Things to do in Queenstown
Sort
Queenstown: Gibbston Valley Wine Tour & 3 TastingsYou're driven from central Queenstown through Gibbston Valley in a small group (max 10 people) with a local guide who knows the region. You taste at three distinct wineries — Peregrine's striking barrel hall, Mt Rosa's owner-operated cellar door, and Gibbston Valley's Home Block vineyard — with hosted tastings at each. Mercedes transport, all tastings, and the vineyard walk are included; you return to Queenstown by early evening.Is it for me?Book this if you want to taste serious Central Otago Pinot Noir without spending the day arranging three separate winery visits, navigating the valley roads, or figuring out how much to drink and still drive — the small group and local guide handle all of that, leaving you to focus on the wine and the view.
Gibbston Valley Wines Winery Tour: Taste four wines in a cave, New ZealandGibbston Valley Wines winery tour in New Zealand is a 45-minute guided walk through Home Block vineyard, the winemaking facility and into the region's largest wine cave, where you taste four of the winery's handcrafted Pinot Noirs. The tour runs with a live English-speaking guide and is not open to visitors under 16; all areas are wheelchair accessible.Is it for me?Walk through the vineyard and winemaking facility to see how Pinot Noir is actually made, then taste four wines in the cave where they're kept—context transforms everything.
Queenstown: Wine Tour & Māori Culture with Gibbston VineyardsYou’ll taste Central Otago wines at boutique vineyards around Queenstown while sharing stories and laughter with a local guide who brings Māori culture alive. Expect about 17–21 varietals paired with food, hotel pickup, and a sense of connection that lingers long after you leave.
Lord of the Rings tour Queenstown Lakes: 4WD filming locationsThis full-day 4WD tour visits the Lord of the Rings filming locations scattered across the Queenstown Lakes region, including the Dart River valley, Paradise Forests and the Ithilien Camp site. The morning explores the Head of Lake Wakatipu and the lush forests where key scenes were shot; lunch at a local café is included, then the afternoon takes you off-road through river crossings in the Arrow, down a historic mining road, and to a panoramic viewpoint before returning to your hotel. A live English-speaking guide leads the tour, and the itinerary suits all fitness levels.Is it for me?The guide speaks English throughout, so if you're comfortable following commentary in English and don't need translation, this tour covers the full range of filming locations in a single day without splitting the experience across multiple departures.
Milford Sound Day Trip: Glass Roof Small Group Tour & CruiseYou’ll ride from Queenstown in a glass-roof van with just 15 people, stopping for walks at Mirror Lakes and Eglinton Valley before cruising Milford Sound’s waterfalls and wildlife. With a local guide handling every detail—including lunch—you’ll find space for both silence and laughter along New Zealand’s wildest road.
Queenstown: Lake Wakatipu Time Tripper Show & Underwater ObservatoryYou’ll start right under Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown for the Time Tripper show—a wild animated ride through 90 million years of history and legend. See ancient glaciers form before your eyes, hear stories from locals, then watch real fish and eels glide past in the Underwater Observatory. It’s quick but surprisingly moving—you might leave seeing Queenstown with new eyes.
Queenstown to Tasman Glacier: Heli-Hike & Scenic FlightsYou’ll fly from Queenstown to Mount Cook by plane before taking a helicopter straight onto Tasman Glacier for a guided hike across shimmering ice caves and crevasses. With all equipment provided and transfers included, you can just focus on feeling that crisp mountain air—and maybe laugh when you fumble with your crampons.
Queenstown eBike tour: Lake Wakatipu ride with guideA 3-hour guided eBike tour around Queenstown that follows the Shotover and Kawarau rivers, circles Lake Wakatipu's Kelvin Heights peninsula, and ends in a forest gallery—pedal-assisted bikes let you cover longer distances without special skills, and a guide points out native birds, local history and hidden trail details along the way.Is it for me?Small groups keep the pace relaxed and the guide's attention spread across everyone—good if you want to ask questions and not feel rushed. The eBike's motor means you can ride with friends or family at different fitness levels and still stay together, which is what makes this tour work for mixed-ability groups.
