Take a jet boat ride on the Shotover River during an extreme ride, and make use of transport from Queenstown. Experience adrenaline-fueled fun as the jet boat skims the water’s surface at high speed and fishtails into 360-degree spins. Hold on tight as the captain maneuvers the jet boat over rapids and through narrow canyons during one heart-pounding adventure you won’t soon forget.

Shotover River jet boat adventure from Queenstown
Feel a rush of adrenaline as you power down the river at top speeds
Experience fun 360-degree spins and fishtails
Multiple tours throughout the day to conveniently fit into your schedule

What's Included

Jet boat ride

Food and drinks
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Souvenir photos (available to purchase)

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Meeting point

3 Arthurs Point Road, Arthurs Point, Queenstown 9371, New Zealand
Please check-in 30 minutes prior to your departure time at our river base in Arthurs Point. The river base is approximately 10 minutes drive from Queenstown CBD.

Pickup point

25 Shotover Street, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
If you require return transport, please select Shotover Jet + Transport. Check-in 45 minutes prior to jet boat departure time inside the Station Building

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Pickup details

Our check-in area is located inside the Station Building in the Queenstown CBD. Please see our friendly team to check-in for your shuttle transfer.

What To Expect

At your chosen time, hop aboard a complimentary shuttle bus in downtown Queenstown, New Zealand’s ‘adventure capital.’ After a short ride through New Zealand’s once-thriving gold country, arrive on the shores of the Shotover River to embark on your high-speed jet boat ride.

Hold on tight as the driver expertly navigates the jet boat over white-water rapids and squeezes through the narrow canyon walls of the Shotover. Pass sheer cliffs and rocky outcrops, then feel your adrenaline pumping as the boat makes trick maneuvers, twists, and turns. Once back on firm ground, relax on the shuttle transfer back to Queenstown. Souvenir photos are available to purchase.

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Most travelers can participate
Children must be accompanied by an adult

Minimum age is 5 years and child must be at least 3 feet (1 meter) in height; dependent on water conditions, the operator reserves the right to increase the minimum height to 4 feet (1.2 meters)
Lifejackets are provided
Please allow 1.5 hours for return trip from Queenstown if taking shuttle bus
Locker facilities available for personal belongings
Check-in is 30 min prior to jet boat ride departure if self-driving to the river base
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 14 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Shawn_F

Great experience on the Shooter River Extreme Jet Boat. This is a smooth running operation. We checked in, were outfitted and on our boat in now time. Thrilling experience shooting up and down the river, close to cliffs and rocks that were jetting out of the water. Pretty amazing to see the agility of these boats and the skill of the drivers... all with a few 360 degree spins every once in a while. I would definitely recommend it. We also purchased the video. Great mix of stock video with our actual boat ride video intermixed. It was reasonable and something we've watched many times since.

Reviews

5.0

1,750 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 1,750 reviews

Must do!

Mai_C, Apr 2024

Exceed expectation! The ride was fun and the driver was friendly and gave us a few insights about the boat and the location. The landscape is also pretty amazing. Would recommend this to anyone who’s coming to Queenstown.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Kia Ora, We really appreciate you taking the time to leave us a review. We are glad you enjoyed a smooth experience from start to the finish! The whole team works hard to provide excellent manaakitanga (hospitality) to all our manuhiri (guests) and it's great to hear positive feedback. We hope to see you again in the future. Ngā mihi, Customer Experience Team

Best activity of the day

HAO_G, Apr 2024

My most memorable part of this trip was our driver, Nick, being excellent in taking us through the river with high speeds and joy. He always managed to fits in as many 360s as possible and that is fantastic! This activity made my day and because of our brilliant and humorous driver, we left with a colossal smile for the rest of the day.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Kia Ora, So happy to hear you and your whānau had a fantastic time on our trip and memories to last you a lifetime! We are glad you had such an amazing time with Nick. They are definitely a great entertainer with a brilliant sense of humour! Your compliments shall definitely be passed on to them. We hope to see you again someday! Ngā mihi, Customer Experience Team

Great fun.

