Your thrilling adventure will begin in gentle waters, where you will become acquainted with your equipment and learn the basic techniques of riverboarding. Surrounded by breathtaking scenery, your adventure continues surfing waves down the Kawarau River, where the strength and intensity of the water is a thrilling and unforgettable experience.
When does riverboarding operate in Queenstown?
Riverboarding or riversurfing, operates in Queenstown during the warmer summer months of November to March, although you can still do a riverboarding trip in late October and early April. If you want to do a white water experience in Queenstown during the winter then you can still white water raft on the Shotover or Kawarau rivers.
Do you need to know how to swim to go riverboarding in Queenstown?
The short answer is yes. Even though you are wearing a buoyant wetsuit and are holding on to a board that also floats, it is very important that you can swim and more importantly are confident in the water. Unlike rafting, you are actually in the water the entire time when you riversurf and the white water often covers your face and head. For people who are water confident this is all part of the fun but if you are not comfortable in the water and particular being in the surf then this is probably not the tour for you in Queenstown.
Does Queenstown Riverboarding operate in wet and bad weather?
Yes, a little rain is fine and in fact makes no difference on your enjoyment of the tour. It would take weeks of heavy rain for the river to get too high to operate. If this is the case then you will be given the option to reschedule your Queenstown riverboarding tour to another day.
What is the difference between Riverboarding and Riversurfing in Queenstown?
These two terms are somewhat interchangeable. Riversurfing is a form a riverboarding but it relates specifically to the art of surfing the waves in a river. On a riverboarding tour in Queenstown you will get the chance to riversurf on some of the standing static waves that can be found on certain parts of the Kawarau river. The rest of the time on the tour yo will be making your way down stream with the aid of your board.
What's the difference between Riversurfing and Sledging in Queenstown?
Both tours operate on the same river in Queenstown, the mighty Kawarau and are run by the same riverboarding company called Serious Fun. The main difference between the two is the type of board you use. Riversurfing is typically done on a traditional foam/rubber body board that you would use in the ocean to surf the waves on your stomach. Where as sledging uses a more buoyant and hard shell plastic board that keeps you out of the water a bit more.
