11 National Park Trips from Queenstown to Build a Day Around

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

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 678 reviews · from $127Our pick

Race the Upper Waiau River from Te Anau to Lake Manapouri, with Fiordland scenery, Lord of the Rings sites, spins, and a forest walk.

“It was a AWESOME experience Very knowledgeable driver The session was a lot longer then we expected it also included stops with the history of the area The hard turns of the Jet boat was Fantastic we all had a great time I would highly recommend this company for anyone they were AWESOME”

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2.Dart River Jet Boat and Wilderness Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 531 reviews · from $190

Review of the Dart River jet boat tour from Queenstown, with Glenorchy scenery, Mt Aspiring National Park, practical tips, and value advice.

“John our captain was incredible I felt safe and the scenery was dramatic. Such a cool experience on the river”

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4.Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 314 reviews · 13 hours · from $277

Review of RealNZ’s 13-hour Doubtful Sound trip from Queenstown, with Lake Manapouri, Wilmot Pass, rainforest, wildlife, and practical tips.

“The scenery was epic. The boat ride through the fiord started with rain but on the return back, may waterfalls appeared that did not exist on the trip in. The crew and guide were excellent, very knowledgeable and friendly.”

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5.Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise from Te Anau

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

Review of the 9-hour Doubtful Sound cruise from Te Anau, with Lake Manapouri, Wilmot Pass, wildlife, costs, timing, and practical tips.

“Fantastic trip. Amazing place. So peaceful. Scenery was amazing. Very special place. Fortunate to be followed by bottlenose dolphins travelling in the wake of the boat.”

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6.Jet Boat and Wilderness Walk Tour from Wanaka

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

Ride the Matukituki River and walk through Mount Aspiring National Park on a lively, scenic four-hour tour from Wanaka.

“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”

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7.Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise from Queenstown

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

Review of the 12-hour Doubtful Sound cruise from Queenstown, with Lake Manapouri, Wilmot Pass, wildlife, costs, tips, and honest drawbacks.

“The timetable worked perfectly. All transfers went very smoothly. I had requested a forward seat, because I suffer travel sickness and I was able to sit up front which was wonderful.”

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8.Dart River Wilderness Jet Boat Experience

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

Ride the glacier-fed Dart River from Glenorchy, with Maori stories, film locations, mountain views, and optional Queenstown transport.

“It was spectacular in every way - we didn’t want it to end.”

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9.Jet Boat & Wilderness Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 42 reviews · 4 hours · from $202

Ride the Matukituki River by jet boat, walk beneath glaciers, and explore Mount Aspiring National Park from Wanaka.

“Fantastique Organisation au top Guide très gentil Je recommande 👍”

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10.30-Minute Fiordland National Park Scenic Flight

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 41 reviews · 30 min · from $230

Fly above Te Anau into the Kepler Mountains, land beside a mountain tarn, and see Fiordland’s lakes, tracks, and Main Divide in 30 minutes.

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11.Siberia Experience:Fly-Hike-Jetboat:Wilderness Adventure:Wanaka

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 26 reviews · from $353

Fly over Mt. Aspiring, hike the Siberia Valley, and race back by jet boat on a memorable half-day wilderness trip from Wanaka.

“Outstanding experience. The perfect weather made the plane flight epic. The hike was a very doable 4.5mi hike along the water and some in the woods. Crossing the river was FREEZING on the feet. Having the water booties they provided Read more”

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