Family Adventures — Attraction in South Island

We had an absolutely AMAZING time with Simon and Georgia at Family Adventure Rafting! We stumbled upon the company after spotting their van in town, and it turned out to be the highlight of our trip. I was searching for something adventurous that could accommodate my youngest child, who is only 3 years old, and I was thrilled when Simon responded (even late at night via WhatsApp!) to confirm that their minimum age was 3.

As a family of five with kids aged 3, 6, and 8, this was truly an adventure for everyone. Simon and Georgia delivered a highly personalized experience that exceeded all expectations. Simon was fantastic in guiding us through the valley, taking incredible photos, keeping us safe, and ensuring the entire trip was fun and stress-free. When my 3-year-old had a meltdown over putting on her gear, Georgia stepped in with such a kind and gentle approach, helping us get everyone ready and excited.

This excursion is a must-do for families with kids of all ages, especially if you're looking for an adventure that balances fun, safety, and flexibility for varying levels of water comfort. It’s also super close to Queenstown, making it an easy and manageable outing—complete with a cookie bribe at the end to keep the kids happy!

We can’t recommend Family Adventure Rafting enough. Simon and Georgia made the experience unforgettable, and we’ll treasure the memories forever. Definitely add this to your itinerary—you...

If you care for the safety of your family - STAY AWAY!!!!

This was an extremely easy rafting trip and great for beginners. Unfortunately, the river guides felt jeopardizing guest safety was amusing and enjoyable. I would urge anyone to pick one of the many other rafting options in Queenstown.

The website warns you that you will get wet during the trip. It is not from wild river rapids but instead from the river guides literally pushing people out of the boat, unannounced, into the cold river. I watched in horror as our guide suddenly, and without warning, pushed two adults and their two small children out of the boat. As he approached me and my friend, a jet boat was approaching so he had to quickly get everyone back into the boat. My friend, who is not the best swimmer and rather scared of water, was brave enough to take a rafting trip but will unfortunately never raft again after this experience.

As the young children and their parents were pulled back into the boat, they were confused and had difficulty breathing after swallowing river water. Who in the right mind would start pushing children out of a moving raft into a fast moving river? We spent the remainder of the trip in a state of shock after witnessing such a horror.

Maybe this was a onetime situation and the act of a crazy river guide. I will personally never place the safety of myself or the safety of loved ones, in the hands of this...

Family of 4 with one child just under 13yrs - so unable to do white water rafting of more intensity, so we were thrilled to be able to go with NZ family adventures rather than missing out altogether. Whilst the w water ride is relatively tame compared to other parts of the river/w water rafting, it was a great introduction for our family to this experience. The bonus really comes from the ride to Skippers canyon itself (a stunning but hair raising drive with a skilled driver!). Skippers makes you feel as if you are in the most beautiful spot in the world. Stunning isolated river gorge and beautiful aquamarine waters. The part that made up for the tamer river experience was being able to jump out of the boat and float down the refreshingly cold river and later rock jumping into the river too. This was such a fun thing to do and made you feel as if you were part of nature itself - rather than just sitting on top of it. A highlight for sure. The staff were fun but professional - all the gear was provided (wetsuits, booties etc) and a nice touch with the cookies at the end of the trip. Would highly recommend this for all families visiting...