Category National Parks

New Zealand · NATIONAL PARKS

The 15 National Park Tours in New Zealand to Book First

31 reviewed

From Manapouri: Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Trip

From Manapouri: Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Trip - Lake Manapouri Cruise to West Arm: Quiet Water, Big Stillness

1.From Manapouri: Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,621 reviews · 7 hours · from $208Our pick

Cruise Lake Manapouri, cross Wilmot Pass, then ride Doubtful Sound’s inner fiords with nature guides and wildlife spotting from Manapouri.

“Great crew, very informative, extremely comfortable boat and bus trip. Best of all no crowds or other boats. Even in bad weather,rain and wind, the scenery and mood of the place made it very worthwhile. if you can stay in Manapouri or Te Anau as it's a long day 7 hours. T.A full of places to eat and stay.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Jet Boat Journey through Fiordland National Park – Pure Wilderness

Jet Boat Journey through Fiordland National Park - Pure Wilderness - Upper Waiau River Jet Boat Ride: Speed, Spins, Trout, and LoTR Stops

2.Jet Boat Journey through Fiordland National Park – Pure Wilderness

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 678 reviews · from $127Top rated

Jet boat ride from Te Anau through Fiordland to Lake Manapouri. LoTR stops, 360s, warm gear, and a short nature walk.

“What a memorable experience! Our guide was knowledgeable, entertaining, and clearly loved his job! The rest of the staff was friendly and helpful.. They have everything you may need - beanies, windbreakers, and sunscreen! I was a little Read more”

Check availability →Read our full review

Dart River Jet Boat and Wilderness Experience

Dart River Jet Boat and Wilderness Experience - Dart River jet boat: fast spins on glacier-fed braided water

Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Cruise from Manapouri

Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Cruise from Manapouri - The Start in Manapouri and Lake Manapouri Crossing

4.Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Cruise from Manapouri

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 490 reviews · from $216

Doubtful Sound day cruise from Manapouri with Lake Manapouri, Wilmot Pass, catamaran wildlife spotting, and an engine-off sound of silence.

“It was really special! It was raining and a bit foggy in the beginning which was cool. We sat both seals and a bunch of crested penguins. After that, the rain stopped and the sun popped out. We really got to see it all.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Waitakere Ranges Wilderness Experience Tour from Auckland

Waitakere Ranges Wilderness Experience Tour from Auckland - Waitakere Ranges lookouts, Maori carvings, and ocean panoramas

5.Waitakere Ranges Wilderness Experience Tour from Auckland

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 340 reviews · 5 hours · from $119

Half-day from Auckland to Waitakere Ranges and Piha Beach, with rainforest birdsong, black sand walks, and kiwi-style afternoon tea.

“Tour guide was very witty and knew his topics of history and fauna very well. As such he was very entertaining. The tour was paced just right. Had a great time was well worth the time.”

Check availability →Read our full review

From Queenstown: Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Trip

From Queenstown: Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Trip - The long ride from Queenstown, and why it is worth the hours

Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise from Te Anau

Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise from Te Anau - The day in order: Te Anau to Manapouri, then over the pass

7.Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise from Te Anau

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 286 reviews · from $231

Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise from Te Anau. Coach, Lake Manapouri crossing, Wilmot Pass views, then a catamaran fjord cruise with wildlife.

“Quite an expensive trip due to all the travelling involved. From Te Anau, 20 minutes by bus to Manapouri, then 45 minutes by boat to West Arm, then 60 minutes by coach to Deep Cove, then a 2 and a half hour cruise by boat which travels dowRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

Jet Boat and Wilderness Walk Tour from Wanaka

Jet Boat and Wilderness Walk Tour from Wanaka - The jet boat on the Matukituki River: speed with real scenery

8.Jet Boat and Wilderness Walk Tour from Wanaka

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 259 reviews · from $215

Jet boat speed on the Matukituki River plus an easy Mount Aspiring wilderness walk from Wanaka, in a small group.

“If you visit the South Island, this is a must do activity! The staff is amazing and our river guide was amazing. I wasn't sure how the hike to the waterfall would turn out, but it was probably one of the highlights of the trip. You could tell how much Read more”

Check availability →Read our full review

Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise from Queenstown

Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise from Queenstown - Queenstown to Manapouri: Your Long, Scenic Setup Act

9.Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 242 reviews · from $287

Full-day Doubtful Sound cruise from Queenstown with live skipper commentary, lake ferry crossings, Wilmot Pass views, and wildlife.

