New Zealand · QUEENSTOWN TOURS

The 15 Best Queenstown Tours & Activities

370 tours  ·  from $8

Everything leaves from one waterfront, which makes Queenstown the easiest base in the country to fill. The 15 below sort the jet boats, the Milford coaches and the Central Otago wine days by price, pace and how much of it you spend sitting down.

Queenstown: Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ & Lake Whakatipu Cruise - The two-hour stop at Walter Peak
BBQ, Boat Tours in Queenstown, Cruises & Boat Tours, Queenstown Tours, Tour Reviews

Queenstown: Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ & Lake Whakatipu Cruise

1.Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ & Lake Whakatipu Cruise

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

Take a 210-minute RealNZ outing from Queenstown to Walter Peak on the TSS Earnslaw steamship or Spirit of Queenstown catamaran. Expect a lakeside BBQ buffet, farm animals, sheep shearing, and a sheepdog display. Guides such as Pete, Joe, Josh, Mia, and Echo have helped make the farm show a highlight.

“Amazing views and food — the sheep-shearing part of the farm show wasn’t my favorite, but everything else was absolutely spectacular.”

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Queenstown: Milford Sound Coach & Cruise Full-Day Trip - Queenstown Pickup and the Early Coach Ride
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Queenstown: Milford Sound Coach & Cruise Full-Day Trip

2.Milford Sound Coach & Cruise Full-Day Trip

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

Ride from Queenstown or Te Anau to Milford Sound with local guide commentary, scenic stops, a packed lunch, and a cruise with three viewing decks. Guides such as Brendan, Brian, and Robben are known for lively stories, careful driving, and helpful photo stops. Expect a long but rewarding day.

“love love loved the tour. Pick up effortless driver full of knowledge cruise amazing. If you have never been to milford sounds do your best to get there it is so beautiful and serene.”

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Shotover River Extreme Jet Boat Ride in Queenstown - From Duke Street to the river base
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Shotover River Extreme Jet Boat Ride in Queenstown

3.Shotover River Extreme Jet Boat Ride in Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,540 reviews · from $113Top rated

Take a high-speed jet boat through the Shotover River’s narrow canyon, skimming over rapids and spinning 360 degrees under the direction of a skilled local captain such as Peter, Joe, Paul, or Matt. The ride lasts about 25 minutes, with shuttle transport from central Queenstown, lifejackets, lockers, and optional souvenir photos.

“This is awesome. Totally easy and a ton of fun. This specific jet boat tour is clearly the one to do. A short scenic drive up to the launch point, is worth it vs. just being in Queenstown harbor area. The captain was great fun, and highly experiencRead more”

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Small Group, Award Winning Milford Sound Day Experience & Cruise - A premium Mercedes van and a smaller group
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Small Group, Award Winning Milford Sound Day Experience & Cruise

4.Small Group, Award Winning Milford Sound Day Experience & Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,416 reviews · from $235

Travel from Queenstown to Milford Sound in a premium Mercedes van with up to 15 people, stopping at Lake Te Anau, Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes, and the Homer Tunnel. Your local guide handles the long drive, while lunch, WiFi, hot drinks, and a nature cruise are included.

“It is a very long day but so worth it! Milford Sound is majestic and beautiful! I’m so happy I made the trip.”

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Milford Sound Fly-Cruise-Fly Tour from Queenstown - Landing at Milford Sound
Boat Tours in Queenstown, Cruises & Boat Tours, Milford Sound Cruises, Queenstown Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Milford Sound Fly-Cruise-Fly Tour from Queenstown

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

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

Fly with True South Flights over Lake Wakatipu, the Southern Alps, glaciers, valleys, and waterfalls to Milford Sound. Enjoy a roughly two-hour cruise, then return to Queenstown by another scenic route. Pilots such as Luke, Andrew, Michael, and Tanmay provide commentary along the way.

“This experience is a must do if you visit Queenstown. The pilot was amazing. One of the highlights of our trip.”

