The jet boat was invented by New Zealander C.W.F. (Bill) Hamilton in 1954 and is propelled not by propellers but by a jet of water blown through a nozzle at high speed. Jet boats are ideally suited for operation in shallow water as there are no parts under the boat and the directional jets make them highly manoeuvrable.

Dart River Jet Safaris offer three fantastic options which will allow you to experience the breathtaking scenery and Maori heritage of the Queenstown area and take you on a thrilling adventure.

The Wilderness Safari is a combination of jet boating, walking and a 4WD journey. You will be taken on a 1 ½ hour jet boat adventure through the braided channels of the magnificent glacier-fed Dart River. You will then take a leisurely 40 minute walk through the ‘Heritage Trail’ at Paradise and learn about the ancient native beech forest, the unique flora and fauna and the history of the area. You will then board the 4WD coach for a scenic back-road journey to Queenstown.

The Jet Boat Safari gives you 3 hours of classic jet boating action as your expert driver negotiates the shifting shallow channels, speeding in as little as 10cm of water and adding to the excitement with thrilling jet spins.

The Funyak Safari is a unique and fun way to explore the area. After an exciting jet boat trip you’ll take to the inflatable Funyak canoe and drift downstream whilst  taking in the scenery, followed by a delicious lunch amidst ancient beech forest before continuing downstream to Paradise and the 4WD safari back to Queenstown.

Or to experience the remote wilderness of Fiordland, we have the  Wairaurahiri Jet Boat.

To anyone thinking of going to New Zealand.   You must talk to Paul Carberry at New Zealand in Depth. Here’s what happened to us…   We came across New Zealand in Depth at the Destinations Show exhibition in Manchester. We later contacted Paul to request a quote for an itinerary we’d provisionally devised ourselves, with the intention of then approaching some other travel companies to get the best price available.   We rang Paul to arrange a meeting at his office in Buxton, and suggested a Saturday morning. Paul told us the office was normally closed on Saturdays but he would open it up just to accommodate our request.   When we arrived, Paul made us a cuppa and then gave us 3 hours of his time – yes 3 hours! – getting to know us and finding out what sort of holiday experiences we enjoyed. We talked through our draft itinerary and Paul suggested all sorts of changes to improve it, many of which we would never have discovered ourselves.  June & Alan Watkinson