Queenstown: Kawarau Gorge, Lake Pukaki & Aoraki Mt Cook Tour

Queenstown, New Zealand

13 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

What's Included

Lunch

Collected by your guide at the Wānaka stop
Bottled water and Kiwi snacks
WiFi & USB charging on board
Live guide commentary throughout
Transport in a modern Mercedes Sprinter or similar vehicle
Carbon neutral tour of Aoraki Mt Cook National Park

Gratuities
Attraction: Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre entry
Additional Activity: Scenic flights (available to book on the day via your guide, sold separately)

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

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

Operating hours
.6:30 am

Itinerary

Queenstown (Pass By)

Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Cromwell (Pass By)

Wanaka

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Omarama

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Lake Ruataniwha

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Lake Pukaki

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Aoraki Mount Cook National Park (Te Wahipounamu)

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

High Country Salmon

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Clay Cliff

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Lindis Pass (Pass By)

Wanaka (Pass By)

Cardrona Hotel

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Crown Range Road (Pass By)

Queenstown (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Not wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Infant seats available
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
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.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Danielle_G

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

Reviews

4.3

based on 12 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Sort by: Most insightful

We waited at the pick up...

Maria_E, Jun 2026

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.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

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

Great!! Highly recommend

Danielle_G, Apr 2026

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

Go on a nice viewing day

cynthia_s, Feb 2026

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.

Bumpy ride

Genna_J, Feb 2026

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.

mt cook experience

Donna_A, Feb 2026

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.

Shrek the sheep

Jeanne_P, Nov 2025

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...

Seng_L, Nov 2025

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.

Absolutely amazing!

Monika_M, Oct 2024

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!

Picturesque scenery of new zealand

jenilimarie_A, Aug 2024

It was totally the most unforgettable trip/holiday or adventure that I had..It was wonderful seeing the nature.The scenery was incredibly beautiful..Thanks to our tour driver guide who was friendly and detailed ..He also play good music along the road trip which is good I never replaced or edited when I posted in social media

Response from Host, Oct 2024

WOW, thank you for taking the time to write this lovely review. We loved having you on board and hope to welcome you back soon!

Delightful

Debbie_D, Mar 2024

Our guide, Colin, was a not only a great driver but a great story teller and so knowledgeable about everything. He was very accommodating and made the long trip interesting.

Dreamlike landscapes at Mount Cook.

Alejandra_B, Jun 2026

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.

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