Queenstown Jet Boating in December: Weather, Crowds and Booking

What December is like on the water

NIWA’s 1991–2020 averages for Queenstown, measured at the airport in Frankton, give December an average high of about 20°C and an average low of about 9°C. It feels colder on the boat because of the speed and the spray, so pack a warm layer even for a sunny afternoon. December also averages about 9 days with 1 mm of rain or more, the most of any month in that series. A shower does not stop the boats. The operators name heavy rain and flooding as the reasons a trip is postponed or cancelled.

The days are long. The sun rises at about 6am all month and sets at about 9:15pm on 1 December and about 9:30pm from the solstice to New Year. Every timetabled ride finishes hours before dark: the last Shotover Jet leaves at 4pm and the last KJet at 6pm. You still have the evening for the waterfront or dinner after an afternoon ride.

Christmas Day: the Shotover Jet does not operate on 25 December. The other operators publish no separate holiday timetable, so check your date on the booking page.

Crowds and booking ahead before Christmas

December is Queenstown’s second-busiest month. MBIE guest-night figures for the Queenstown-Lakes District put December 2025 at about 491,000 nights, behind January’s 534,000. They count beds across the district, not seats on a boat, but they show when the town is fullest. The 2026–27 summer school holidays run from 19 December 2026 to 1 February 2027, so New Zealand families arrive in the second half of the month on top of overseas visitors.

The operators say the same. The Shotover Jet asks riders to book ahead in its busy period, October to March, and Thunder Jet warns that the run-up to Christmas books out fast. In the first two weeks of December you have a better chance of a same-day seat. From about 19 December, book before you arrive, and pick a departure early in your stay so you can rebook if the river closes a trip.

The three main rides in December

Ride	Time on the water	Why you would choose it	Leaves from	December departures
Shotover Jet	About 25 minutes	Narrow canyon walls and 360-degree spins	Arthurs Point	9:30am to 4pm daily, closed 25 December
KJet	About 1 hour	The longest ride from the town waterfront, across the lake and onto two rivers	Main Town Pier, central Queenstown	Every hour on the hour, 10am to 6pm
Dart River Wilderness Jet	About 2 hours	Braided river and alpine scenery near Glenorchy	Glenorchy, or by coach from Queenstown	Summer timetable (September to April): 9:30am and 1pm from Glenorchy, 8:30am and 1pm from Queenstown

Timetables, transfer options, age and height limits and cancellation terms can change, so check the booking page for your date. Time on the water does not tell you how different the rivers are; our comparison of the Shotover, Kawarau and Dart rivers covers that.

Which ride for which December day

A warm, settled afternoon: KJet or the Dart River

Warm air makes a longer ride comfortable. KJet gives you an hour from the Main Town Pier, a short walk from many central hotels, across Lake Wakatipu and onto the Kawarau and Shotover rivers. It is rated 4.7 from 2,022 reviews on GetYourGuide. KJet sells more than one ride, so check that your booking is the one-hour trip from the Main Town Pier.

A day with showers about: the Shotover Jet

The Shotover Jet is 25 minutes through the canyons at Arthurs Point, the shortest time on the water of the three, and it runs in light rain unless the river is too high. It is rated 4.8 from 2,907 reviews on Viator. You need transport to Arthurs Point, about 10 minutes’ drive from town, or the operator’s shuttle.

A free day to spend outside town: the Dart River

The Dart River Wilderness Jet spends two hours on the Dart River from Glenorchy, about four hours with the coach from Queenstown. Dart River Adventures says it runs in all safe weather and stops for fog or torrential rain. It is rated 4.8 from 608 reviews on Viator. This ride is for the valley and the mountains, so judge it on the scenery, not the spins.

Christmas week

The Shotover Jet is closed on Christmas Day. KJet says it operates 365 days a year, weather permitting, so it is the ride to look at for 25 December. Our page on jet boats at Christmas and New Year lists what each operator confirms for the holidays and the phone numbers to call.

