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
  • All guests must be able to swim
  • Packrafting gear (wetsuits, booties, spray jackets, helmets)
Additional Information

Embark on an unparalleled adventure, navigating one of New Zealand’s breathtaking mountain rivers in our enjoyable, inflatable packrafts.
Begin your thrilling day with a picturesque shuttle ride through the majestic mountains, glaciers, and waterfalls of the Matukituki Valley.
After refreshments, gear up for a safety briefing and paddle instruction…

Location
99 Ardmore Street
Ardmore Street
Outside of the Wanaka i-SITE (information centre) 8:15am
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
5.0
(57 Ratings)
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Garry_g
Feb 13, 2026
Awesome day - This was a fantastic day, had the best weather and great people 2x couples from the US ,1 from Japan and a family of 5 from the central coast, Sue done an amazing job driving the bus and very friendly as was Brett, our head guid down the river, thanks to all who made it a great day.
Review provided by Viator
373victoriac
Feb 9, 2026
Best experience! - Absolutely incredible! Amazing exploration though the stunning wild glacial valley on the river rafting tour. Very accessible rafting for beginners, informative guide and great photos taken. Best experience to be had in Wanaka!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Katehk8723fe
Feb 9, 2026
Must do in Wanaka - This is a must do while your in Wanaka if you want breathtaking views and adventure! Highly recommend to everyone as it's beginner friendly
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Departure29471463336
Jan 14, 2026
Amazing Pack rafting on the Matukituki River - This pack rafting experience on the Matukituki river is amazing. Our driver Sue was super friendly and we stopped at the beautiful Wishbone waterfall on the way up the valley. Guides Maya and Kaylee made sure we were safe and that we all had a fun time on the river. The scenery is absolutely stunning. Tasty, gourmet sandwiches awaited us after our paddling. If you get the chance, do this trip!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Runhikebikeeatsleep
Mar 6, 2025
Great Day on the Matukituki River! - Wow! Just Wow! An 11 on a scale of 10! A perfect (mild) adventure thanks to perfect Wanaka weather, the professional organization, and our friendly and considerate guide, Pete, and driver, Kaylee. This is an extremely well-organized day from the timely pick up, the scenic drive to the Matukituki River at Raspberry Flat with about 25k on gravel roads, the leisurely float down the river with enough minor rapids to make it interesting, and the smooth return to civilization. The price is more than reasonable for the quality of the experience. The water level was low, but that didn’t affect the stunning scenery. Our group had the river to ourselves. The paddling and safety equipment was all top notch. The 2-person inflatable kayak was easy to handle and survived a couple of, oops, scrapes along the bottom. Pete’s instructions were clear and delivered with a Kiwi sense of humor and a smile. It was clear that he loves his job and SAFELY sharing the river with visitors. If (when?) we return to NZ again, we would love to book another ride down the Matukituki River.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
O9817henickk
Mar 3, 2025
Great time, even with the low water. - Great views and great guide. The river was low, but that was to be expected during the drought. Still made it even with low levels. Nice peaceful ride. Thank you!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lloyd_w
Jan 18, 2025
Would definitely recommend! - This was a really well planned trip, interesting commentary from the tour guides and got to see some back country that would be difficult to see otherwise. We had sue as our driver and Kayleigh as our river guide, both were excellent!
Review provided by Viator
Kristinab516
Jan 6, 2025
Fantastic day packrafting - We had a fantastic packraft trip. The entire team was fun and very professional, from Sue driving the shuttle bus, to Kaylee and Brent guiding us down the river. The scenery was spectacular. Definitely worth every $ spent on the trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Q5638althomasg
Dec 31, 2024
A very good time - Superb day in a valley with incredible landscapes. And for the record the sandwiches were very good. I recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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