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All six rides · one table

Jet boat prices in Queenstown 2026

The current rate for every ride, side by side — and what each price actually buys, from 25 canyon minutes to a full day on the Dart River.

Jet boat prices in Queenstown are less confusing than they first look, once you see what each ticket buys. The six rides span everything from a 25-minute canyon blast to a full day of jet boat and canoe on the Dart River — so comparing their prices without comparing their formats tells you nothing. The cards and the table on this page show the current per-person rate for each ride next to what it includes, so the formats stay comparable.

All amounts are in New Zealand dollars — the currency every operator here charges in.

All six rides, with current prices

Every option side by side, with the same facts for each. Open a card for the full ride details.

Shotover Jet — the canyon ride
Shotover Jet

Shotover Jet — the canyon ride

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.

  • Duration: 25 minutes on the water
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
from NZ$ 199 ★ 4.9 (1,681 reviews)
Book on GetYourGuide →
Full ride details

About this ride

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 only about seven 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.

Know before you go

  • Minimum rider height is 100 cm — raised to 120 cm when the river runs high.
  • You will get spray in the face; in winter the boats have heated handrails, but dress warm.
  • Photos and videos of your ride can be bought after the trip — buying them is optional.

Not allowed

  • Personal cameras on board — only head-strap-mounted GoPros are permitted.

Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.

KJet — three waterways from the town pier
KJet

KJet — three waterways from the town pier

A full hour across Lake Wakatipu, the Kawarau and the lower Shotover, departing from the Main Town Pier in central Queenstown. Does not enter the Shotover canyons.

  • Duration: 1 hour
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
from NZ$ 149 ★ 4.8 (1,987 reviews)
Book on GetYourGuide →
Full ride details

About this ride

The ride that starts in the middle of town: a full hour across Lake Wakatipu, the Kawarau River and the lower Shotover River — around 43 to 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 LOWER Shotover, the braided river section — not the narrow Shotover canyons. The canyon run is Shotover Jet's exclusive territory. What KJet offers instead is the longest of the in-town rides, spins included, from a departure point in the town centre.

Meeting point

Main Town Pier, central Queenstown — no transfer needed.

Know before you go

  • Children can ride from age 2.
  • You may bring your own camera on board.
  • The boats have heated handrails for the colder months.
  • This ride does not enter the Shotover canyons — that is a different trip (Shotover Jet).

Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.

Skippers Canyon Jet + 4WD road trip
Skippers Canyon Jet

Skippers Canyon Jet + 4WD road trip

Three hours, of which about 30 minutes are on the upper Shotover — the guided 4WD drive along the historic Skippers Road is the other half of the experience.

  • Duration: 3 hours in total — about 30 minutes of that on the water
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
from NZ$ 209 ★ 4.9 (788 reviews)
Book on GetYourGuide →
Full ride details

About this ride

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 4WD drive along the historic Skippers Road, a narrow gold-rush-era track cut into the canyon wall — 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 remote canyon scenery few visitors reach plus a jet boat ride, this is the one.

Know before you go

  • Children can join from age 3.
  • About 30 minutes of the 3 hours are on the water — the guided 4WD drive is the rest.
  • The Skippers Road is a narrow unsealed cliff road; if exposed gravel roads make you nervous, this trip is the wrong pick.
  • There is no toilet along the way.

Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.

Dart River Wilderness Jet
Dart River Adventures

Dart River Wilderness Jet

Two hours on the braided Dart River from Glenorchy into UNESCO World Heritage wilderness, with Māori commentary — scenery first, adrenaline second.

  • Duration: 2 hours from Glenorchy — about 4 hours with the Queenstown transfer option
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
from NZ$ 319 ★ 4.9 (162 reviews)
Book on GetYourGuide →
Full ride details

About this ride

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 from the reviews: with the Queenstown transfer option, the round trip takes around four hours for two hours on the river — and after heavy rain the glacier-fed water runs murky rather than turquoise. If you are based in Queenstown and short on time, weigh the transfer share before booking.

