Queenstown Rafting Thrills with Family Adventures
Looking for things to do in Queenstown? Be sure to include an exhilarating rafting ride through the upper Shotover River with Family Adventures. During the journey you will enjoy world-renowned Otago scenery, with the rafts departure point being a well-known filming location from the Lord of the Rings movies. Also, because the trip takes place on lower grade rapids it can be enjoyed by old and young alike, making it one of the most fun Queenstown attractions to enjoy with the family.
Keytag Bonus:
You qualify for a half price photo pack (RRP$39) upon presentation of your Omega keytag!
Morning and afternoon departures are available and the trip takes a total of about 5-hours. From the pick-up point in the centre of Queenstown, the bus makes a spectacular 45-minute journey through Skippers Canyon to reach the rafts departure point. The drive down is an adventure in itself, with the road down featuring a sheer 100-foot cliff face dropping down to the river! With one of Family adventures safe and experienced drivers behind the wheel, you can focus on these astounding views and take some once in a lifetime photos. Also it is one of only a few roads in New Zealand that car rental insurance doesn’t cover!
White water thrills for the whole family (photo credit: Family Adventures)
As the road winds further into the back country, visitors get to take in views of the Shotover River which became known as “the richest river in the world” when gold was discovered there in 1862. At its high point, over 2000 people lived and worked in this remote and harsh environment, and the tales of fortunes, both made and lost abound. This storied area is also still home to many rusting remnants of the sluicing and dredging activities that took place in the gold rush era.
Before entering the river everyone is kitted out with wetsuit booties, wetsuit or over pants, a spray jacket with sealed collar and cuffs, a buoyancy aid and a helmet. Family Adventures ensure a wide range of sizes of all equipment is available to keep your family warm, dry, and safe. The white water rafts are Hyside and self-bailing, and they meet all of Maritime New Zealand's exacting safety standards. An experienced and knowledgeable river guide accompanies each group, and has a first aid kit, throw ropes and a radio telephone always to hand.
Race through the canyons of the upper Shotover River (photo credit: Family Adventures)
Entering into the river at Tolkien's famous "Ford of Bruinen" the journey starts out with some gentle grade 2 rapids, which means that the water flow is small and gentle, but still lots of fun. The professional team at Family Adventures pride themselves in operating one of the top Queenstown activities for visitors of all ages, and are the only raft company licensed to carry children under 13 on the Shotover River. Even those as young as 3-years old can take the trip as no water confidence is necessary to enjoy this great day out. The emphasis of the trip is to enjoy the spectacular scenery of places which can only be reached on the river, and to appreciate this remote back-country wilderness.
Visitors should also take advantage of the many more Queenstown tourist attractions in the area such as a breath-taking 800-metre Luge run, a Kiwi rural farm, or an underwater room where you can observe life on and in the lake. With so many fun things to do in Queenstown, visitors wanting to get the most out of their stay should hire a Queenstown rental car with Omega and take the time to explore this scenic region.
Keytag Bonus:
You qualify for a half price photo pack (RRP$39) upon presentation of your Omega keytag!