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Queenstown: Shotover River and Kawarau River Jet Boat Ride - Entering the Kawarau River at up to 95 kph
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Queenstown: Shotover River and Kawarau River Jet Boat Ride

6.Shotover River and Kawarau River Jet Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,682 reviews · 1 hour · from $89

Ride KJet’s big yellow jet boat from Queenstown’s Main Town Pier across Lake Wakatipu, then up the Kawarau and Shotover rivers. Expect speeds up to 95 kph, repeated 360-degree spins, mountain views, and helpful guides such as Puni, Sam, Reuben, and Charles. You will likely get wet, even in good weather.

“Fantastic fun filled ride. Had a great time. A must do in Queenstown.”

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

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

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

Trade a long road trip for return scenic flights over the Southern Alps, Mt Aspiring, and Fiordland National Park, then take a two-hour Milford Sound cruise. Every plane seat has a window, and pilots such as Jared, Andy, Mike, and Kirk add useful commentary when conditions allow.

“Highlight of our month spent touring NZ so far. Blessed with stunning weather of clear blue skies which showed off the incredible scenery perfectly. The scenery on the flight was spectacular and the pilot provided great commentary with friendly approach. Wonderful to then see Milford Sound on a boat, again great commentary and real up close experiences of waterfalls. Yes expensive…but worth it 🤩”

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Queenstown: Lake Wakatipu Scenic Cruise (90 Minutes) - Willow islands, birdlife, and Kawarau Falls Dam
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Queenstown: Lake Wakatipu Scenic Cruise (90 Minutes)

8.Lake Wakatipu Scenic Cruise (90 Minutes)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,462 reviews · from $49Best value

Spend 90 minutes aboard Million Dollar 2 cruising from Queenstown Bay to Kawarau Falls Dam and back. Captain-led commentary covers Queenstown’s shoreline, lakeside homes, birdlife, and local history. Choose the heated cabin or outdoor seating, with drinks and snacks available at the onboard bar.

“Good fun. Lots of interesting information on the way! Boat has bar and refreshments (and a toilet) great way to see the lake”

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NZONE Skydive Queenstown - Choosing 9,000, 12,000, or 15,000 feet
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NZONE Skydive Queenstown

9.NZONE Skydive Queenstown

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

Take a tandem skydive above Queenstown from 9,000, 12,000, or 15,000 feet. NZONE provides training, gear, an experienced instructor, and coach transport from 35 Shotover Street. Expect about 3.5 hours, striking views of Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables, and optional photos and video.

“Absolutely amazing and must do experience! I did 15 000 dive with ultimate package and have never been more happy about any experience. Big + to the camera lady, my videos and photos are insanely good.”

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From Queenstown: Milford Sound Cruise and Coach Day Trip - Meeting in Queenstown before the long road
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From Queenstown: Milford Sound Cruise and Coach Day Trip

10.Milford Sound Cruise and Coach Day Trip

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

Take RealNZ’s glass-roof coach from Queenstown to Milford Sound, stopping around Te Anau and along Milford Road before a two-hour nature cruise. Guides such as Danny, Dean, and Paulie add local stories, while the boat brings you close to waterfalls, cliffs, seals, dolphins, and penguins.

“A long, tiring day but well worth it. We had amazing weather and the trip on Milford Sound was unforgettable ❤️”

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Lord of the Rings Scenic Half Day Tour from Queenstown - The drive to Glenorchy sets the tone
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Lord of the Rings Scenic Half Day Tour from Queenstown

11.Lord of the Rings Scenic Half Day Tour from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,285 reviews · from $123

Ride from central Queenstown to Glenorchy and Mt. Aspiring National Park with guides such as Amy, Tristan, Max, Dan, and Solomon. See real Lord of the Rings locations, enjoy a picnic, walk to Twelve Mile Delta, visit Isengard, and try costumes and swords.

“Excellent LOTR half-day tour. Lots of information and details for fans and non-fans. Go on it and enjoy!”

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Queenstown: TSS Earnslaw Cruise of Lake Whakatipu - Boarding in Queenstown and finding your place
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Queenstown: TSS Earnslaw Cruise of Lake Whakatipu

12.TSS Earnslaw Cruise of Lake Whakatipu

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

Sail for 90 minutes from Queenstown aboard the TSS Earnslaw, a century-old coal-fired steamship. Hear the captain’s commentary, watch stokers feed the fire, explore the wheelhouse and photo museum, and buy coffee, tea, wine, beer, or snacks onboard.