Know before you go

  • Minimum age 5 years and minimum height 100 cm.
  • The trip departs from Glenorchy; the Queenstown option adds the road transfer along Lake Wakatipu.
  • The trip needs a minimum of 8 participants to run.
  • After heavy rain the river can run murky — the scenery is the point of this ride, so check the forecast.

Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.

Dart River Jet + Funyak canoe day
Dart River Adventures

Dart River Jet + Funyak canoe day

A full day of 6 h 30 min: 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.

  • Duration: 6 hours 30 minutes — a full day, with transport from Queenstown as an option
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
from NZ$ 499 ★ 4.8 (182 reviews)
Book on GetYourGuide →
Full ride details

About this ride

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.

Know before you go

  • Children must be at least 5 years old and 1 metre tall, and accompanied by a paying adult.
  • The trip needs a minimum of 8 participants. If that is not reached, you are offered the next available departure, an alternative experience if available, or a full refund.
  • Driving yourself? Check in with the Dart River team at the river base, 45 Mull Street, Glenorchy, 15 minutes before the start.
  • Lunch is a buffet-style picnic (bread, salads, meats, sweet slices, fruit) — tell the operator about dietary requirements in advance.
  • Bring sunglasses, swimwear, sunscreen and insect repellent. Cameras are welcome.

Not suitable for

  • Children under 5 years
  • Pregnant women
  • People with mobility impairments

Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.

Thunder Jet — lake and river spins
Watersports LTD

Thunder Jet — lake and river spins

Short and simple: 30 or 60 minutes on Lake Wakatipu and the Kawarau at up to 95 km/h, from age 2, with photo stops for your own camera.

  • Duration: 30 or 60 minutes — choose the length at booking
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
from NZ$ 99 ★ 4.8 (232 reviews)
Book on GetYourGuide →
Full ride details

About this ride

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 30- or 60-minute ride. Children can join from age 2, and the trip includes photo stops where you use your own camera — no upsell required for a souvenir shot.

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.

Know before you go

  • Choose between the 30- and the 60-minute ride when you book.
  • Children can ride from age 2.
  • The ride includes photo stops where you can use your own camera.

Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.

What each ticket buys

Four things shape what you pay for, and none of them is marketing:

  • Exclusive territory. Shotover Jet is the only operator licensed to run the narrow Shotover canyons. A 25-minute ride in water no other operator can sell (currently from NZ$ 199 per person) — you are paying for the canyons, not the minutes.
  • Time on the water. KJet’s full hour across three waterways is the most boat time of the in-town rides (currently from NZ$ 149 per person) — as long as you know it does not enter the canyons.
  • What surrounds the boat. Skippers Canyon Jet (currently from NZ$ 209 per person) folds a guided 4WD trip on the historic Skippers Road around its ~30 boat minutes, and the Dart River trip (currently from NZ$ 319 per person) buys wilderness access, commentary and — on the Queenstown option — the coach transfer. You are paying for a half-day experience, not for boat minutes. The Dart River jet boat and Funyak day (currently from NZ$ 499 per person) goes further: a full day with the canoe paddle, all gear and a picnic lunch included.
  • Format choice. Thunder Jet (currently from NZ$ 99 per person) sells the same waters as KJet in a shorter, simpler format — 30 or 60 minutes, chosen at booking.

Child prices — what we can and cannot tell you

Every ride here has a child or youth rate, but the operators structure them differently, and we have not been able to verify the current child prices reliably enough to print them — a wrong number would be worse than none. What is verified: 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 height minimum. Shotover Jet uses height instead of age — 100 cm, raised to 120 cm at high water. The exact child rate for your dates shows on each GetYourGuide product page before checkout.

Three things worth knowing about jet boat pricing

The famous ride is the shortest. One 3-star review in Shotover Jet’s own reviews finds the price hard to swallow for 25 canyon minutes — worth knowing before you book, not after. A shorter ticket is not automatically the lesser ride. Thunder Jet covers the same waters as KJet with the same age-2 minimum; if you mainly want spins and spray, the short format delivers them. Booking early does not change the price logic. These are per-person rates set by the operators; what changes near departure is availability, especially in the southern-summer peak from November to February — the popular time slots sell out first.

