Category Queenstown Tours and Day Trips

New Zealand · QUEENSTOWN TOURS AND DAY TRIPS

The 15 Best Queenstown Tours & Day Trips

98 reviewed

Queenstown is the busiest booking town in the country and the hardest one to plan, because a fiord, a wine valley and a canyon full of jet boats are all within reach of the same morning. These 15 are the ones worth your days: how early each starts, how long you lose to the road, what a seat costs, and which to give up if the forecast turns.

Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown

Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown - Lake Wakatipu views and Devil’s Staircase photo energy

1.Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,001 reviews · from $216Our pick

Small-group Milford Sound day trip from Queenstown with hotel pickup, scenic stops, picnic lunch, and a 2-hour cruise to Mitre Peak.

“We recently went on this experience and highly recommend it to anyone visiting Queenstown, New Zealand. It exceeded our expectations in every way. Joe, our guide, drove us to Milford Fiord (learnt that it is geographically accurate name for Milford Sound) and went above and beyond to make the journey engaging and informative. His insightful commentary throughout the drive helped us truly appreciate the geographic, historical, and cultural significance of the scenic lookouts. Despite the heavy rain, the tour was conducted seamlessly and in fact, Milford Fiord was even more spectacular in the rain. The cruise itself was beyond words, making us feel as though we had stepped into another…”

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Queenstown: Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ & Lake Whakatipu Cruise

Queenstown: Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ & Lake Whakatipu Cruise - Choosing Spirit of Queenstown vs TSS Earnslaw

2.Queenstown: Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ & Lake Whakatipu Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 2,713 reviews · 3h 30m · from $95

Cruise Lake Whakatipu to Walter Peak for a wood-fired gourmet BBQ, lakeside farm dog show, and a relaxing return ride by ship.

“Had a great day out on the TSS Earnslaw. Arrived at 10.30am for 11am boarding and arrived back about 3pm. Onboard had plenty of areas to sit and was able to move around. Was able to see the steam room for the boat which was amazing! We arrived at the farm/station and debarked the boat. Absolutely beautiful spot, with flowers and buildings along the lake. Signage/instructions was poor: no clear area to head to or where to go so everyone just followed each other, but wasn’t a big deal! The food was a BBQ buffet, beautifully cooked with decent variety. We then were given a short period to explore the…”

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Queenstown: Milford Sound Coach & Cruise Full-Day Trip

Queenstown: Milford Sound Coach & Cruise Full-Day Trip - The Queenstown to Te Anau road trip: the slow build to the fiord

3.Queenstown: Milford Sound Coach & Cruise Full-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 2,592 reviews · from $144

Full-day Milford Sound cruise from Queenstown with coach views, tea and lunch, 3 decks, and close-up Stirling Falls.

“Milford sound was BEAUTIFUL! Highly recommend this day trip and cruise. We had an amazing driver, Brandon (maybe spelled Brendan). Our driver was informative, kind, friendly, sociable and offered to take photos for his passengers at the stops. For a tourist not from AU, I would have loved WiFi on the coach bus.”

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Shotover River Extreme Jet Boat Ride in Queenstown

Shotover River Extreme Jet Boat Ride in Queenstown - Getting to the launch area from Queenstown (and keeping it simple)

Milford Sound Fly-Cruise-Fly Tour from Queenstown

Milford Sound Fly-Cruise-Fly Tour from Queenstown - Milford Sound Cruise: Tea, Wildlife Chances, and Boat Crowding to Expect

5.Milford Sound Fly-Cruise-Fly Tour from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,792 reviews · from $462

Fly Queenstown to Milford Sound, cruise the fjord, then fly back a different way, saving road time with big alpine views.

“Holy cow was this awesome! The beauty of Milford Sound is unmatched. The plane was an amazing way to experience the beauty of the mountains. Our pilot Andrew was incredible and very friendly and knowledgeable. The boat was a little crowded, but it was comfortable nonetheless. One of my favorite things we did in NZ!”

