Hanmer Springs

Small group activities

Discover Hanmer Springs, a resort town known for its natural hot pools, only 90 minutes from Christchurch. Soak in the famous, mineral-rich waters in thermal pools surrounded by native gardens with mountain vistas. Book a single entry ticket or a return entry ticket to access twice in 1 day. Indulge in various pools, including rock pools, soothing sulfur pools, water jets, and bubbles. Feel like a kid with access to an activity pool, lap pool, lazy river, water slides, garden picnic areas, and the Tea Kiosk Cafe & Grill. Book your tickets in advance to drop in at any time and avoid the disappointment of getting turned away, especially during the pool’s busy weekends. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a natural wonder created many years ago in the underground.

Marvel at the Alpine landscapes of Hanmer Springs, and experience the adrenaline thrills of a jet boat adventure. Located approximately 90 minutes from Christchurch, the mountain town is a Mecca for fans of adventure activities, such as quad bikes, bungy jumps, white water rafting, and much more. Make your way to the jet boat base for a safety briefing. Then, travel the narrow gorges, braided shallows, and water rapids by jet boat. Your time on the water will last at least 30 minutes, but allow one hour for the whole experience (including thorough safety briefing). Soak up the spectacular scenery as you travel the entire length of Waiau Gorge. Hold on tight as you experience the famous Hamilton jet spin!

Discover the beautiful mountains and forests of Hanmer Springs on an exciting 2-hour Quad Bike safari. Make your own way to the Quad Bike base, located on the main road into Hanmer Springs and overlooking the river and Waiau Ferry Bridge. Upon arrival, take control of a 4WD Quad Bike, and cross the challenging terrain and river crossings. Drive along roads of mud, dust, and dirt. Located approximately 90 minutes from Christchurch, the mountain town is a Mecca for fans of adventure activities, such as bungy jumps, white water rafting, and much more. Your Quad Bike guide will take you to some of the back country roads of the area, passing farms, sheep trails, sand, and bush. Ride your own bike, (subject to age restrictions) and enjoy the freedom of the challenging trails (within the safety boundaries) as you soak up the beautiful mountain environment.

Experience the grade 2 rapids of the Waiau River on a rafting experience in Hanmer Springs. Make your own way to the rafting base on the main road into Hanmer Springs and overlooking the river and Waiau Ferry Bridge. Located approximately 90 minutes from Christchurch, the mountain town is a Mecca for fans of adventure activities, such as bungy jumps, quad bike safaris, and much more. Upon arrival, get a safety briefing from a fully-qualified rafting guide, and marvel at the surrounding rock formations, fault lines, and crystal-clear waters of the river. The water is so clear that you can often see trout or salmon swimming by. Navigate the grade 2 rapids for a soft rafting adventure that is perfect for families. Return to the base by jet boat and enjoy the surrounding mountains and forests from another perspective.

Experience the adrenaline thrills of bungy jumping with a bungy jump off the Waiau Ferry Bridge in Hanmer Springs. Located less than 2 hours from Christchurch, the Alpine mountain town is a Mecca for fans of adventure activities, such as jet boats, quad bikes, paintball, white water rafting, and much more. Make your way to the bungy jump base for a briefing on how to jump off the 135-year-old Waiau Ferry Bridge. At 35 meters high, the jump is perfect for first time jumpers, or those looking for a lighter jump. Launch yourself into thin air as you plunge down towards the river. Your jump over, a jet boat will collect you and return you safely to shore. Experience a range of emotions, from an instant of fear to pure elation, in the seconds it takes you to fall down towards the river. The entire jump experience will be over in approximately 20 minutes, but the memories should last a lifetime.

