Best Time for Jet Boating in Queenstown: Season, Weather & Time of Day
Jet boat rides are available in Queenstown all year. The best time depends on whether you want warm air on the water, autumn colour along the Shotover River or a crisp winter ride under snowy peaks, and on the weather on the day you ride. This guide compares the seasons, explains how rain and river levels affect a trip, and lets you check your own date.
If your dates are already fixed, use the date checker below to see the rain forecast, what to wear and which timetables apply on your day.
Jet boat rides in Queenstown are available year-round, although a few of the longer trips run fewer departures in winter. Whatever the month, the weather on the day matters most: heavy rain or flooding can postpone or cancel a trip, and a river running high can raise the minimum height for young children.
For warm air on an open boat, choose December to March, when average highs in Queenstown are about 19°C or warmer. This is also the busiest time to visit, so book ahead. For autumn colour along the Shotover River, choose mid-April to May. By May Queenstown has far fewer visitors, although it is cool on the water. June to August is cold, with average highs of about 8 to 10°C. Wear a hat, gloves and warm layers; some boats have heated handrails.
Once your Queenstown dates are fixed, choose the time of day. There is no universal best hour, so for most of the year pick the time that fits your day. In winter, a late-morning or early-afternoon ride is warmer than the first ride of the morning. If your booking has free cancellation, check the forecast before its deadline, and keep a spare day if the ride matters to you.
- Warm air for a longer ride:
- December to March, the busiest season
- Autumn colour along the Shotover River:
- Mid-April to May, but cool
- Far fewer visitors in Queenstown:
- May and June, but cold
- Riding in winter:
- Late morning or early afternoon
- Time of day, rest of the year:
- No universal best hour
- Most important live checks:
- Rain forecast, temperature and departures
- About 22°C and 8°C average high in Queenstown in January and July; on the boat it feels colder, so bring a warm layer
- Up to 90–95 km/h top speeds the operators quote, which is why it feels much colder on the water than on shore
Check Availability
Shotover Jet Canyon Ride
- 4.8/5 (2,907 reviews)
- 25 minutes on the water
- Free cancellation
- Operated by Shotover Jet Ltd
Includes 25-minute jet boat ride on the Shotover River · Full 360-degree spins and high-speed manoeuvres · Safety briefing and …
You'll choose your date and complete the booking on Viator. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
Same ride, also on GetYourGuide
From $111 per person · ★ 4.9 from 1,763 GetYourGuide reviews
Each platform sets its own price and collects its own reviews, so compare both before you book on Viator.
Which season suits which ride
| If you want | Choose | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Warm air for a longer ride | December to March | Queenstown’s busiest months, so book ahead |
| Autumn colour along the Shotover River | Mid-April to May | Cool on the water, especially in the morning |
| Far fewer visitors | May and June | Cold, with frosty mornings |
| A winter ride under snowy peaks | June to August | Snow on the peaks is possible, not promised; July and August are busy with the ski season |
| Spring | September to November | Still cool on the water; the busy season starts in October |
December to March is the warm part of the year, with average highs of about 19 to 22°C in Queenstown. Warm air makes a longer ride comfortable, such as the hour on KJet or the two-hour Dart River Wilderness Jet, and the spray is easier to take. It is also the busiest stretch. The Shotover Jet asks riders to book ahead from October to March, and summer school holidays run from mid-December to the end of January.
Mid-April to May is the time for autumn colour. Destination Queenstown names mid-April to May as the season when the trees around the Shotover River turn, and the Shotover Jet runs through the canyons below them. Visitor numbers fall sharply in May, and it gets cooler: average highs are about 15°C in April and 12°C in May, so bring a warm layer and gloves later in the season.
Other experiences you might enjoy
A few days in Queenstown can also take in the Skyline Gondola, a cruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak, rafting on the Kawarau River, or wine tasting in the Gibbston Valley and around Arrowtown. Three more rides from this site, each with its own page:
How the rivers change through the year
Summer, December to February. The warmest months, with average highs of about 20 to 22°C in Queenstown. Our page on jet boating in December covers the run-up to Christmas and the long evenings. January is the busiest month for visitors, and the long school holidays run through it. A warm layer is still worth packing, because it is cooler on the water than on shore.
Autumn, March to May. March is still warm, at about 19°C. The trees along the Shotover River turn from mid-April, and by May Queenstown is much quieter. May is also among the wetter months, with about 10 days of rain on average.
Winter, June to August. Snow can lie on the peaks above the rivers, and the Shotover Jet’s own guide to the seasons describes icy river edges. These are also the coldest months, with average highs of about 8 to 10°C and average lows around or below freezing. The Shotover Jet and KJet fit heated handrails, and the Shotover Jet asks for warm layers, a hat and gloves. Skippers Canyon Jet drops to two departures a day from May to September, and the Dart River Wilderness Jet to one departure a day from Queenstown from May to August. Visitor numbers rise again in July and August with the ski season. Winter suits riders who want snowy scenery and are happy to dress for the cold, and the 25-minute Shotover Jet keeps the time in the cold short. Our jet boating in winter guide covers which rides run and the gear each one supplies.