“Lovely boat and museum. Piano player a lovely touch and very entertaining. Commentary was not clear and lacking in content, interesting points along the way. History of the boat etc”

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Queenstown Segway Tour - Getting comfortable before the ride
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Queenstown Segway Tour

13.Queenstown Segway Tour

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

Join guide Kevin for a 1- or 2-hour Segway tour from One Mile Car Park. After safety training and practice, ride Queenstown Bay, Lake Wakatipu, Marine Parade, and Queenstown Gardens. The longer route adds hillier paths, farther lakeside views, and a short off-Segway activity.

“A really great way to see around Queenstown quickly, we did this on our first day and covered so much more ground than walking we could then go back on foot to explore any bits we wanted to see more of. The Segways are a little tricky at first but it doesn't take long to get the hang of riding them. Kevin is a fantastic guide and gives you a quick lesson in the car park before heading off, we went through town and into the Queenstown gardens covering about 10km in 2 hours, we highly recommend this tour - I'm so pleased we did this (moto X bike family)…”

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Queenstown: Shotover River Extreme Jet Boat Experience - From Queenstown to the jet base
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Queenstown: Shotover River Extreme Jet Boat Experience

14.Shotover River Extreme Jet Boat Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,203 reviews · 25 - 90 minutes · from $107

You’ll race through the Shotover Canyons with an expert English-speaking driver, skimming rapids at up to 90kmh and spinning 360 degrees near towering rock walls. Choose the Queenstown shuttle or drive yourself, and dress warmly: the wind can be cold even when you stay mostly dry.

“Wow! Exhilarating through the canyons. The turns were exciting and the kids and I loved it. Thanks for an awesome experience with a fun and professional guide :)”

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Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ Lunch & Queenstown Lake Cruise - Crossing Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak
BBQ, Boat Tours in Queenstown, Cruises & Boat Tours, Lunch Experiences, Queenstown Tours, Tour Reviews

Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ Lunch & Queenstown Lake Cruise

15.Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ Lunch & Queenstown Lake Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,196 reviews · from $98

Sail from Queenstown to Walter Peak High Country Farm aboard the vintage TSS Earnslaw, or possibly the Spirit of Queenstown, for a chef-prepared BBQ buffet, gardens, lake views, and a sheep-shearing and sheepdog show hosted by the farm team, including Pete.

“The lake view during the cruise was quite beautiful, and the BBQ lunch was nice! They got all kinds of meat, so don’t miss it if you are a meat lover!”

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New in Queenstown Tours

★ 4.5Scenic Queenstown Lake CruiseFrom $4222 reviews
★ 5.0Full-Day Small-Group Routeburn Valley HikeFrom $29311 reviews
★ 5.0Routeburn Track Guided Hike (Full Day)From $25727 reviews
★ 5.0Scenic Guided eBike Tour Ride to the LakeFrom $13967 reviews
★ 4.5Routeburn Track Guided Walk (Half-Day)From $16217 reviews
★ 5.0E-Bike Adventures Through the Wineries in GibbstonFrom $8322 reviews
★ 5.0Queenstown Memories Helicopter FlightFrom $36636 reviews
★ 5.0Remarkables Alpine Guided SnowshoeingFrom $4214 reviews
★ 5.06 Hour’s – Queenstown’s Helicopter Gin TourFrom $4698 reviews
★ 5.0Radical U-Drive – Highlands Motorsport and Tourism ParkFrom $26633 reviews
★ 5.0Queenstown’s Ultimate Off-Road ExperienceFrom $3355 reviews
★ 4.5Queenstown to Lake Tekapo via Mt Cook One-Way Small Group TourFrom $22213 reviews
★ 5.0Queenstown to Mt Cook Small Group Tour (One-Way)From $13325 reviews
★ 5.0Queenstown’s Gin & Spirits Tasting TourFrom $15139 reviews
★ 5.0Queenstown to Franz Josef via Wanaka Small Group Day Tour (1-Way)From $17945 reviews

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