Cardrona

Entry tickets

Immerse yourself in the rugged beauty of Wanaka's alpine terrain on our exclusive quad bike tours. Our fleet of Yamaha Quad bikes guarantees both safety and comfort, boasting automatic gearing, 4WD capability, and heated grips for chilly weather. Whether you're a complete beginner or a seasoned rider, our experienced guides will tailor the adventure to your skill level, ensuring an exhilarating and memorable experience. Traverse a variety of trails that wind through pristine wilderness, offering breathtaking vistas of snow-capped peaks and crystal-clear lakes. Explore hidden corners of Wanaka's backcountry that are inaccessible by traditional means, and gain insight into the region's rich natural and cultural heritage along the way. Join us for an unforgettable journey through the heart of New Zealand's South Island, where every twist and turn brings new discoveries and unforgettable moments.

Discover the thrill of mountain trekking on horseback with our carefully selected team of trekking horses, renowned for their calm and affectionate nature. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned rider, our diverse herd has a match for every weight and skill level, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable experience for all. Before we take to the trails, each rider will be given a comprehensive one-on-one riding lesson. Our expert guides are dedicated to making sure you feel confident in steering and stopping your horse. While we prioritize safety, we also encourage the more relaxed "loose rein" style of riding. This approach allows you to unwind and fully immerse yourself in the stunning scenery around you. As you ride, you'll find that each horse's unique 'horsanality' adds to the richness of your adventure, making for an extraordinary and memorable excursion in the mountains. With the guidance of our experienced team, you're in for a ride that's not just about the destination, but the remarkable journey itself.

Start your day by meeting your friendly guide at or near your Queenstown accommodation. We then travel around Queenstown and surrounding areas showcasing a talented range of distillers who use our unique environment to produce some of the smoothest and top award-winning spirits in New Zealand and around the world Throughout the afternoon, visit three separate gin and spirit tasting experiences, with each location offering something different, including a distillery tour at the famous Cardrona Distillery. Enjoy a gin and tonic upon arrival, shared platters at two of the locations, and be hosted by a friendly guide and the tasting room staff, who share entertaining local distilling facts and stories. This gin experience has been designed to offer a good mix of education, sightseeing, and fun. There is also flexibility to try other spirits such as vodka, whiskey, and wines throughout, if you want to balance your gin intake. Let us take you on New Zealand’s first gin tour and experience more with Altitude Tours.

Embark on an unforgettable journey from Queenstown to Franz Josef with our small group, fully guided adventure tour. Explore the picturesque towns of Wānaka and Hāwea, take in the breathtaking views of the surrounding lakes, and marvel at the majestic Haast Pass before arriving on the West Coast, where you'll enjoy the stunning beaches and scenic beauty in route to your final destination in Franz Josef. Join our enthusiastic local guides for an unforgettable adventure, as they will engage you with unforgettable stories and share their insider knowledge of New Zealand's hidden gems. Travel in style with our modern, comfortable minibuses equipped with all the amenities you need to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey, complete with premium comfort and scenic views. Highlights: • Cardrona Valley Pub • Lake Hāwea • Lake Wānaka (including the Wānaka Tree) • Blue Pools (Temporarily Closed) • Thunder Falls • Ship Creek • Bruce Bay • Lake Matheson

Experience the ultimate adventure from Queenstown to Franz Josef via Wānaka. Our small group, fully-guided tour takes you through the picturesque landscapes of Wānaka and Hāwea lakes, over the stunning Haast Pass, and along the beautiful West Coast beaches to Franz Josef. Get ready for a one-of-a-kind authentic Kiwi experience with our famously passionate guides, renowned for their engaging stories and rich local knowledge. Travel in modern, comfortable minibuses, fully equipped with amenities to ensure your comfort and safety throughout the trip.

