The 15 Glenorchy Day Trips That Earn Their Price

1.Lord Of The Rings Tour to Glenorchy

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 432 reviews · 4h 30m · from $124Our pick

Ride from Queenstown to Glenorchy in a small group of up to 11, stopping at 12 Mile Delta, the red shed, Lothlórien, Paradise, and Isengard. Guides such as Dan, Tristan, Solomon, Amy, and Max share film trivia, local stories, and time for costume photos with replica swords.

“Solomon was a very good driver and awesome knowledgeable host We soooo loved this trip,the stops & little walking along with the afternoon tea and the audio including couple of songs Solomon did added to magic of the day! Big thanks Martin & Brigitte”

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2.Glenorchy & Paradise Half-Day Scenic Tour from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 397 reviews · from $117Top rated

Ride from Queenstown to Glenorchy and Paradise in a small group of up to 16, stopping at Bennett’s Bluff, the wharf, beech forests, riverbeds, and movie locations. Guides such as Do, Steve, Ash, and Shanay add Māori stories, film facts, Kiwi music, costumes, and morning or afternoon tea.

“Ash was a great guide. The scenery is amazing and the weather held up perfectly well for the trip. We had a few stops at beautiful lookout points.”

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3.Glenorchy and Paradise Scenic Half-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 237 reviews · 4h 30m · from $107

Travel from Queenstown to Glenorchy and Paradise in a comfortable Mercedes van with an English-speaking guide such as Ash, Beth, Do, or Steve. See Lake Whakatipu, Mt Aspiring National Park, Diamond Lake, and Lord of the Rings filming sites, with costumes and a Kiwi-style picnic included.

“It was great! Wonderful scenery, Beth was a very professional, welcoming and knowledgeable guide, interesting itinerary, a scrumptious and generous morning tea, fun with the opportunity to dress up in LOTR outfits and the weather was kind to us.”

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4.Lord of the Rings Scenic Tour – Glenorchy (half day)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 235 reviews · from $190

Travel from Queenstown to Glenorchy and Paradise in a six-passenger 4WD with a guide such as Justin, Jono, Roger, or Rachel. See Isengard, Lothlórien, and Ithilien Camp, hear film and local stories, pose with props, and enjoy hot drinks and cake before returning.

“Great tour guide and a wonderful trip. Telaxed pace snd stunning drive ftom Wueenstown to Glenorchy. Must do if LOTR fan.”

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5.Half Day Trip to Glenorchy by Coach

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 94 reviews · from $52Best value

Travel by air-conditioned coach from central Queenstown to Glenorchy with a local driver and live commentary. Hear Māori legends and pioneer stories, stop for Lake Wakatipu photos, then enjoy 1.5 hours for a short walk, café visit, or local pub before returning.

“The tour was great! Our guide was amazing & quite funny! His McDonalds joke is one that will stay with me for a long time. Very interesting facts learnt on this tour.”

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6.Milford Sound Fly Explore Fly ex Queenstown by Glenorchy Air

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 89 reviews · from $340

Glenorchy Air flies you from Queenstown over Lake Wakatipu, Glenorchy, the Dart Valley, glaciers, and Fiordland to Milford Sound. After landing, you get up to two hours for three short walks, including the Foreshore Track and Lady Bowen Falls, before flying back.

“Amazing Views!! Superb staff and team. The flight is worth every $. Milford sound is beautiful Thanks Ivan !”

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7.Glenorchy Kiwi Special Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 60 reviews · from $61

Travel from Queenstown to Glenorchy in a small-group, air-conditioned vehicle with a driver-guide, scenic stops, and Māori history and mythology told along the way. You’ll visit Bennetts Bluff, the lagoon walkway, the Red Shed, and Mrs Woolly’s General Store, then explore Glenorchy at your own pace.

“Fantastic! Guide was the best, very knowledgeable and patient. Amazing experience. Highly recommend!”

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8.Mt. Cook Fly Explore Fly ex Queenstown by Glenorchy Air

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 49 reviews · from $526

Fly with Glenorchy Air from Queenstown to Mount Cook Airport, taking in glaciers and peaks with pilot commentary from names such as James, William, or Jim. Spend about five hours at Aoraki Mount Cook Village, with time for the Hooker Valley Track, lunch, and the Sir Edmund Hillary Centre before your return flight.

