About Wanaka River Journeys
Wanaka River Journeys is the only jet boat operator with access to the upper Matukituki River, taking passengers deep into Mount Aspiring National Park to the base of New Zealand's second-highest peak and its surrounding glaciers. Operating from a shuttle departure point at 99 Ardmore Street outside the Wanaka i-SITE, the company has built a reputation as the premier wilderness jet boat and packrafting operator in the Southern Lakes region.
Their flagship experience is the jet boat journey up the glacier-fed Matukituki River, navigating braided channels through native beech forest with views of Mount Aspiring's snow-capped summit. For more adventurous visitors, packrafting trips combine a scenic valley shuttle with self-guided paddling on one of New Zealand's most pristine alpine rivers — stable inflatable packrafts make the experience accessible to beginners while still delivering genuine backcountry immersion. Combination packages pair jet boating with helicopter flights and wilderness walks for a full-day exploration of the national park.
What distinguishes Wanaka River Journeys is their exclusive river access — no other operator runs jet boats this far into the Matukituki Valley, giving passengers an experience that simply cannot be replicated elsewhere. The guides are lifelong locals with deep knowledge of the river system, geology, and ecology, and their packrafting offering is one of the few in New Zealand that allows visitors to paddle a genuinely remote alpine river with no road access.
