Landsborough River Expedition | New Zealand Wilderness Rafting Adventure
The Landsborough River is one of New Zealand’s last true wilderness rivers.
Flowing through a spectacular valley on the western side of the Southern Alps, it remains inaccessible by road and is visited by only a handful of people each year. Towering peaks, hanging glaciers, crystal-clear water and remote camps combine to create one of the most remarkable adventures in New Zealand.
Our 3-day Landsborough River Expedition begins with a journey into the valley before two unforgettable days rafting through this extraordinary wilderness. Along the way you’ll camp beside the river, enjoy exceptional food prepared by your guides and experience a side of New Zealand that very few people ever see.
Why This Trip Is Different
Explore one of New Zealand’s most remote river valleys
Raft the legendary Landsborough River
Incredible views of Deacon Glacier and the Southern Alps
Wilderness camping with hot showers and spacious tents
Small groups and experienced guides
Helicopter-supported access into remote country
Complimentary transfers from Queenstown and Wanaka
One of the most exclusive rafting expeditions in New Zealand
The Experience
Remote Wilderness
The Landsborough Valley is a place few people ever visit. Surrounded by glaciers, waterfalls and rugged mountain peaks, it offers a rare opportunity to disconnect from everyday life and immerse yourself in one of New Zealand’s most spectacular landscapes.
World-Class Rafting
Over two days we raft through exciting whitewater, including memorable rapids such as Hellfire. The river offers a wonderful mix of adventure, scenery and wilderness unlike anywhere else in the country.
Comfortable Wilderness Camping
Despite the remote setting, you’ll enjoy spacious tents, excellent food, hot showers and the camaraderie that comes from sharing an expedition with a small group of like-minded adventurers.
Itinerary & Map
Complimentary morning transfers are available from Queenstown and Wanaka.
Our adventure begins with a spectacular helicopter flight into the remote Landsborough Valley. Few people ever get the opportunity to experience this extraordinary wilderness from the air, with breathtaking views of glaciers, braided rivers and the towering peaks of the Southern Alps.
Landing deep within the valley, we’ll settle into camp and have time to explore the area on foot, take in the incredible scenery or simply relax beside the river. As evening approaches, enjoy views of Deacon Glacier while your guides prepare a delicious four-course meal.
This is a chance to truly disconnect and immerse yourself in one of New Zealand’s most remote and beautiful landscapes.
Included: Lunch, dinner
Wake up to stunning mountain views and fresh coffee before preparing for our first full day on the river.
Today we begin rafting through one of New Zealand’s most remote landscapes. Expect beautiful scenery, exciting whitewater and memorable rapids including Hellfire as we journey deeper into the valley.
Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
After breakfast and a hot shower, we continue downstream to the confluence with the Haast River.
From here we pack up our gear and begin the beautiful drive back through Wanaka and on to Queenstown.
Complimentary transfers are provided to both Wanaka and Queenstown.
Please note: If booking onward flights from Queenstown Airport (ZQN), we recommend departure times after 5:00pm.
Included: Breakfast, lunch
Dates & Prices
| Dates & Reserve Spot | Duration |
|---|---|
| Friday 22 January 2027 - Sunday 24 January 2027 Total Cost: $1850 | £1395 | €1625 | 3 days |
| Friday 5 February 2027 - Sunday 7 February 2027 Total Cost: $1850 | £1395 | €1625 | 3 days |
| Friday 19 February 2027 - Sunday 21 February 2027 Total Cost: $1850 | £1395 | €1625 | 3 days |
| Friday 5 March 2027 - Sunday 7 March 2027 Total Cost: $1850 | £1395 | €1625 | 3 days |
What you should bring
WHAT YOU SHOULD BRINGOne of the great things about this trip is that you don’t need a huge amount of specialist equipment. Most guests already own everything they need. Weather in the Landsborough Valley can be highly variable. Whilst we hope for warm sunny days, conditions can change quickly and you should be prepared for cool temperatures, rain and alpine weather at any time of year. As this is a 3-day wilderness expedition, we recommend packing light. A soft duffel bag or travel bag is ideal and you can transfer kit into your drybag before flying in.
Download equipment file- Lightweight long trousers.
- Lightweight Long Sleeved shirts.
- Fleece jacket.
- Warm woollen hat
- Polypropylene or capilene thermal quick drying layers (top and bottoms)
- Light down jacket
- Comfortable cross trainers or light hiking boots for wearing around camp and on hikes.
- Good quality rainwear
- Underwear.
- Glasses or Contact lenses. Disposable lenses are ideal.
- Toiletries. Toothbrush, toothpaste, personal items, biodegradable soap, shampoo and conditioner.
- Insect repellant (we recommend Goodbye)
- Small pack towel.
- Headlamp or head torch and spare batteries.
- Any medication you may be taking.
- Wide brimmed sunhat
- Factor 50 sunscreen and lip balm
- Sunglasses.
- Wetsuits and booties will be provided
- A pair of river shorts or swimming costume.
- Polypropylene or capilene thermal quick drying layers (top and bottoms) This is in addition to the set stated above.
- A baseball cap for under the helmet to keep sun off.
- Chums for fastening your sunglasses to your head – can be purchased from our team.
- Nalgene or similar water bottle.
- Carabiner for fastening water bottle to your boat.
- Your favourite book or a journal for recording your river memories.
- Photographic or video equipment. On most expeditions we provide a waterproof case for these items. We recommend a cleaning kit as sand gets everywhere. Bring a spare memory card and charging leads. Also bring spare batteries for your camera.
- Waterproof GoPro for the “action” shots.
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