Jet Boat Journey through Fiordland National Park - Pure Wilderness
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Te Anau, New Zealand
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Step into a powerful jet boat and cruise along the mighty Upper Waiau River from Te Anau on this roughly 2-hour adventure into the heart of Fiordland National Park. Feel the wind rush past you and enjoy unobstructed views of this ancient forested landscape as you head to Lake Manapouri. Enjoy stunts along the way that you could never do in a car or tour bus.
- See "The Lord of the Rings" filming locations en route
- Protective and warm gear is provided to keep you comfortable
- Choose from morning or afternoon departures to suit your schedule
- Tour departs from an easy-to-find spot in Te Anau
What's Included
- Life Jacket & Spray Coat
- Cold weather gear when needed (hat, gloves, blanket)
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 84 Lakefront Drive, Te Anau 9600, New Zealand
Beside the iconic Moose Bar & Pub on the corner of Town Centre and Lakefront Drive
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
1
Fiordland National Park (Te Wahipounamu)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- This activity is great fun for any age
- It is recommended that you wear comfortable, supportive close-toed shoes
- Guided walk suitable for all. The walking track is well-formed.
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 11 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Barbara_B
From the very start this experience was top notch! Chris called us to check if we wanted to reschedule our time based on rain that was moving in. He was so thoughtful and offered to take us whatever we decided. We arrived and Lindy was there to greet us and get us geared up. We had an incredible time with Zane, he was so fun, knowledgeable and simply the perfect guide. It was pouring rain but we had the time of our lives and even rescued 2 dogs from a steep bank when they escaped their owner on a walk, epic!! Do this trip, you won’t want to miss it!
Reviews
5.0
based on 698 reviews
Steve_I, Mar 2026
An amazing trip, beautiful scenery, very informative, so much fun and well worth the money. Alex our guide was great fun and made sure everyone was ok.
Lou_W, Mar 2026
Beware....Your ride will NOT go through the Fjordlands. you will ride a boat to the mouth of the Fjordlands but not in .
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your feedback — we’re sorry to hear the experience didn’t meet your expectations.
As stated above, our journey does take place through Fiordland National Park. After travelling across Lake Manapouri, guests spend time inside the national park.
While we don’t travel into the fiords themselves (such as Doubtful Sound or Milford Sound), the experience is designed to showcase a different and unique part of Fiordland.
We appreciate your feedback and will continue to make this as clear as possible for future guests.
Andrzej_B, Mar 2026
Super fun boat ride!
If you like boats, don’t miss this trip. You get to zoom along at some 45 knots including several ‘whirlies’ that put a grin on your face.
The rainforest walk was very educational and our guide totally knew his stuff.
Then we got to enjoy the speedy return ride.
Sheryl_Y, Feb 2026
Amazing views with a twist. It was just a beautiful trip. Well worth the price the drivers were good and friendly
Response from Host, Apr 2026
We’re so glad you enjoyed the amazing views and had such a beautiful trip.
Cassandra_S, Jan 2026
It was a great experience. Skipper Harry was fun and informative. I would definitely recommend. Only regret is that I wish we had added the biking extension option.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
We’re so pleased to hear you had a fantastic experience with Harry he’ll be glad to know you enjoyed his fun and informative guiding. Sounds like you’ll just have to come back and try the biking extension next time
Tracy_B, Dec 2025
Great experience on the jet boat along the Waiau River and onto Lake Manapouri! Such good fun - in particular the 360s!
Very informative guide and driver told us so much interesting information about the river, the lake and what we saw on the walk.
Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend!
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thanks so much for your wonderful review We’re thrilled to hear you had such a great time on the Waiau River and Lake Manapouri those 360s are always a highlight 😄
It’s great to know you enjoyed the commentary and learning more about the river, lake, and the sights on the walk as well. We really appreciate the recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another adventure in the future.
Kristen_M, Nov 2025
Alex was awesome. Such a good time and informative. We really enjoyed the trip and it was well worth it :)
Response from Host, Dec 2025
We are so glad to hear that Alex was an awesome guide/driver and that you enjoyed the trip with her and her fantastic knowledge of the surrounding area. Thank you very much for coming with us and glad the you enjoyed the trip.
Derk_T, Nov 2025
Awesome boat ride along a beautiful river, our skipper did an excelent job of both driving the boat and stopping from time to time to give us information not only about the river itself but also piints of interest alone the banks.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you so much for coming along with us we are so glad that your skipper gave you alot of information that you enjoyed our river, it is definitely beautiful and one of a kind.
Barbara_B, Aug 2025
From the very start this experience was top notch! Chris called us to check if we wanted to reschedule our time based on rain that was moving in. He was so thoughtful and offered to take us whatever we decided. We arrived and Lindy was there to greet us and get us geared up. We had an incredible time with Zane, he was so fun, knowledgeable and simply the perfect guide. It was pouring rain but we had the time of our lives and even rescued 2 dogs from a steep bank when they escaped their owner on a walk, epic!! Do this trip, you won’t want to miss it!
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Wow, what a day! Thank you so much for this awesome review.
We’re so glad the weather didn’t stop you from having an incredible time 🙌
They’re such a great team and always go the extra mile. Rain or shine, Fiordland has a way of turning it on, and we’re so happy you got to experience it in such a memorable way.
Thanks again for joining us and sharing your story. Hope to see you back here someday for round two !
Emily_K, Apr 2025
This experience was very fun and informative. Alex was a terrific guide. I highly recommend this venue!
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you so much for your kind words.
Alex will be so happy to know she made such a positive impression.
We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back again soon!