Capture the breathtaking beauty of Queenstown and the Southern Lakes with a half-day private photography tour. Explore one of the most majestic places on Earth and capture its splendor for yourself. Choose from a range of destinations and themes, and receive personalized guidance on how to capture the true essence of these spots. Meet your guide, a passionate landscape photographer with years of local knowledge, and set off on a tour that takes you to iconic locations that you've seen in brochures, as well as hidden gems that only a local would know. Choose to shoot some of the most iconic scenes or concentrate on creatively exploring a smaller range of locations in depth. Get creative advice and learn how to get the most from your camera. Enjoy a flexible itinerary that is designed around your interests, the weather, and light conditions. Take in some of the most interesting, historic, and beautiful destinations, ensuring that you capture the essence of Queenstown and the Southern Lakes. Choose from a variety of destinations and itineraries around Queenstown. Alternatively, inform your guide of your preferences and have the tour tailored to your specific needs. Whether you're interested in capturing landscapes, people, history, or your own creative theme... your guide has you covered. Whatever your level of proficiency, your guide will help you find inspirational vantage points and subjects and then work with you, giving you compositional tips and tricks, showing you the camera settings you need to compose amazing images. Capturing a vision you'll be proud to take home.

Franz Joseph to Queenstown via Wanaka. This one way, small group, fully-guided tour takes you along the beautiful beaches of the West Coast, over the Hast Pass, past the stunning lakes of Wanaka and Hawea, plus other must see stops on our way back to Queenstown. Led by our famously passionate tour guides, notorious for bringing your journey to life by sharing their stories and rich background knowledge and run in modern, comfortable minibuses packed with extras ensuring your comfort and safety. Itinerary: 1. Franz Josef - Your tour starts in the stunning village of Franz Josef. We will be heading south down the coast on our fully guided adventure to Queenstown. 2. Lake Matheson -This spot is every photographers dream. On a calm day you can capture Mt Cook reflected elegantly across this picturesque lake. This 4.4km / 90 minute easy bushwalk will reward you with breathtaking views across the southern alps. 3. Bruce Bay - At this location you will see where the thick native rainforest meets a seemingly endless open ocean of the Tasman Sea. This beautiful beach really is the best of the west. 4. Ship Creek – As we make our way south along the boarder where ancient rainforest meets the ocean we will make a stop at Ship Creek. Dig your toes in the sand and feel the crash of the relenting waves of the Tasman Sea. Explore the dunes via an easy 1km walking track. 5. Thunder Creek Falls – This easy 5 minute walk will reward you with the spectacular view of Thunder Creek Falls. This 28 meter waterfall is the remanence of a once great glacier that pours from a hanging valley into the Haast River below. 6. Blue Pools – Located in Mt Aspiring National Park is the aptly named Blue Pools. This easy 3km round trip is well worth the effort to see the breathtaking blue waters of the Makarora River. 7. Lake Hawea – As we leave the national park behind make sure to keep your eyes open as we make our way westwards and past stunning Lake Hawea. We will stop for a quick photo at a lookout point between Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea. 8. Wanaka – Stretch your legs take a walk down to the lakeside for that iconic photo of the Wanaka Tree. Soak in the beauty of this expansive lake backdropped by Mt Aspiring and the Southern Alps. This is truly a photo opportunity that you do not want to miss! 9. Cardrona Hotel – From Wanaka we head over the Crown Range Road that connects Queenstown and Wanaka. We do a quick stop here to see the Cardrona Hotel, one of New Zealand's oldest and most iconic hotels. Its rustic charm, spectacular mountain setting and rich history make it a must see while in Central Otago. 10. Queenstown - Your tour concludes in the stunning town of Queenstown. As we drive into the town your guide will point out key sites and any local highlights before dropping you off to your central Queenstown accommodation.

Start your afternoon with a pick-up from your Queenstown accommodation and enjoy a special scenic 15-minute helicopter flight. Land on a mountaintop, where the helicopter will shut down for 25 minutes allowing you to enjoy a unique gin-tasting experience while taking in the views of Queenstown. From here, touch down in the Cardrona Valley and you will meet the rest of your group. Throughout the afternoon, enjoy three separate gin and spirit tasting experiences, with each location offering something special, including a distillery tour at the famous Cardrona Distillery. Enjoy a gin and tonic upon arrival, shared platters at two of the locations, and be hosted by an Altitude Tours guide and the tasting room staff, all of whom will educate and entertain you with distilling facts and stories. This gin experience has been designed to offer a good mix of education, sightseeing, and fun. There is also flexibility to try other spirits such as vodka, whiskey, and wines throughout, if you want to balance your gin-take. Let us take you on New Zealand’s first gin tour and experience more with Altitude Tours.