The 8 Queenstown Food Tours to Book First

1.Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ & Lake Whakatipu Cruise

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

Sail from Queenstown to Walter Peak on the historic TSS Earnslaw or modern Spirit of Queenstown. Allow 3.5 hours for the return cruise, a generous BBQ buffet and a farm demonstration with sheepdogs and sheep shearing. The boat choice affects the price, and the named farm demonstrators may vary.

“This was a fantastic trip and would highly recommend. The steamer cruise was great. Able to see the fire in engines. The captain and crew all very helpful. The bbq dinner was amazing. Meats so tender and moist. Salads fresh and zingy. Wonderful cheeses and cold meats. Wonderful deserts. Waiting staff very helpful. The sheep shearing and dog show was also wonderful. The shearer was really entertaining and informative but Echo the dog was the star of the show!! Great gift shop.”

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2.Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ Lunch & Queenstown Lake Cruise

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

Take a round-trip Lake Wakatipu cruise from Queenstown to Walter Peak High Country Farm, with the TSS Earnslaw steamship or Spirit of Queenstown catamaran. At the Colonel’s Homestead, enjoy a chef-prepared barbecue buffet, then watch a sheep shearing and sheepdog demonstration. The outing lasts about three and a half hours.

“Amazing views of the lake. Great hospitality both on the boat and off. The bbq lunch was fab! Plenty of options. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking! The show at the end was also really spectacular.”

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3.Dinner at Walter Peak High Country Farm and Cruise from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 576 reviews · from $117

Cruise from Queenstown to Walter Peak High Country Farm aboard the 1912 TSS Earnslaw or the modern Spirit of Queenstown. At the farm, settle in for a barbecue buffet at the Colonel’s Homestead, then watch a sheepdog and shearing demonstration. Farm demonstrators include Joe, with working dog Echo, though the team may vary.

“The experience began with a ride across the lake in an authentic 1912 steamship. We were then served a great buffet with many choices. After the meal, the farm was open to wandering among the different animal pens. The most entertaining activity was to see Joe and his amazing dog Echo as they showed us how they work to corral sheep from field to pen and pen to field. The show included Joe giving us a demonstration of sheep shearing.”

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4.Gourmet Food and Wine Tour Queenstown All-Inclusive Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 332 reviews · from $204

From a 9:30 am Queenstown pickup, travel by air-conditioned minivan through Central Otago’s wine country. Taste wines at four vineyards, tour Gibbston Valley’s wine cave, and sit down to five wine-paired dishes at The Stoaker Room. Your guide also shares local stories, with time for Cromwell and Arrowtown stops.

“A great experience with some lovely wines and food. The other guests on our tour were lovely and 5 stars go to our guide Lindsay. So helpful, friendly and knowledgeable, he made the tour very enjoyable indeed.”

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5.Wine & Food Tour, Scenic Tastings & Paired Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 276 reviews · from $132

Spend 5.5 hours tasting Central Otago wines at three Gibbston wineries, with a local guide, hosted presentations and an à la carte lunch paired with estate wine. Stops can include Kinross, Mt Rosa and Gibbston Valley, whose wine cave is carved into the mountain. Tours usually run in the afternoon and cost $132 per person.

“Fun & easy going pace from hopping one winery to another. Lunch at Kinross was outstanding!”

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6.Queenstown Wine & Food Tour: Scenery, Tastings & Delicious Lunch!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 257 reviews · from $154

Leave Queenstown at noon for a 5.5-hour small-group wine outing through the Kawarau Gorge. Visit Gibbston Valley Winery, Mt Rosa Wines, and Kinross for hosted tastings, then choose an a la carte main paired with wine at lunch. Guides such as T, Claire, Blake, and Andy lead the tour, with hotel pickup offered at selected hotels.

“Amazing experience trying the local wines and learning a bit about the history of the winemakers! Highly recommend even for new wine lovers”

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7.Gourmet Food and Wine Tour with Lunch and Wine Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 83 reviews · 6h 30m · from $196

Explore Gibbston, Cromwell, and Bannockburn on a 6.5-hour Queenstown wine tour. Visit four premium vineyards, including Australasia’s largest underground wine cave, taste local cheese, and enjoy five lunch dishes paired with wine. A driver-guide handles the scenic roads, with stops in historic Arrowtown and Old Cromwell.

“The guide was very knowledgeable and really friendly. Every winery was different and interesting. Would highly recommend this tour.”

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8.Private Central Otago Wine tasting Tour with Gourmet Lunch.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · from $462

Leave Queenstown at 9:30 am in a private premium vehicle with guide Luwis, then visit Central Otago wine areas including Gibbston, Bannockburn and Cromwell. Expect private tastings, a gourmet lunch with a wine pairing, a local cheese board, historic stops and time in Arrowtown. The outing lasts about seven to eight hours.

“Absolutely fantastic! We booked this wine tour expecting a high quality experience, but it went above and beyond. The luxurious vehicle was spotless and comfortable, and our guide’s knowledge of wine and the local region was exceptionalRead more”

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