New Zealand · GUIDED

The 15 Best Guided Tours in Queenstown

24 tours  ·  from $47 a head

Summer and ski-season departures fill up first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and where they start.

Te Anau: Glowworm Caves Guided Tour - Preparing at the cave entrance
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Te Anau: Glowworm Caves Guided Tour

1.Te Anau: Glowworm Caves Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 2,611 reviews · 2h 15m · from $77Our pick

Cross Lake Te Anau by boat, then follow a guide through limestone caves carved by a fast-flowing river. After seeing underground waterfalls and sculpted passages, board a small boat in near-total darkness to view glowworms close up. The 135-minute tour includes a guide, hot drinks and a return lake cruise. Cameras are not allowed, and some bending and steps are involved.

“Wonderful experience, I'd like to do again and again ...”

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Full-Day Guided Sightseeing Tour of Mount Cook from Queenstown - Crossing Lindis Pass
Guided, Mount Cook Day Trips, Queenstown Day Trips, Queenstown Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Full-Day Guided Sightseeing Tour of Mount Cook from Queenstown

2.Full-Day Guided Sightseeing Tour of Mount Cook from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 218 reviews · from $173Top rated

Altitude Tours takes you from Queenstown to Aoraki/Mount Cook in a group of up to 15, with commentary, photo stops, Wi-Fi and roughly three to three and a half hours at the village. Look for Lindis Pass, Lake Pukaki and optional walks such as the Hooker Valley Track. Guides on recent trips have included Beth, Kevin and James, though your guide may differ.

“Fantastic day out to visit the Majestic Mt Cook region. Altitude Tours are fantastic! Our Guide Shanya was brilliant. We had an incredible experience walking the Hooker lake Glacial walk . Highly recommended”

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Queenstown Guided Self-Drive Buggy Tour - Bush tracks, bumps and big views
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Queenstown Guided Self-Drive Buggy Tour

3.Queenstown Guided Self-Drive Buggy Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 181 reviews

Take the wheel of a two-seat 4x4 buggy and follow a guide along rugged tracks above Queenstown. After a practice session, you get about an hour off road, with stops for mountain and Lake Wakatipu views. Helmets, eye protection and wet-weather gear are provided. Drivers need a full licence and must be at least 18.

“We did a family of four buggy tour and had the best time. We were the only ones on the tour so we had an exclusive with our guides, who had lots of local knowledge and made it a great experience. We got to see Queenstown and surrounding areas when we were able to stop and take some great pictures of the area. Would highly recommend this tour and company to anyone wanting to experience a fun way to see Queenstown!!”

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Guided eBike Tour 'Ride to the Sky' - The bikes, guide and group size
Guided, Queenstown Bike Tours, Queenstown Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Guided eBike Tour ‘Ride to the Sky’

4.Guided eBike Tour ‘Ride to the Sky’

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 175 reviews · from $152

Ride from Frankton toward Grants Peak on a Moustache e-bike, with safety gear and private-trail access included. The roughly three-and-a-half-hour trip reaches about 800 metres above sea level, with views over Queenstown, the Remarkables and Coronet Peak. Guides such as Shay, Ksena and John offer riding tips and local stories about High Country farming and Māori traditions.

“A great experience that we would do again. Highly recommend doing this tour. Our guide was friendly and great.”

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Scenic Cruise & Guided Walk on Historic Motor Yacht Lake Te Anau - Afternoon tea and a crew that sets the tone
Guided, Historical Tours, Queenstown Hiking Tours, Queenstown Lake Cruises, Sailing, Te Anau Tours, Tour Reviews

Scenic Cruise & Guided Walk on Historic Motor Yacht Lake Te Anau

5.Scenic Cruise & Guided Walk on Historic Motor Yacht Lake Te Anau

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 165 reviews · from $102

Spend about three hours on Lake Te Anau aboard Faith, a restored historic motor yacht, with live commentary, afternoon tea and a guided walk in Fiordland National Park. The small-group trip is capped at 16. Crew members such as Adam, Paul and Jackie have shared the yacht’s story and led walks to a mirror lake.

