Top South Island Tickets & Passes - page 3

Explore the landscapes that featured in “The Lord of the Rings” movies on this small-group full-day tour. Traveling in a 4-wheel drive enables access to remote locations in the Queenstown area. Get out into the wilderness in the morning, with the chance to dress up in movie costumes and pose with props. Return to town for lunch, then spend the afternoon checking out more sites around Queenstown.

Keen or budding photographers will love the chance to photograph the night’s sky with a photographer. The skies in the lower South Island are among the clearest in the world and you’ll learn how to photograph them on this private tour. As well as getting great shots you’ll have your portrait taken against the sky–a unique souvenir.

Enjoy high-octane thrills in the New Zealand wilderness without the hassle of equipment rentals on this small-group Cardrona Valley quad bike experience. Spin off into the mountains of the mighty Cardrona Valley with your guide who will navigate the winding dirt tracks so you won't get lost. Enjoy panoramic views over the wilds of New Zealand’s South Island.

Get ready for an adventure or a relaxing day in the mountains! Explore Mt Cook on a fully guided, small-group tour from Queenstown, with free time to hike, fly, or simply unwind. Highlights: • Mt Cook & Aoraki National Park • Lake Pukaki • Kawarau Gorge, Lindis Pass, the Southern Alps • High Country Salmon (time dependent) • Free time for activities & walks Enjoy approximately three hours of free time at Mt Cook to make your day as adventurous or relaxed as you choose: hike alpine trails, soar above glaciers on a scenic flight, or unwind at the Hermitage Hotel with a hot chocolate, soaking in the views. Make memories that last a lifetime. ***PLEASE NOTE: The Hooker Valley Track is currently closed beyond Müller Lookout (located between the first and second swing bridges) while the Department of Conservation replaces one of the bridges. This scenic section still offers stunning views and a rewarding hiking experience. The full track is expected to reopen in Spring 2026.***

With soaring peaks, rugged trails, and spectacular countryside scenery, Queenstown is the undisputed home of outdoor adventure on New Zealand’s South Island. Tackling this terrain can be difficult with children, but this ATV experience keeps kids in mind with smaller, age-appropriate ATVs while parents and teens 14 and over ride full-size vehicles alongside. Your guide adjusts pace and terrain to suit the youngest riders, so every child gets the right balance of challenge and confidence.

Avoid the stress of self-driving through distractingly beautiful landscapes on a full-day tour from Queenstown to Milford Sound. Peer through the panoramic windows of a luxury coach as you travel through UNESCO World Heritage–listed Fiordland National Park with a guide, stopping at sites of interest en route. At Milford Sound, board a catamaran for a memorable sightseeing cruise past Mitre Peak and magnificent cliff-side waterfalls. Look out for wildlife, too.

The deep waters, soaring cliffs, and thundering waterfalls of Milford Sound are spectacular from all angles, and this half-day tour by air and boat takes in all the highlights. Enjoy thrilling aerial views of the Fiordland National Park on a round-trip flight from Queenstown, and marvel at Mitre Peak, Bowen Falls, and Mount Pembroke on a scenic Milford Sound cruise. Hotel pickup and drop-off, and lunch are included for a truly seamless experience.

Thrillseekers and motorheads—this is the experience for you. Visit Highlands Motorsport and Tourism Park and have the special opportunity to ride a Repco V8 Muscle Car. No need to worry about purchasing expensive clothing—a race suit, race boots, and helmet are provided. Drive around the lap seven times with a professional driver beside you throughout in this private experience.

Adventurous travellers will love this thrill seeking experience which includes driving off-road vehicles, jet boating, and clay bird shooting. This experience is unique as it includes all three activities, meaning visitors will make the most of the exciting opportunities available in the Queenstown region. Enjoy thrill seeking against New Zealand’s magnificent backdrop.

Explore New Zealand’s rugged countryside by ATV and enjoy plenty of off-road adventure on this fun 2-hour tour in Hanmer Springs. Choose a morning or afternoon tour to suit your needs. Then, open the throttle and zoom along winding dirt tracks with a guide. Spin along riverbanks and over creek crossings, and follow farmland trails into the wilderness.

Pair the fine wines of Central Otago with a gourmet lunch platter on this small-group wine-tasting tour of Gibbston, Bannockburn, and Cromwell from Queenstown. Drive through valleys and vine-clad foothills rich in gold mining history, and stop at four boutique wineries for tastings along the way. Numbers are limited to ensure an intimate experience with other wine lovers and personalized attention from your guide.

