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THE SHOTOVER JET BOAT IN QUEENSTOWN

Only Shotover Jet can take you into the spectacular Shotover Canyons – now that’s exclusive access!

As a world-famous jet boat ride we regularly thrill movie stars and even royalty - if it’s good enough for them… we think you will love it too!

BOOK YOUR JET BOAT RIDE NOW

Proudly owned by Ngāi Tahu, the Māori people of this land, our connection to the Kimiākau (Shotover River) goes back centuries, before the arrival of Europeans. An experience like no other, we authentically combine adrenaline, pristine natural landscape and our Ngāi Tahu culture into one unforgettable experience! 

A group of passengers wearing red "Shotover Jet" life jackets sit in a jet boat as it speeds through a narrow river canyon. The view is from behind, capturing the passengers' anticipation as they appr

A Queenstown adventure activity not to be missed. Book your seat on a Shotover Jet boat ride!

Experience jetty to jetty adrenaline! It doesn’t get more exciting than the 360° spins of the Shotover Jet. We will show you spectacular scenes along the famous Shotover River and take you deep into the incredible Canyons. As the only company permitted to operate within these canyons, it’s an irreplaceable white water ride.

Reaching speeds of up to 90kmph our jet boats are extremely impressive! You can rest assured your river jet boat driver is as experienced as they come, putting our spectacular state-of-the-art machines through their paces, and of course - showing you an incredible time.

Catch your breath between action-packed twists, turns, and spins – it’s wall-to-wall action from start to finish. Soak up the scenes of Shotover River on this truly epic jet boat experience.

Our Shotover Jet boat rides in Queenstown takes approximately 25 minutes from start to finish.

What we provide for your jet boat Queenstown experience:

  • Life jackets (mandatory).
  • Onsite photography service and video cameras mounted on your jet boat to capture your experience. Photos and video highlights of your trip are available for no obligation viewing immediately after your trip. These are great souvenirs to remember your canyon jet boat & Queenstown adventure!
  • Lockers to store your belongings during your ride.
 The image shows the red Shotover Jet boat speeding through a narrow river passage with rocky cliffs, creating a large splash of water as it navigates the tight turns, highlighting the adrenaline-pumping experience of jet boating in a rugged environment

You're In Safe Hands

With a fleet of seven identical V8, twin-engine jet boats and an unparalleled maintenance and risk management programme, Shotover Jet continues to raise industry safety standards.

We have been operating commercial jet boats in the Shotover River Canyons continuously since 1965. Over that time, and into the future, safety remains our main consideration.

Canyon jet boating in Queenstown is an adventure experience like no other, tailored consciously to meet the highest safety standards in New Zealand adventure tourism. Our aim is to ensure that our visitors enjoy a thrilling experience that meets the very highest safety standards. Please feel free to contact our friendly team if you would like to discuss any safety matters. 

Built For The Canyons

Built here in Queenstown, our state-of-the-art Jet Boats were designed specifically to handle the Shotover Canyons. Jet boating through the Shotover River in Queenstown is their purpose, that they are built to spec to do so.

Made for maximum speed, strength and manoeuvrability, our boats are powered by twin 350 Mercruiser V8 engines, producing a combined 700 horsepower. Propulsion, steering and control are provided through two Hamilton 212 jet units, thrusting 760 litres of water per second.

Water is drawn in through two intakes at the bottom of the boat, two jet units containing internal propellers then compress and drive the water out through two jet nozzles at the rear, at nearly 400 litres of water per second per jet unit. It’s the force of this water that propels the jet boat.

Steering is achieved by turning the jet nozzles, which changes the direction of the water forced out the back of the jet boat. It can also brake and reverse using deflectors and thrust buckets, similar to a jet aircraft.

To experience a canyon jet boat, Queenstown is just the place! Learn more about things to do in Queenstown, and book your trip on shotover jet today!

The image shows a red Shotover Jet boat navigating through a narrow passage between rocky cliffs on a turquoise river, with passengers enjoying the thrilling and close encounter with the rugged landscape