Spring, September to November. Average highs rise from about 13°C in September to about 18°C in November. The full summer timetables return on Skippers Canyon Jet from October, and the Shotover Jet’s busy period starts the same month.
How rain and river levels affect jet boating
The boats are built to run in the rain. KJet runs rain or shine, and Dart River says its boats are capable of running in impressive rain. What stops a trip is heavy rainfall or flooding: the Shotover Jet says trips may then be postponed or cancelled for safety, and Dart River does not run in fog or torrential rain. A river that is running high after rain can also raise the Shotover Jet’s minimum height for children from 1 m to 1.2 m, and Dart River can raise its limit in the same way, which matters if you are travelling with young children. None of the operators we checked names wind or waves as a reason to cancel a river ride; on a calm day the chill you feel comes from the speed of the boat itself.
Rain on the days before your ride matters as well as rain on the day, because the rivers rise after heavy rain. After one heavy downpour the Otago Daily Times reported Shotover Jet boats off the water for more than two days. Days with rain in Queenstown change little through the year, from about 7 to 10 a month on average, so rain is a reason to keep a spare day, not a reason to pick a month.
If the operator cancels for weather, the Shotover Jet offers a full refund or a new date at no extra cost. Book early in your stay, so a cancelled ride has days to move to, although a later ride may already be full in the busy months.
Best time of day for jet boating
The Shotover Jet keeps the same timetable all year, with rides from 9:30am to 4pm, and KJet leaves the town pier every hour from 10am. None of the operators we checked names a best hour, so for most of the year choose the time that fits your day. The Shotover Jet’s guide to the seasons says morning rides in spring often have the calmest conditions for light in the canyons.
In winter the hour makes a real difference to how cold you feel. Average lows in June and July are around or below freezing and the frost can last into the morning, so a late-morning or early-afternoon ride is usually warmer than the first ride of the day. Skippers Canyon Jet and the Dart River trips have fixed departure times, so check those when you book.
Weather and visitors, month by month
The weather figures are long-term averages for Queenstown airport at Frankton, a short drive from the town pier and the Shotover Jet base at Arthurs Point. On the water it feels colder, because the boats reach up to 90–95 km/h. The visitor column counts people staying in commercial accommodation across the Queenstown-Lakes District in 2025; it shows how busy the area is, not how full a boat will be.
| Month | Average high and low | Days with rain | Visitors staying in the district, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22°C and 10°C | 8 | 534,000 |
| February | 22°C and 10°C | 7 | 436,000 |
| March | 19°C and 7°C | 7 | 438,000 |
| April | 15°C and 5°C | 7 | 417,000 |
| May | 12°C and 2°C | 10 | 259,000 |
| June | 9°C and 0°C | 9 | 258,000 |
| July | 8°C and −1°C | 8 | 395,000 |
| August | 10°C and 0°C | 8 | 378,000 |
| September | 13°C and 2°C | 8 | 367,000 |
| October | 15°C and 4°C | 8 | 357,000 |
| November | 18°C and 6°C | 8 | 407,000 |
| December | 20°C and 9°C | 9 | 491,000 |
A day with rain here is one with at least 1 mm, so the column says how many days were wet, not how much rain fell. January was the busiest month for visitors in each year from 2023 to 2025, and May or June the quietest. The average high in Queenstown is about 22°C in January and 8°C in July.
Which ride suits which season
- The Shotover Jet is 25 minutes through the Shotover River canyons, every day except Christmas Day; see which boats run at Christmas and New Year. It is the shortest time in the cold of the rides on this site, with heated handrails in winter, so it is the easiest choice from June to August.
- KJet is an hour on Lake Wakatipu and the Kawarau and Shotover rivers from the town pier. It runs 365 days a year, weather permitting, and suits the warm months best.
- The Dart River Wilderness Jet is two hours from Glenorchy. It has lower fares from May to September, but only one departure a day from Queenstown from May to August.
- Skippers Canyon Jet runs three departures a day from October to April and two from May to September, and supplies gloves in winter.
To compare the rides themselves, see which Queenstown jet boat is right for you and what each ride costs.
Check your date
Choose a date to see if the Shotover Jet runs that day, the rain and temperature in Queenstown, what to wear, which rides keep a shorter winter timetable, and any New Zealand school holidays. Within about two weeks of the date the card shows the forecast; further ahead it shows long-term averages.
In general, jet boat rides in Queenstown are available all year. The Shotover Jet runs every day except Christmas Day, weather permitting, and heavy rain or flooding can postpone or cancel a trip on any river.
Averages are NIWA figures for Queenstown airport at Frankton, and the forecast is from Open-Meteo for Queenstown. On an open boat at speed it feels much colder than the air temperature. For severe weather warnings, check MetService’s Queenstown forecast.
