The 4 Best Fiordland & National Park Trips from Queenstown

1.Dart River Jet Boat and Wilderness Experience

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

Travel from Queenstown to Glenorchy, then ride a jet boat through the glacier-fed Dart River in Mt Aspiring National Park. Guides such as Jordan, Pedro, Dean, and John mix fast turns with stories about Māori culture, wildlife, and changing river channels. The four-hour trip suits families and most fitness levels.

“As a family of 7 we had the best experience from checking in at the station the bus drive to Glenorchy with John and the jet boat with Simon at the helm was fantastic the scenery is spectacular and the commentary with all the drivers was really good to hear - very professional from the get go would thoroughly recommend this experience”

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2.Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Trip

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

Travel from Queenstown to Doubtful Sound by coach, boat, and rainforest road. You will cross Lake Manapouri, ride over Wilmot Pass, and spend three hours on the fiord with nature guides. Bring lunch or use the cashless onboard cafe, and pack for cool, wet weather.

“Luke our driver and guide gave us a great insight into the amazing Doubtfull Sound trip along with many other interesting snippets during our journey. The whole operation of transporting us from place to place was done with great professionalism. Congratulations to the team”

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3.Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise from Queenstown

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

Travel from Queenstown by coach, ferry across Lake Manapouri, and coach over Wilmot Pass before a three-hour Doubtful Sound catamaran cruise. Expect live commentary, waterfalls, seals, dolphins, and possible penguins. Drivers such as Craig, Blake, and Chao have been praised for their local stories.

“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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4.Dart River Wilderness Jet Boat Experience

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

Ride the Dart River through Mt Aspiring National Park with an English-speaking driver-guide. Expect fast runs, spins, Maori legends, Greenstone Trail stories, and Lord of the Rings scenery. Add the Queenstown transfer for a scenic drive to Glenorchy, or self-drive and save time.

“We had a fabulous day on the waters of Dart River. The guide was fantastic, safety conscious and full of information. Couldn’t have been better!”

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