Wanaka is picture perfect with glacial lakes, right in the heart of the Southern Alps, and surrounded by Central Otago vineyards. It allows for easy access to hikes, white water rafting, fishing, horseback riding and just about every iconic Kiwi backcountry experience. Wanaka is within an hour’s drive of Queenstown so offers a very similar experience but at a far more relaxed pace of life. There is so much to see and do in and around Wanaka, much of which can be arranged locally such as walking trails, jet boating on the Matukituki River or hiring a sailing boat on the lake or visiting the New Zealand fighter pilots museum.  

Queenstown is located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu with stunning views across the snow capped mountains of the Southern Alps and crystal clear lakes. Its reputation as the adventure capital of the world is well earned. Bungee jump from the world's first commercial bungee site. You can also white-water raft, jetboat through narrow canyons, tandem hang-glide or parapente just to name a few. But its not all about thrill rides; surrounded by scenery you can just take time out and go for long walks, four-wheel drives, or enjoy lunch on a majestic steamboat. Queenstown is surrounded by wineries and just a 20 minutes away is Arrowtown with its historic buildings and quiet charm. We can arrange more or less any activity in Queenstown, however there are some we particularly recommend to make the most of your time. The Dart River is the entrance to the beautiful Mount Aspiring National Park and the perfect location for a scenic jetboat ride We can also arrange Lord of the Rings tours or a tour of the wineries. 

A must visit is Fiordland National Park which is accessible by coach, car, light aircraft or helicopter from Wanaka, Queenstown and Te Anau. Doubtful Sound is the second largest of the fourteen fiords in Fiordland National Park. Although it is three times longer and ten times larger than Milford Sound, it is more remote and attracts far less visitors. It is accessible from Manapouri (about a 2 hours drive from Queenstown, 3 from Wanaka) and both day cruises or overnight cruises are available. If you have time for both, then Milford Sound offers stunning scenery and is famous for Mitre Peak, however it is a very long drive (at least 5 hours) so we’d suggest you either fly both ways or fly one way and coach back so you can enjoy the spectacular scenery en route. Most impressive approach of all would be a helicopter safari to Milford with views of the main divide of the Southern Alps and a glacier landing.

Te Anau is located on the shores of the largest lake in the South Island and is the gateway to the Fiordland National Park. Milford Sound is a 2 hours drive and Manopouri, the departure point for Doubtful Sound cruises is just 20 minutes drive away. The town has many local restaurants and cafes and if you have time we particularly recommend seeing Ata Whenua (Shadowland) at the Fiordland Cinema, a 32 minute film of some exhilarating and utterly stunning scenery in the Fiordland Park.

For details of Queenstown accommodation, Wanaka accommodation, Doubtful Sound cruises, Milford Sound cruises or for other tour suggestions click on the links on the right. Our experienced consultants can easily build any of these experiences into a tailor-made New Zealand holiday quote for you.