Jet boating in Queenstown, New Zealand

I am not one to actively go out of my way to seek out an adrenaline rush on holiday or at home. But when you go to Queenstown in New Zealand you do not want to be labelled as a chicken for not doing at least ONE thrilling experience.

Bungee Jumping is NOT an option for me, because who wants to jump off a bridge into a river while being attached to a rope (no judgement). As such, I chose to go jet boating in Queenstown through the Shotover River canyons with Shotover Jet.

Jet boating with Shotover Jet

You do not have to book a time in advance, but during their peak seasons I would recommend booking ahead. It is the most popular jet boating experience in Queenstown. We were “lucky” and rocked up 10 minutes before their 10:00am session. You can walk down to the bank of the river and watch other thrill seekers take off, just to help get your blood pumping or knees shaking for your turn.

To go on the jet boat you have to dress in a raincoat and life jacket for safety precautions. Then you get a photograph taken of you (and your fellow seeker) before going on the boat.

Looking stunning in our life vests.

Waving goodbye to safety.

Andy was our driver and after our safety pep talk and another picture, we were off. Shooting down the river through the canyon, we were barely missing the rocks, doing 360 degree spins in awkward areas and holding on for dear life. It was great fun!

The experience lasts for about 25 minutes, which I can assure you is more than enough time. The Shotover Jet can go in as little as 10cms of water and up to the speed of 85kph. They are powered by two 350 mercruiser V8 engines producing a combined 700hp. I asked our driver, Andy, how long it took him to learn how to drive the jet boat and how long it took him not to crash into the rocks. The drivers have to do a minimum of 120 hours of training before they are licensed to drive. Andy said it took him about 80 hours of that before he touched/crashed into any rocks.

How much does jet boating with Shotover Jet cost?

At the end of this thrilling experience you can purchase your photos for $39NZD as a souvenir of your time on the jet boat. You get 3 photos and a postcard with your photo on it. Plus, you also get information on your driver and a card with information on how you can access more of those photos online.

The jetboat ride itself cost $145NZD per adult at the time of writing. If you would like to know more information on the Shotover Jet click on this link.

Jet boating with Shotover Jet was a fun experience that I would recommend to any traveler going to Queenstown. What was your favourite adrenaline experience in Queenstown?