Kawarau River Rafting in Queenstown: Grade 2-3 RapidsKawarau River rafting near Queenstown is a half-day whitewater activity where you paddle 8 kilometers through grade 2-3 rapids, with a live guide leading the way. The operator provides a free shuttle from central Queenstown, all rafting gear and wetsuits, a safety briefing, and access to flat sections where you can swim or race other rafts between the rapids. The highlight is the Dog Leg, a 400-meter grade 3/4 rapid, and you can choose to add optional cliff jumping or watch from the raft.Is it for me?The guide speaks English throughout, so you follow the instruction and the commentary without a language barrier. This works for first-timers who want an introduction to whitewater rafting and for anyone confident enough to swim between the rapids — the flat stretches and the optional cliff jumping let you set your own pace through the day.
Glenorchy tour from Queenstown: Lake views and local storiesThis 4-hour guided tour departs central Queenstown and travels to Glenorchy in a small luxury vehicle with a local guide who shares Māori history and mythology through storytelling. The route includes photo stops on the journey, then two hours of free time in Glenorchy to walk the lagoon, visit the Red Shed (a restored historic building linked to the old Lake Wakatipu steamers), browse Mrs Wolly's General Store, or sit in a café. The tour returns to Queenstown by the same route. Air-conditioned vehicle, professional guide commentary and all fees are included; lunch and beverages are not.Is it for me?Choose this if you want a local guide's storytelling during the drive to Glenorchy, then free time to explore the town on your own rather than follow a structured itinerary.
30-Minute Alpine Scenic Flight from Queenstown: Mountain LandingA 30-minute alpine scenic flight from Queenstown takes you over Lake Wakatipu, Skippers Canyon and the Queenstown Basin, with a landing on one of the region's mountain peaks—the exact location depends on weather. The flight includes headsets so you hear the pilot clearly, and all landing and facility fees are built in. Infants sit on an adult's lap; children must be accompanied by an adult.Is it for me?Book the 30-minute flight if you want the landing experience without a longer time commitment, or choose the 35-minute option to spend more time in the air and on the peak. The early-bird departure works well if you want to fit the flight into the start of your day.
Queenstown: Stargazing Night Tour & Pro Portraits in Dark SkyYou’ll ride out from Queenstown in a 4WD with local guides who know all the secret dark sky spots, sip hot chocolate under snowy peaks, peek through an EVscope at deep space wonders, and get your own portrait taken with the galactic core glowing behind you. There’s laughter over mispronounced star names and plenty of time to just stand quietly under all that sky.
Go-Kart Racing in Cromwell: 650m Track Near QueenstownHighlands Motorsport Go-Karts is an outdoor go-kart racing activity in Cromwell, Central Otago, where you drive a German-built Rimo kart around a 650-metre track edged with tyres and concrete features. The track sits 45 minutes from Queenstown Airport, and you can race solo or bring friends and family to compete. Helmets and safety gear are provided; drivers must be at least 10 years old and 140 cm tall, while tandem passengers can be younger if they meet the 120 cm height requirement.Is it for me?Book this if you're coming as a group or family and want everyone racing at once—the two-seater karts let younger kids or non-drivers ride along, and the track is built for head-to-head competition rather than a solo time trial. Solo racers work just as well; the single-seater option is there if you want to chase your own fastest lap without company.
Queenstown: Milford Sound Helicopter Flight & Glacier LandingYou fly from Queenstown over Milford Sound with a guide and headset, land inside the Sound itself, then climb to a glacier landing in Fiordland National Park. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, along with the helicopter flight and guide commentary. The whole thing takes 2 hours and suits anyone who can sit in a helicopter seat.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Milford Sound from the air and actually land on a glacier without arranging your own transport from Queenstown — the helicopter pickup means you step out of your hotel and into the sky.
