Queenstown: Kawarau Gorge, Lake Pukaki & Aoraki Mt Cook Tour
Description
New Zealand's highest peak deserves more than a drive-past. This full-day small-group tour from Queenstown travels north via Kawarau Gorge, before heading through the Mackenzie District to Lake Pukaki and Aoraki Mt Cook National Park. Your guide leads the day with local knowledge, te reo Māori place names, and stories of the land. At 3724 metres, Aoraki is New Zealand's highest peak and a sacred ancestor to Ngā Tahu iwi. You have two to two and a half hours at the national park: walk the Tasman Glacier Viewpoint Track through the moraines of Haupapa, New Zealand's longest glacier, or explore Mt Cook Village. Scenic flights and Heli Hike available on the day. Heading home: the Ōmārama Clay Cliffs, High Country Salmon, the Cardrona Hotel (1863), and a Crown Range lookout over Queenstown from the highest main road in Aotearoa. Lunch, water and snacks included. WiFi and USB charging on board. Group capped at 16. Carbon neutral within the national park.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Depart heading north. Guide introduces the day as we leave New Zealand's adventure capital. Departure: 6:30 AM.
We follow the Kawarau Gorge along State Highway 6. The icy blue water and historic Suspension Bridge, birthplace of New Zealand's bungee jumping, are visible from the road. Note from November 1, 2026 this will be replaced with the stop in Wanaka.
Pass through Cromwell, a Central Otago township known for its vineyards and stone fruit. Views of Lake Dunstan.
This stop is only included on tours after November 1, 2026. Here the Guide collects lunch while you explore the lakefront, home of #ThatWānakaTree. Views towards Mt Aspiring National Park. Wānaka-based travellers join here.
Stop in Ōmārama, "the place of light" in te reo Māori. The nearby Ahuriri Valley was a filming location for Disney's live-action Mulan.
A man-made lake built for the Mackenzie Basin's hydro-electricity network. Popular for rowing, fishing, and water skiing.
Glacier-fed lake shifting from ice blue to deep aqua. On clear days, Aoraki rises directly from the water's edge.
Approximately 40% of the park is covered by glaciers. Nineteen peaks exceed 3000 metres. Options: Tasman Glacier Viewpoint Track (free), Mt Cook Village and Visitor Centre, scenic flights or Heli Hike (sold separately). Collection time 2:15 pm.
Feed the fish and buy fresh local salmon. Omitted if the tour is running late.
Ancient glacial formations built into craggy pinnacles. Omitted in bad weather or if running late.
Tussocked valleys in every direction. Merino sheep common in the area.
Drop off Wānaka-based travellers before the Crown Range.
Established 1863 to service the Otago Gold Rush. One of New Zealand's most-photographed historic buildings.
The highest main road in Aotearoa. Panoramic views over Queenstown and the Remarkables.
Drop-off point confirmed with your guide at the start of the day.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
06:30 am Kamana Lakehouse 06:31 am Mercure Resort 06:32 am Heritage Hotel Queenstown 06:35 am Rydges Lakeland Resort Queenstown 06:36 am St Moritz Queenstown 06:37 am QT Queenstown 06:38 am Crown Plaza Queenstown 06:39 am Pinewood Lodge 06:40 am Queenstown Park Boutique Hotel 06:41 am The Flaming Kiwi Backpackers 06:42 am Novotel Queenstown Lakeside 06:43 am Nomads Hostel Queenstown 06:46 am Tahuna Pod Hostel 06:46 am Aspen Lodge Backpackers 06:47 am Scenic Suites Queenstown 06:47 am Heartland Hotel Queenstown 06:48 am Holiday inn Express and Suites 06:49 am Ramada Queenstown Central 06:50 am Copthorne Hotel and Resort Queenstown Lakefront 06:51 am Millenium Hotel Queenstown 06:52 am Copthorne Hotel and Apartments Queenstown Lakeview 06:53 am Swiss Belsuites Ponamu Queenstown 06:54 am Oaks Queenstown Shore Resort 06:55 am The Rees Hotel Luxury Apartments 06:56 am Holiday Inn Queenstown Frankton Road 06:57 am Sherwood Queenstown 06:58 am Airport / Frankton Area 07:00 am Wyndham Garden Queenstown 07:01 am Sudima Queenstown 5 Five Mile 07:30 am Cromwell I-SITE information Centre
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Dress in layers. There is a significant temperature difference between Queenstown and Aoraki Mt Cook.
