Glenorchy & Paradise Half-Day Scenic Tour from Queenstown
Description
Sitting on the northern shores of Lake Whakatipu is the small picturesque village of Glenorchy, the famous Paradise Valley, and world-famous Middle-earth magic. Join this sightseeing tour for a magical half-day journey to Glenorchy and Paradise. This small settlement is full of character and charm and is home to some of the most famous and scenic sights found in the region. Tuck into a classic Kiwi morning tea and be entertained by the local stories and film history from your expert local guide. Let us take you on a mystical journey to Paradise and experience more.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Begin your day meeting your friendly guide in the Queenstown Town Centre. Starting with a spectacular scenic drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy along the lake edge, with scenic photo spots and entertaining stories from your local guide about Lake Whakatipu and its legends.
As we travel along this incredible drive, we will stop and take in the amazing views from Bennett's Bluff. From here you can catch your first glimpse of Glenorchy and the Mount Aspiring National Park sitting beyond it.
Glenorchy township is home to approx. 400 permanent residents and the gateway to Paradise Valley and the Mt Aspiring National Park. Once we arrive in this quaint country town, you will have the chance to explore the picturesque lakefront including the iconic red boat shed.
From Glenorchy we join a dirt track, a one-way road into the National Park. The Glenorchy-Paradise Road travels past rich farmland, through native beech forests and across river beds. Not many live up in this direction, with its most famous residents being the mystical characters from LOTR and other movies, TV series, and commercials.
Your guide will show you famous filming sites, with even the chance to dress up as your favorite Middle Earth character for a fun photo opportunity. While exploring the area, In true Kiwi South Island hospitality, we will prepare a morning/afternoon tea at a picturesque location, complete with cheese rolls, ginger cake, L&P, and Whittaker's chocolate.
After Paradise we will return back through Glenorchy, where we will have a brief stop, before allowing you to sit back and relax and enjoy the sights then being dropped back in the Queenstown Town Centre.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(453)
Tour was nice. Our guide was superb. Caleb. He made the tour worthwhile although glenorchy is not worth going compared to Milford sounds
Kia ora Asim, Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We're so pleased to hear Caleb made your day enjoyable with his guiding and local knowledge. Glenorchy offers a very different experience to Milford Sound, with its peaceful landscapes, mountain scenery, and rich film history, but we appreciate that everyone has their own favourites. We hope to welcome you back to explore more of New Zealand in the future!
We had an amazing time during our Glenorchy and Paradise tour with our guide Steve! We learned a lot about Queenstown - history and a lot of fun facts. We recommend this tour!
Thank you for your lovely review, Carmina! We're so pleased you had an amazing time exploring Glenorchy and Paradise with Steve. We'll be sure to pass on your kind words to him. He'll be delighted to hear you enjoyed learning about Queenstown's history and all the fun facts along the way. Sharing the stories behind this beautiful region is one of our favourite parts of the tour. Thank you for your recommendation and for choosing Altitude Tours. We hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon!
Our tour guide possessed an incredible storytelling personality that transformed the entire trip into something truly interesting and fascinating, providing captivating tales and rich historical context into every path we took. Her passion and depth of knowledge brought each location to life in a way that made the experience feel less like a guided tour and more like an immersive journey through time, leaving us thoroughly engaged from start to finish and eager to learn even more along the way. I believe that our tour guide's name is Shanaya. Brilliant guide!!!
Thank you for your wonderful review. We're delighted to hear that Shanaya's storytelling, knowledge, and passion made such an impact on your experience. Creating an engaging and immersive journey is exactly what we strive for, and it's fantastic to know she brought the places you visited to life in such a memorable way. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to Shanaya. Thank you for travelling with us, and we hope to welcome you back on another adventure soon!
