Departs the Wanaka i-SITE · Trips run year-round 📞 +64 3 443 4416info@wanakajet.nz
Home Jet Boat & Wilderness WalkPackraft WānakaEast Branch ExpeditionEast Branch Heli-AccessGlacier JetGlacier River SafariEssential Wānaka Explore: where we goRob Roy GlacierMount Aspiring National ParkThe Matukituki ValleyWānaka on a rainy dayWānaka in winterQueenstown to WānakaTo the foothills of Mt AspiringMt Aspiring by jet boatWānaka with kidsReviews About UsConservationFAQsContact Book Now
Full-Day Adventure

Packraft Wānaka: guided packrafting in Mount Aspiring National Park

Paddle a turquoise alpine river in stable, beginner-friendly packrafts. Lunch included.

Book Now
⏱ Full day · 8:15am – ~3:30pm 👨‍👩‍👧 Ages 10+ · must be able to swim 📍 Departs the Wanaka i-SITE From NZD $429 adult, lesson, lunch and all gear included
The Experience

What you're in for

Ready for something truly unforgettable? Paddle one of New Zealand's most breathtaking alpine rivers in our super-fun, stable packrafts — perfect for beginners and adventurers alike.

Your day starts with a scenic shuttle through the Matukituki Valley — towering mountains, hanging glaciers and waterfalls at every turn, with views of Avalanche Glacier and stories from your local guide about how ice and time shaped this place.

After a full safety briefing and paddle lesson, the real fun begins: gentle wave trains, calm eddies, and the river's famous turquoise swimming holes — if you're brave enough. By day's end your guide will have you paddling like a pro, topped off with a relaxed picnic lunch on the riverbank.

Highlights

  • Beginner-friendly Grade II whitewater — small groups
  • Scenic shuttle through the Matukituki Valley with glacier views
  • Full safety briefing & paddle lesson before you launch
  • Riverside picnic lunch included

Good to know: Beginner-friendly but an active day on the water. You must be able to swim and be fit enough to help control the boat. Ages 10 and up (10 to 14s paddle alongside a participating adult).

Schedule & need-to-know

Departure

8:15am, outside the Wanaka i-SITE

Return

~3:30pm (can vary up to 30 minutes with river conditions)

Good to know

Minimum numbers apply — travelling solo? Call us and we'll do our best to make it happen. Include gear sizes & dietary requirements when you book.

What's included

  • Wetsuit, neoprene booties, helmet & PFD (splash jacket on colder days)
  • Boats & paddles
  • Qualified guides
  • Full safety briefing & paddle lesson
  • Tasty lunch from local businesses
  • Scenic Matukituki Valley shuttle

What to bring

  • Swimwear
  • Towel
  • Water bottle
  • Sturdy footwear
  • Thermal layers
  • Any personal medication
  • Optional: sunscreen, hat, DEET-free insect repellent, waterproof camera

Good to know

  • Pick-up 8:15am outside the i-SITE, return ~3:30pm
  • Free lakefront parking
  • A minimum number of paddlers is needed to run (travelling solo? call us)
  • Please give gear sizes & dietary needs when booking
▶ Watch the video Fitness, safety & FAQs
Before you book

Quick answers

Do I need experience?

No. Packrafting is beginner-friendly Grade II. You'll get a full safety briefing and paddle lesson before you launch. It's an active day on the water, so you must be able to swim and be fit enough to help control the boat. Ages 10 and up (10 to 14s paddle alongside a participating adult).

Will I swim or fall in?

You might, and many guests choose to, in the river's famous turquoise swimming holes. You're in a wetsuit, booties, helmet and PFD the whole time, with guides alongside, so being in the water is all part of the fun. You do need to be a confident swimmer to join.

What should I bring?

Swimwear, a towel, water bottle, sturdy footwear, thermal layers and any personal medication. Optional extras: sunscreen, a hat, DEET-free insect repellent and a waterproof camera. We provide all the paddling and safety gear, plus lunch.

What's your cancellation policy?

Cancel or change up to 48 hours before departure for a full refund. Within 48 hours, or no-shows, are non-refundable. If we have to cancel for weather, river conditions or low numbers, we'll do our best to rebook you, or refund you in full.

More questions? See all FAQs or call +64 3 443 4416.

Gallery

Straight from the river

Packrafter paddling a rapid on the Matukituki River, Packraft Wanaka tripPackraft crew mid-rapid with paddles upPackraft riding a wave train on the Matukituki RiverTwo paddlers in a packraft hitting whitewater on the MatukitukiGuide carrying a packraft across the riverbed in the Matukituki ValleyPackrafts on turquoise water between bush-clad banks on the Matukituki River
Where you'll go

Trip map

All trips depart from outside the Wanaka i-SITE, 99 Ardmore Street, Wānaka.

Reviews

“The instruction was outstanding”

What guests say about a full day on turquoise water in beginner friendly packrafts.

★★★★★

“We had a tremendous time! I was nervous about the rapids as I'd never rafted before, but the instruction from Mia and Kaylee was outstanding.”

KimPackraft Wānaka
★★★★★

“Superb day in a valley with incredible landscapes. And for the record, the sandwiches were very good.”

Thomas GPackraft Wānaka
Read more on TripAdvisor
Keep exploring

You might also like

Half day★ Most Popular
Signature Experience

Jet Boat & Wilderness Walk

  • The only jet boat to the base of Mt Aspiring & its glaciers
  • Famous 360° jet spins on glacier-fed water
  • About an hour of guided walking through ancient forest to McGills Creek
From NZD $359 adult, $229 child 4 to 14, guided walk and all gear included

Family+ $889 for a family of four, everything included (2 adults and 2 children).

Book Now View Details
Full dayNEW
New · Advanced Packrafting

East Branch Expedition

  • Remote upper East Branch — far beyond the day-trip crowds
  • Continuous Grade 2 whitewater with an optional Grade 2+ challenge rapid
  • Wilderness walk-in to a hidden put-in below the Kitchener confluence
From NZD $499 adult, ages 14 and up, guides, safety cover and all packrafting gear included
Book Now View Details
Half day
Jet Boat + Helicopter

Glacier Jet

  • Jet boat the Matukituki deep into Mt Aspiring National Park
  • 25-minute scenic flight with Aspiring Helicopters
  • Glacier landing on Isobel or Tyndall Glacier (weather permitting)
From NZD $1,059 adult, $649 child 4 to 14, jet boat, guided walk, flight and glacier landing included
Book Now View Details

Keep up with the people and the place… Wānaka

River conditions, new trips and the occasional kea photo. No spam — we're too busy driving boats.

Book Now 📞 Call