Sven_H, Apr 2024

Great experience. The 25 minutes flies by, but you'll love it. If you have kids or are you are short try not to sit in the back row as the cameras won't pick them/you up. My boys basically aren't on the photos we purchased. Apart from that, a professional and we'll run operation and a great experience.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Kia Ora, Thank you for leaving us a review and bringing this to our attention. Unfortunately, our wide angle cameras sometimes miss people, this is something we are working on and we appreciate your feedback. Aside from that, we're so happy to hear you and your whānau had a fantastic time on our trip and made memories to last you a lifetime! Ngā mihi, Customer Experience Team

Amazing

Preet_K, Apr 2024

I was bit scared to do this but it was amazing. I.loved it. Our coach was really good, explained everything . Worth it. Thanks

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Kia Ora, thank you for leaving us a five-star review. I am glad that we could turn this experience from scary to fun and that you acquired a lot of information whilst on you trip with us. Please feel free to tell your friends and family about our trip!

Fun Experience with the Family

Le_P, Apr 2024

Fantastic experience when in Queenstown. Adrenaline fun. Great captain knowing how to drive the boat.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Kia Ora, Our driver’s are not only selected for their extensive driving skills but also their exuberant personalities and will ensure that you have an experience of a lifetime. Ngā mihi, Customer Experience Team

Must do

Sean_P, Apr 2024

The shot over was a great experience. The drivers aim to entertain and enhance the experience. Wear something warm, when you are flying around it gets chilly. Must do when in Queenstown.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Kia Ora Sean, thank you for taking the time to leave us a review! We appreciate you reinforcing our status as a 'must do' activity in Queenstown. Wrapping up warm is definitely a good idea, the heated handrails help combat the cold too. Ngā mihi, Customer Experience Team

Exilerating

Lorraine_S, Mar 2024

An exciting ride executed by confident skilled drivers. Canyon scenery is spectacular. A must for visitors to this area.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Kia Ora Lorraine, thank you for taking the time to leave us a review! Our canyons and boat spins are definitely something to be experienced first hand! Thank you for reiterating our status as a Tāhuna (Queenstown) must do! E mihi ana/Kind regards, Customer Experience Team

Amazing

Bernard_B, Mar 2024

AMAZING!!! Super nice guy and lovely experience … exciting from beginning to end … puts the other jet boat ride I went to to shame

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Kia Ora, We are glad that we are your preferred jet boat company. Established in 1965, we've thrilled more than 4 million visitors on our exhilarating ride. Your word of mouth recommendation is the best publicity we can ask for so thank you very much for that! Ngā mihi, Customer Experience Team

What a ride!

Ann_R, Mar 2024

We absolutely loved this adreneline rush! Our driver Joe was great and staff at the front desk were friendly and helpful. Scenery is brilliant..would highly recommend!

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Kia Ora Ann, Thank you for writing us a great review. We are happy to hear you enjoyed your experience with us! Please share our trip with your friends and family. Nga mihi The customer experience team

Awesome

Jacquie_K, Mar 2024

Great experience. Such a beautiful thrilling ride. Thanks guys. Staff were thorough scenery was stunning and the ride was amazing

EPIC!

Bridget_B, Mar 2024

EPIC!! Highly recommend, the thrill was great and the views were incredible! Whether you’re travelling alone or in a group, this is a must do

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Kia Ora, thank you for taking the time to leave us a review and glad to hear you had a 5 star experience with us! We are glad you enjoyed the thrill and adventurous aspect of our trip which is what separates us from other operators. E mihi ana, Shotover Jet Customer Service Team

Super unique

Jennifer_A, Mar 2024

Shotover Jet is one of its kind because its the only boat that is allowed in the canyon. It's a lot of fun and thrilling. I def would recommend! Shoutout to Joe, he was awesome!! I also recommend bringing a gopro or waterproof camera that isn't hand help but on your chest to record the experience.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Kia Ora Jennifer, Thanks for taking the time to leave us a review. We are glad you had such an amazing time. Joe is definitely a great entertainer with a brilliant sense of humour! Your compliments shall definitely be passed on to them. Yes GoPro's are allowed on the boats but only with a head mount rather than a chest mount as we wish nothing to interfere with your life jacket while onboard. Please feel free to tell your friends and family about our trip! E mihi ana/Kind regards, Customer Experience Team