The Viator and GetYourGuide listings for the rides on this site allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before the ride. If your booking has the same terms, you can book once your dates are fixed and look at the forecast before the deadline. Booked directly with the Shotover Jet, cancellations within 24 hours are not refunded, although a ride the operator cancels for weather is refunded or moved. Read the specific terms of your booking before you rely on them.
How we know
Sources and limits
Temperature and rain. NIWA climate averages for 1991 to 2020 at Queenstown airport (Queenstown Aero AWS, agent 5451, 357 m): mean daily maximum and minimum, and days with at least 1 mm of rain. The station is a few kilometres from the town pier and the Shotover Jet base, and further from Glenorchy and the Dart River. No station measures the canyons themselves.
Operating days and timetables. Shotover Jet’s FAQ (every day of the year, weather permitting, excluding Christmas Day; trips may be postponed or cancelled in heavy rainfall or flooding; minimum height 1 m, which may rise to 1.2 m in higher river conditions; book ahead in busy periods, October to March) and departure times page (9:30am to 4pm, seven days a week); KJet’s FAQ (365 days a year, weather permitting; hourly from 10am; heated handrails); Skippers Canyon Jet’s tour page (8:30am, 12pm and 3:30pm from October to April, 9am and 1pm from May to September); and Dart River’s jet boating page (two-hour trip; two departures from Queenstown from September to April and one from May to August; lower fares from 1 May to 30 September; runs in all safe weather but not in fog or torrential rain). All read on 3 November 2026. The Viator schedule for the Shotover Jet lists the same daily times from May 2026 to September 2028.
Seasons and scenery. Destination Queenstown’s guide to autumn colours (the Shotover River landscape from mid-April to May) and the Shotover Jet’s own guide to jet boating through the year (heated handrails, snow on the canyon tops and icy river edges in winter, morning rides in spring). The report of boats off the water after heavy rain is from the Otago Daily Times.
Visitors. MBIE Accommodation Data Programme, guest nights in commercial accommodation for the Queenstown-Lakes District, 2023 to 2026, read through Figure.NZ. It covers the whole district, including Wānaka, leaves out holiday homes and short-stay rentals, and does not count the riders on any one boat. School holidays: Ministry of Education term dates.
What these numbers cannot tell you. None of the operators we checked publishes cancellation rates or a best hour to ride, so the page ranks neither. The advice on warmer winter rides comes from the gap between average lows and highs at the airport, not from a measurement on the water. Monthly averages cannot tell you the weather on your day; the forecast in the date checker can, within about two weeks.
For the ride itself, see do you get wet jet boating, what to wear and the age and height limits on each boat.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month for jet boating in Queenstown?
It depends on what you want from the ride. December to March has the warmest weather, with average highs of about 19 to 22°C in Queenstown, and is the busiest time to visit. From mid-April to May the trees along the Shotover River turn, and by May Queenstown has far fewer visitors. June to August is cold, with average highs of about 8 to 10°C, and is the time for snowy peaks. In every month, the weather on the day matters more than the month itself.
Does the Shotover Jet run all year?
Yes. The Shotover Jet says it operates every day of the year, weather permitting, except Christmas Day, with rides from 9:30am to 4pm. Heavy rain or flooding can postpone or cancel a trip. KJet says it operates 365 days a year, weather permitting. Skippers Canyon Jet and the Dart River Wilderness Jet run all year too, with fewer departures in winter.
Can jet boat rides be cancelled because of the weather?
Yes. The Shotover Jet says trips may be postponed or cancelled for safety in heavy rainfall or flooding, and offers a refund or a free new date when that happens. Dart River does not run in fog or torrential rain. Rain on its own usually does not stop a ride: KJet runs rain or shine. Book your ride early in your stay so there is time to move it.
Is it too cold to go jet boating in Queenstown in winter?
No, but it is cold. Average highs in Queenstown are about 8 to 10°C from June to August, mornings are often frosty, and on an open boat at up to 90 km/h it feels much colder. Wear a hat, gloves and warm layers. The Shotover Jet and KJet have heated handrails, and the 25-minute Shotover Jet keeps your time in the cold short. See jet boating in winter.
When is Queenstown busiest for jet boating?
The Shotover Jet asks riders to book ahead in its busy periods, October to March. January is the busiest month for visitors staying in the Queenstown area, and May and June the quietest, at under half of January’s number in 2025. July and August are busy again with the ski season. These figures count people staying in the whole district, not riders on any one boat.
What time of day is best for jet boating?
For most of the year there is no best hour, and none of the operators we checked names one. In winter, a late-morning or early-afternoon ride is warmer than the first ride of the morning, when average lows are around freezing. The Shotover Jet keeps the same 9:30am to 4pm timetable all year.
Are jet boats cheaper in winter?
Some are. Dart River’s Wilderness Jet has lower fares from 1 May to 30 September: NZ$319 for an adult in 2027, against NZ$399 from October to April. The Shotover Jet and KJet do not publish seasonal fares. Compare prices for your date on the booking page.
Ride the Shotover Canyons
Twenty-five minutes through the narrowest gorges on the Shotover River, a short drive from central Queenstown.
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