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TOURS & ACTIVITIES / NEW ZEALAND / QUEENSTOWN

Queenstown Shotover River White Water Rafting

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TO BOOK THIS TOUR

21 reviews

Location: Queenstown, New Zealand
Duration: 4 hours 30 minutes
Product code: 3342P27


Overview
ItineraryAfter meeting the coach driver, you will travel the short distance from town toRafting Base where rafting clothing including wetsuit, life jacket, spray jacket and helmet will be issued. Then enjoy a 40 minute journey along the historic Skippers Road begins, which is one of the Top 10 most dangerous roads in NZ. The upper section of the Shotover River gives you time to practice your paddle techniques before hitting the white water of the lower canyon. Paddle numerous rapids such as After Shock, Jaws, Toilet and Sequel during the 1.45 - 2 hrs of river time. You are then plunged into darkness as you negotiate the 170m long Oxenbridge Tunnel before bursting into Cascade Rapid to complete the adventure. A short walk brings you back to Rafting Base where there are hot showers prior to a return transfer to Queenstown.Stop At: • Lower Shotover, Lower Shotover, Queenstown, Otago Region, South Island • Queenstown, Queenstown, Otago Region, South Island
Supplier Name
RealNZ
Additional Information
Confirmation will be received at time of booking,Not wheelchair accessible,Water confidence is essential,Rafting while pregnant is prohibited,Rafting with any heart condition is prohibited,Minimum weight 40kg,Maximum weight 120kg,Minimum age is 13 years. Children aged between 13 and 15 years must be accompanied by a guardian,All travelers between the age of 16 and 17 years require a waiver to be signed by a guardian if they are unaccompanied,You must bring a swimsuit and towel,Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level,This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund,This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund,This tour/activity will have a maximum of 21 travelers,Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff,Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas,Gear/equipment sanitized between use,Guides required to regularly wash hands,Proof of COVID-19 vaccination required for travelers,Government regulations strictly adhered to. Covid-19 QR code available, or paper-trail for contact tracing.
Inclusions:
Shuttle bus from our Queenstown store to the Rafting Base,Full wetsuit, rafting clothing and all safety equipment,Extensive safety briefing,4WD Transfer to Deep Creek via Skippers Canyon Road,Rafting on the Shotover River,Hot showers at Rafting Base,Return shuttle to downtown Queenstown
Exclusions:
Food and drinks
Traveler Reviews

We were lucky enough to be the last boat of the season! Our guide was brilliant, super knowledgeable and made the trip much more enjoyable. The river was quite low, so the rapids weren't as challenging as we expected so we will definitely be back when the river is higher and flowing faster! Apparently spring time is best, once the snow is melting - more water equals better rapids! Not gonna lie, the water is freezing but you're protected from the cold with all the layers of wetsuits. And you can drink the water straight out of the river! Do the cliff jumping if you get a chance. Lots of laughs with a great bunch of people.

Absolutely mint time. Had the *most* handsome instructor too. If you’re not reasonably confident in water I would recommend avoiding, time moves very slowly if you go underwater so if you’re gonna panic you won’t have a good time. Got my adrenaline going more than skydiving.

Our rafting experience was amazing - drifting on the Shotover through the stunning Skippers Canyon and flying through the rapids (grade 3 and 4) with each kilometer providing a natural step up in progression. For those who are nervous: you don’t go down a Grade 4 straight away - it’s a gentle progression with lots of practice on Grade 2s and 3s first. The final sections see you drifting through a 170 metre miner-built tunnel straight on to a fantastic Grade 4 rapid - a fabulous way to finish! Our guides (Kennan, Harry, Will and Percy) put our minds immediately at ease. They had so much rafting experience, were incredibly friendly and professional and made for a very exciting yet safe experience. The whole operation ran so smoothly, from the transfers (including the expertly navigated Skippers Canyon Drive), to safety briefings and getting us home safely after an exhilarating morning. All the gear (wetsuits etc) is washed well immediately after use and there are hot showers availa

Most adventurous part of the trip was the way to the river through narrow unsolid rocky way. Also river basin in valley is really wonderful. Regarding the rafting experience, boring for most of the time just flowing on the river, my adrenaline went up exactly 6 times when we reach the rapids lasting each time for approximatelly minute. Guide was overly safety oriented repeatedly mentioning what could happen when we get out of the raft. Overall I was pretty disappointed comparing this experience to my previous ones from different continents.

We took the white water rafting and it was THE BEST experience ever! Our guide was humorous and entertaining, guided us and we manoeuvred through the rapids without capsizing, so he told us to jump into the water to enjoy the white water that's cold but refreshing. Definitely recommend this amazing experience to the adventurous!

From USD

114.09