Clutha Quest™ — Multi-Day Rafting & Dragon Boating Expedition
Welcome to
New Zealand’s Grand Canyon
A true journey of discovery, travelling on turquoise waters of the Clutha River through settler history and gold mining gorges. An all-inclusive, mountains-to-ocean, multi-activity experience by raft, bike and dragon boating in New Zealand
A Mountains-to-Ocean Adventure on New Zealand’s Clutha / Mata-Au River
Embrace the superlatives on New Zealand’s best nature journey; NZ’s largest river catchment and longest and least interrupted commercial river journey and fastest flowing river and most voluminous discharge and the South Islands longest river. The Air Quality Index (AQI) for Central Otago has some of NZ’s cleanest air and the Clutha / Mata-Au river has some of NZ’s cleanest and clearest waters.
Clutha Quest is a premium, multi-day rafting and dragon boating journey that takes you deep into the heart of the Central Otago wilderness — from glacier-fed waters near Wanaka all the way to the sea. Travelling by raft, dragon boat, and bike, this flagship expedition combines adventure travel, outdoor education, and cultural immersion into one unforgettable river experience.
Whether you’re a school group, an outdoor club, a corporate team on retreat, or an international traveller seeking a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, Clutha Quest delivers authentic river adventure, supportive expedition leadership, and breathtaking scenery.
Keen to book this flagship experience?
October – April only Large Group bookings only e.g.:
16-20 pax. | 32-40 pax.
Why Clutha Quest Is a Unique Rafting & Dragon Boating Experience
Rafting with Purpose
Clutha Quest features extensive raft travel on Class 1-2 sections of the Clutha River. These stretch over hundreds of kilometres, combining:
- scenic river corridors through gold mining gorges
- turquoise waters and wide-open landscape views
- river-based learning and expedition skills
- opportunities for wildlife and historical interpretation
This is more than a thrill-seekers’ rafting trip — it’s an expedition that builds confidence, team cohesion, and leadership skills through real outdoor experience.
As part of the wider landscape of group water activities in Central Otago, Clutha Quest represents the most immersive and comprehensive river-based option available.
Dragon Boating Across Lake & River Transitions
Unique to Clutha Quest is the use of dragon boats as part of the river journey. Dragon boating on flatwater sections — particularly on Lake Dunstan and the lower river stretches — transforms this expedition into a shared paddling challenge that emphasises teamwork, unity, and collective effort.
Dragon boating is widely valued globally for:
- team building
- rhythm and synchronisation
- group focus and cooperation
This complements the rafting segments perfectly, offering a balanced expedition rhythm between technical raft navigation and team paddling experiences. Used internationally in outdoor education and organisational development, dragon boating enhances the overall growth outcomes of the Clutha Quest journey.
Dragon boating within Clutha Quest builds on the same principles used in dedicated dragon boating in New Zealand programmes, reinforcing rhythm, teamwork, and shared effort across longer expedition contexts.
How the Clutha Quest Expedition Works
Clutha Quest is designed as a progressive, multi-modal adventure, combining rafting, dragon boating, cycling, and optional jet boating to create varied pacing and sustained engagement across the journey.
- Day 1 – Raft: Wanaka to Lake Dunstan (~75 km)
- Day 2 – Dragon Boat: Lake Dunstan to Clyde Dam (~45 km)
- Day 3 – Cycle & Jetboat: Available as a 3-day option
- Extended Expeditions (4–6 Days): Multiple rafting sections and dragon boat legs continuing to Balclutha and ocean access
Raft
Wanaka to Lake Dunstan,
~75km
Dragon Boat
Lake Dunstan to Clyde dam
~45km
Cycle and Jetboat – 3-day conclusion
Clyde dam to Roxburgh dam
~50km
Dragon Boat – 6 day continuation
Clyde dam to Roxburgh dam
~50km
Raft
Roxburgh dam to Beaumont,
~60km
Raft
Beaumont to Balclutha
~80km
Dragon Boat + Bike
Balclutha to Ocean, dragon boat,
~20km
to Nugget Point, Bicycle
~17km
These segments layer different movement styles — from river raft travel to coordinated dragon boat paddling and cycling adventures — creating a balanced expedition rhythm that keeps participants engaged both physically and mentally.
Trip duration is flexible, with options ranging from 3 to 6 days, or longer by incorporating side-excursions and slower-paced travel. Capacity per expedition is up to 40 participants, allowing for strong group dynamics while maintaining quality leadership and supervision.
Inclusions and Exclusions
Food / Drink
All provided: ‘healthy and tasty’ accommodating most dietaries ✓
Accommodation
All (while on tour) ✓
Food / Drink
All provided from Queenstown/Wanaka return ✓
Clothing List
Thermal bottom leggings , Shorts , Pants , Swimwear , Towel , Socks , Thin merino / thermal shirt x 2 , Fleece / woolen jumper x2 , Wind and Rain-proof Jacket , Wind and Rain-proof Pants , Warm beanie , Neck warmer / scarf , Warm gloves
Equipment List
Closed-toe footwear , Sunglasses , Personal medication , Water bottle , Toiletries , Waterproof pack liner , Backpack to put all of the above in.
Hazards, risks and exposure rating (1 low, 5 high)
Exposure rating : 2
Risks : Injury , Drowning
Hazards : Rocks , Trees , Boats , Fisherman lines , Hunters (guns) , Bridge Pillars , Water
Difficulty rating (1 easy, 5 hard)
2
FAQ's
…