QUEENSTOWN
Lake, mountains, and everything in between.
The 9 most popular white water rafting tours in Queenstown. What each day is really like, who runs it, and what you will pay.
Family rafting on the Shotover River near Queenstown: gentle class I and II rapids, Skippers Canyon drive, snacks, and photo souvenirs.
Most Popular“Rafting deserves 5 star rating.Holly and Mark were excellent.Drive to this place is scenic and as good as the rafting.Definitely beat my expectations.”
Ride Queenstown’s Shotover River rapids with included transport, gear, safety coaching, hot showers, and a tunnel run.
“very intense but the guides made it beginner friendly. the trip out and the rafting itself were super fun and informative. Guy was an awesome instructor and led us to victory”
Queenstown’s Kawarau River combo tour: jet boat 360 spins, then grade 2-3 rafting with swims and optional cliff jumping, ending with showers.
“This experience was super fun and a good mix of thrills and adventure for all the family. Zane our rafting guide was brilliant and he made sure we not only had a laugh and fun but also that we were safe at all times.”
Kawarau River rafting plus a Queenstown jet boat ride. Grade 2–3 rapids, Dog Leg finale, wetsuits, hot showers. Beginner-friendly.
“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…”
Six Grade 4-5 Shotover River rapids from Queenstown, including the 170-metre Oxenbridge Tunnel, with gear, guides, and hot showers.
“Highlight of our trip to NZ. Special shout out to our guide Muzz. Would recommend to all adrenaline seekers!”
Six grade 4–5 Shotover River rapids, the 170m Oxenbridge Tunnel, and optional swims in Skippers Canyon from Queenstown.
“We had the best time! Muzz (Maria) was a terrific guide and we had so much fun rafting down the river. The only thing I would change/recommend is to have someone to take more photos throughout the trip? I know it’s not that simple but it would be fantastic to come away with some high…”
First-timer whitewater on Queenstown’s Kawarau River with gear, hot showers, and a Dog Leg grade 3/4 finale.
“Super fun, beautiful views, and Nico was an excellent guide! Felt very safe while still getting the thrill of rafting. Highly recommend.”
White-water bodyboarding on the Kawarau River from Queenstown. Grade 2–3 rapids, up to 12km ride, gear and transport included.
“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 🤘”
Raft the Shotover River on gentle Grade 1–2 rapids, then explore historic Skippers Canyon from Queenstown in a 5-hour tour with gear.
“I enjoyed the tour. As a newbie I felt like it’s the right way to immerse yourself in this kind of activities. The guides were amazing, the driver was out of this world and the activity was super fun.”
From the lake to the fiord, every way to fill a day.
