Name

Hukafalls Jet Ltd.

Legal name

Ngāi Tahu Tourism Limited

Website

https://hukafallsjet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adventure Tourism / Jet Boat Tours

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Taxi & Island-Hopping Excursions (Inter-island Day Trips) (THAJAJAK)

Keywords

• Jet boat tours
• Adventure tourism
• River excursions
• Scenic boat rides
• Experience tourism

Headquarters

HQ city

Taupō

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Jet Boat Ride Tickets: One-time ticket sales for 30-minute jet boat experiences on the Waikato River. Individual adult tickets at $179, child tickets at $99, and family passes at $457.
2. Combo Packages: Bundled adventure packages combining jet boat rides with other Taupō activities including skydiving (Huka Freefall $407), bungy jumping (Jump Jet $361), white water rafting (H2-Ooh $297), and lake cruises (Taupo Classic $180 adult).
3. Gift Vouchers: Prepaid gift vouchers available in denominations of $50, $175, and $300, valid for 3 years from purchase.
4. Corporate and Group Bookings: Customised packages for conference groups and corporate events with capacity for up to 50 people every half hour across four boats, including photography services and branded merchandise options.
5. Kiwi Conservation Donation: $5 optional donation add-on to National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa during booking process supporting kiwi conservation efforts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hukafalls Jet operates 30-minute high-speed jet boat rides on the Waikato River near Taupo, reaching speeds up to 80km/h with trademark 360-degree spins and exclusive water-level access to the base of Huka Falls. The company sells individual tickets, family passes, gift vouchers, and bundled combo packages with partner operators (skydiving, bungy, rafting, lake cruises), as well as tailored corporate and group bookings.

Product overview

Hukafalls Jet Ltd. operates a single-core adventure tourism product—the Hukafalls Jet Experience—a 30-minute high-speed jet boat ride on the Waikato River reaching speeds of 80km/h with 360-degree spins and exclusive access to Huka Falls. The company sells this core experience through Individual Passes ($179 adult, $99 child) and Family Passes ($457 for 2 adults + 2 children). A gift voucher program ($50-$300 denominations, 3-year validity) extends the purchasing options. The product portfolio is extended through four combo packages—Huka Freefall (adds 12,000ft skydiving, $407), Jump Jet (adds AJ Hackett bungy jumping, $361), H2-Ooh White Water Adventure (adds Tongariro River rafting, $297), and Taupo Classic (adds Chris Jolly lake cruise to Maori rock carvings, $180 adult)—partnering with Taupo's other adventure operators. An optional $5 donation to the National Kiwi Hatchery can be added at checkout. Corporate and group bookings with custom branding and photography are also available. The company is wholly owned by Ngāi Tahu Tourism and operates four custom-built twin-engine jet boats from Wairakei Tourist Park.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hukafalls Jet Experience A 30-minute high-speed jet boat adventure on the Waikato River, reaching speeds up to 80km/h with trademark 360-degree spins and exclusive access to the base of Huka Falls, New Zealand's most visited natural attraction. The company operates four jet boats carrying up to 17 passengers each.
• Gift Vouchers