Great tour!! Far exceeded my expectations, our guide Nicole was awesome, she was friendly and very knowledgeable, stopped along the way at great picture spots and took our pictures. Highly recommended
Thank you for your fantastic review! We're delighted to hear the tour exceeded your expectations. Nicole is passionate about creating memorable experiences, and it's wonderful to know you enjoyed her friendly nature, local knowledge, and the scenic photo stops along the way. Thank you for your recommendation and for choosing Altitude Tours. We'll be sure to pass your kind words on to Nicole!
Had a brilliant experience with Shanay, who’s bubbly, light and a wealth of information on the culture, history, flora and fauna. An excellent way to spend half a day in stunning scenery and memorable film locations.
We're thrilled to hear you had such a brilliant experience with Shanay. Her bubbly personality, enthusiasm, and extensive knowledge of the region's culture, history, flora, and fauna make her an exceptional guide, and we're delighted she helped make your day so memorable. It's wonderful to know you enjoyed exploring the stunning scenery and iconic filming locations. Thank you for choosing to spend part of your time with us, and we hope to welcome you back for another adventure in the future!
Shanay is amazing and very friendly. She shares a lot of great local knowledge, from flora and fauna to Mauri knowledge to popular shooting locations. Great views and comfort food picnic.
We're delighted to hear you had such an enjoyable experience with Shanay. Her friendly nature and passion for sharing local knowledge, from the region's flora and fauna to Māori culture and famous filming locations, help create a truly memorable day. We're also glad you enjoyed the spectacular views and the comfort-food picnic along the way. We'll be sure to pass your kind words on to Shanay. Thank you for travelling with us, and we hope to see you again on another adventure soon!
Ash was our guide. He is a knowledgeable guide. We went to Glenorchy and stopped for a short walk along the way to enjoy the view and to take some photos. We had a picnic lunch in Paradise, we were provided with some cheese toast, fruit and even ginger desert. It was a pleasant and sunny day.
We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your journey to Glenorchy and Paradise, and that the beautiful weather made the day even more special. The scenic stops along the way are some of our favourite parts of the tour, and we're glad you had the opportunity to take in the stunning views and capture some memorable photos. It's wonderful to hear that Ash's knowledge helped enhance your experience. We'll be sure to pass on your kind words to him. We're also pleased that you enjoyed the picnic lunch and refreshments provided throughout the day. Thank you for choosing Altitude Tours. We hope to welcome you back for another memorable adventure in the future!
We are very pleased with the tour guide, Shanay. She was very good, very friendly. She shared many good stories and the culture about New Zealand and also shared her love for New Zealand. I really enjoyed her company and she made our day. Thanks Shanay and wishing you all the best. 🙂
We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your time with Shanay. Her friendly nature, passion for New Zealand, and love of sharing local stories and culture are qualities that make every tour special, and we're so pleased she helped make your day memorable. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words and best wishes to Shanay. She will be thrilled to know that you enjoyed her company and appreciated the insights she shared throughout the tour. Thank you for choosing Altitude Tours. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable New Zealand adventure in the future!
What a wonderful experience ❤️, truly a paradise!! Must do experience when in Queenstown. Altitude tours made it so convenient and enriching. Tour guide Shanay was really sweet and caring. Great passion and knowledge on what she is doing ...kudos!!
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We're delighted to hear that you had such a wonderful experience and found the tour both convenient and enriching. Queenstown truly is a paradise, and we're thrilled we could help make your visit so memorable. Shanay will be so pleased to hear your kind words. Her passion, knowledge, and genuine care for our guests are what make her such a valued member of our team, and we'll be sure to pass your compliments on to her. Thank you for choosing Altitude Tours. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in the future!
This was such a lovely day. It was a gentle pace of sightseeing, some LOTR knowledge, and good chats. I believe we had Ash as our guide, and it was great to share stories with everyone. Highly recommend.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Hayley! 😊 We're delighted you enjoyed the relaxed pace, LOTR insights, and great conversations throughout the day. Ash will love the shoutout! Thanks for the recommendation, and we hope to see you again for another adventure soon. 🍃🏔️
