New Zealand Tourism Online

Jet Boat on Whanganui River, New Zealand

Whanganui River Jet Boat Tours Introduction

Brent and Claire invite you to come and jet boat on the Whanganui River. Whanganui River Jet Boat Tours let you explore the hidden depths of this unique and magical river valley with a couple of proud New Zealanders who are keen to share their knowledge.

We pass several particularly significant cultural and historical places on our Whanganui River scenic trips, and Brent will stop to enable you to have a closer look and take photos while he tells you more about them.

The movie River Queen was shot on the Whanganui River, and you will have the opportunity to take photos as we pass the filming locations from our jet boat on the Whanganui River.

We are proud of Aotearoa-New Zealand, and it is our privilege to be able to share this wonderful part of our heritage with you.

Jet Boat Tours on Whanganui River

We have three tours that involve the Whanganui River:

Havoc at the Fox Tour – Ideal if you don't have all day, jet boat up Whanganui River where we stop at several location to share with you our knowledgeable commentary on its rich history. When we reach the flying fox, you can take a stroll around the organic gardens or marvel at the workmanship of two quaint handmade cottages.

Relax while the kettle boils for some Havoc coffee and freshly-baked muffins. This is “River time” so take your time and enjoy, before we board our boat, Te Wairua o te Awa, meaning the spirit of the river, and make our way back to Pungarehu Marae.

Te Awa (The River) Tour – Starts off like “Havoc at the Fox Tour”, where after savouring the hospitality of your hosts, you'll head back to the river where and be instructed on the use of your canoe.

When you feel at ease, you'll commence on an easy three-hour paddle down river, which includes time for more stops along the way. Enjoy the first-hand experience of the Whanganui River in just one day.

Bridge to Nowhere Tour – This is the trip to see as much of the Whanganui River as possible. Welcome aboard the Te Wairua o te Awa, meaning the spirit of the river.

We travel along second-to-none scenery, with gorges that rise spectacularly above us, to our native-bush lunch site in a beautiful setting overlooking the river.

Enjoy your picnic lunch while we boil some of our Havoc coffee and tempt you with our home baking. After lunch we cruise down to the Mangapurua landing and walk a gentle track to the renowned “Bridge to Nowhere” into the “Valley of Abandoned Dreams”. At times this popular track can become congested, so our extended trip is aimed to make your visit to these historical places near the Whanganui River as exclusive as possible.

For further information about historical places on Whanganui River, please contact us or visit our jet boat on the Whanganui River Web site.

About the Wanganui Region

Sarjeant Gallery
Wanganui, New Zealand

The Wanganui region is on the lower west coast of the North Island, south of Taranaki and the Taupo and Ruapehu regions.

This area is rich with Maori culture, heritage, Whanganui National Park and river adventures. The region takes its name from the city of Wanganui, which rests on the banks of the spectacular Whanganui River.

In the early 1900’s, visitors called the Whanganui River the “Rhine of New Zealand”—it’s the longest navigable river in the country, with 239 rapids and stunning bush scenery.

There are many ways to explore the Whanganui River—jet boat, kayak, canoe, raft, paddle steamer, or on the end of a fly-fishing rod. You can also follow the trail to the mysterious Bridge to Nowhere, built across the Mangapurua Gorge to give access to an isolated settlement that was finally abandoned in 1942. Now only the Bridge to Nowhere remains.

To the east of Wanganui lies the city of Palmerston North, the towns of Feilding and Ashhurst, and many rural villages. You’ll also find the southern hemisphere’s largest wind farm.

The dramatic, diverse landscape of the area offers a range of unique experiences. As well as excellent brown trout fly-fishing in the Rangatikei River, there’s the chance to see rare and migrating birds at the Manawatu river estuary.

For further information about historical places on Whanganui River, please contact us or visit our jet boat on the Whanganui River Web site.

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