The Forgotten World jet boat tours are now well underway and are proving to be a very popular addition to the unique tours offered by Forgotten World Adventures.
Forgotten World Adventures, whose headquarters are in Taumarunui, run Rail Cart and Rail Bike tours on the decommissioned railway line alongside the Forgotten World Highway, between Taumarunui and Stratford.
By Tristan Hooke / Media PA
The tours offer an insight into the history of the line, the towns along the way and the people who have worked on the line and resided in the area.
Since 2010, Forgotten World Adventures has been offering guided tours using specially adapted motor-powered Rail Carts.
This summer, Forgotten World Adventures have taken their tours to a new level with the introduction of a jet boat and a helicopter, allowing customers a new viewpoint, seeing the Forgotten World from the Whanganui River and from the air.
During a two-day, three-part journey, guests can ride the rails through 20 tunnels, learning about the history of the region on the way to the Republic of Whangamomona.
The second day brings a spectacular helicopter flight over the Whanganui National Park to the Bridge to Nowhere, then onto a jet boat to be thrilled and educated during the longest commercial jet boat tour in the Southern Hemisphere.
“The feedback from guests has been great,” says Paul Chaplow, Manager of Forgotten World Adventures. “People have been blown away by the jet boat ride and the experience of being flown in over the Mangapurua Valley, hearing the history of the Bridge to Nowhere and about the returned servicemen who toiled for 20 years and walked off with nothing.
“It’s a big piece of engineering and when you hover over it in the helicopter you get to appreciate the incredible lengths those men went to.”
Forgotten World Adventures has a number of guided tour options available, with something for every budget, desire and fitness level.