Thacha_P, Mar 2025
This tour is a must-do for anyone who loves nature. The views are absolutely amazing, with clear rivers, lush forests, and towering mountains creating a breathtaking scene. The experience is relaxing and immersive, allowing you to fully enjoy the beauty of Fiordland. John is friendly and engaging, sharing interesting stories that make the journey even more enjoyable. Highly recommend for those who appreciate stunning landscapes and peaceful nature!
Response from Host, Apr 2025
We love hearing that! This place is pure magic, and we’re stoked you got to see it from the best seat in the house. Thanks for supporting us!
Gail_B, Feb 2025
What a memorable experience! Our guide was knowledgeable, entertaining, and clearly loved his job! The rest of the staff was friendly and helpful.. They have everything you may need - beanies, windbreakers, and sunscreen! I was a little nervous about the 360• spins, and they gave me good tips that helped me enjoy them completely. I highly recommend this activity!
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Cheers for the awesome feedback!
Stoked to hear you had such a great time and that the team made it even better.
Hope to see you again soon for more good times. Thanks for the recommendation! 😊
Fei_W, Jan 2025
The view is spectaculars, jet boat driver is excellent! The crew is really great! We had a great day!
Response from Host, Feb 2025
We love what we do and getting to share Fiordland’s breathtaking beauty with you guys is the best part!
Thanks for the 5 stars and see you next time!
Jeremy_I, Jan 2025
One of the best adventures we've ever done. This is such an amazing and fun trip and well worth your time including (as we did, driving down from Queenstown). I could tell you about the scenery, the history, the fantastic team. I could tell you about the jaw dropping moment you leave the river and see the lake. I could tell you about the (easy) walk through the forest. Or how pure the lake water is. Or you could do it yourself. If you're in the region, make this trip a must-do. Chris and team - thank you. Five stars does not do this - or you - justice.
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Thank you so much for your fantastic review!
We're thrilled you had such an amazing time with us in Fiordland, it's pretty special!
It was a pleasure to share the stunning scenery with you, and we hope to welcome you back soon for another unforgettable adventure!
Rick_D, Dec 2024
Our Driver John was very experienced and showed us a great time. The trip was beautiful and very informative. John had great knowledge of the local foliage and history. I would highly recommend this trip.
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Thank you for your lovely review! John is a wealth of knowledge and fantastic operator. Come back soon. :)
Boreum_K, Nov 2024
It was our first jet boat experience. Everything went so smooth and our jet boat driver, Jade was great!
I learn a lot about the lake and nature and enjoyed the thrilled spins! Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Thanks for the awesome review! So glad Jade and the rest of the team could create that great first jet boating experience for you. We hope to see you again!
Michelle_H, Nov 2024
From start to finish a great experience. Abbie drove the bus to where we got on the Jet boat giving us information about the area.
Jade was our skipper who was knowledgeable and experienced with handling the Jet boat.
We had a fantastic experience and would recommend this trip !!!!
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Thanks for leaving such a great comment. So glad you guys enjoyed it that's what we strive for! Jade is a great driver and im sure it was a pleasure having you on board! Hope to see you again
Ellen_O, Sep 2024
Thanks to John & the rest of the team for the VIP treatment on our unforgettable trip through the fast flowing currents towards the peacefulness of a picturesque Doubtful Sound. John’s extensive knowledge & experience of the area shone through in his effortless commentary. So much more than just a jet boat ride - beautiful landscapes & a forest walk as well. We loved it!
Response from Host, Sep 2024
It was an absolute pleasure having you with us!
I hope you have an amazing rest of your trip, and if your ever back in Te Anau please come and see us again :)
All the best
Lucy
Veronica_B, Jun 2024
Words can’t describe how beautiful this place is!! Not only we got to do super fun spins but we got to see one of the most beautiful parts of the world! Our guide was great fun and very informative. We then went on a little nature walk through what I thought was a magical Forrest!! This is a must!!
Kim_V, Mar 2024
This was the best and I couldn’t imagine going to Te Anau without having had this experience. The staff were fantastic and were so great with my friend who had some limited mobility issues, they were so helpful and made her day even better. The views were unbelievable and the memories I have will be treasured forever.
Response from Host, Jun 2024
Thank you for such a beautiful review.
We are so glad to be apart of those treasured memories!
Christopher_M, Feb 2024
Whizzing through the beautiful scenery and stopping to hear about the area we we passing through and of course the 360s
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Nature and thrills all in one! Thank you for coming along!
Nicholas
Michael_B, Feb 2024
Amazing fun and informative experience with a few spins and some high speed driving and weaving close to shore and other obstacles. What a great way to explore more of Fiordland.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Nothing like a thrill with a view! Thankyou for coming along.
Nicholas
Erin_M, Jan 2024
It was a AWESOME experience
Very knowledgeable driver
The session was a lot longer then we expected it also included stops with the history of the area
The hard turns of the Jet boat was Fantastic we all had a great time
I would highly recommend this company for anyone they were AWESOME
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Thank you very much, we love sharing the history as well as the thrills of jetboating. Pleased you enjoyed your experience with us.
Janet_S, Jan 2024
A very experienced and friendly guide with local knowledge along with being a fantastic jet boat driver responding to our enjoyment and thrill of the ride.
Smooth operation, running on time and preparing us with all requirements for the ride: warm clothing and sunscreen.
Would definitely recommend this wonderful journey.
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Awesome. We try to think of everything to keep everyone happy. Thanks
Mollie_T, Jan 2024
This was so much fun. Blasting around corners and some spins. Stopped for LoTR locations. Also popped out for a look at the Kepler Track. Provided spray and life jacket.
From $123.65
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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