Queenstown to Franz Josef via Wanaka Small Group Day Tour (1-Way)
Description
Experience the ultimate adventure along New Zealand's West Coast from Queenstown to Franz Josef via Wānaka. Our small group, fully-guided tour takes you to the picturesque Lake Wānaka and Lake Hāwea, over the stunning Haast Pass and along the beautiful West Coast beaches to Franz Josef. Led by our passionate guides, this tour goes beyond the destinations, offering secret stops, wildlife viewings, and delightful surprises along the way. Travel in comfort with modern minibuses, enjoy complimentary refreshments and provided lunch as you journey through one of New Zealand’s most picturesque regions. At Cheeky Kiwi Travel, it's the journey, the stories, and the small group experience that truly set our tours apart.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Located on the spectacular Crown Range Road between Queenstown and Wānaka, the Cardrona Hotel is one of New Zealand's oldest and most iconic hotels. Its rustic charm, spectacular mountain setting and rich history make it a must-see in Central Otago.
We’ll stroll down to the lakeside for that iconic photo of the Wānaka Tree. Soak in the beauty of this expansive lake, backdropped by Mt Aspiring and the Southern Alps—a paradise for photographers.
Crossing the mighty Clutha River, we'll head westward past the stunning Lake Hāwea. We'll stop for a quick photo at a lookout point between Lake Wānaka and Lake Hāwea.
Located in Mt Aspiring National Park, the aptly named Blue Pools are a must-see. This easy 3km round trip is well worth the effort to witness the breathtaking blue waters of the Makarora River.
An easy 5-minute walk will reward you with a spectacular view of Thunder Creek Falls. This 28-metre waterfall, a remnant of a once-great glacier, pours from a hanging valley.
As we head north along the border where ancient rainforest meets the ocean, we’ll stop at Ship Creek. Dig your toes in the sand and feel the crash of the relentless waves of the Tasman Sea. Explore the dunes via an easy 1km walking track.
Here, thick native rainforest meets the seemingly endless open ocean. Bruce Bay truly showcases the best of the West Coast!
We continue to every photographer's dream: Lake Matheson. On a calm day, you can capture Mt Cook reflected elegantly across this picturesque lake. This easy walk will reward you with breathtaking views of the Southern Alps.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
*If no pickup is selected at time of booking, you will be allocated our default meeting point. You are welcome to update this at any time. If your location isn’t listed, please choose your nearest available option & meet us there. *Pick-ups can begin up to 20 minutes before the tour departure time, depending on location. To ensure a smooth start, please be ready and waiting outside 5 minute prior to your specific pickup time. *Pick-up locations are carefully planned for each tour and may vary by day. If your pick-up location changes, kindly inform us in advance. *Our guides make multiple stops and may arrive within a 10-minute window. We are unable to wait for late guests.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Luggage allowance - 1 large & 1 small per person
Reviews(62)
This tour was fabulous, thanks to a great guide, Hanna. She was enthusiastic, knowledgeable, personable and cheerful. Everything you could want in a tour guide and more. She went above and beyond to inform us all about the history and relevance of every stop of the tour, as well as most of what we were driving past. Our 12 hour tour, from Queenstown to Franz Josef, went by in a flash and we even managed around 16000 steps at the various stops along the way. Plenty of comfort stops, a great lunch at the Hard Antler, in Haast, just added to the value of this tour. Thanks Hanna, and Cheeky Kiwi.. it was a great day.
Thank you for your lovely words about Hanna. She loves to take people on her trips and share our beautiful coastline along the West Coast. It is a world of it's own. We are glad you enjoyed your trip so much.
Great way to transit with intentional sightseeing along the way. Good, quick hits and none of the stops feel overly long.
Thank you for your feedback. That trip is very scenic and it sounds like you enjoyed it. We hope you will travel with us again one day.
Great tour, great guide and a back office that solved all challenges. They know what they are doing and they are good at it ☺️.
We love the kind guide/driver. We like all spots to visit
It was amazing! The nature was impressive even in a rain. The car was comfortable and I really feel myself good with our guide Hannah who was very smart and passionate with her work. She was really interested in telling and sharing with us more about Nzee's animals and plants, nature and it all. I really liked Cheeky kiwi company and will recommended it to all.
We were just 2 people so it was basically a private tour and it was awesome! Udi came with us on the walks pointed out different plants and showed us cool things such as blue mushrooms. He also told us a lot about New Zealand’s history and culture and I could fire away all my questions. The scenery was just gorgeous and we saw some breathtaking places. My personal favorite was our walk at Ship Creek and generally crossing the Alps and entering this lush and dense vegetation! To sum it up: I saw beautiful places, I learned a lot about New Zealand, and we had a lot of laughs on the trip :)
Martin was knowledgeable and he took us to plenty of places. Lunch is included and it’s a good value for money as we stopped by plenty of places. The fee for this tour is only a hundred dollars more than the intercity bus but you get to see places that you wouldn’t normally see. We were lucky to have a good weather and had a glimpse of the glacier in Fox Glove
Wonderful trip, amazing landscapes, very well organized, and Shura is a really nice and friendly driver.
Hanna was a wonderfully enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and personable guide for our day trip to Franz Joseph! She expertly paced our day so we could take in all the dynamic and stunning sights along the way: lakes, mountains, forests, beaches, waterfalls, and glaciers! Hanna did this all while safely driving and traversing the roads. She made a long day feel so memorable and worthwhile with her easygoing nature, extensive knowledge of New Zealand and deep respect for the Māori people and culture. Thank you Hanna!
Thank you for your lovely feedback about Hanna. We will be sure to let her know. We are so pleased you enjoyed your trip through a very spectacular part of our country. Our guides love to share this with our visitors. Thank you for choosing Cheeky Kiwi for your travel.
Fantastic, intimate tour taking in lots of incredible sights on the road between Queenstown and Franz Josef. Colin was a wonderful guide, the lunch was spot on at Hard Antler in Haast (I can recommend the venison burger) and the complimentary WiFi on the minibus was a nice touch. Cheeky Kiwi Travel really do offer a more personalised experience than most and utilising smaller transport means they can get to places the larger buses can’t access. Also, do not pass on the freshly-baked cheese scones at the Cardrona Hotel for breakfast!
So nice that you have taken the time to mention our hard working partners in the food business. they do indeed do great food. It sounds like you had a great trip with Colin and we will pass on your kind comments to him. Thank you for travelling with us.