- Bring a waterproof jacket. Alpine weather can change rapidly.
- Wear closed-toe shoes with grip. The Tasman Glacier Viewpoint Track involves uneven and stony terrain.
- Bring sunscreen. UV is strong at altitude, particularly in summer.
- The Ōmārama Clay Cliffs and High Country Salmon stops are time-dependent and weather-dependent. They may be omitted.
- This tour is not wheelchair accessible. The walks at Mt Cook involve uneven ground and require a moderate level of physical fitness.
- Children aged 7 and under require a child safety car seat. If you need one provided, request it at booking with at least 24 hours notice.
- Service animals are permitted.
- The tour departs near public transportation.
- Wānaka-based travellers: you can join and alight at the Wānaka stop. Select this option at time of booking.
- Not recommended for travellers with serious back conditions, heart conditions, or who are pregnant.
- Expert local guides: deep knowledge of Māori history and the Mackenzie region.
- Lunch, water, Kiwi snacks, WiFi and USB charging all included.
- Wānaka, #ThatWānakaTree, Cardrona Hotel and Crown Range: stops rivals skip.
- Small group: maximum 16 guests & Carbon neutral tour.
Reviews(12)
Dreamlike landscapes; it is very cold, so you need to wear good footwear and warm clothing. I recommend watching the three movies of The Lord of the Rings before the excursion; also, if you have difficulty walking, I suggest bringing trekking poles, as they will help a lot during the trekking.
We waited at the pick up point and nobody showed up. I called Viator and they said it was canceled. We were never informed that they canceled it. We waited for almost an hour.
Kia ora Maria, Thank you for sharing your experience. While we are aware that an apology cannot undo what has happened on this occassion, we profusely apologise for the disappointment and confusion given the upsetting circumstances. We have reviewed the situation and it appears that there may have been an API connection issue/adminstration error between reservation systems. Rest assured that we have issued a full refund and you can expect to receive this in the next 3-5 business days. This is not the service that we aim to deliver and are currently looking at ways to ensure that something like this does not occur again in the future. We hope that you enjoy the rest of your time travelling around the rest of Aotearoa New Zealand, and again we sincerely and deeply apologise for the disappointment and frustration. Ngā mihi nui, Cheeky Kea Travel
Glen was amazing! He was very informative and made the experience memorable. He took us to beautiful sites and did not rush us in between breaks. I highly recommend him
Not worth it if the weather is cloudy. Stops are more of touristy on the way there. Bus was comfortable seating but was cold and could not hear quide from back.
Destination fantastic however the trip there was unpleasant. In a van with only seat available was back seat which is slightly more elevated then others. My tall husband couldn’t see out window without leaning over. Ride more bumpy, noise from road and heater fan right over our head, which made it almost impossible to hear tour guide who mumbled half of his sentences. He missed his turn a few times and seemed to be a bit unorganized. Very long day. But views fantastic. Very little time allowed for the hike, felt very rushed.
We enjoyed the driver Marina, being so informative about the region and new zealand history and random facts. She made the time travelling more interesting. She was a pleasure. The only problem was that viator promised water and light snacks but we never got them. We needed the water for our trek and was fortunate that we found out in time to buy water ourselves. It was supposed to be provided by another driver who was meeting us with other passengers but there was a communication issue with the administrative staff. This was not Marinas fault.
Felix was a great guide with a lot of local information which I enjoy. Lupines and many sheep everywhere. Shrek the sheep information and kids books at Tarras as well as real fruit ice cream. The Hooker track to closure was beautiful and rainy. My son enjoyed the fresh salmon at the salmon farm. Recommend.
Great day tour with our guide Jeff. The ride over to Aoraki was comfortable and the pick up and drop off locations were convenient. The views of Lake Pukaki and Mt. Cook were beautiful! It is most definitely worth it.
Punctual, clean and comfortable service and minibus. Phil, our Guide, was friendly and helpful. Would definitely recommend this company.
Kia ora, Thanks so much for your review and recommendation! We are delighted to hear that you had a great trip through to Mt Cook!
Amazing trip!! Dion (sp?) the tour guide is an absolute gem! Very knowledgeable, very thorough in providing information and educating in fun facts and history of nearby places. Excellent experience, multiple stops for toilet and a snack, very well and enjoyable spent time. Loved it!
