Queenstown · GUIDED

15 Guided Tours in Queenstown, Compared

20 tours  ·  from $53

The good guided tours sell out through a southern summer and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and where they differ.

Full-Day Guided Sightseeing Tour of Mount Cook from Queenstown - Cromwell starts the day with fruit and Pinot Noir country
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Full-Day Guided Sightseeing Tour of Mount Cook from Queenstown

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

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 218 reviews · from $173Our pick

Travel from Queenstown to Aoraki Mount Cook with a small group, stopping at Cromwell, Lindis Pass, Omarama, Lake Pukaki, and Twizel. Your guide handles the long drive while you enjoy commentary and free time for the Hooker Valley Track, Lake Mueller, the Alpine Centre, or paid mountain activities.

“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 - The 60-minute off-road route
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Queenstown Guided Self-Drive Buggy Tour

2.Queenstown Guided Self-Drive Buggy Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 181 reviews

Drive a guided 4x4 buggy from central Queenstown onto rugged bush tracks above Lake Wakatipu. After a practice session, guides such as Stefan, Bas, Diego, or Ollie lead you to mountain viewpoints. Plan on 90 minutes, dusty clothes, and a full driving licence.

“Great fun. Challenging at times with wet muddy tracks but guides were helpful and reassuring. Good views from mountain top.”

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Guided eBike Tour 'Ride to the Sky' - Riding up through the Wakatipu Basin
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Guided eBike Tour ‘Ride to the Sky’

3.Guided eBike Tour ‘Ride to the Sky’

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

Start in Frankton with a safety briefing and Grade 3 mountain-bike introduction, then ride a Moustache e-bike toward Grants Peak, 800 metres above sea level. Guides including Shay, Ksena, Jordan, John, and others adjust the pace, share local stories, and lead you back down to the meeting point.

“This was the highlight of my trip. I’d never been on an e-bike, it was so much fun. We cycled to the top of a mountain. 18km in total. This is possible on e-bikes as the turbo helps get you up the hills. We were a family group of 4 and 3 other people joined. It was an enjoyable afternoon, amazing views, great bikes and really well organised.”

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Queenstown: Self-Guided Gibbston Valley Wineries Bike Tour - From Queenstown to the Arrow and Kawarau rivers
Cycling Tours, Gibbston Valley Wine Tours from Queenstown, Guided, Self-Guided Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Wine Tours

Queenstown: Self-Guided Gibbston Valley Wineries Bike Tour

4.Self-Guided Gibbston Valley Wineries Bike Tour

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

Ride from Arrowtown or Arrow Junction through the Gibbston Valley, following the Arrow and Kawarau rivers to wineries, a cheesery, tavern, and famous Kawarau Bridge. Around The Basin supplies the bike, helmet, map, safety briefing, and shuttle. Choose a standard bike or pay extra for an e-bike.

“Been on quite a few biking day trips and this one had the best bike intro so far. Really good explanation of how to make the most of the e-bikes and have a great day out, and the gibbston trail was fantastic!”

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Queenstown: Guided Segway Tour - The 15-minute lesson builds confidence
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Queenstown: Guided Segway Tour

5.Guided Segway Tour

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

Learn to ride a Segway in about 15 minutes, then follow a guide along Queenstown’s lakefront, main bay, and Queenstown Gardens. Kevin is often the guide, offering safety help, local stories, photo stops, and a faster ride once you gain confidence. Choose a one-hour introduction or a fuller two-hour outing.

“Lots of fun, great way to orient ourselves to Queenstown upon our arrival”

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Best of Queenstown Guided Tour with Wine Tasting & Boat Cruise - Queenstown Hill gives you the big picture first
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Best of Queenstown Guided Tour with Wine Tasting & Boat Cruise

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

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

Spend 4.5 hours with a local guide such as Ana, Beth, Allegra, or Ash, visiting Queenstown viewpoints, Arrowtown, the Kawarau Bungy Centre, and a Gibbston winery. Taste Mt Edwards wine with cheese, then return to central Queenstown by boat across Lake Wakatipu.

“It was the right amount of activities and variation for a 1/2 day tour. Our guide Anna was passionate and informative about the region. The wine/cheese tasting was delightful and the setting was lovely. Arrowtown brought another perspective. The Bungee Center and Shotover sites provided a glimpse of the love New Zealanders have for extreme sport! Scenic boat ride back was a reflective experience to settle you back in to town. Fun day!”

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Queenstown: Self-Guided Bike Ride on the Arrow Bridges Trail - Following the old gold-miners’ route
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Queenstown: Self-Guided Bike Ride on the Arrow Bridges Trail

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

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

Take a 25-minute shuttle from Queenstown to Arrowtown, then ride 15 km downstream on a standard or electric bike. Cross six bridges, pass the Kawarau Bungy Bridge, and finish near Gibbston Valley wineries before a return shuttle. You ride independently with a map and trail briefing.

“Around the Basin took us to Arrowtown and briefed us before we headed off on the self-guided trail back to Queenstown via beautiful scenery. We had e-bikes but you could totally do it on regular bikes. So well organised. It took us about 3.5 hours just ambling and taking a few photos.”

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Scenic Guided eBike Tour Ride to the Lake - Across the private sheep farm toward Shotover bridge
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Scenic Guided eBike Tour Ride to the Lake

8.Scenic Guided eBike Tour Ride to the Lake

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 67 reviews · from $139

Join Ride to the Sky for a three-hour guided e-bike ride from Frankton through a private sheep farm, past the Shotover and Kawarau rivers, around Kelvin Heights, and into a sculpture-filled forest. Guides including Jordan, Shay, Ksena, and Tom help beginners handle the unpaved trails.

