Lake Wakatipu Cruises & boat tours

Travel to Milford Sound for an extended nature cruise on a day trip from Queenstown. Experience one of the most beautiful drives in the world in the comfort of a state-of-the-coach. Board the luxury glass-roof coach in Queenstown and journey along the shores of Lake Whakatipu into rolling countryside through to Te Anau. Here we take a short rest stop at a cafe before continuing along the spectacular alpine route of the Milford Road. Enjoy spectacular photo stops and short walks along the way. Relax on the 2-hour cruise of Milford Sound to the Tasman Sea and admire the fiord’s wildlife, waterfalls and mountains. Our experienced skippers tailor each Milford Sound cruise, considering the weather and recent wildlife sightings, ensuring you'll see the best Milford Sound has to offer. Specialist nature guides will provide live informative commentary. Our vessels have large windows, spacious decks and offer uninterrupted views of the dramatic Fiordland landscape. Experience the cool spray of a waterfall as you cruise close to sheer rock faces.  You can bring your own lunch or purchase delicious locally curated dishes, wines, craft beer and barista coffees on-board. Following the cruise, board the coach for your return journey to Queenstown. Please note the itinerary is an example where the specific stops along the Milford Road may vary on the day.

Cruise to Walter Peak High Country Farm across Queenstown’s Lake Whakatipu onboard the historic TSS Earnslaw. Feel free to take advantage of the extensive lay-out of this incredible steamship – she is a floating museum of her own history, and you are more than welcome to enter the engine room where you can watch our hardy coal-stokers as they keep this beautiful lady of the lake gliding across the waters of Lake Whakatipu. Once at the lakeside Colonel’s Homestead Restaurant savour the delicious aromas as our chef has the best of local produce sizzling away on the grill. The buffet includes salads, vegetables, and succulent local meats cooked on the wood-fired BBQ. There is a wide range of delicious desserts on offer, including a vast array of fresh bread and cheese. Overlooking Lake Whakatipu and Queenstown's alpine scenery, the Colonel’s Homestead at Walter Peak High Country Farm is the perfect place to spend a few hours. Its colonial architecture and sweeping grounds evoke the elegance of a bygone era. An entertaining farm demonstration the whole family will enjoy is also included. If there is time remaining, explore the beautiful lakeside gardens before re-boarding the vessel for the return trip to Queenstown. 

Get an adrenaline rush on a 1-hour jet boat ride, operated by the world’s first commercial jet boat company. Take in stunning views of the Remarkable Mountains and journey up 2 of the South Island’s most iconic rivers.  Depart from the heart of Queenstown, and climb aboard the big yellow jet boat at the Main Town Pier. Hold on tight as you accelerate across the water and feel the exhilaration of a high-powered twin-engine boat that powers across Lake Wakatipu. Experience the twists and spins as you enter the Kawarau River and race past rocks and under bridges at speeds of up to 95 kilometers per hour.  Grip the heated handrails and experience 360° spins while you speed up the shallow channels of the Shotover River. After 45 kilometers of pure adrenaline, return to the pier and see photos and videos from your trip.

It’s New Zealand’s most iconic boat and one of Queenstown’s most historic destinations.The leisurely 90-minute cruise across Lake Whakatipu showcases some of Queenstown’s spectacular alpine scenery while offering you plenty of time to explore a piece of Queenstown’s living history – the over one hundred year-old TSS Earnslaw.Listen to engaging commentary from your experienced captain who will highlight points of interest throughout your cruise. View the collection of historical photos in the small onboard museum and check out the skipper’s wheelhouse. Visit the engine room to feel the heat of the giant steam engines at work and see the stokers shovel coal into the glowing fireboxes. Soak in the dramatic mountain views surrounding Lake Wakatipu and relax at the cafe where you can enjoy a wine or beer and snacks are also available for purchase. You can choose to undertake just the cruise, or combine it with a visit to Walter Peak High Country Farm for a guided farm tour, horse trek, eco experience or our famous gourmet barbecue lunch/dinner. Please note that we have separate listings for these combo options.

Explore this working high country farm, providing a number of authentic experiences. Situated on the picturesque shores of Lake Whakatipu, with a colonial homestead and beautiful lakeside gardens, Walter Peak High Country Farm is the perfect place to spend a relaxing few hours. Begin this combo tour with a relaxing scenic boat ride across Lake Whakatipu aboard the iconic century-old coal-fired steamship, the TSS Earnslaw. Explore the decks, visit the steam room, or chat with the captain in the wheelhouse. Take advantage of the onboard cafe to purchase a drink or two. You will be greeted by our rural host upon disembarking the TSS Earnslaw, who will take you to the amphitheatre, where you will watch the remarkable skill with which the farm dogs round up sheep from the paddocks. Enjoy a walking tour of the farmyard, visiting the holding pens, where you can help feed the sheep and deer and even get up close to the Scottish Highland Cattle. Then a stroll to the charming old woolshed for morning or afternoon tea. You may have time to wander through the lakeside gardens before you re-board the TSS Earnslaw for your cruise back to Queenstown.

