Travel: Need for speed on the mighty Waikato

The scenery whips past as the powerful boat accelerates down the river. Pine forests, pumice cliffs, ferns and the blue-green water of the Waikato all slip by as we slide along the glassy surface.

Next to me, my 7-year-old's mouth is open in a perfect O of surprise. The driver circles his hand in the air and, a few seconds later, whips the boat into a 360-degree jet spin. I glance at my daughter again, half-expecting her to be freaking out. She's not. She's giggling like a maniac. "Mum, this is fun!" she exclaims. "I love jet boating!"

Which is great news, because we're only a few minutes into a 35-minute trip aboard Rapids Jet, the company which plies the Waikato River from the bottom of the spectacular Aratiatia Rapids right down to the large standing wave of the Nga Awapurua (Fulljames) Rapid, beloved by kayakers and jetboaters alike.

Rated the No1 Taupo tour on TripAdvisor, Rapids Jet is based on a scenic stretch of the Waikato River, 15 minutes' drive north of Taupo.

Here, the company's jetboat trips take in three sets of rapids on the river and include an extended play in two.

We surf through the beautiful Nga Awapurua Rapid five times and, as the boat crests the wave, our driver Simon puts the nose down so skilfully that there's no impact, but a gentle cushioned landing before the boat accelerates out of the rapid and into another spin to delight the customers.

Rapids Jet has been operating on the Waikato River since 1993, and operators Rusty, James and Garry have owned the company between them since 2004.

They all take their turn driving the river and in the busy summer season this can mean between 10 and 20 trips a day.

Safety is a priority, with a riverside safety officer on hand and regular radio contact between the driver and the onshore crew.

Rapids Jet's stretch of the Waikato River is faster and narrower than upstream, with up to 300,000 litres of water a second pouring through the tightest spots.

All that water means rapids to ride and plenty to see, some of them at speeds of up to 85km/h.

But the ride, although thrilling, is still family-friendly, and children aged 5 and upwards are welcome. Rapids Jet's oldest passenger to date was 92.

Rapids Jet costs $105 for adults and $60 for children, with a family package (two adults, two children) costing $295. The company regularly offers discounted deals via Destination Great Lake Taupo's Grabit website www.greatlaketaupo.com/grabit