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Kawarau River White Water Rafting

Queenstown

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Overview

Ride the Kawarau River’s rapids, race your friends, swim, and tackle the epic Dog Leg rapid. A thrilling yet beginner-friendly rafting adventure awaits.

Highlights

  • Ride the Kawarau River’s grade 2-3 rapids on a beginner-friendly rafting trip, perfect for first-timers and those wanting a fun, scenic adventure.
  • Race your friends through the river’s wide channels, enjoy calm stretches for swimming, and tackle the thrilling 400-meter-long Dog Leg rapid.
  • Take in stunning Central Otago scenery as you paddle through rugged gorges, past vineyards, and along the famous filming sites of The Lord of the Rings.
  • Upgrade your adventure with a high-speed 25-minute jet boat ride, skimming across the water and pulling 360° spins before you hit the rapids.
  • Fun fact: The Kawarau River flows into the turquoise waters of Lake Dunstan and was historically used by Māori for travel, trade, and gathering food.

Inclusions

  • 1-hour rafting on the Kawarau River
  • Experienced rafting guides
  • Round-trip bus transfer between Queenstown and the rafting base
  • All rafting and safety equipment including wetsuit and helmet
  • Use of hot showers
  • Complimentary photos (sent to your email)
  • 25-minute jet boat ride (based on selected option)

Exclusions

  • Food & beverages

Cancellation Policy

Tickets for this activity are non-refundable. If you are not satisfied with your experience, please contact us to cancel your booking.

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Your Experience

Your experience

Suit up and grab a paddle

Wetsuit? Check. Helmet? Check. Slight nerves but mostly excitement? Absolutely. After a quick but thorough briefing (with a side of humor from your expert guides), you’re ready to take on the Kawarau River. Unlike its wilder neighbor, the Shotover, this one gives you the perfect balance of thrills and chill. Paddle through splashy grade 2-3 rapids, then drift along the calm stretches where you can soak in the stunning canyon views or turn up the fun by racing the other rafts. Feeling brave? Jump in for a swim. Feeling competitive? Paddle harder. Either way, you’re in for a blast.

Make a splash and earn your bragging rights

Just when you think you’ve mastered the river, here comes Dog Leg – the longest commercially rafted rapid in New Zealand. This 400-meter stretch is all fast water, big waves, and pure adrenaline. It’s the grand finale, and it does not disappoint. If you’re really looking to impress, there’s an optional cliff jump that’ll guarantee serious bragging rights. Want even more speed? Upgrade to include a 25-minute jet boat ride and zip across the river before tackling the rapids. Then, back at base, warm up with a hot shower and check out your complimentary action shots, because if you don’t have photos of it, did it even happen?

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Starting From
₹ 12,365