“Fabulous relaxing afternoon boat trip on the beautiful historical Faith sail boat with motor. Captain Adam and first mate Ginnie were both charming and very informative. Adam share stories about the interesting hipster of the boat while sailing and Winnie provided us with elegant canapés and drinks (all included) Ginnie led us on a short hike midway through and shared her great knowledge about the flora and fauna. They put up the sails not he way back to harbor and it was a quiet, beautiful way to enjoy the gorgeous views. As a bonus, Captain Adam played the bag pipe on the way back!”

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Lake Te Anau: 3-Hour Boat Cruise with Guided Walk - A short walk to the Hidden Lakes
3-Hour Experiences, Guided, Queenstown Hiking Tours, Te Anau Tours, Tour Reviews

Lake Te Anau: 3-Hour Boat Cruise with Guided Walk

6.Lake Te Anau: 3-Hour Boat Cruise with Guided Walk

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 164 reviews · 3 hours · from $86

Cruise Lake Te Anau aboard Faith, a 1935 motor yacht, then take a 40-minute guided walk to the Hidden Lakes in Fiordland National Park. The crew shares the boat’s story, serves morning or afternoon tea and drinks, and may invite you to help with the sails. Adam and Megan have often hosted, though crew can vary.

“Amazing trip with very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly staff. a surprise around every corner. Food and drinks superb as was the on board entertainment.”

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Queenstown: Self-Guided Gibbston Valley Wineries Bike Tour - Choose your starting point with care
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Queenstown: Self-Guided Gibbston Valley Wineries Bike Tour

7.Self-Guided Gibbston Valley Wineries Bike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 128 reviews · 5 hours - 450 minutes · from $56

Cycle the Gibbston Valley at your own pace on a standard or electric bike, with a shuttle from Queenstown, a safety and route briefing, and a winery map. Follow riverside trails past suspension bridges and the Kawarau bungy site, then choose cellar doors, a cheesery or a tavern before your scheduled return pickup.

“Great trip. Good value and breathtaking scenery! Liked the self guided aspect too!”

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Queenstown: Guided Segway Tour - Queenstown bay and the Remarkables
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Queenstown: Guided Segway Tour

8.Guided Segway Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 112 reviews · 1 - 2 hours · from $53

Learn to ride a Segway, then follow a local guide along Queenstown’s lakeside paths and through the peninsula gardens. Choose a one-hour ride around the main bay or a two-hour tour with more time for town sights and local history. Guides including Kevin are known for patient instruction; groups are limited to eight.

“The Segway tour was excellent, a great start to our holiday. We had a group of five and even those of us that were nervous about balance or falling off were more than fine once they did the orientation at the beginning of the tour. Kevin provided great information about different aspects of Queenstown.”

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Best of Queenstown Guided Tour with Wine Tasting & Boat Cruise - Arrowtown’s gold-mining past, in a short visit
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Best of Queenstown Guided Tour with Wine Tasting & Boat Cruise

9.Best of Queenstown Guided Tour with Wine Tasting & Boat Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 98 reviews · from $127

In 4.5 hours, a small-group guide takes you from Queenstown Hill and the Shotover River to historic Arrowtown, the Kawarau bungy site and a Gibbston Valley wine tasting with cheese. Finish with a guided cruise on Lake Wakatipu back to Queenstown. Groups are capped at 14, and guides have included Allegra, Ana, Beth and Ash.

“An incredibly eventful tour with everything from the historical Arrowtown, viewpoints, boat trip, watching Bungy Jumping to wine tasting in beautiful souroundings. And Allegra was a top guide we can highly recommend.”

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Queenstown: Self-Guided Bike Ride on the Arrow Bridges Trail - Standard bike or e-bike?
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Queenstown: Self-Guided Bike Ride on the Arrow Bridges Trail

10.Self-Guided Bike Ride on the Arrow Bridges Trail

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 96 reviews · 4 hours · from $56

Start with a 25-minute shuttle from Queenstown to Arrowtown, then ride 15 km beside the Arrow and Kawarau rivers, crossing six bridges on the way to Gibbston Wine Valley. Choose a standard or electric bike and ride at your own pace. A map, helmet and return shuttle are included; wine, food and an on-trail guide are not.

