Queenstown · FULL-DAY
The 15 best full-day tours you can book today, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason, so start there.
Fly from Queenstown to Milford Sound over the Southern Alps, cruise beneath waterfalls, and return by a different scenic route.
“One of the best experiences of our holiday. only way to do Milford sound i think. Amazing”
Review of the Te Anau to Milford Sound day tour, with small-group transport, scenic stops, morning tea, wildlife, and a two-hour cruise.
“Tanya, our expert guide was so knowlegeable, very entertaining and highly professional. We had a brilliant day. Cant recommend it highly enough. On top of that the lunch provided was delicious. We also welcomed her recommendations for places to eat and shop. Captain Chris also entertaining, and gave us an interesting experience, including a Glacial Facial, for those needing it or wanting it!”
Explore Milford Sound from Te Anau by minivan, small boat, and short forest walks, with a local guide, picnic lunch, and hotel pickup.
“Amazing day. Wonderful guide. No need to worry about the driving and having the chance to explore quite a few interesting short walking trails to add extra fun to the trip. Smaller boat can take you closer to the waterfalls.”
Review of Luxe Tours’ 9-hour Milford Sound trip from Te Anau, with small-group transport, scenic stops, guide support, and a fjord cruise.
“So much packed into a single day. Rainforest, incredible scenery and then parting clouds in Milford Sound to reveal breathtaking beauty. The tour was well organized and punctual and did an excellent job of handling varying weather conRead more”
Review of Altitude Tours’ 12-hour Mount Cook trip from Queenstown, with Lindis Pass, Lake Pukaki, guided commentary, hikes, and practical tips.
“Loved everything about this day.. Our guide and driver , Ana, was enthusiastic, knowledgeable and organised which made the whole day run smoothly. We decided to do the helicopter ride at Mt Cook and wow, what an experience! Friendly ground staff and pilots made the experience of flying around the mountains and landing in the snow for photos an experience never to forget! Would recommend this tour to anyone!”
Cycle from Arrowtown through Gibbston Valley, stopping at wineries, a tavern, and cafes on a self-guided bike or e-bike tour from Queenstown.
“Around the Basin was great to deal with. They described the route perfectly to keep on the right path. The route is lovely and away from car traffic except for a few crossings. The full day is quite a long ride for those not accustom to biking there are some steep inclines and hairpin turns. Around the Basin was very accommodating with pick-up location, thanks John!”
Ride from historic Arrowtown to Queenstown on a self-guided 36-kilometer trail with mountain views, river bridges, bikes, and shuttle included.
“We rented e-bikes (mountain bikes) for a ride from Arrowtown to Queenstown. We were driven to Arrowtown where we were given mountain e-bikes with helmets. After getting some instructions and a map, we hit the trail. The trail ride down was an awesome trail that ran from Arrowtown to Queenstown with 95% of the trail on gravel pathways. We only had small sections on rural roads. The trail wound down to Queenstown downtown where we dropped off the bikes. We had the bikes for a full day which allowed us to explore around Queenstown by bike as well. The weather was great and the ride provided some great scenery through…”
Explore Queenstown's Lord of the Rings filming sites by 4WD, with costumes, lunch, hot drinks, gold panning, and a six-person group.
“Jen was fun and knew everything! Even if you had not seen any movies, the tour was engaging and interesting and gave you a real sense for the incredible variety of geography in NZ…and at each stop, she showed photo from movies to match precisely where you were. (Tour co. selects lunch site if do all day, would have liked healthier choice.)”
Spend 10 hours exploring Queenstown’s Lord of the Rings locations, from Glenorchy to Arrowtown, with props, stories, scenery, and lunch break.
“I had a blast on this tour. Ian for the morning half, and Dan for the afternoon. It was slightly overcast in the morning of the day I went, but the cloud cover cleared up as the day went on, which meant a lot of great photo opportunities. Both guidRead more”
Walk the Milford Track to Giant Gate Waterfall, then cruise Milford Sound by small boat with guides, wildlife views, and practical planning advice.
“Ben was a wonderful guide, very insightful and helpful. Learnt about the region and wouldn’t have been able to appreciate it as much as we did without his knowledge. Thanks for a fabulous day!! Highly recommend!!”
Take a rugged 4WD trip from Queenstown to gold-mining Macetown with a small group, alpine walking, gold panning, lunch, and expert guides.
“Nikol is very good guy ,we experience amazing &’thrill ride. He ride on different way like mountains & second most thrilling part is ride through river, it’s thrilling…….”
Ride from Queenstown to Christchurch through Aoraki Mount Cook, Lake Tekapo, Lindis Pass, and the Southern Alps on a scenic 12-hour tour.
“A fantastic day to a beautiful location with a really knowledgable and helpful guide. It Thoroughly recommended”
Explore Lord of the Rings filming sites at Mavora Lakes from Queenstown, with Southland scenery, licensed props, and expert guides.
“Great Experience! The only drawback is the amount of time spent in the car, however the reward of what's at each stop is definitely worth it! Our guides were indeed LOTR nerds and gave us tons of great information about the scenic filming locations, behind the scenes facts, and so much more. Highly recommend to any LOTR fan.”
Explore Lord of the Rings filming sites near Queenstown, from Skippers Canyon to Glenorchy, with props, costumes, stories, and striking scenery.
“The tour guides provided an amazing tour of the local Lord of the Rings filming locations and they provided interesting stories about the filming that took place there. Plus it was a lot of fun to have photos with the movie prop replicas and read copies of the original scripts during the bus journeys.”
Spend nine hours photographing Queenstown, Southern Lakes, and film sites with a private pro guide, flexible routes, and hotel pickup.
“Martin was an excellent professional guide. His knowledge of the area and history of the people is stellar. I would highly recommend his services for a wonderful small group experience. His knowledge of photography is second to none. I highly recommend this tour and would love to work with him again.”
Pick a boat, a rotor, a track or a cellar door.