Take a break from touristy Queenstown and head along the shores of Lake Wakatipu to the aptly named Paradise. On this half-day tour, experience rural New Zealand. Spot filming locations from The Lord of the Rings around Glenorchy and hear stories from Māori history and mythology as you tour the mountainous countryside. Plus, the vehicles have large windows for even better views.

Experience the Waipara wine valley and the city of Christchurch during this full-day, guided, small-group tour with transportation in a luxury mini-van. See the city sights as your guide provides commentary and recommendations of what to do in New Zealand’s largest city. Look out at Lyttelton Port and the Canterbury farmlands from atop Port Hills and head north to the region’s wine country to visit boutique vineyards.

Immerse yourself in the fascinating history of the Queenstown region with this gold mining tour. Stop in at key towns of the gold rush days including charming Arrowtown, and visit the Goldfields Mining Centre where you will be able to have a go at gold panning yourself. As you travel, learn the history and hear marvelous stories via themed GPS headsets.

• This private photography tour provides a flexible itinerary & starting times. • You can choose an astrophotography tour option between February & November. • Your guide/photographer carries public liability insurance, holds a first aid certificate and has a Passenger Service license. All of this provides confidence and peace of mind to the clients that this local business offers only the high quality, safe and enjoyable experiences.

We photograph your tour professionally, so you can sit back and relax. From posed photographs through to candid ones, we'll be helping you feel relaxed in this beautiful place creating images you'll treasure for decades to come. All of our tours are private and our Land Rovers have full leather interiors. You won't be sharing the vehicle with anyone other than your guides and your party. Nor will we be rushing, we want you to wind down. We are DOC concession holders, SMS Safety Management Audited and NZTA Licensed Operators, so you can relax knowing you're in very safe hands.

Queenstown is famous for its adrenaline-inducing adventure sports, but if you want a more relaxed adventure, combine a Lake Wakatipu cruise with a horseback-riding adventure. Cruise from Queenstown to Walter Peak High Country Farm, then fuel up with morning or afternoon tea at the Colonel’s Homestead. Numbers are limited for a small-group experience on the horse trek for a personalized experience. Admire great views of the Remarkables mountains.

Sample Central Otago wines without the stress of choosing a sober driver. Enjoy included hotel pickup from Queenstown on a leisurely drive around celebrated wineries in the Gibbston Valley. Have lunch at a winery restaurant (own cost). Go behind the scenes at the country’s oldest wine cave and sample a range of varietals, from pinot noirs to various whites. Canine lovers will also enjoy being accompanied by Bella the dog.

Save time and skip the lines with this combo ticket to Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre’s cutting-edge “Knights of the Sky” and “Dangerous Skies” exhibits. Learn about New Zealand’s wartime pilots and see their stories brought to life in sets created by the award-winning WingNut Films and Weta Workshop. Enthusiasts should make a beeline to the Centre’s aviation relics: immaculately preserved bomber planes and fighter jets from both World Wars.

Take away special memories from your time in Queenstown with this private tour with a personal photographer. Visit some of the most special spots in the region, including beautiful Lake Hayes, Arrowtown Chinese Settlement, Coronet Peak and more. In each spot, a photographer takes wonderful photos of you, your family and/or friends, which are supplied digitally to you after the tour.

Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre’s Dangerous Skies exhibition tells the incredible stories of World War II’s unsung aviation heroes. See impeccably-restored bombers and fighter planes from the era and immerse yourself in the museum’s Battle of Stalingrad Experience, a multimedia extravaganza that throws you right in the middle of the infamous siege. Skip the lines and book a special guided tour of the exhibit to learn more about these stories.

Located in the heart of Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound forms part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Site. Explore the stunning fiord in a way few tourists will—by air and water during a half-day excursion. The exhilarating, round-trip helicopter flight from Queenstown includes a glacier or alpine landing. Perhaps spot dolphins, seals, and penguins during an unforgettable cruise.

Visitors with limited time in Christchurch don’t need to miss out on experiencing some of the South Island’s most beautiful mountain scenery on this private day tour to Arthurs Pass. Avoid the hassle of self-driving on mountain roads: sit back and enjoy the views while your driver drives. Be amazed by the mountain lakes, braided rivers, glacial valleys, forests, and high passes you’ll see throughout the day.

This is a Private Tour. We can take up to 11 passengers and as locals have been proudly showing visitors Christchurch and the South Island for over 25 years (see "E S Tours" Trip Advisor Reviews). We like to think our tours are small, friendly, informative and we look for the interesting back roads to travel away from most tour destinations and itineraries.