North Canterbury, South Island

Thrillseekers 3

Hanmer Springs Attractions - Jet Boating

Thrillseekers 6

Hanmer Springs Attractions – Rafting

Bikes and buggies

Quad Biking and Buggies

Hanmer 4 bungy shot

Hanmer Springs Attractions – bungy jump

Thrillseekers 2

Hanmer Springs Attractions – Paintball

Thrillseekers 1

Hanmer Springs Attractions – Claybird Shooting

Hanmer Springs Attractions

The gateway to the natural beauty of Hanmer Springs is the historic Waiau Ferry Bridge, home of Hanmer Springs Attractions. Our activity base overlooks the river, canyon and bridge and from here you can choose your adventure - from mild to wild!  Many of our activities welcome children and family groups although minimum ages may apply. Choose from jet boating, river rafting, quad biking & off-road buggy tours, bungy jumping (you can even jump as a parent/child combo!), paintball and clay bird shooting. Your options are endless and if you have a little more time on your side be sure to combo any or all of the above options to save you time and money! These combos will excite everyone in the family.

Hanmer Springs Jet Boating

Power through the spectacular Waiau River canyon with spins and thrills galore on this action-packed Jet Boat ride! Experience travelling across just centimetres of water and rotating through exhilarating spins as your qualified and professional driver navigates you through the scenic braided shallows and river gorge. It’s great fun for families!
Family Stuff: minimum age 3, duration 30 minutes
To find out more about Hanmer Springs Jetboating click here

Hanmer Springs Rafting

Our Rafting trip is a fun and exciting experience of river rafting without worrying about big rapids and is a great option for family groups.  This grade 2 river will have you hold on as the gentle current leads you down the Waiau Gorge Canyon. Leap out of the raft to take a dip and marvel at the twisted rock and water holes before a return by jet boat to your point of departure.
Family Stuff: minimum age 6, duration 2 hours (approx 1 1/2 hrs on water)
To find out more about Hanmer Springs Rafting click here

Hanmer Springs Bungy

Experience the thrill of a lifetime as you challenge yourself to leap off a 35-metre high platform and plummet towards the Waiau River before your bungy cord stops your fall and you bounce back up....terror to elation in seconds!
Family Stuff: minimum age 10, minimum weight 35kg. Scared to go it alone?  Try an adult/adult or adult/child combo! 
To find out more about Hanmer Springs Bungy click here

Hanmer Springs Quad Biking and Buggies

Challenge the terrain - we’ve got river crossings, mud, dust, dirt & excitement! With twin-seat off-road buggies ideal for families as well as quad bikes available for older teens and adults, we give you the freedom to ride safely to the conditions and within your ability. Each trip has a guide along for peace of mind and your safety.
Family Stuff:  minimum age 6* (to ride as a passenger in a two-seat buggy) and 16 (to drive a quad bike or buggy). All gear and instruction is provided. 
To find out more about Hanmer Springs Quad Biking click here

Hanmer Springs Paintball

Work your way through our battlefield while avoiding the opposing outlaws!  Guns are stocked with paint 'bullets' that explode into a splash of paint on impact.  We provide overalls and safety gear.
Family Stuff: minimum age 10 years.  Paintball is a high adrenaline game and if you shoot too close to your opponent it's possible to be mildly bruised by the paintball.  Minimum numbers 2, although the more players, the more fun this is! 
To find out more about Hanmer Springs Paintball click here

Hanmer Springs Claybird Shooting

Ready, aim, pull! Practice your aim on this claybird shooting course. Located on the braids of the scenic Waiau River, this activity is sure to test your skill. Licenced experts are ready to help and teach you all you need to know to pull the trigger. Your ten shots take about 15 minutes, making this an affordable and time efficient option.
Family Stuff: minimum age 16 years.
To find out more about Hanmer Springs Claybird Shooting click here

Minimum Ages
Please note that our activities are also subject to weight, height and confidence of the individual as well as to our minimum age requirements.

Visiting Christchurch?

