The Remarkables

Enjoy a 20-minute scenic helicopter tour and alpine landing for incredible views of Queenstown from above. Your pilot will choose your flight path and landing location for the best possible experience on the day. After pickup from your central Queenstown hotel, enjoy the short drive to the helicopter base at the airport. Meet the friendly crew and check in for your flight. Then, take to the skies to marvel at Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown from above. Your experienced pilot will share local insights with you and point out areas of interest. Your pilot will choose the best location on the day for your alpine landing. Only a helicopter will be able to land in the remote spot. In winter, you’ll have snow at your feet, and during summer expect stunningly rugged terrain. Fly back to the helicopter base where your tour will conclude with a transfer back to your hotel.

Cruise farther and see more on this 1.5-hour Queenstown scenic cruise. Sit back, relax and enjoy spectacular views of the Remarkables, Bob’s Cove, Cecil Peak and Mt. Earnslaw from the comfort of the Spirit of Queenstown – an environmentally friendly and luxurious cruise boat. Take in panoramic views from the open top deck. Enjoy refreshments, snacks and lunch served in the café on board. Cruise across spectacular Lake Wakatipu as you enjoy entertaining commentary provided by the local skipper.

Set off on an action-packed and adrenaline-pumping adventure on snow. Ride a snowmobile through stunning scenery and amazing views. Enjoy a full-guided tour with stops along the way for amazing photo opportunities of the spectacular landscape. As well as your snowmobile ride, delight in a return scenic helicopter flight across the Western face of the Remarkables mountains, over the Hector mountains, and across the Nevis River Valley to a snowy plateau on the Garvie Mountain Range. Marvel at the breathtaking scenery as you take a flight exclusively available to the local partner.

This 35-minute helicopter flight from Queenstown is a winning combination. Enjoy spectacular alpine scenery, including Skippers Canyon and the Queenstown Basin, and and make a dramatic landing on one of the region’s stunning alpine peaks, whatever the season. Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters is Queenstown’s leading scenic helicopter flight company, built on a reputation of providing a high standard of professionalism and service. Following a transfer from your hotel and safety briefing, climb aboard your helicopter and head for the skies! The landscapes you will fly over contain many stories of the natural and human history of New Zealand and the Southern Lakes. During your flight you will discover how glaciers and the movement of the earth’s crust formed New Zealand’s unique mountains and valleys over thousands of years. Plenty of evidence also remains of the rich gold mining history left by Europeans and Chinese gold miners in the late 1800s. Land on the roof of Queenstown and jump off to take photos of the wilderness. Your alpine landing will provide excellent photo opportunities. Please note, all trips are subject to favorable weather conditions and availability.

It takes a certain kind of person to jump from an aircraft at 15,000ft into thin air. It takes courage. Expect sensory overload as your mind, body and soul fight against every natural self-preserving urge. The challenge is immense. Harnessed by space-age materials to your experienced Jumpmaster, step out of that aircraft door and for 60-seconds plummet toward the ground at 200 kph - terminal velocity. Admire some of the most dramatic scenery in New Zealand from 15,000ft above the Remarkables Mountain Range. After a 15-minute scenic flight to altitude, you will nudge towards the edge of the plane before being thrown out. Keep your head up, smile at your skydive photographer and take in the stunning surroundings. After an exhilarating freefall, you will experience a 5-minute parachute ride, floating safely back down to the skydive drop zone. At the drop zone base, make use of the internet kiosks and Discovery Zone where you can watch the parachutes being packed. There are drinks and snacks available for purchase, bathrooms, a souvenir clothing and gifts store, as well as free Wi-Fi. There are also lockers onsite to store your valuables while skydiving.

Embark on an adventure safari packed with breathtaking scenery, thrilling 4WD action, and LOTR filming locations. Visit the filming locations of Minas Tirith, Misty Mountains, the Pillars of the Kings (Argonath), Gladden Fields, the Ford of Bruinen, and more.  After pick-up from your hotel, journey around the Wakatipu Basin to see The Remarkables, which were used as various mountains throughout the three movies. Travel part way up Queenstown Hill for a bird's-eye view onto Deer Park Heights, which was used for the refugees of Rohan and the Battle of the Wargs scenes. From the viewpoint, head to Kawarau Gorge where the filming took place for the Argonath - 'Pillars of the Kings'. After Kawarau Gorge, travel to Arrowtown where the loss of The One Ring scene at Gladden Fields was shot. Near Arrowtown, you will experience a true off-road adventure. Following a historic gold mining road up the Arrow River, cross the river many times to get to the Ford of Bruinen. Here you can indulge in a refreshing afternoon tea and try your hand at a spot of gold panning. From Arrowtown, travel to the entrance of Skippers Canyon for spectacular panoramic views of the Wakatipu Basin and into the Canyon.

See how glaciers and the movement of the earth’s crust formed New Zealand's unique mountains and valleys over thousands of years–from the sky! Swoop low over mountain valleys and high above meandering rivers. Plenty of evidence also remains of the rich gold mining history left by Europeans and Chinese gold miners in the late 1800s. Today, many of the local landscapes can be recognized because of their use as film locations. You can even fly over where the Lord of the Rings movies were filmed! The pilots regularly work with film production crews and are happy to share plenty of stories of life on the film set. Finally, for the photo opportunity of a lifetime, alight on a mountaintop with panoramic views of the entire range and its lakes and valleys. These highly experienced, well-known local pilots can’t wait to share with you their extensive knowledge and history of the area while showing you the best of New Zealand's amazing scenery.

Enjoy a scenic 45-minute helicopter flight combining the best of Queenstown and Middle-Earth. Take flight with Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters, New Zealand aerial film specialists, who have provided the aerial filming for the 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies. Uncover special Middle Earth Locations with your pilot. Follow the path of the Fellowship as you explore the spectacular scenic highlights of Whakatipu Basin and the surrounding area. Discover many recognizable locations from the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies including the rugged Remarkables, Lake Alta, and the crumbly schist slopes used to film Dimrill Dale in which the Fellowship fled towards Lothlórien. Fly over the historic gold mining valley of Skippers Canyon, landing high above the Shotover River which can be recognized as the Ford of Bruinen. Catch a glimpse of the mountain tarn which is featured alongside the Rohirrim Refugees and share the view Legolas had of the approaching Wargs.