The Jet Boat is well known throughout New Zealand and I was thrilled to be experiencing it. This time I was on the north island, in the iconic town of Taupo, with its famous lakes and rivers.
Th
is Jet Boat, ‘Rapids Jet’, is a striking yellow colour, and has been whizzing around the Aratiatia Scenic Reserve for 22 years. It is certainly an icon of Taupo and even the whole of New Zealand. The first jet boat was designed in 1953, and in 1993 the first ride was safely opened to the public, which resulted in the birth of Rapids Jet. Since that day, 140,000 lucky passengers have had the magical experience provided by the jet on the Waikato River.
Since 2004, Rapids Jet has been owned and operated by three Kiwis, who have thousands of hours of experience driving jet boats throughout the globe. This guarantees that you are in for a true thrill ride - and are in very safe
hands.
I was blown away even before we boarded the boat, simply by the stunning surroundings which greeted us as we drove 15 minutes north of Taupo to where the boat would set off.
The beautiful Waikato River, unsurprisingly, has been the filming location for some famous films such as The Hobbit and Yogi Bear, and it is easy to see why. The striking turquoise-blue colour of the water meets perfectly with the greens, yellows and browns of the autumn trees which sit on the r
iverbank. It truly was a scene straight from a fairytale.
Riding the Rapids Jet certainly proved to be a unique and thrilling way to immerse myself in the incredible surroundings and experience the rapids of the river. These are known as the Aratiatia Rapids and are formed when the dam gates open at regular intervals during the day.
The dams have become quite a tourist attraction and provide an impressive sight when in action. Jack and I timed it well enough to see this occur at 2pm on the day, just before our Rapids Jet experience. The water surges furiously to create the rapids, providing power to generate electricity for local homes and businesses.
We boarded onto the boat and it immediately seemed smaller and lighter 
than the other jet boats we had experienced in Queenstown, allowing it to accelerate faster.
It picks up speed impressively quickly. We flew down the stream, across rapids and made quick 360 degree turns which also caused quite a splash. There certainly was an anticipation amongst the passengers as we tried to guess what was coming next.
The water was so clear and seemed so pure and untouched; we could even see some fish below the surface, including trout.
This area of New Zealand did prove to be one of the most beautiful I had seen and being on the river in one of New Zealand’s iconic creations, the jet boat, seemed the perfect way to witness the scenery and get up close to the environment and its wildlife.
This ride is suitable for many ages, even for those as young as five. So hold on tight and enjoy the thrill that is the famous Rapids Jet! This is not to be missed in the wonderful surroundings of Taupo and the Waikato River. An unforgettable experience to share with friends and family.
Book your Rapids Jet experience through Backpacker Deals now!