Planning around family bookings

Start with the booking you cannot move. A two-hour Dart River trip or a timed second activity can take most of a day; an hour on KJet from the town pier fits around other plans more easily.

During the school holidays a family of four or five needs seats on the same departure, and those sell first. Book them together. Check every child against the current limits: KJet’s minimum age is 2 with no height restriction, and the Shotover Jet’s minimum height is 1 metre, which the operator can raise to 1.2 metres in high river conditions. That matters in December, the wettest month in the Queenstown averages. Our guide to the age and height limits has the rules for each ride.

Practical booking checklist

Choose a ride by scenery, intensity, time on the water and budget.
Confirm the meeting point: the Main Town Pier in central Queenstown, Arthurs Point or Glenorchy.
Read the confirmation for the check-in time, which is earlier than the departure: 30 minutes at the Shotover Jet river base (45 minutes at the Station Building in town if you take the shuttle), 15 minutes for KJet and the Dart River.
If you need the shuttle or the Dart River coach, check it runs for your departure and reserve your seats.
Read the cancellation policy of the company that takes your payment.
Leave a generous buffer around a flight, another activity or a family group.
Follow the operator’s advice on clothing, life-jacket fit, medical conditions and loose belongings. Our guides on what to wear and whether you get wet cover each boat.

Weather: Light rain does not usually stop a jet boat, but heavy rain upstream, high river levels, floating debris or poor visibility can. The operator decides whether a trip runs. A wet forecast does not entitle you to a free cancellation.

A sample December day

Part of day	Plan
Morning	Check in 15 minutes before a 10am or 11am KJet from the Main Town Pier, or take the shuttle to an early Shotover Jet
Midday	Lunch and a break in central Queenstown
Afternoon	The waterfront, Queenstown Gardens or a separately booked activity, with a buffer before it
Evening	Daylight lasts until about 9:30pm, so a lake walk after dinner is easy

Swap in the departure and check-in times on your confirmation before you plan around them.

Before you book a December ride

Choose the Shotover Jet for the canyons, KJet for the most time on the water from town, and the Dart River for a long scenic day. Book anything after about 19 December before you travel, and remember the Shotover Jet’s Christmas Day closure. For a date that matters, call the operator: Shotover Jet on 0800 SHOTOVER (+64 3 442 8570), KJet on 0800 52 92 72 (+64 3 409 0000) and Dart River Adventures on 0800 327 853 (+64 3 442 9992).

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to book a Queenstown jet boat ahead in December?

From about 19 December, yes. The school holidays start then, the Shotover Jet asks riders to book ahead from October to March, and Thunder Jet says the run-up to Christmas books out fast. Early in the month you have a better chance of a seat on the day. Book a departure early in your stay so you can rebook if the river closes a trip.

Which jet boat is best in December?

The Shotover Jet suits a short, intense canyon ride and runs every day except 25 December. KJet is the easiest from central Queenstown and gives you an hour on the water, comfortable in December’s warm air. The Dart River Wilderness Jet suits a day spent on alpine scenery out of Glenorchy.

Is the Shotover Jet open at Christmas?

It is closed on Christmas Day, 25 December, and runs from 9:30am to 4pm on the other days of the month, weather permitting. KJet says it operates 365 days a year, weather permitting.

Can a family get seats on the same December departure?

Usually, if you book early. Seats for a group on one departure go first in the school holidays, from 19 December. Check that every child meets the current age and height limits, and allow time for transport and check-in.

What if rain or the river affects my December trip?

The operator may postpone, change or cancel a trip for safety. Follow its instructions and ask about rebooking or a refund under the terms of your ticket. December averages about 9 rainy days in Queenstown, so a booking early in your stay leaves room to move.

More for planning a summer trip: the best time for jet boating in Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu jet boat tours and which Queenstown jet boat is right for you.

Jet boating in Queenstown in December

Shotover Jet Canyon Ride