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Queenstown: Shotover River and Kawarau River Jet Boat Ride

Queenstown: Shotover River and Kawarau River Jet Boat Ride - Up the Kawarau River: rocks, bridges, and fast passes

From Queenstown: Milford Sound Full-Day Trip by Plane & Boat

From Queenstown: Milford Sound Full-Day Trip by Plane & Boat - Queenstown pickup, check-in, and how the day stays smooth

7.From Queenstown: Milford Sound Full-Day Trip by Plane & Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,558 reviews · 5 hours · from $447

Fly Queenstown to Milford Sound with guaranteed window seats, then enjoy a 2-hour boat cruise through Mitre Peak and waterfalls.

“The whole activity was excellent from start to finish, especially the outward and return flight to Milford Sound, just a sheer magical experience from start to finish, the cruise was also excellent. I highly recommend this to anyone just brilliant.”

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Queenstown: Lake Wakatipu Scenic Cruise (90 Minutes)

Queenstown: Lake Wakatipu Scenic Cruise (90 Minutes) - Queenstown Bay to Kelvin Heights: shoreline views, Central from the water, and golf-course angles

NZONE Skydive Queenstown

NZONE Skydive Queenstown - Altitude Choices: 9,000, 12,000, or 15,000 Feet

9.NZONE Skydive Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,438 reviews · from $222

NZONE Skydive Queenstown offers tandem jumps from 9,000, 12,000, or 15,000 feet with coach transfers and optional photo and video.

“This experience was A-MAZE-ING!!! The entire team, from orientation, to suiting up, to the drivers that take you back & for made the entire experience seamless. My diver, Tracey, was phenomenal. With over 6k dives, she was a wealth of information. She made me feel extremely comfortable. And then there are views. The views are breathtakingly beautiful. Queenstown, NZ is the most picturesque place I’ve ever visitedThis is definitely a once in a lifetime experience.”

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From Queenstown: Milford Sound Cruise and Coach Day Trip

From Queenstown: Milford Sound Cruise and Coach Day Trip - The Coach Ride From Queenstown: Comfort and Photo Stops That Matter

10.From Queenstown: Milford Sound Cruise and Coach Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,417 reviews · from $152

Glass-roof coach from Queenstown to Milford Sound, a 2-hour wildlife cruise, and Milford Road photo stops for $152.

“Our guide was great fun, he gave lots of information on the journey - all with a good sense of humour. All the timings were perfect, the cruise did not disappoint, we were lucky to have a clear, sunny day!”

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Lord of the Rings Scenic Half Day Tour from Queenstown

Lord of the Rings Scenic Half Day Tour from Queenstown - Stop-by-stop: Bennets Bluff, Bob’s Cove Track, and Glenorchy Wharf

Queenstown: TSS Earnslaw Cruise of Lake Whakatipu

Queenstown: TSS Earnslaw Cruise of Lake Whakatipu - The 90-minute cruise flow, and when you’ll want to sit outside

12.Queenstown: TSS Earnslaw Cruise of Lake Whakatipu

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,255 reviews · 1h 30m · from $68

Cruise Lake Whakatipu on the coal-powered TSS Earnslaw, tour the engine room, and enjoy historic onboard stops, with optional Walter Peak add-ons.

“A bit hard to hear the guide at times otherwise fabulous ! Breathtaking scenery and awesome to see the stokers down below…. exceeded our expectations!”

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Queenstown Segway Tour

Queenstown Segway Tour - Safety training that actually builds confidence

13.Queenstown Segway Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,235 reviews · from $61

Glide through Queenstown on a small-group Segway tour, cruising Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown Gardens with a guide. 1 or 2 hours.

“Terrific way to get around and see the beautiful surrounds of Queenstown. Great clear instructions on how to ride the Segway as a complete novice, to the point of feeling really confident at the end of the two hours.”

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Queenstown: Shotover River Extreme Jet Boat Experience

Queenstown: Shotover River Extreme Jet Boat Experience - Getting There and Boarding: What Happens Before You Hear the Throttle

Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ Lunch & Queenstown Lake Cruise

Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ Lunch & Queenstown Lake Cruise - Sheep herding and shearing: the show that keeps it authentic