Packraft the Majestic Matukituki - A Full-Day Adventure Like No Other
Ready for something truly unforgettable? Come paddle one of New Zealand’s most breathtaking alpine rivers in our super fun, stable packrafts - perfect for beginners and adventurers alike!
Your journey starts with a scenic shuttle through the stunning Matukituki Valley, where towering mountains, hanging glaciers, and tumbling waterfalls surround you at every turn. Along the way, enjoy views of Avalanche Glacier and hear fascinating stories from your local guide about how this incredible landscape was shaped by ice and time.
After a short break and some refreshments, it's time to gear up. We’ll walk you through a full safety briefing and paddle lesson, then head to the river for the real fun to begin.
Let the Adventure Begin!
You’ll paddle through gentle wave trains, cruise into calm eddies, and drift along with the flow of the river. Feeling bold? Take a dip in the Matukituki’s famous turquoise swimming holes - if you're brave enough! By the end of the day, your guide will have you paddling like a pro.
It’s the perfect mix of fun, hands-on adventure, and incredible scenery - all topped off with a relaxed picnic lunch by the riverbank.
Good to Know:
Just a heads up:
Like any outdoor adventure, this experience comes with some risks - including the rare but real possibility of injury or even death. Our guides are highly trained, and your safety is our top priority, but it’s important you understand and accept these risks before joining us.
For more info about fitness requirements, safety, and what to bring, just click the ‘FIND OUT MORE’ button below.
Departures:
08:15 AM from outside of the i-SITE
3:30 PM return (time can vary up to 30 minutes with river conditions)
Looking for a Wānaka kayak or paddle trip? Packraft Wānaka is the guided alternative, with no experience needed, all gear supplied, and a local guide with you the whole way. We jet boat you deep into Mount Aspiring National Park, then paddle the Matukituki in stable two-person packrafts through gentle wave trains and glass-clear pools. It is the wildest way to get on the water near Wānaka, and beginners are welcome (ages 10+, must be able to swim).
Packrafting sits somewhere between kayaking and rafting. The boats are light, inflatable and stable, forgiving enough that most people are paddling confidently within an hour, but tough enough for real alpine water. That combination has opened up rivers that used to need a raft, a trailer and a lot of gear.
New Zealand has no shortage of rivers. Far fewer are both spectacular and gentle enough to learn on. The Matukituki is one of them, which is why we run here. It comes straight out of Mount Aspiring National Park past hanging glaciers and beech forest, and its wave trains are fun rather than frightening.
Do you need experience?
No. Every trip is fully guided and starts with a safety briefing and a paddle lesson before you go anywhere near moving water. You do need to be able to swim, and the minimum age is 10.
Guided or self supported?
Most packrafting in New Zealand is self supported, which means carrying your own boat into the backcountry and knowing how to read a river. If that is not you yet, a guided day is the way in. We supply the packraft, wetsuit, safety gear and lunch, and a guide who runs this river for a living.
When is the season?
October to April, when the river is at its best and the weather is settled enough to make a full day on the water genuinely enjoyable.
Where the trips run
We paddle the Matukituki River inside Mount Aspiring National Park, part of the Te Wāhipounamu UNESCO World Heritage Area, in the South Island. Trips leave from Wānaka, which is a couple of hours from Queenstown airport and worth the drive on its own.
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 consi...
We had a tremendous time! I was nervous about the rapids on the river as I had never done real rafting before but the instruction from Mia and Kaylee and their ...
Superb day in a valley with incredible landscapes.
And for the record the sandwiches were very good.
