Queenstown Whitewater Rafting

Yes, you do. You must be ‘water confident’ and be able to swim in fast-moving water. You will be given flotation jackets and wetsuits, but you will still need to be able to help the guides by moving towards the raft or the safety kayaker. Imagine yourself swimming in the sea where you can't stand up, with medium waves around you and being tossed around a bit. If you feel comfortable with this then you should be ok.

No, you don't. Everyone can enjoy rafting with no rafting experience. You will be given training and a full safety briefing before the trip starts. All of our qualified and certified guides will be able to give you any extra personal instruction you may need while in the raft.

Bring your swimsuit and towel.  It is advised that you don't bring any valuables with you.  We do have a small valuables locker at Rafting Base if you need.

No, nothing can be taken with you on the raft due to health & safety reasons.

The total trip time is around 4.5 hours, however, the time on the water varies depending on the river speed, the water level and time of year. 

You need to be at least 13 year old to raft with us and a minimum weight of 40kg. There is no maximum age, we just ask you to be at a good level of physical fitness. The weight limit is 120kg. We do have a number of extra-large wetsuits and small ones for the kids.  It will be at the discretion of the trip leader and guides as to who is eligible to participate.

Those who are pregnant are not able to partake in our rafting trips. 

No. You are going to get wet and we don’t want you to ruin your outfit of the day. Bring your own swimwear and we will provide the rest. Please don’t wear cotton, it will make you cold. We give you a wetsuit, a jacket, a spray jacket and a life vest, if you’re cold we will have extra layers for you.

We will provide you with wetsuit socks and booties when on the river. You can wear normal shoes in and around the Raft Base.

Yes, you can wear glasses on the river, but please bring a sports strap or tie as we can’t guarantee the safety of your glasses without one. If you can do without, leave them behind.

The rafts carry a max of eight people including the guide. If you’re in a group, we organise that you will be seated in a raft with your pals.

It would be a pretty boring day if you didn’t, right? Yes, you will get wet, but you will have a wetsuit on so only your suit will. Whitewater rafting is epic in any weather, so if its raining, don’t be put off!

Then we get a little wetter! Rafting experiences will still go ahead if it’s raining, the river is normally at its best when it’s raining.

We don’t have spectators on the river due to the remote location and nature of the terrain. There is an opportunity to stand near the last rapid on the Shotover River as you exit the Oxenbridge tunnel. Timings can depend on river levels so we can’t give your fans an exact time to be there.