All six rides and prices in one table

Sorted by number of reviews. Tap a column header to re-sort.

Photo Ride What's in it Rating ↕ Price ↕ Book
KJet — three waterways from the pier KJet — three waterways from the pier Lake Wakatipu + Kawarau + lower Shotover, from central Queenstown · 1 h ★ 4.8 (1,987) NZ$ 149 per person Book now →
Shotover Jet — the canyon ride Shotover Jet — the canyon ride Shotover canyons (exclusive licence), 360° spins · 25 min ★ 4.9 (1,681) NZ$ 199 per person Book now →
Skippers Canyon Jet + 4WD Skippers Canyon Jet + 4WD Upper Shotover jet ride + guided 4WD on the historic Skippers Road · 3 h total, ~30 min on the water ★ 4.9 (788) NZ$ 209 per person Book now →
Thunder Jet — lake and river spins Thunder Jet — lake and river spins Lake Wakatipu + Kawarau River, photo stops · 30 or 60 min ★ 4.8 (232) NZ$ 99 per person Book now →
Dart River Jet + Funyak canoe day Dart River Jet + Funyak canoe day Jet boat upstream + Funyak canoe paddle downstream, picnic lunch, Mount Aspiring National Park · 6 h 30 min (transport from Queenstown optional) ★ 4.8 (182) NZ$ 499 per person Book now →
Dart River Wilderness Jet Dart River Wilderness Jet Dart River wilderness from Glenorchy, Māori commentary · 2 h (about 4 h with Queenstown transfer) ★ 4.9 (162) NZ$ 319 per person Book now →

All prices are live from GetYourGuide and include taxes and booking fees — the number here is the number at checkout. “What’s in it” summarises the product title — check the full inclusions on the product page.

FAQ

How much does a jet boat ride in Queenstown cost?

It depends on the format: the rides range from a 30-minute lake spin to a full day of jet boat and canoe on the Dart River, with the canyon and combination trips in between. The table on this page shows the current per-person rate for all six rides side by side, next to what each ticket actually includes.

What am I paying for on Shotover Jet?

Access to the canyons: Shotover Jet holds the exclusive licence for the narrow Shotover canyons, so the 25-minute canyon run has no substitute. Whether it fits depends on what you came for — the canyon icon or more time on the water.

Are there child prices?

Yes, on every ride, but the structures differ by operator and we have not verified the current child rates — so we do not print them. The exact child price for your date is shown on the GetYourGuide product page before checkout. The verified minimums: from age 2 on KJet and Thunder Jet, from 3 on Skippers Canyon Jet, from 5 (and 100 cm) on both Dart River trips, and a 100 cm height rule on Shotover Jet.

Are the prices on this page up to date?

They are pulled automatically from GetYourGuide several times a day, taxes and booking fees included — the number here is the number at checkout. If a ride shows no price, its live data is temporarily unavailable and the booking button is hidden rather than pointed at a stale rate.

What currency are the prices in?

New Zealand dollars — the currency all five operators charge in. Your bank or card provider converts at its own rate if your account runs in another currency.

Do prices rise in peak season?

The southern-summer peak from November to February affects availability more than the printed rate: popular time slots sell out days ahead, while the per-person prices are set by the operators. Book the ride you want a few days early in peak season — for the price shown, not a surcharge.

Are there hidden fees on top of the listed price?

No — the prices on this page include taxes and booking fees, cancellations are free up to 24 hours before the start, and the rate shown here is the rate at checkout. We only track GetYourGuide rates, so we cannot speak for other sales channels.

Related on this site

Which jet boat is best? →

The six options compared by what they deliver, not what they cost.

What to expect on board →

Spray, clothing, winter, minimums — before you book any ride.

KJet →

A full hour from the town pier, in detail.

Found your price point?

Every jet boat ride in Queenstown in one table.

See the comparison ↑