Take on the challenge of a tandem skydive from a height of 9,000, 12,000 or 15,000 ft. Harnessed to an experienced jumpmaster, expect sensory overload as you step out of the aircraft door and freefall at 200kph for up to 60 seconds. Experience the most dramatic scenery in New Zealand as you freefall amongst snow-capped mountain tops above the Southern Lakes of Queenstown. Enjoy a breathtaking 5-minute canopy ride above the Wakatipu basin. This once in a lifetime experience includes a 15-minute scenic flight, as well as return transfers to Queenstown. Take advantage of incredible drop zone base facilities, where you can watch the parachutes being packed and adventurers getting suited up for their skydive. Drinks, snacks and souvenir clothing and gifts are available for purchase. Free wifi is available onsite, as well as internet kiosks to view and upload your photos and videos instantly. 

Join a guided day tour from Queenstown to the world-renowned Milford Sound: the crowning glory of Fiordland. Highlights of the drive will include Lake Wakatipu, the Devil’s Staircase, the truly majestic mountains of Fiordland, Mirror Lake, and Homer Tunnel. Enjoy multiple stops along the way for photo opportunities and to spot the Kea bird. Travel through the mind-blowing Homer Tunnel, emerging as the valley descends sharply down to Milford Sound, with its hundreds of waterfalls cascading into the crystal clear waters beneath. At Milford Sound, take an intimate cruise on a smaller boat that gets right up close to nature and wildlife. Onboard your cruise you will have up-close views of thousands of waterfalls, Mitre Peak, as well as local wildlife, providing you with hundreds of amazing photo opportunities along the way. Following your cruise you will begin the return journey back to Queenstown, stopping again in Te Anau for a quick break. At the end of the day, your guide will drop you back to your Queenstown accommodation, or you can opt to upgrade to a scenic, one-way flight back from Milford instead. Choose this option for the ultimate view over the mountains and region during your return journey. Between the 27th July & 31st of October we will have two departure times from Queenstown. Our 6:30am departure will land in us Milford Sound in time to cruise with Cruise Milford. Departing Queenstown at 7:30am will have you cruising with Mitre Peak Cruises. Both cruise providers are boutique, meaning less people and a more personal experience for you!

In the heart of Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound is known as one of New Zealand’s top scenic attractions. On this day tour from Queenstown, jump on board an air-conditioned coach and be entertained with commentary from your driver/guide. After passing through the 1.2-kilometer-long Homer Tunnel, descend into Milford Sound. Here you will board your boat to cruise along the fjord. Take in the famous sights, like the uniquely-shaped Mitre Peak and the glacier-scarred rock. Keep an eye out for marine life like dolphins, seals, and penguins too. The fjord is dotted with waterfalls that tumble through the valleys and crash into the sound far below, making the scenery in Milford Sound spectacular, rain or shine. Once you have finished your cruise you will board your luxury coach again and make the journey back to Queenstown.

Take in the sights when you take the reins of your adventure. Embark on a relaxing meander through farmland and create a holiday highlight. Before your time in the saddle, climb aboard the iconic vintage TSS Earnslaw Steamship travelling to Walter Peak High Country Farm where you will meet your horse and local guide. Our experienced guide will take you on a horse trek across rolling high country farmland to a lookout offering spectacular views of Lake Whakatipu. The riding is easy, the scenery incredible and the memories enduring. Great family fun, this trip is suitable for first-time or novice riders. Small group sizes of maximum 6 people per guide gives a wholesome personalised experience. After returning to the stables you’ll enjoy a delicious morning or afternoon tea at the Colonel’s Homestead Restaurant. Then it’s time to explore the glorious gardens and farmyard before heading back to Queenstown on board the TSS Earnslaw, providing the perfect relaxing end to an exciting trip.

Visit Doubtful Sound on a full-day trip from Queenstown. Sit back and relax as we take care of your journey to this magnificent remote region of Fiordland National Park. To begin, board a luxury bus and travel along the shores of Lake Wakatipu, through the rolling countryside to Manapouri. Enjoy informative commentary along the way from your driver. From Manapouri, cruise across the crystal waters of Lake Manapouri to West Arm. Then board a coach to cross the stunning alpine route of the Wilmot Pass, through some of Fiordland National Park’s most dense rainforest. On reaching Deep Cove, climb aboard the Patea Explorer for a 3-hour cruise, exploring the waterways of this serene and isolated fiord. See waterfalls, rainforests, mountains, and wildlife. When it rains in Fiordland, the landscape is especially dramatic.Your knowledgeable nature guides will provide you with engaging and informative commentary throughout. Experience floating on the fiord, with only the rush of waterfalls and birdsong to break the silence. Bring your own lunch, or purchase drinks and snacks on board in the vessel’s cafe. At the end of your cruise, return over Wilmot Pass by coach and cruise across Lake Manapouri before the bus journey back to Queenstown.