund in that case). And one practical seating note comes up: the middle of the boat stays drier but delivers noticeably less action, so say where you want to sit before you board. The operator replies publicly to almost every review, critical ones included.
Reviews collected from the rides' GetYourGuide pages. Shortened for length (marked with …), wording unchanged; names reduced to first name and country.
No sales calls, no callbacks, no login. We show you every jet boat ride bookable in Queenstown, with the same facts for each, so you can compare them in one place. When you book through a link on this page, GetYourGuide pays us a small commission out of its margin, not out of your ticket price.
Canyons, spray, kids, winter and cancellation.
It depends on what you want out of it. If you want the famous canyon blast, that is Shotover Jet, the only operator licensed to run the Shotover canyons. If you want a full hour on the water from the town centre, KJet covers three waterways in an hour from the Main Town Pier. If you want a back-country adventure, Skippers Canyon Jet pairs the jet ride with a guided bus trip on the historic Skippers Road. If scenery beats adrenaline for you, the Dart River trip runs into UNESCO World Heritage wilderness. For a full day out there, the same operator pairs the jet boat with a Funyak canoe paddle and a picnic lunch. And if you mainly want spins and speed in a short, simple format, Thunder Jet runs about half an hour or a full hour on the lake and the Kawarau.
No, and this is the most common mix-up before booking. Shotover Jet holds the exclusive licence for the narrow Shotover canyons near town. Skippers Canyon Jet runs the upper Shotover in Skippers Canyon, reached by a guided bus drive. KJet and Thunder Jet run Lake Wakatipu and the Kawarau River. KJet also runs the shallow channels of the Shotover, but not the canyons. Check which river a ride runs before you book; it is the real difference between them.
Between 25 minutes and a full day, depending on the trip. Shotover Jet is 25 minutes on the water, Thunder Jet runs about half an hour or a full hour, and KJet lasts a full hour. Skippers Canyon Jet takes about 3 hours in total, of which roughly 30 minutes are in the boat; the bus drive takes up the rest. The Dart River trip is 2 hours from Glenorchy, or around 4 hours with the Queenstown transfer, and the Dart River jet boat and Funyak canoe day is listed at 6.5 to 8.5 hours, depending on the option.
You will get sprayed. That is part of the ride, and in winter the spray is cold. Dress warmer than you think you need, especially between June and September. Shotover Jet and KJet run boats with heated handrails in the colder months. Spray jackets differ by operator: Skippers Canyon Jet and Dart River have them on hand, while Shotover Jet, KJet and Thunder Jet ask you to bring your own waterproof layer.
The rides are intense by design, with high speed close to rock walls and full 360-degree spins. They are run by long-established commercial operators with trained drivers, and the spins are choreography, not close calls. The intensity is real, though, and not every rider enjoys it. If you are unsure, the Dart River wilderness trip is the calm, scenic alternative, and the minimum age and height rules exist for a reason.
Yes, with limits that differ by ride. KJet and Thunder Jet take children from age 2, Skippers Canyon Jet from age 3, and both Dart River trips from age 5 with a 100 cm minimum height. Shotover Jet works with a height minimum instead: 100 cm, raised to 120 cm when the river runs high. Check the product page for child rates before booking.
Yes. Jet boating in Queenstown runs year-round, and KJet operates 365 days a year. Winter rides mean cold spray, so layer up; some boats have heated handrails for exactly that reason. Trips can still be adjusted or cancelled for river and weather conditions; the product page explains how the operator handles that case.
Yes, every ride on this site offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start. The policy shown at checkout on the GetYourGuide product page is the binding one, so give it a quick look before you book.
Shotover canyons, Lake Wakatipu, Skippers or the Dart: the cards above have the details.
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