Dinner cruise from Queenstown: Walter Peak farm and lake

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/13

Duration4h

GroupUp to 100

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

A working farm dinner on the far shore of the lake, reached by water.

This four-hour evening tour departs Queenstown by cruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm, where you eat a wood-fired BBQ buffet in the Colonel's Homestead Restaurant and watch farm dogs herd sheep before returning by the same vessel. You choose between the vintage TSS Earnslaw steamship or the modern Spirit of Queenstown, and between a 5pm or 7pm dinner seating.

The Experience

The evening starts at the RealNZ Visitor Centre on Beach Street in central Queenstown, where you board either the TSS Earnslaw—a vintage steamship that has crossed Lake Wakatipu since 1912—or the Spirit of Queenstown, a sleek modern vessel. The cruise itself is the first half of the experience: you travel across the lake's open water with live commentary on board, watching the alpine backdrop and the shoreline change as you move toward Walter Peak. The journey takes you to a working farm on the far side of the lake, a place most Queenstown visitors never reach without a boat.

At the Colonel's Homestead Restaurant, the wood-fired BBQ fills the air before you sit down. The buffet includes crisp salads, seasonal vegetables, and locally sourced meat cooked over the fire, plus a dessert selection. You eat with panoramic views of Lake Wakatipu and the mountains beyond, in a building set among landscaped grounds. After dinner comes the farm demonstration: specialist guides work with trained farm dogs to herd sheep, and you get close to friendly farm animals. If time allows, you can walk through the lakeside gardens before heading back to the vessel for the return cruise to Queenstown, which brings you back to the same central location where you started.

You choose your vessel when you book—the TSS Earnslaw offers the historic experience, while the Spirit of Queenstown is newer and faster. You also pick your dinner time: 5pm or 7pm. The whole experience runs four hours from check-in to return. Infants and small children can travel in a pram or stroller, and the farm is suitable for all fitness levels, though children must be accompanied by an adult. The experience is cashless; payment is card-based only.

What’s included

Cruise across Lake Wakatipu on your choice of vessel (TSS Earnslaw or Spirit of Queenstown).
wood-fired BBQ buffet dinner with salads, vegetables, locally sourced meat and desserts.
farm demonstration with working dogs and farm animals.
live commentary during the cruise.
return transport to central Queenstown.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendly

Operated by RealNZ

Is this one for you?Book the 5pm seating if you want to catch the last light on the lake and return to town before dark; the 7pm dinner suits a slower evening pace. The TSS Earnslaw appeals to anyone drawn to the historic vessel itself; the Spirit of Queenstown is faster and newer if you prefer a modern boat.