Jet Boat and Wilderness Walk Tour from Wanaka: Experience Glaciers, Film Locations and Heritage Park

Embark on an exhilarating 4-hour jet boat and wilderness walk tour from Wanaka. Explore glaciers, film locations, and a heritage park in Mount Aspiring National Park. Experience thrilling spins and a guided walk through a stunning landscape.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Wanaka Mount Aspiring Road - Come deep into the Matukituki Valley on the most exciting 4-hour jet boating adventure in New Zealand, beneath the spectacular scenery of Glaciers and Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film locations, into world heritage Mount Aspiring National Park. Flowing from Glaciers, the pristine waters of the Matukituki River are…
What's Included
  • Shuttle transfer
  • Life jackets
  • Heated handrails and footrests during cold weather
  • Wet weather gear
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
Additional Information

Embark on New Zealand’s most thrilling four-hour jet boating journey deep into the Matukituki Valley, framed by stunning glaciers and the film locations of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films, all within the world heritage Mount Aspiring National Park. Fed by glaciers, the pure waters of the Matukituki River offer the opportunity to experience the…

Location
Wanaka isite Visitor Information Centre
Ardmore Street
99 Ardmore Street, outside of the i-SITE Please make sure you have parked your car in a long term car-park Meet 5 minutes prior to departure
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(241 Ratings)
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Brownshona
Feb 12, 2025
Fantastic river trip - Fantastic afternoon spent on the river with Ben piloting the jet boat in a way that was exciting but never felt unsafe. His knowledge of the river and the mountains was really impressive too so he was an excellent guide too. Our shuttle bus driver was lovely too and we were looked after very well. Would highly recommend. We did also have the most amazing weather so the scenery was stunning.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Julied7188
Feb 12, 2025
Pristine Views - Ben was an awesome, local guide who gave us a great understanding of Mount Aspiring and the region surrounding it. The jet boat was an incredibly fun way to travel about and the water and views were impeccable. Highly recommend this tour!!
Review provided by Viator
Kathleenandmark
Feb 8, 2025
Great Ride -- No Need To Arrive Early - This tour offers a wonderful way to see the more remote section of the river. Our guide was so good (though it took a bit of time for my ear to adjust to his NZ accent!). He is extremely knowledgable about the area and its origins. We enjoyed the hike as well. Pro tip: no need to arrive 20 minutes early or allow 40 minutes to park and walk as the website indiates. The van that brought us to the boat showed up at the meeting place at 9:44am for our 9:45am time slot.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wendy_q
Feb 7, 2025
Fantastic fun! - Fabulous tour! Had a blast on the jet boat and walk. Loved the Captain - very interactive. Highly recommended tour!
Review provided by Viator
Yarny23
Feb 3, 2025
Great boat ride in Wanaka! - This was the last adventure we had after spending 3+ weeks in NZ. It was a perfect jet boat experience, not too crazy like the ones in Queenstown. We were fortunate to have only 3 of us on this trip, so we got to enjoy Ben’s commentary and skillful driving of the jet boat without being over crowded. The hike was lovely interlude from the boat. If you are in Wanaka definitely give this a try!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cp1953
Jan 31, 2025
A MUST DO TRIP! - This is an exceptional trip - not to be missed! Ben was an excellent driver, great fun and full of interesting and informative information. The jet boat ride is long and amazing with a few adrenaline moments! Fab scenery.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Emilie1love
Jan 14, 2025
So much fun in Jetboat with Wanaka River Journeys! - Wow! what a crazy experience! We had so much fun! Ben our guide was great! he shared with us lots of little stories about the surrounding sites, little bucolic walk during the walk through the fields, to discover a small waterfall and take a bath of freshness at the river! swing galore! it was fun!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oliviabg5504ru
Jan 12, 2025
Incredible jet boat experience - This trip was incredible! The best way to explore the matukituki river, with lovely staff and a great jet boat. Glaciers, mountains, waterfalls and an awesome wilderness walk to top it off, you can’t ask for out of a half day trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Caml0ck
Jan 11, 2025
Must do in Wanaka - Amazing trip up the Matukituki river valley into the mountains with great views of several glaciers and a close up of Mount Aspiring. 15 minutes in the van from Wanaka with around two hours on the boat. Well organised crew with awesome safe boat, driver and setup. More of a family business than a massive commercial setup like many of the other operators. Good value for the decent amount of time in the boat. Don't miss out on this if you are going to Wanaka.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kelliew579
Jan 7, 2025
Excellent - The experience felt personal. We throughly enjoyed it. Ben was friendly, knowledgeable and seemed to love what he did and the area he lived in. The views were amazing. The actual jet boat ride was not as thrilling as some in Queenstown BUT the overall experience was much better
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 6 guests
1 Adult
April 2025
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