Stay the night in the Majestic Waimakariri Gorge, 45 minutes of thrilling Jet Boat action + 4-5 hours of fun grade 1-2 rafting

Duration

1 night - 2 days

About

Our Waimakariri overnight trip starts with an exciting jet-boat ride up river, 360 spins, amazing gorges and spectacular scenery. What better way to get the kids out of the house than an overnight camping trip, where all you have to worry about is turning up!

This is an exciting and educational experience for the kids, especially first timers. It is also a pretty cool spot for the parents as well and is one of our favourite trips to run. There are a few fun kid friendly rapids and plenty of spots to swim, but the scenery is definitely something else.

Following our Jet boat tour upstream we will disembark and get prepared for a more relaxing journey back downstream by raft. We camp out riverside for the night and cook amazing food over the campfire. There's a chance for a spot of fishing and exploring the Waimakariri gorge along the way as we drift back to civilisation. Full transport and catering available.

Itinerary Day 1 - 10:00am Please arrive at our base located at 272 Island road, Kaiapoi no later than 10:00am. We will issue all your rafting gear required for your adventure and give you a run down of the trips events , then drive for 1 hour to the Alpine Jet Thrills base in Springfield.

Day 1 - 11-11:30am After arriving at the Jetboat base your friendly guides will deliver a safety briefing and all information you need before embarking on the thrilling 40-45 minute jet boat ride up river.

Day 1 - 12:30pm We arrive at the top of the Waimakariri gorge, wave goodbye to our jet boat, set up the rafts and start our journey downstream. First stop is the historic Hamilton hut perched high above the river giving spectacular views up river from the front porch. We might just have to stop here for a cuppa. As we head downstream into the main gorge the towering cliffs around us close in and display some very unique formations. Next stop Mannering cliffs and a 100+meter high waterfall if you fancy a shower or a selfie.

Day 1 - 3:00pm Further down stream we reach the Hamilton rapids where we finish our on water activities for the day. Our campsite is located on the banks of the river, once set up you are free to explore or try your hand at fishing while your guides crack on with cooking an amazing supper and desert. Settle in for the night and do a bit of star gazing.

Day 2 - 9:00am Begin the day with a leisurely cooked breakfast then prepare to leave camp for more rafting adventures downstream. We depart camp at 10:00am to further explore the Waimakariri gorge and its surroundings.

Day 2 - 12:00pm We arrive at the famous Staircase Viaduct! The mighty Staircase Viaduct crosses the Staircase Gully 240 feet above the bed of the stream. It is the tallest structure on the Midland line. The Christchurch Cathedral could easily fit under the Viaduct. The Viaduct is 72 meters high and 149 meters long. Construction of the Viaduct started in the late 1800’s and was finally opened in 1906, supplying a much needed route between Christchurch and the West Coast. This is a great photo spot so we will be stopping here!

Day 2 - 3:00pm Reaching the end of our trip we disembark, get changed and load up for the journey home.

Day 2 - 4:30 pm Arrive back in Christchurch