:: KJet Jetboating Queenstown ::

One thing you should do whilst in New Zealand is jetboating. A kiwi invention, these boats are great fun and offer some great views at the same time. There are operations all over the country so you definitely will have no excuse. We decided to try another operator in Queenstown to see what the differences were between the experiences. KJet has been locally owned and operated for over 40 years. Situated on the main pier in Queenstown they offer a trip which takes you out on Lake Wakatipu as well as the Shotover and Kawarau rivers.

On arrival we were kitted out with life jackets and splash vests – the lake was rough to say the least and so getting wet was a prerequisite! We had our photo taken by a sullen looking staff member and were then helped onto the boat. The boats were not as flash as the ones we used at Shotover but still looked like they had some grunt and just as fast! Our first aim was to get out of the harbour and down the Frankton Arm however this meant going against the waves!! Soaked would be an understatement as the waves came crashing over the boat – it was great! Its worth noting that it isn’t always like this we were just lucky to get the bad weather. This was the first time we had been in a jetboat on a lake and it was a great opportunity to be able to look around and view the surrounding mountain ranges and scenery while shooting along dodging anchor floats and other boats! As always we did the customary 360 degree spins although we must have been topping 10 by the end of the trip which was great – the most we have ever done on a jetboating trip. After the lake we then went down the Kawarau and then onto the Shotover river. Although this trip didn’t go down canyons like the Shotover there was still plenty of things to almost hit including over hanging branches, bridge supports and rocks. Compared to the Shotover this trip was much longer lasting around 1hr 30 mins compared to the 30 mins on the Shotover. Our driver gave us a lowdown on the boats for first timers and also had regular stops to explain about the surroundings.
On return to base a nice bonus was the free underwater fish viewing in the pier – free to all Kjet passengers saving $5!

Conclusion

There are loads of places to try jetboating in New Zealand and so you certainly aren’t short of options. All operations are of a high standard and will include some thrills, spills and 360 degree spins. Shop around and decide what sort of trip you want – if it’s a sharp hit of adrenaline down a narrow rock canyon then something like the Shotover Jet is for you. If it’s more jetboating for your dollar and some great scenery along the way then the Kjet is maybe a better option.