“James was our pilot and ZK-KDK was our plane! Weather was fantastic. It was a great day! Smooth plane ❤️❤️❤️!”

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9.Glenorchy: 4WD Lord Of the Rings Tour Half-Day

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 37 reviews · from $167

Ride from Queenstown to Glenorchy and Paradise Valley in a six-seat 4WD, stopping at Isengard, Lothlórien, Ithilien Camp, and movie sites from Narnia and Wolverine. Your English-speaking guide adds filming stories, while replica props make photo stops more fun.

“Our guide was very friendly and offered lots of interesting information. It was great seeing iconic locations and having our pictures taken with movie props.”

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10.Photography Tour from Queenstown to Glenorchy – 1/2 Day

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 32 reviews · from $235

Join photographer Glen Howey for a private five-hour drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy. You’ll photograph Lake Wakatipu, snow-capped peaks, beech forest, lakes, rivers, and film locations linked to *The Lord of the Rings* and Narnia. Hotel pickup, snacks, and camera help are included.

“We began early to take advantage of the first light breaking over the mirror like reflection of the lake at Glenorchy. The scenery was magical and i learned some great pointers about shooting long exposures.”

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11.Stewart Island Fly Explore Fly ex Queenstown by Glenorchy Air

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews · from $526

Take a scenic Glenorchy Air flight from Queenstown to Stewart Island with live commentary from pilots such as Joseph or Will. After landing, you get up to five hours to explore Oban independently, with return transfers from Ryans Creek Airstrip included.

“Joseph is a highly skilled, professional and confident flyer. He is very sociable, kind and thoughtful. The flight to Stewart Island is not to be missed especially with a Glenorchy pilot”

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12.Glenorchy Island Safari, Self-drive option

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · from $96

Meet your guide at 64 Oban Street in Glenorchy for a private kayaking trip to Pigeon Island. After safety training, paddle across Lake Wakatipu, enjoy tea and fruit cake, look for weka, and return along the wild shoreline. Amanda, Grace, Marcus, Andy, or another guide may lead your group.

“The whole experience was relaxed and very enjoyable, Marcus and Andy are very personable and great guides. I would highly recommend booking this regardless of your kayaking experience. We were very lucky in that when we arrived at thRead more”

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13.Private Half Day Photography Tour of Queenstown | Skippers | Glenorchy

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 17 reviews · from $223

Join local photographer Aiste for a private 4.5-hour tour from Queenstown. Travel in an air-conditioned 4WD to photograph places such as Arrowtown, Lake Hayes, Kawarau Gorge, Skippers Canyon, or Glenorchy. You can choose one longer-distance route, with guidance for beginners through advanced photographers.

“Aiste knows the area and gave great suggestions for pictures. We went to a number of locations that were spot on for what I wanted. A delightful person with a great understanding of photography.”

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14.Glenorchy Private Day Trip from Queenstown: TravelnGo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews

TravelnGo takes your private group from Queenstown to Glenorchy for six flexible hours of lake views, short walks, photo stops, cafés, and optional Paradise scenery. Guides including Jay, Vibhas, and Green tailor the route to your pace in a clean, air-conditioned vehicle.

“What a fantastic private tour of Glenorchy and surrounds hosted by Vibhas! He was a great tour guide showing us all the hidden picturesque locations from Queenstown to Glenorchy and accomodating a request to drop into Ayrburn which wRead more”

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15.Private Full Day Photo Tour of Queenstown | Skippers | Glenorchy | Wanaka |Otago

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · from $322

Spend 7 to 8 hours with local photographer Aiste on a private Queenstown photo tour for 1 to 4 people. Shape the route around Arrowtown, Skippers Canyon, Glenorchy, Wanaka, or other nearby spots, with photo guidance, a picnic lunch, 4WD transport, and 5 to 10 professional images included.

“This review is long overdue, but I wanted to thank Aiste for a fabulous day of photography and sightseeing! Participating in a photo tour like this was a new experience for me, and I found it to be truly worthwhile – Aiste was incredibly helpful iRead more”

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