NZ$302 total with Basic cover: NZ$7,000 excess and a NZ$3,000 bond.
NZ$369 total with Peace of Mind: NZ$1,500 excess and no bond. This is not zero-excess cover.
Collect at Queenstown Airport at 8 AM; return at 6 PM. Arrange the after-hours return in advance.
Quote checked 22 September for 17 October only; not held. Includes location and road-care fees. Fuel, optional extras and any payment fees are additional.
Native bush, a lakeside cove and a short, steep climb to the viewpoint. The car park is 14 km from town. Use the marked track; the old bridle track is closed.
Stop at the red shed and jetty, then follow the wetland boardwalks. Enter from Mull Street, not Glenorchy–Paradise Road. Skip flooded sections. Have lunch in town or bring a picnic.
An easy beech-forest loop from Routeburn Shelter. Add 35 minutes’ driving each way from Glenorchy, partly on narrow gravel road. Get rental approval first. Choose this instead of the full lagoon walk, not as another compulsory stop.
Queenstown–Glenorchy is about 45 km / 45 minutes each way without stops. Leave Glenorchy around 4 PM for refuelling and the 6 PM vehicle return.
Road restrictions, conditions & cancellation
Roads: the base drive uses the sealed Queenstown–Glenorchy Road. GO’s terms exclude cover on Skippers Road, the road to Macetown, unformed tracks and for water-crossing damage. Public gravel roads are not all excluded, but get written approval for the exact extension and vehicle.
Paradise:20 km beyond Glenorchy, with the last 12 km unsealed. Keep it optional, avoid fords, and do not add it on top of Routeburn by default.
Conditions: check QLDC road updates and the linked DOC track alerts before departure. October conditions are not yet known. Change the route for flooding, snow, ice or closures.
Cancellation: more than 24 hours ahead costs 10% of the rental, plus refund administration fees. Less than 24 hours costs 100%. Online cancellation needs at least 48 hours’ notice and adds a 2% refund fee. This is not a fully refundable weather-backup booking.
Adventure Day
Choose your own activity — the group can split up.
NZ$ per adult, checked 22 September 2026. Card fees and optional extras are additional.
Moa: 4 lines, 1.5–2 hours. Kea: 6 lines, 2.5–3 hours. Totals include October tour rates plus the separate NZ$69 gondola ticket. Allow extra time to reach the top.
9,000 ft: NZ$379; 12,000 ft: NZ$469; 15,000 ft: NZ$575. Allow about 3.5 hours, with room for delays. Town transport is included; photos/video start at NZ$220 extra.
For skydiving, aim for an early-trip morning and keep a backup day for weather.
Cancellation & participation rules
Shotover Jet: 24-hour cancellation policy. Operator weather cancellations offer a refund or reschedule.
Ziptrek: free cancellation up to 24 hours before the tour. Maximum weight 125 kg; closed-toe shoes required. Gondola tickets have separate terms.
Bungy: cancel more than 48 hours ahead for a refund, excluding the card fee. Read the weight and health limits for your chosen jump.
NZONE: cancel up to 24 hours ahead without a fee. Weather cancellations are rescheduled, or refunded if that is not possible. Harness-fit and health restrictions apply.
Cost: two private pools, split 4 + 3. NZ$260 + NZ$225 = NZ$485 total, about NZ$69 each if split evenly.
Transport: free shuttle from 43 Camp Street. Request it when booking.
Times seen on 22 September: Tuesday 13 October at 8:45 PM; Wednesday 14 October at 2:30 PM or 8:45 PM. Two pools and shuttle seats were available together.
Sunday–Friday: leaves the Station Building on Camp Street at 12:10 PM; the last bus returns around 5:30 PM. Follow the timetable between stops. Tastings and lunch are extra.
Leaves at noon from 48 Camp Street. The driver arranges pickups between wineries rather than following a fixed loop. Agree your return time on the day. Tastings and lunch are extra.
Classic Experience: 45 minutes and five local wines. The cellar door represents five Central Otago producers. A good lunch stop: the bistro serves lunch 11 AM–3 PM; book dining separately from the tasting.
A vineyard stop with Pinot Noir and less common local varieties. Self-guided flights include three wines. The NZ$65 hosted tasting lasts an hour and includes five wines and appetisers. Open daily, 11 AM–5 PM; book ahead.
Suggested plan: Gibbston Valley’s cave tour, then Kinross for lunch and a tasting. Swap in Brennan if you prefer another vineyard stop.
Allow about NZ$160 each for the half-day bus plus the Gibbston and Kinross tastings. Lunch and bottles are extra. A bus ticket does not reserve tasting or dining places.
06
Hiking
Suggested pair: Queenstown Hill and Sawpit Gully. Sunshine Bay is the gentler alternative; Tiki Trail is the steeper option.
Walking times start at the track entrance and exclude travel there. All four options are car-free.
Moderate · about 4 km return. A forest climb to the Basket of Dreams lookout, with views over the lake and mountains. Continue to the summit for a wider view.
Getting there: walk uphill from town via Ballarat Street and Kerry Drive to the Belfast Terrace entrance.
Moderate · 7.9 km loop. River, forest, old mining remains, and views towards Lake Hayes. Steep sections and creek crossings make this better after dry weather. Leave time for lunch in Arrowtown.
Easy–moderate · 4 km return. An undulating bush track beside the lake, ending at Sunshine Bay’s beach and jetty. A good slower-day option without a summit climb.
Getting there: start near the Fernhill roundabout, about a 20-minute walk from central Queenstown. Add that approach in both directions.
Steep · 4.2 km return, about 480 m climb. A rocky forest track to Skyline’s lake viewpoint. Allow about an hour uphill, plus stops and the descent. Walk down for free, or buy a one-way gondola ticket at the top.