Fast and excellent

Kathryn_P, Mar 2024

An exhilarating ride with speed and excellence 👌 our driver was very competent and we trusted him as he took us close to the edges and took 360 spins

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Kia Ora Kathryn, Thank you for taking the time to write us a review. Our drivers train very rigorously to be able to provide this experience in a safe and enjoyable manner. Your compliments will definitely be passed on to the whole team. We are able to 360 spins due to our boats being specifically designed for the Shotover (Kimi-ākau) river. E mihi ana/Kind regards, Customer Experience Team

Exhilarating fun ride on the water

NAM_P, Mar 2024

Great exciting experience riding fast speed along the river. The company really focused on safety first. The driver noticed some problem with the boat and arranged to swap mid way for another boat. We got to do an entire ride over again. A great bonus. Had issue with downloading the beach photo we bought but the video download is fine.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Kia Ora, Thank you for taking the time to write a review for us! Our drivers train very rigorously to be able to provide this experience in a safe and enjoyable manner. We also supply the best quality safety equipment for customers and staff to use. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed getting an extra ride. We always make sure our customers get the full Shotover Jet experience. Could you please let us know if you've managed to get your beach photos. If you haven't please reach out to reservations@shotoverjet.co.nz. E mihi ana/Kind regards, Customer Experience Team

Awesome

Carol_T, Mar 2024

Awesome. Loved it. A great experience not far out of Queenstown township. Easy to find by car. Experienced drivers

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Kia Ora Carol, thank you for taking the time to leave us a review and glad to hear you had a 5 star experience with us! We're glad to hear you found us easy to reach from Tāhuna (Queenstown). Our drivers train very rigorously to be able to provide this experience in a safe and enjoyable manner. Your compliments will definitely be passed on to the team. E mihi ana/Kind regards, Shotover Jet Customer Service Team

Amazing, thrilling

Mr_S, Mar 2024

This was an amazing experience, our driver Curtis was fantastic. You will not be disappointed! Very well organized also a video at the end if you want, we did

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Kia Ora, thank you for taking the time to leave us a review! We are glad to hear you had such a great experience on the Shotover Jet with Curtis. Our canyons and boat spins are definitely something to be experienced first hand! We are also happy that you took home memories of your trip and hopefully you'll come back to create more! E mihi ana/Kind regards, Customer Experience Team

Perfect!! It was a great...

Thanradee_p, Mar 2024

Perfect!! It was a great experience. And the location is very beautiful. Easy to find and also have a parking lot.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Kia Ora, We are the only company permitted to operate in the dramatic and narrow Shotover River Canyons, which is truly a unique and spectacular location giving you a real sense of the speed that you are travelling as you pass the canyon walls. We are glad you found parking to be convenient. Nga mihi, Customer Experience Team

Jet boat in Queenstown

Laura_G, Mar 2024

So much fun in a beautiful setting. Felt very safe and comfortable.. I wish the ride would have been longer!

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Kia Ora, We are also happy that you took home memories of your trip and hopefully you'll come back to create more! Nga mihi, Customer Service Team

jet boat thrills

Julie_M, Feb 2024

the speed and amazing driving of the staff. It was an amazing experience and we could have done it all day

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Kia Ora Julie, Fantastic to hear you thoroughly enjoyed our 360 spins and epic wall to wall canyon action! Thanks for leaving us a review, we love hearing customer feedback. Ngā mihi, Customer Experience Team

Splitting the river gorge at high speed!

Anthony_D, Feb 2024

The driver was excellent and made the trip very enjoyable! All the staff were helpful. Love the speed of the bat and the 360 degree turns were awesome!

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Kia Ora, thank you for taking the time to leave us a review, glad to hear you had a 5 star experience with us! E mihi ana, Customer Experience Team

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