Franz Josef Glacier Helihike from Queenstown: Glacier ice walkA day trip from Queenstown combining round-trip scenic flights to Franz Josef Glacier with a two-hour guided hike across the ice. You fly north over the Pisa Mountains and Southern Alps, land at the glacier base, strap on crampons, and spend two hours exploring ice formations with an experienced guide before a helicopter lifts you back to the airstrip and a return flight to Queenstown. The glacier is the fastest-moving commercially guided glacier in the world, so the ice features change constantly. Collections from Queenstown hotels are included, as is all hiking gear.Is it for me?This tour suits small groups and solo travelers who are comfortable with moderate physical activity and want to experience a glacier without arranging flights or transport themselves. The fixed itinerary and included pickups mean the day holds together without building it piece by piece.
30-Minute Jet Boat Queenstown: High-Speed Spins with MusicA 30-minute jet boat ride on Lake Wakatipu near Queenstown where you reach speeds of up to 95km/h, execute iconic 360-degree spins and hear a personalised music soundtrack alongside local commentary about the Kawarau River. Life jacket included; children from age 2 welcome. Thunder Jet is the only operator offering this combination of music and a half-hour format on the lake.Is it for me?Book the 30-minute ride if you have a short window in Queenstown or want the pure adrenaline without a longer commitment — the concentrated format and music make it distinct from other jet boat options on the lake, and it works for families with younger children who need the thrill without the time investment.
Queenstown to Arrowtown E-Bike Ride with ShuttleThis e-bike activity in Arrowtown pairs a six to seven hour self-guided ride through the Arrow River Bridges Trail and Gibbston Wine Region with accommodation shuttle service from Queenstown and a Moustache e-bike with Bosch motor. The Bosch-powered motor removes the strain of climbing, so you set the pace through some of the most photographed scenery on the South Island, stop at wineries as long as you want, and let the shuttle handle the return. Pickup from your Queenstown accommodation is included; if you stay longer at the wineries, a small extra fee covers pickup from Gibbston instead of Arrowtown.Is it for me?Cruise Arrowtown's winery trails at your own pace with a shuttle from your accommodation and an e-bike that handles the climbs while you enjoy the scenery.
Queenstown: Omni VR Multiplayer Gaming with Motion ShoesYou put on motion-tracked shoes and a VR headset, then run through fully immersive gaming scenarios — zombie apocalypse, tactical missions, haunted environments — either solo or with friends using in-headset voice chat. All equipment is provided, and the experience works for anyone between 1.4 and 1.95 meters tall. Sessions run at Queenstown's first Omni VR station, accessible by public transport.Is it for me?Right for groups or friends who want a genuinely physical gaming experience that feels different from screen-based VR — the motion shoes are what make running inside the game actually work, which changes how immersive it feels.
ATV Riding in Queenstown: Quad Bike + Buggy ComboThis 90-minute combo in Queenstown pairs a self-drive quad bike session on a private 35-acre training ground with a guided buggy ride through the 650-acre Adventure Park. No licence or prior experience is needed; your guide adjusts the quad bike portion to your level and then drives you through elevated terrain with views over Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu. Return transfers from central Queenstown, full safety gear, and complimentary photos are included.Is it for me?Book this if you want to try both driving and riding in one session without committing a full day—the 90-minute window and included transfers from town centre mean you can fit it between other plans. The shared group format keeps the cost down; if you prefer the quad bike or buggy alone, or want a private session, check for those options separately.
Queenstown Airport Transfer: Private Door-to-Door ServiceYou get picked up at the airport by a named driver within 30 minutes of landing, travel in an air-conditioned vehicle with Wi-Fi and phone chargers, and arrive at your door without arranging transport or worrying about luggage space. Child seats and pram accommodation are available on request, and the driver shares local tips along the way. The booking is confirmed in advance with your mobile number, so you know exactly who is meeting you before you land.Is it for me?Book this if you're landing with luggage, traveling with children, or simply want to avoid the taxi queue and know exactly who is picking you up — the pre-booking and fixed route mean you can step straight from the airport into a car without arranging anything else.