“The bikes were good quality and easy to ride- we had the manual standard bikes. Great pathways and finished at Gibbotston Winery for wine and cheese”

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Scenic Cruise & Guided Walk on Historic Motor Yacht Lake Te Anau - Afternoon tea and a crew that sets the tone
Guided, Historical Tours, Queenstown Hiking Tours, Queenstown Lake Cruises, Sailing, Te Anau Tours, Tour Reviews

Scenic Cruise & Guided walk on Historic Motor Yacht Lake Te Anau

11.Scenic Cruise & Guided walk on Historic Motor Yacht Lake Te Anau

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 76 reviews · from $102

Cruise Lake Te Anau aboard Faith, a historic yacht with room for no more than 16 people. The crew shares local commentary, serves tea and coffee, and leads a gentle 15-minute walk to the Hidden Lakes. On the return, the engine is turned off for a quiet pause, and sails may be raised if the wind allows. Crew members named on some trips include Captain Adam and first mate Jackie.

“We were greeted very friendly by the whole crew at the quai and led to the ship. The explanations were interesting and supported with pictures from a book. We had a very nice boat trip to an island and then a guided tour to the nature reserRead moreAuto-translated”

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Milford Track: Full Day Guided Hike and Nature Cruise - A short boat ride starts the walk at Sandfly Point
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Milford Track: Full Day Guided Hike and Nature Cruise

12.Milford Track: Full Day Guided Hike and Nature Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 70 reviews · 7 hours · from $215

This seven-hour Milford Sound outing pairs a guided, mostly flat 11 km walk to Giant’s Gate Waterfall with a two-hour small-boat cruise. Guides such as Tamara, Ro and Ben have shared local stories about native plants, birds and history. Bring lunch, rain gear and warm layers, and plan carefully for the early drive from Te Anau.

“Hike was lovely and thoroughly enjoyed PC's commentary. We learned a great deal from his knowledge. The post hike transfer to lunch and cruise was a bit clumsy.”

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Queenstown: Guided E-Bike Tour with Winery Visits & Tastings - The Kawarau Bridge and a pause in local history
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Queenstown: Guided E-Bike Tour with Winery Visits & Tastings

13.Guided E-Bike Tour with Winery Visits & Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 36 reviews · 6 hours · from $194

Ride with a small group of up to eight from Arrowtown along the Arrow and Kawarau rivers, crossing the historic Kawarau Bridge before reaching Gibbston Valley. A guide such as Ksena, Tom, or Jordan leads the way. Premium pedal-assist e-bikes, two boutique winery tastings, an artisan platter, transport, and photos are included.

“Amazing trip! Would highly recommend. We had a great day with Ksena as our guide. The E-bikes are very user friendly and make the ride even more enjoyable. We loved both wineries we visited at the end of our trip as well.”

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Te Anau: River Jet Boat and Bike Ride Tour with Local Guide - Reach Lake Manapouri and walk in the beech forest
Guided, Queenstown Bike Tours, Queenstown Jet Boat Rides, Tour Reviews, Tours

Te Anau: River Jet Boat and Bike Ride Tour with Local Guide

14.Te Anau: River Jet Boat and Bike Ride Tour with Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 21 reviews · 4 hours · from $143

From central Te Anau, take a guided jet-boat ride through Fiordland’s forest-lined Waiau River to Lake Manapouri, with a short beech-forest walk and local commentary. Then ride 11 kilometres back on the Lake2Lake Cycle Trail, unguided, on a standard bike or e-bike. Guides Alex and John have led the trip, though your guide may differ.

“What a great experience! Not the jet boat I was expecting after doing the Shotover years ago and that was a good thing. While there were spins, there was also more cruising, pausing to tell stories about the area, the opportunity to get off in Shallow Bay to explore and appreciate the area more. Alex was a great guide, great energy, storytelling and was just fun. We had planned to bike back but the rain poured down just as we were about to hop on the bikes. The team happily gave us a ride back to Te Anau and were happy for us to take the bikes out later. We…”

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Self-Guided Milford Track Day Walk - Milford Sound - What the waterfall stop adds
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Self-Guided Milford Track Day Walk – Milford Sound

15.Self-Guided Milford Track Day Walk – Milford Sound

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 17 reviews · from $46Best value

Take a roughly 10-minute boat ride from Deepwater Basin to Sandfly Point, then walk the Milford Track to Giant Gate Falls and return the same way. The self-guided outing takes about three to four hours and includes return boat transport. The trail is mostly flat, though rocky patches call for sturdy walking shoes. No walking guide is provided.

“Great hike. Prepare for it to feel long. But was nevertheless exhilarating. Highly recommended if you love the wilderness”

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