The scenery of Queenstown continues to blow me away. Every time I look outside, I sense a feeling of complete awe. It is certainly one of the most beautiful places I have seen.
Often words, or even photographs, cannot justify the pure beauty before my eyes. I feel so lucky to be able to wake each morning, step out of our camper van, and be greeted by the green rolling hills and mountains which meet the untouched blue sky.
Queenstown may be famous for its epic views, but it also well known for its plethora of adrenaline bursting activities. You can participate in bungy jumps, canyon swings, skydives, fast jet boat rides, amongst many others.
We awoke on an overcast Friday morning, with the prospect of experiencing the Shotover Jet ahead of us. The cloudy skies certainly did not spoil the incredible views and most definitely did not dampen our excited spirits.
The Shotover River, with its many rapids, flows fast through the Otago region. It runs through Skippers Canyon and into the Kawarau River. The iconic Shotover Jet will be the first jet boat operator in the world to reach the impressive 50 year milestone in November 2015. Over three million people have been thrilled by this awesome boat ride since 1965 - including many famous names, such as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2014. It prides itself as being one of Queenstown’s first adrenaline activities and continues to hold a strong presence in the town until this day.
I couldn’t wait to get out there and experience a ride on the river for myself. I watched other bo
ats twist in a crazy manner and turn on the river as I was fitted with my waterproof coat and life jacket.
We boarded the bright red jet with 12 other excited participants, of all ages and backgrounds. The river ran impressively through the mountainous area - we were soon to be speeding through it!
It was a cold day, but the excitement and anticipation soon meant I forgot about that! We left the side of the river bank and started driving up the river. The boat was so powerful! The sound of the engine roared as we picked up pace. The scenery was just incredible and what a unique way to witness it.
We spun around in circles, cruising close to the many rocks and canyons. So so close! This just added to my feeling of amazement. What a ride this was proving to be. The cool breeze brushed past my face and the water splashed around us as we were flung around in the boat that is capable of reaching an impressive 700 horse power.
We had a bumpy and thrilling ride over the rocky surface - the boat can operate on water depths as low as 100 millimetres! Even in the colder months of May and June, the boat can cut through ice and still provide a memorable and epic ride to visitors - and how beautiful the scenery would prove to be amongst the icy and snowy hills and mountains at this time of year.
This ride certainly took my breath away - it exceeded my expectations and it’s easy to see why so many people embark on a ride each year, including many well-known names.
It certainly is a must-do whilst in Queenstown! You, too, can witness this incredible river and its canyons whilst speeding through them in this epic boat journey. It runs all year ro
und except Christmas day, so you are able to create these fantastic memories at any time of year. The river is based only seven kilometres from Queenstown and there is ample parking, and the company also provide a complimentary bus service which goes from the centre of Queenstown for those who do not have vehicle access!
The boats run every 15 minutes and each ride lasts an impressive 25 minutes, so you can truly immerse yourself in this epic adventure!
So what are you waiting for? If you’re in Queenstown this certainly is a boat journey not to be missed - create lasting memories with your friends and family in a unique way in such wonderful surroundings. Book now on BackpackerDeals.com!