Begin your tour with a free shuttle pickup from within the Hanmer Springs Village. Travel to the local dark sky location where you will be greeted with complimentary hot drinks and snacks. Your guides will take you on a tour first using the naked eye, where you will discuss different stars and constellations such as the Southern Cross as you learn to navigate the night sky. Get up close with the quality, electronically guided telescope. This scope is great for looking at deep sky objects that cannot be seen with the naked eye, such as the Omega Cluster, or Sombrero Galaxy. There is also a range of manual telescopes that are available for a free roam experience. Astro binoculars work great on lounges, where you can lie back fully and gaze up at the wonders above. Pair these with an interactive star finder and test your navigation skills. Your guides will be available to help you on your journey.

Take in the magnificent scenery, then hold on while you experience the famous Hamilton jet spin. This beautiful alpine river features narrow gorges, braided shallows and white water rapids. Travel over 30 kilometres of exciting jetboating and spectacular scenery. Your journey on the water lasts at least 30 minutes and you should allow 1 hour for the whole experience including the safety briefing. The focus above all else is safety, customer service, and value for money. Fun and thrills in the beautiful natural environment of Hanmer Springs. Put yourself in control of a four-wheel quad bike. Challenge the terrain, with river crossings, mud, dust, dirt and excitement. This guided Quad Bike tour will show you some of the real back country New Zealand as you pass through farmland, sheep trails, rivers, sand and bush. You can choose to ride your own bike (subject to age restrictions). Your guide will give you the freedom to challenge yourself within the safety boundaries. Two hours of adventure in the beautiful natural mountain environment of Hanmer Springs. 

Explore the hidden gems of New Zealand's South Island on this exclusive tour designed to unveil secret spots cherished by locals. From the secluded beaches in Abel Tasman National Park to the thermal mineral pools in Hanmer Springs and the charming village of Akaroa, this South Island adventure enables you to truly immerse yourself in the essence of New Zealand. For wildlife lovers this is the tour for you, with the opportunity to see dolphins, whales, seals and even penguins, as well as experience rural New Zealand life and hand feed farm animals. With accommodation and some activities included (see below); our tours are hassle-free, authentic experiences for those short on time, so you can see more and plan less.

Join a small group of like-minded travelers and experience a guided, in-depth camping adventure that visits every corner of New Zealand's breathtaking South Island. Our amazing 6-week adventure starts in Christchurch and heads north to New Zealand’s most famous whale and dolphin region, Kaikoura. We then travel across the island to an alpine thermal village and on to visit world-famous glaciers, before veering south to spend time in the adventure capitals of Queenstown and Te Anau. Our tour meanders on through an array of iconic Kiwi landscapes - rugged coastlines and lonely lighthouses, quaint towns brimming with goldmining history, impossibly bright blue lakes and rivers surrounded by the high snowcapped peaks of the Southern Alps - before arriving in Akaroa, a cute harbour village steeped in French history. After crossing the world-famous Arthurs Pass, we zigzag north and west through National Parks of native forest, turquoise waters, and golden sandy bays before embarking on a final ferry ride from the Marlborough Sounds across the Cook Strait to Wellington, New Zealand’s bustling capital city in the North Island, where we finish our tour.

Enjoy a beautiful day in Hanmer Springs exploring the Waiau River Gorge by jet boat and bungee jump! Travel the entire length of the magnificent Waiau River Gorge, and take in the scenery along the way. Hold on tight as you experience the famous Hamilton jet spin. The beautiful alpine river features narrow gorges, braided shallows and white water rapids. You will traverse over 30 kilometers through spectacular scenery on a jet boat ride of at least 30 minutes. Allow 1 hour for the entire experience, including a safety briefing as your guide's focus is above all else safety, along with customer service and value for money. Then, jump from the 135-year-old Waiau Ferry Bridge at the Hanmer Springs bungee jump. Experience a range of emotions, from sheer terror to pure elation in the seconds it takes you to plummet 35 meters down towards the river. Perfect for those who don’t want to try a high bungee jump, including first timers, the older and the young, the experience includes pick-up by the jet boat at the bottom after your jump to take you safely back to shore.