Quantifiable outcome

• 50,000 visitors per year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ngāi Tahu TourismcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company and sole owner of Hukafalls Jet since 1999. Christchurch-based Ngāi Tahu Holdings Corporation initially invested in Shotover Jet Group and later took full ownership, expanding with acquisitions. Ngāi Tahu Tourism now includes Hukafalls Jet, Shotover Jet, Dart River Safaris, the Hollyford Track, Rainbow Springs, Kiwi Encounter, Franz Josef Glacier Guides, Glacier Hot Pools, Agrodome, and NZ Snowshoe.
• Shotover JetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal parent company that established Hukafalls Jet as a subsidiary in November 1990. Shotover Jet's Queenstown workshops design and build the custom jet boats used by Hukafalls Jet. Collective history of 70+ years of jet boating experience. Later acquired by Ngāi Tahu Tourism.
• Taupo Tandem SkydivingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner operator for Huka Freefall combo package ($407) combining 12,000ft tandem skydive with jet boat experience. Taupo Tandem Skydiving has been operating since 1992 with over 200,000 tandem passengers. Combo includes free exit photo and Hukafalls Jet T-shirt.
• AJ Hackett Bungy TaupominorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner operator for Jump Jet combo package ($361) combining bungy jump with jet boat experience. AJ Hackett operates the highest water touch bungy platform in New Zealand, located upstream of Huka Falls in the River Valley.
• Tongariro River RaftingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner operator for H2-Ooh White Water Adventure combo ($297) combining jet boat ride with 2-hour white water rafting experience on the Tongariro River. Located in Turangi, 45 minutes from Taupo. Company is 100% compliant with all safe rafting requirements.
• Chris Jolly OutdoorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner operator for Taupo Classic combo ($180 adult/$119 child) combining lake cruise to Mine Bay Māori rock carvings with jet boat experience. Chris Jolly operates the 52ft catamaran Cruise Cat departing from Taupo Marina.
• National Kiwi Hatchery AotearoaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConservation partnership allowing Hukafalls Jet customers to donate $5 to kiwi conservation during online booking. National Kiwi Hatchery is the national leader in kiwi husbandry, egg incubation, and chick rearing, based at Agrodome in Rotorua.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Shotover Jet: Sister company under Ngāi Tahu Tourism and the original parent that established Hukafalls Jet in 1990. Operates jet boat rides on the Shotover River in Queenstown with the same core business model, customer type (adventure tourists), and proprietary jet boat design that Hukafalls Jet uses.
• Dart River Adventures (formerly Dart River Safaris): Ngāi Tahu Tourism sister company offering jet boat rides and wilderness tours in Glenorchy/Queenstown area. Closest direct comparable in business model, ownership structure, and product offering within the same parent portfolio.
• KJet Queenstown (Kawarau Jet Services): Major jet boat competitor in Queenstown operating on the Kawarau and Shotover Rivers. Direct peer offering high-speed jet boat rides to adventure tourists with similar pricing structure and trademark 360-degree spins.

Broad incumbents

• Tourism Holdings Limited (THL): NZX-listed tourism operator with motorhome rental, wilderness experiences, and guided tours. Broader incumbent in NZ tourism with overlapping customer base (international visitors) but different core product categories.
• RealNZ (Real Journeys): One of New Zealand's largest tourism operators with cruise, flightseeing, and adventure products across the South Island and beyond. Operates in adjacent segments (water-based tourism) with broader geographic reach and a wider portfolio than Hukafalls Jet's single offering.

Emerging players

• Taupo Tandem Skydiving: Combo partner operating 12,000ft tandem skydives in Taupō. Offers an alternative adrenaline activity for the same tourist segment; the Huka Freefall combo ($407) bundles both products for shared customer acquisition.
• Chris Jolly Outdoors: Combo partner operating the Taupo Classic lake cruise to Mine Bay Māori rock carvings. Provides a less-adrenaline water-based tourism option in the same Taupō market via a 52ft catamaran.
• Tongariro River Rafting: Combo partner for the H2-Ooh White Water Adventure ($297) combining jet boat with rafting on the Tongariro River. Comparable adventure activity operating in the broader Taupō/Turangi region.
• AJ Hackett Bungy Taupo: Combo partner operating the highest water-touch bungy platform in NZ, located upstream of Huka Falls. Provides another adrenaline-based adventure activity competing for the same Taupō visitor wallet through the Jump Jet combo ($361).

Regional players

• Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland: Major geothermal tourism attraction in the broader central North Island / Rotorua region. Competes for the same domestic and international tourist itinerary in the same general area as Hukafalls Jet, though offering a nature-based rather than adrenaline-based experience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hukafalls-jet-ltd-

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hukafalls Jet Ltd.