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Dart River Wilderness Jet Boat and Forest Walk from Glenorchy

Two hours of glacier-fed river, a forest walk and the only jet boats allowed on the Dart.

Jet deep into Mt Aspiring National Park and the Te Wai Pounamu World Heritage area on the Dart River, with a 30 minute forest walk and stories of greenstone, early settlers and Maori legends.

⭑ 4.7 2,878 TripAdvisor reviews 📍 New Zealand ⏱ 2 Hours 👥 Small group 🔥 Active

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Overview

Only one jet boat operator is allowed on the Dart River, and this is it. You get braided, glacier-fed water, beech forest and big mountains with nobody else in sight, deep inside Mount Aspiring National Park and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage area. It is as much a scenery trip as a speed trip, and the drivers know when to open the throttle and when to cut the engine and let you look.

The trip runs two hours from the Glenorchy base. You check in at the visitor centre on Mull Street, pull on a life jacket, and the boat heads up the Dart through shallow braided channels where the driver reads the river as you go, with spins along the way (cameras away for those). Partway up you step off for a 30 minute walk through the forest with your guide, who covers the plants, wildlife and history of the valley. Expect stories about pounamu (greenstone) and why it made the Dart a key trading route for early Maori, plus tales of the settlers who carved farms out of rugged country. Then it is back on the boat for the run home.

Departures from Glenorchy are at 9:30am and 1pm, and you check in 15 minutes before. Glenorchy is about 45 minutes from Queenstown by car, so allow at least an hour each way if you are driving yourself. Minimum age is 3 with a minimum height of 1 metre, and it is not suitable in pregnancy or with back or neck injuries. Spray can come into the boat, so bring a waterproof jacket, warm layers, sturdy shoes and sunglasses.

Why you'll love it

  1. 1

    Only jet boat operator allowed on the Dart River

  2. 2

    Two hours of jet boating from Glenorchy

  3. 3

    30 minute guided forest walk

  4. 4

    Mount Aspiring National Park and Te Wahipounamu

  5. 5

    Pounamu and early settler stories

  6. 6

    Departs 9:30am and 1pm from Glenorchy

  7. 7

    Life jackets supplied

More photos

Itinerary at a glance

1 Check-in · Dart visitor centre, 45 Mull Street, Glenorchy

Check in 15 minutes before your 9:30am or 1pm departure. Toilets are at the base building. Life jackets are fitted before you walk down to the river.

1 Upriver · Braided channels of the Dart

The boat runs up the glacier-fed river into Mount Aspiring National Park, with spins along the way. Cameras go away for the spins so you can hold on.

1 On foot · 30 minute forest walk

Your guide leads a walk through the forest and covers the plants, wildlife, pounamu trade and settler history of the valley. Wilderness toilets are available at several points along the trip.

1 Return · Back down to Glenorchy

The boat brings you back to the Glenorchy base about two hours after you left.

What's included

✓ What's included

  • Two hour Dart River jet boat trip
  • 30 minute guided forest walk
  • Life jacket
  • Guide commentary on the valley, its plants and wildlife

✕ Not included

  • ✕Transport from Queenstown (this departure starts in Glenorchy)
  • ✕Waterproof jacket and warm layers (bring your own)
  • ✕Food and drinks
  • ✕Travel insurance

Common questions about this trip

  • Where do I check in and how early?
    Check in at the Dart visitor centre at 45 Mull Street, Glenorchy, 15 minutes before departure. Departures from Glenorchy are at 9:30am and 1pm.

  • How do I get to Glenorchy from Queenstown?
    Glenorchy is about 45 minutes from Queenstown by car along the lakeside road, and the operator recommends allowing at least an hour each way. This departure starts in Glenorchy, so you need your own way there. Allow 4 hours in total if you are coming from Queenstown.

  • What should I wear and bring?
    Warm layers including a waterproof jacket, sturdy footwear for the forest walk, and sunglasses. In summer add sunscreen and insect repellent; in winter add a beanie and gloves. Water can spray into the boat, so a jacket that keeps the wind and spray off makes a difference.

  • How wet do I get?
    Some spray comes into the boat, but the drivers keep you comfortable enough to take in the scenery. It is nothing like a white-water trip.

  • Are there age, height or medical limits?
    Minimum age is 3, and everyone must be at least 1 metre tall, which the operator raises to 1.2 metres in certain river conditions. Life jackets go up to 2XL and you must fit one. The jet boat is not suitable during pregnancy, with back or neck injuries, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

  • What happens in bad weather?
    The boats run whenever weather and river conditions are safe, and they handle serious rain. The operator does not run in fog or torrential rain, and decides on the day.

  • Is there a toilet?
    Yes, at the Glenorchy base building, and there are wilderness toilets at several points along the trip.

  • Can I take photos?
    Yes, but cameras need to be put away during the spins so you can hold on. The forest walk is the easy time for photos.

  • What's the cancellation policy?
    You can change or cancel your booking up to 24 hours before the pre-paid travel time. Cancellations, amendments or no-shows inside 24 hours incur a fee of up to 100% of the price paid. Refund decisions are at the operator's discretion. The operator can cancel any service due to weather, insufficient bookings or other unforeseen events. Wanderlust handles the refund for you, refunds mirror the operator's terms 1:1 (including if the operator cancels) and we chase it on your behalf.

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What travellers say

Reviews from real travellers

Public reviews of the operator who runs this tour on the ground.

The operator's track record

4.7 on TripAdvisor · 2,878 reviews

Review excerpts below are from Tripadvisor.

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor
"A fabulous day out - from the scenic drive to Glenorchy to the fun jet boating to the kayaking down the gorgeous Dart River. The biggest highlight was seeing the pristine Routeburn Chasmcand swimming in the crystal clear waters"
G

Gill W

Tripadvisor review

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor
"An amazing adventure experience in Queenstown. The drive to Glenorchy is beautiful but the trip up the Dart River was just wow. Terrific afternoon out, … our driver was amazing and yes you do go fast, you do do spins and we did get out of the boat for some photos."
B

Bernadette C

Tripadvisor review

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor
"What a great day out. First up was the jetboat ride and it was fantastic, lots of spins too. We canoed for a while and stopped for a lovely lunch at Rockburn Chasm and what a surprise that was. The water is crystal clear and so blue, it was stunning."
L

Lisa R

Tripadvisor review

Traveller reviews, source shown on each · shown as excerpts.

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