“Wow! The staff was extremely accommodating throughout the day, regardless of the light rain we experienced. From the drivers of the buses, to the captains and their staffs working the boats everyone was fantastic & the day went quickly and was well organized. The buses and boats were clean and well kept. Having experienced both Doubtful and Milford this week, this tour was relaxing and informative and didn’t seem as long as I imagined. I loved the fact that everyone involved stressed the importance of preservation, and great to hear profits from this tour are donated to preserving this incredible place. Great team effort!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Abel Tasman National Park: Sailing and Self-Guided Walk

Abel Tasman National Park: Sailing and Self-Guided Walk - Anchorage Bay: your lunch break with no cafes, plus a swim option

10.Abel Tasman National Park: Sailing and Self-Guided Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 238 reviews · 8 hours · from $80Best value

Sail Abel Tasman’s coast from Kaiteriteri to Anchorage Bay, then hike back to Marahau on a self-guided coastal track.

“Had a wonderful day’s touring including the catamaran and the walk through the park. Claudia who collected us from the Marahau car park and joined us sailing was knowledgeable and friendly. Very much enjoyed listing to the birds on Adele Island and watching the sea lions with pups at play. Our walk out was a bit longer than expected @ 4+ hours but picturesque.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Stewart Island: Ulva Island Guided Wilderness Walk & Cruise

Stewart Island: Ulva Island Guided Wilderness Walk & Cruise - Ulva Island Wildlife Sanctuary: How a Bird Walk Should Feel

From Queenstown: Dart River Wilderness Jet Boat Experience

From Queenstown: Dart River Wilderness Jet Boat Experience - On the river: how the adrenaline, turns, and spins work in real life

12.From Queenstown: Dart River Wilderness Jet Boat Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 123 reviews · 2 - 4 hours · from $178

Speed over the glacier-fed Dart River from Queenstown and Glenorchy, with Maori stories, film locations, and warm jackets.

“Lots of fun and a great adrenaline rush! The handrails were burning my hands in the rear seat so Andreas turned the heat down but they got hot again. Seems there’s a problem with the heater on the last seat rail in the smaller boat.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Abel Tasman National Park: Cruise, Walk & Sailing Tour

Abel Tasman National Park: Cruise, Walk & Sailing Tour - Kaiteriteri water taxi: the 30-minute “arrive and exhale” moment

13.Abel Tasman National Park: Cruise, Walk & Sailing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 100 reviews · 6 hours · from $122

Cruise to Anchorage Bay, hike Pitt Head, relax at Te Pukatea Bay, then sail in style with seals spotting around Abel Tasman.

“I thoroughly recommend doing this activity for anyone spending time in Abel Tasman. The shuttle was a great way to get to Anchorage Bay which had the most amazing walks and views as well as being the most wonderful beach. The sail back was the perfect way to finish of our day and teh crew where both very accommodating and informative. I recommend buying the lunches from the operator as they were well worth it.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Abel Tasman National Park: Day Sailing Adventure with Lunch

Abel Tasman National Park: Day Sailing Adventure with Lunch - Getting started in Kaiteriteri, no hotel pickup, easy parking

14.Abel Tasman National Park: Day Sailing Adventure with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 84 reviews · from $158

Sail Abel Tasman from Kaiteriteri to Anchorage Beach for an hour of sun, swimming, and caves, plus seals and Split Apple Rock.

“This is a very relaxed way to see the coastline while sailing along. We were lucky and had a beautiful day with some breeze so the sails could be out. The guides, Inky and Steph, were great. They were informative and we learned about the islands, coves and the wildlife. There were some good photo opportunities. We stopped for an hour at Anchorage bay for lunch. It is stunning. The lunch was a wrap and some cakes plus an apple. Tea and coffee was available on board throughout the trip. All in all this is a great trip. Be prepared to get wet feet when you board and leave the…”

Check availability →Read our full review

Full-Day Abel Tasman National Park Hiking Tour with Cruise

Full-Day Abel Tasman National Park Hiking Tour with Cruise - The water taxi cruise, why it’s more than transport

15.Full-Day Abel Tasman National Park Hiking Tour with Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 81 reviews · from $371

Guided Abel Tasman hike from Nelson with a water taxi cruise, small-group service, and lunch at Torrent Beach. Pickup included.

“This was even better than we expected it to be! Angelika, our guide, was great - she told us everything we wanted to know about local flora and fauna, made sure everyone was able to keep up and kept us well-fed and hydrated throughout the day. Also, her picking us up in town was really convenient, as we were travelling by bus and train, and getting to Kaiteriteri and beyond would have been impossible otherwise. Would definitely recommend this tour to others hoping to explore Abel Tasman, one of the most beautiful parts of NZ - which is saying something :)”

Check availability →Read our full review