A 4WD run down the 1880s Skippers road, then a jet boat through the upper Shotover canyon. Two and a half to three hours, pick-ups from town.
Skippers Canyon Jet is the only operator permitted to run boats on the upper Shotover, inside Skippers Canyon.
Getting there is half of it. The Skippers road was cut into schist by gold miners in the 1880s — narrow, unsealed and slow — and your guide drives it while telling you what happened along the way. Two shepherds found gold in the river in 1862, and within a couple of months there were thousands of miners working the banks. Skippers was reckoned the richest gold-bearing canyon in the world, and the relics are still scattered along the river. Some of the country you pass was used as a location in The Lord of the Rings.
At the bottom you swap the 4WD for a jet boat built in Queenstown for shallow water and run the canyon at speed, with the usual Hamilton spins. The whole thing — road, river and commentary — takes two and a half to three hours.
Pick-ups are from central Queenstown or from your accommodation. Trips depend on weather and river levels, so book ahead and ring to confirm on the day: 0800 226 966 or +64 3 442 9434.