See the best of Christchurch with our Christchurch Attractions activities. Choose from the Christchurch Tram, the Christchurch Gondola and Punting on the Avon, or combine with a visit to two or all three activities. With the option to enter all three sites in the same day or to visit the attractions over two or more days, our discounted combo tickets are a great option for those wanting to explore the city.
Discover Christchurch Attractions here

Map of New Zealand
  • Central Otago
  • Auckland
  • Bay of Plenty
  • Christchurch
  • Dunedin
  • Coromandel
  • Gisborne
  • Fiordland
  • Marlborough Sounds
  • Manawatu
  • Northland
  • North Canterbury
  • Queenstown
  • South Canterbury
  • Taranaki
  • Southland
  • Taupo
  • Wanaka
  • Waikato
  • Wellington
  • West Coast
  • Whangarei
  • Bay of Islands
  • Tauranga
  • Gisborne
  • Hamilton
  • Napier
  • Kapiti
  • Palmerston North
  • Whanganui
  • New Plymouth
  • Arrowtown
  • Te Anau
  • Akaroa
  • Ashburton
  • Hanmer
  • Kaikoura
  • Methven
  • Mt Cook
  • Oamaru
  • Tekapo
  • Timaru
  • Abel Tasman
  • Motueka
  • Nelson Lakes
  • Blenheim
  • Picton
  • Catlins
  • Gore
  • Stewart Island
  • Central Plateau
  • Invercargill
  • Cromwell
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Westport
  • Glenorchy

Our favourite destinations…

Auckland

New Zealand’s economic heart and biggest city is also an exciting family visitor destination, situated on a sunny harbour with city beaches just minutes away from the CBD. Orientate yourself by heading down to Viaduct Harbour, wandering the waterfront, checking out the super yachts or enjoying the waterfront restaurants. Nearby is the must-visit Sky Tower along with excellent and kid-friendly museums and tons of exciting activities!

Wellington

Wellington is New Zealand’s capital. Here you will find New Zealand's parliament buildings, including the 'Executive Wing', more well-known as 'The Beehive' due to its distinctive shape. Another icon to look out for is the Wellington Tram, which was the main means of public transport between 1878 and 1964.

Christchurch

With a population of around 400,000 Christchurch, in Canterbury, is the South Island ’s largest city, yet much of it has the feel of a small town. Perhaps that’s why it’s known as the Garden City but with the expansive Hagley Park, Botanic Gardens, Port Hills, River Avon and numerous beaches the city certainly has an open, relaxed feel that’s hard to beat.

Queenstown

With its well-deserved reputation as New Zealand’s activity adventure capital you’ll never run out of activities and things to do in Queenstown, but you may run out of time! With breathtaking scenery, activities and festivals, cafes and restaurants, skiing and snowboarding, shopping and wineries, this lakeside alpine resort rates as one of the world’s top vacation destinations for all ages and seasons.

Rotorua

Rotorua sits on the shore of Lake Rotorua, one of sixteen lakes in the area formed by hundreds of thousands of years of eruptions from the Taupo Volcanic Zone. The area is renowned for its geothermal activity and top of any activity list is to see the bubbling mud pools that are around the region for yourself. The Waimangu Volcanic Valley offers a first hand insight into the devastation caused by the 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera and is a great place to discover steaming volcanic craters and bubbling, spitting  pools of mud!

Nelson and Golden Bay

The Nelson and Golden Bay regions, at the top of the South Island, boast enviable sunshine hours, glorious sandy beaches, safe swimming spots, lots of wildlife to look out for, and Abel Tasman National Park - an absolute must to explore, on foot, by kayak, your own craft or watertaxi.  Nelson is home to a vibrant arts and crafts community with a fabulous Saturday market, and is close to award-winning wineries and family-friendly bike tracks to take you around the coast.

Hawkes Bay

Napier was rebuilt after the 1931 earthquake and is now known as NZ's Art Deco City.  The Art Deco influence has created a unique city – nowhere else can you see such a varied concentration of art deco style. With over 2,200 sunshine hours a year, Napier is a year-round holiday destination with countless activities to entertain the kids – there's days of entertainment on Marine Parade alone, plus numerous other family-friendly trips and activities.  Add to that the beaches, walks and flat cycle paths, outdoor cafes and entertainment, and you have a perfect holiday destination!

Northland

Beautiful, unspoiled beaches, fishing, historic gum fields, kauri forests – the Far North has it all. With subtropical temperatures, it's often known as ‘the Winterless north', with warm, humid summers and mild winters.
Gateway to the Bay of Islands, Paihia is a pretty, lively beachside town and a perfect base for your family holiday. It’s your start point for Bay of Island adventures including day cruises, sailing, kayaking, swimming with dolphins and reef or wreck diving.