Our favourite Queenstown Day Trips

We've put together some of our favourite Queenstown day trips, so get ready to be transported to some very special spots in the Southern Lakes, Otago, Southern Alps and West Coast glaciers.

Queenstown is the perfect base for exploring some of the most visually stunning locations on the planet. And it's amazing how far you can travel in a day, then return to Queenstown in time for dinner!

Our selection of Queenstown day trips feature some self-drive itineraries, together with some organised tours for those attractions a little further afield, like Fiordland, Mt. Cook and the West Coast glaciers.

Read on to see why we love using Queenstown as our base for exploring the southern part of New Zealand's South Island.

If you have any questions at all we would love to hear from you , so please don't hesitate to contact us.

Enjoy.

Self Drive Queenstown Day Trips

Here's a selection of our favourite self-drive Queenstown day trips. We've focussed on a few prime spots that shouldn't take you more than a one hour drive from Queenstown.

Queenstown to Glenorchy Driving time 45-60 minutes without stops		Queenstown to Arrowtown Driving time 20-30 minutes
Glenorchy is a beautiful lakeside village on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, around one hours drive from Queenstown. The drive is stunning and hugs the lake shore all the way, with lots of spots to explore, and ample photo opportunities. There are some great short walks on the way. We've put together a more detailed itinerary for you here.		Historic Arrowtown was founded by gold seekers in the 1800's. It's packed with historic buildings, quaint stores, and some world class eateries, like Ayrburn. If golf is your thing, there are three wonderful golf courses nearby. It's only a 20 minute drive from Queenstown, so nice and handy. You can learn more here.
Queenstown to Cromwell Driving time 1 hour without stops		Queenstown to Wanaka Driving time 1 hour without stops
Around 1 hours drive from Queenstown, the charming town of Cromwell is well worth a visit. Known for it's delicious stone fruit, motorsport park, and historic "Old Cromwell Town", Cromwell has a unique charm and lots to entertain you. We've put together some highlights for you here.		Wonderful Wanaka draws you in with vistas of towering peaks and a gorgeous lake. There's lots to see and do here, with something for all ages. Puzzling World is a must see as is the famous "That Wanaka Tree". We've got heaps of information on our dedicated Wanaka page.

Organised tour Day Trips

Referred to as the "Eighth Wonder of the World" by English author Rudyard Kipling (The Jungle Book), Milford Sound is a "must do" if you are in this part of NZ.

Although it's less than 100 klm in a straight line from Queenstown, the drive there takes around four hours each way. When you also factor in the time for a cruise and some sight seeing on the way, your day can stretch to 12 hours or more. Unfamiliar roads and long days do not make for happy holidays, so we always recommend relaxing and letting someone else do the driving (or flying).

Doubtful Sound is equally enticing, but still a chore to get to. Doubtful Sound cannot be reached directly by road. Once you reach Manapouri (2 hours drive from Queenstown), there's a boat ride across the lake, followed by a bus trip over the mountain, then onto your tour boat. Another big day if you choose to drive, so we recommend an organised tour.

Need some help to decide which one is best for you? We've put together some information on the Milford Sound Vs Doubtful Sound choice here.

Here's a selection of fantastic Fiordland tours:

Okay, so the drive from Queenstown to Franz Josef takes around 5 hours one-way, so a self-drive day trip is really not practical.

But there is a way to experience the glacier country, and that's on a scenic flight and glacier hike.

This amazing tour includes plane flights over the Southern Alps, two helicopter flights, and a two hour guided glacier walk.

Read about the tour and make your booking here.

Mt. Cook National Park is one of the many highlights on the South Island. This premium tour takes you on a 12 hour adventure through some stunning landscapes like the Lindis Pass and Lake Pukaki, before arriving at Mt. Cook Village, where you have over 3 hours free time to explore the village and trails. Your tour includes pick up and drop off in Queenstown, so just sit back, relax, and take it all in.

See why this tour is so popular and make your booking here.

You can learn more about some great things to do at Mount Cook here.