“A must do if you wish to see more to Queenstown than the typical tourist. Shea took us on bike trails all around the waterways of the area finishing at a beautiful view rarely seems by visitors”

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Queenstown: Guided E-Bike Tour with Winery Visits & Tastings - Arrowtown and the first 105 minutes on two wheels
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Queenstown: Guided E-Bike Tour with Winery Visits & Tastings

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

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

Spend six hours riding a premium e-bike from Arrowtown along the Arrow and Kawarau rivers to Gibbston Valley. Guides such as Ksena, Tom, Jordan, and Shay lead small groups of up to eight, with bridge stops, vineyard views, two winery tastings, and an artisan platter.

“It was a great day. E-bike equipment was good, and Ksena was a terrific guide with good knowledge of the landscape, wine and a very nice easy going style. We could as a family all participatee. Great day thanks from Denmark 😀”

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Routeburn Track Guided Hike (Full Day) - Walking beneath southern beech and podocarp trees
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Routeburn Track Guided Hike (Full Day)

10.Routeburn Track Guided Hike (Full Day)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 27 reviews · from $257

Join Nomad Safaris for a 10-hour guided hike on New Zealand’s Routeburn Track. Guides such as Lucas, Angelo, Fiona, and Paul bring the forest, birds, Māori greenstone history, waterfalls, and Southern Alps to life. Expect up to 22 kilometres, uphill and downhill sections, lunch, snacks, and hotel transfers.

“We had an amazing day! Fiona was a great tour guide, she was very knowledgeable and made the day spectacular. We had perfect weather, no clouds and no rain. Jumping in the water was definitely a highlight! Would recommend to anyone who likes a hike (intermediate) but stunning views”

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Routeburn Track Guided Walk (Half-Day) - From Lake Wakatipu toward the mountains
Glenorchy Day Tours from Queenstown, Guided, Half-Day, Tour Reviews, Walking Tours

Routeburn Track Guided Walk (Half-Day)

11.Routeburn Track Guided Walk (Half-Day)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 17 reviews · from $162

Join Nomad Safaris for a five-hour afternoon trip from Queenstown into Mount Aspiring National Park. You’ll walk an easy Routeburn Track section through native forest beside the Routeburn River, with water, snacks, a guide, and central hotel pickup included. Guides such as Rachel, Roger, Ester, and Dan have led this outing.

“Dan, our guide was incredible, so passionate and excited to show us around and for us to get the most out of the experience. We had the best fun, Dan went overtime just for us and we even jumped in the water at the end to top it off!”

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Queenstown: Self Drive Guided Buggy Tour - Safety gear and a useful practice run
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Queenstown: Self Drive Guided Buggy Tour

12.Self Drive Guided Buggy Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 14 reviews · 1 hour

Take the wheel of a top-of-the-range off-road buggy just five minutes from Queenstown. Local guides, including Diego on some outings, lead you through rolling terrain, sharp corners, creeks, practice sections, and scenic viewpoints. A full driver’s licence is required.

“A truly fun activity from beginning to end, this buggy tour delivers adrenaline, stunning scenery, and unforgettable excitement, all while being exceptionally safe and well organized. Safety is clearly a top priority — with helmets, protective gear, and clear, thorough instructions provided before the ride. From the moment we arrived, our experienced local guide made us feel completely at ease. The introductory practice drive was a great way to get comfortable before heading out onto the thrilling terrain, which kept the experience exciting for the entire hour. The route is thoughtfully designed, striking the perfect balance between challenge and fun, with plenty of opportunities to push the...”

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Guided eBike Wine Tour Ride to the Vines - Feeding alpacas and goats in Arrow Junction
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Guided eBike Wine Tour Ride to the Vines

13.Guided eBike Wine Tour Ride to the Vines

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · from $201

Spend six hours riding from Arrowtown through Gibbston, feeding alpacas and goats, crossing suspension bridges, and visiting Kawarau Bungy. After the three-hour ride, settle in for tastings at two boutique wineries, paired with a local platter. Groups are limited to eight, with pickup offered.

“Jagged a perfect day to be outside. Queenstown is one of the most stunning locations and if you want to see its natural beauty, love outdoors, curious about wine and love a good platter, this experience won’t disappoint. Ours guides Ksena Read more”

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Guided Scenic E-bike Tour - Ride to the Lake - Starting in Frankton and getting ready to ride
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Guided Scenic E-bike Tour – Ride to the Lake

14.Guided Scenic E-bike Tour – Ride to the Lake

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · 3 hours · from $134

Ride a full-suspension e-bike from Frankton along quiet trails beside two rivers, stopping at local sculptures, historic places, and lake views. Jordan and the guiding team explain local history and Māori legends while the pedal assist keeps the three-hour ride manageable for confident regular cyclists.

“Fantastic tour, great service, guide was excellent, if you haven’t tried an e-bike I would highly recommend one. Great company, lovely way to see Queenstown and the fantastic scenery,”

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Guided Mountain E-bike Tour - Ride to the Sky - Starting in Frankton with the right equipment
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Guided Mountain E-bike Tour – Ride to the Sky

15.Guided Mountain E-bike Tour – Ride to the Sky

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · from $144

Ride with Shay, Jordan, or Jake on a premium full-suspension e-bike from Frankton to Grant Peak, 800 meters above sea level. This three-hour small-group tour uses private farm tracks and includes coaching, safety gear, snacks, photos, video, and sweeping views of Queenstown and the Wakatipu Basin.

“It was amazing, much better than we expected, and I highly recommend it”

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