Packraft Wanaka: Paddle Mountain Rivers on the Ultimate New Zealand Adventure

Experience the ultimate adventure in Wanaka, New Zealand with Packraft Wanaka. Paddle down breathtaking mountain rivers on our inflatable packrafts and explore the stunning landscape.

Duration: 7 hours, 15 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Wanaka River Journeys - Pickup/dropoff, run through trip details and risk disclosure
  • Mount Aspiring National Park - Take the shuttle deep into the towering mountains with a stop on the way for a short walk to Wishbone Falls. After a short break it’s straight into the wetsuit to packraft down the river with views of glaciers, ancient beech forest and the unique wildlife of the braided riverbed.
What's Included
  • Photos
  • Picnic lunch and snacks (please provide dietary requirements)
  • Courtesy shuttle
  • Packrafting gear (wetsuits, booties, spray jackets, helmets)
What's Not Included
  • Must be able to swim
  • Bottled water
  • Sports shoes
Additional Information

This is an adventure like no other, paddling one of New Zealand’s most spectacular mountain rivers in our fun, inflatable packrafts.
Start your action packed day with a scenic shuttle drive beneath the towering mountains, glaciers and waterfalls of the Matukituki Valley.
After refreshments its gear-on, safety brief and paddle tuition before heading…

Location
99 Ardmore Street
Ardmore Street
Outside of the Wanaka i-SITE (information centre) 8:30am
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(51 Ratings)
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Robert571
Dec 20, 2024
Wonderful way to experience NZ back country. - Kaliegh and Johnny did an excellent job. I was impressed with Johnny's driving, really cautious yet got us there timely. Because of road conditions we took a jet boat up the river. What a fun surprise that was. Kaliegh guided us on a hike for about 30-minutes with our gear. Be prepared for a bit of carrying through the woods. But, you'll get to see backcountry that you'd never have imagined otherwise. Lunch was amazing, a lot more food and yummy than I imagined. Kaliegh provided great information, all meant to help us have more fun out of the experience. She guided us through rapids and helped us find the best path for safety and a fun experience. But the biggest factor, you'll see NZ back country inaccessible in any other way. You won't see a car for hours. Nothing to hear but nature. Terrific fun time. Professional team. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Andywd5397ea
Feb 21, 2024
Great day out from wanaka - Amazing day, the team are brilliant and knowledgeable and great hosts. We loved it. No experience required just be ready for a good laugh.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Fearless10354644776
Jan 21, 2024
Family friendly fun! - As far as family experiences go in the NZ outdoors this was as good as it gets. The river is pristine and the views were fantastic. The crew were experienced, helpful and friendly. They accommodated the needs of our kids and engaged with them throughout the trip. If you’re looking for a family friendly adventure I’d highly recommend adding this to your itinerary.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
906steph
Jan 10, 2024
Brilliant way to experience the majestic beauty of the mountains and rivers of Wanaka - This experience is a truly brilliant way to immerse yourself in the incredible natural beauty of the mountains and glacial rivers of the Mt Aspiring/ Wanaka area. Floating down the Matukituki River on a Packraft mixes both the serenity of gentle floating with the fun of a few rapids to keep those looking for a little action happy. Our local guides were fantastic - extremely knowledgeable, very experienced paddlers who kept everyone safe and well fed. Wetsuits and booties provided to keep you warm. This was a beautiful day out and throughly enjoyed by all of us. Wanaka River Journeys really looked after us. Also don’t miss the strawberry ice creams sold from a small van set up in a paddock on the side of the river at the end of the paddle. ( just remember to take cash!:)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Duncan
Jan 6, 2024
Great way to spend a day near Wanaka! - Great experience. Felt very safe and organized and all the equipment seemed new. Wonderful scenery and a really fun activity. Ice cream stop on the way home was a bonus. Cute puppy mascot tagged along.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kiwishelly44
Dec 28, 2023
An experience to remember - This was such an amazing trip… Incredible scenery, fun rafting, beautiful lunch on the side of the river and awesome guides! I would highly recommend!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Climber63425481021
Dec 26, 2023
Awesome day out on the river! - What an awesome way to experience the beauty and grandeur of the river and surrounding mountains. Ruth and her team did a great job - so organised, knowledgeable and friendly.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hannahfb4167fe
Nov 23, 2023
A fantastic day out with a great company - Fantastic day out. The scenery is just amazing.. river so blue and clear. Brent and Sue were great hosts. Very kind and shared a lot of information on the natural history of the area during the drive and paddle. The pack rafts are awesome. Very light to carry, but super strong. They track well in the water and were easy to manoeuvre. We had a gourmet sandwich and snacks on the grassy Riverbank. Brent gave us some useful paddling tips which was great. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hanneb781
Oct 31, 2023
An amazing river journey! - Fab day out with very knowledgeable guides! Pack rafting surrounded by the beautiful surrounding Mount Aspiring National Park was such a amazing experience. Really recommend it as a day out if you are visiting Wanaka or want to have a day in nature learning a new skill!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Fromontariosoc
Apr 17, 2023
Absolutely Stunning! - Our family had a great day packrafting with Brent along the river! The mountain scenery was breathtaking, and all that Brent shared about the area was a huge added bonus. Our kids thoroughly enjoyed the paddling and the rapids and now have a taste for more as we continue our travels through NZ. Huge thanks to Sue for helping get our day organized! Highly recommend!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 8 guests
1 Adult
January 2025
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