4 VIP Experiences in Queenstown for a Free Day

1.Luxury Milford Sound Coach and Scenic Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 304 reviews · from $214Our pick

Leave Queenstown at 7am for a full-day coach trip through Fiordland, with stops at Lake Te Anau, Eglinton Valley, and Mirror Lakes before a Milford Sound cruise. The coach holds up to 49 people, and drivers such as Brad, Sam, and Paul have been praised for safe driving and lively commentary. Expect a long day on the road, but no need to drive yourself.

“Long bus ride from Queenstown, but wonderful commentary by driver. Lovely stops en route to view some of the remarkable vistas along the way. Boat ride was amazing. We included the buffet lunch in our ticket, which was decent wiRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Lake Dunstan Cycleway Bike Rental With Return Luxury Shuttle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 140 reviews · from $93Best value

Start at Cromwell’s Junction Lookout at 9:30am, collect your bike and safety gear, then ride the self-guided 42km Lake Dunstan Cycleway to Clyde. E-bike assistance helps on the hills, and an executive shuttle returns you to your car. Carrick Winery and Burger & Coffee Afloat are possible stops along the way.

“Loved the ride, it can be a bit hairy in places. Probably more suited to riders with a bit of experience.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Cromwell: Lake Dunstan Trail Bike Rental and Luxury Shuttle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 44 reviews · 5 hours · from $107

Start at Cromwell’s Junction Lookout for a bike fitting and safety briefing, then ride 42km to Clyde on the Lake Dunstan Trail. Choose a regular bike, e-bike or gravel bike. The route includes cliffside clip-ons, an 85m suspension bridge and a stop near Carrick Winery. nzbiketrails provides the gear and shuttle back to Cromwell.

“Great intermediate ride, highly recommended Fantastic landscape & views The track is top class with corners properly radiused & excellent surface all the way A couple of decent well graded 100m climbs Probably best starting from Cromwell with great Cafe options in Clyde We are a couple in our 80s who were on ebikes”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Milford Sound Luxury Lunch Cruise onboard The Fiordland Jewel

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · from $216

Spend two hours cruising Milford Sound aboard the Fiordland Jewel, a small catamaran with seated dining, comfortable lounges, and open-air viewing areas. Lunch and tea or coffee are included, and the crew points out features and wildlife. Captains Blake and Jack have been praised for their commentary, though your crew may vary.

“We booked this cruise because of the size of the boat and we chose a lunch option. The cruise only had 14 including us, the lunch was excellent as were the staff. Blake the captain was great and had a wealth of knowledge of Milford Sound as well as a great sense of humour. I would highly recommend this cruise.”

Check availability →Read our full review