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Gibbston
Small group activities

Small group activities

Our most recommended Gibbston Small group activities

Queenstown: Shotover River and Kawarau River Jet Boat Ride

1. Queenstown: Shotover River and Kawarau River Jet Boat Ride

Get an adrenaline rush on a 1-hour jet boat ride, operated by the world’s first commercial jet boat company. Take in stunning views of the Remarkable Mountains and journey up 2 of the South Island’s most iconic rivers.  Depart from the heart of Queenstown, and climb aboard the big yellow jet boat at the Main Town Pier. Hold on tight as you accelerate across the water and feel the exhilaration of a high-powered twin-engine boat that powers across Lake Wakatipu. Experience the twists and spins as you enter the Kawarau River and race past rocks and under bridges at speeds of up to 95 kilometers per hour.  Grip the heated handrails and experience 360° spins while you speed up the shallow channels of the Shotover River. After 45 kilometers of pure adrenaline, return to the pier and see photos and videos from your trip.

Queenstown: Half-Day 4WD Lord Of the Rings Discovery Tour

2. Queenstown: Half-Day 4WD Lord Of the Rings Discovery Tour

Embark on an adventure safari packed with breathtaking scenery, thrilling 4WD action, and LOTR filming locations. Visit the filming locations of Minas Tirith, Misty Mountains, the Pillars of the Kings (Argonath), Gladden Fields, the Ford of Bruinen, and more.  After pick-up from your hotel, journey around the Wakatipu Basin to see The Remarkables, which were used as various mountains throughout the three movies. Travel part way up Queenstown Hill for a bird's-eye view onto Deer Park Heights, which was used for the refugees of Rohan and the Battle of the Wargs scenes. From the viewpoint, head to Kawarau Gorge where the filming took place for the Argonath - 'Pillars of the Kings'. After Kawarau Gorge, travel to Arrowtown where the loss of The One Ring scene at Gladden Fields was shot. Near Arrowtown, you will experience a true off-road adventure. Following a historic gold mining road up the Arrow River, cross the river many times to get to the Ford of Bruinen. Here you can indulge in a refreshing afternoon tea and try your hand at a spot of gold panning. From Arrowtown, travel to the entrance of Skippers Canyon for spectacular panoramic views of the Wakatipu Basin and into the Canyon.

From Queenstown: Mount Cook and Hooker Valley Day Trip

3. From Queenstown: Mount Cook and Hooker Valley Day Trip

Visit breathtaking locations in Queenstown as you make your way to Aoraki Mount Cook National Park. Travel with a reliable tour guide who will share stories and rich background knowledge on Queenstown and the Mount Cook area. Start your tour in the stunning city of Queenstown. Drive through the Kawarau Suspension Bridge and marvel at the scenery the Kawarau Gorge has to offer. Stop at the Roaring Meg Lookout to take photos of your stunning view. Then, enter the region of Cromwell, famous for fruits and wine and where you can see huge fields of vines. Next, traverse the majestic Lindis Pass which lies between two valleys against a backdrop of a bright blue sky. This stretch of highway is one of the only three Alpine roads through the otherwise impassable Southern Alps. After taking photos at the top of the pass, drive through the Mackenzie District and visit the township of Omarama. Turning west, you'll enter Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, and Lake Pukaki will emerge in front of you. Proceed to the start of the Hooker Valley Track and depart on a 3-hour self-guided hike with amazing views of Hooker Lake, Hooker Glacier, and Mount Cook. Finish your tour by visiting High Country Salmon as you make your way back to Queenstown.

Otago Winery Tour with Gourmet Wine & Food-Paired Lunch

4. Otago Winery Tour with Gourmet Wine & Food-Paired Lunch

Make the most of your stay in Queenstown with this half-day wine and food experience for an unforgettable taste of Central Otago’s wine region. Enjoy a winery lunch consisting of several tasting dishes each perfectly matched by the Chief Winemaker and Head Chef, using estate wines and fresh local produce. Indulge in wine tasting and presentations at 3 wineries, visiting one larger well-known winery and two boutique style wineries. The tour also includes a wine cave tour and tasting, providing you with an insight into the local great wines and the Central Otago wine industry.

Queenstown & Gibbston Valley: Hop-On Hop-Off Wine Tours

5. Queenstown & Gibbston Valley: Hop-On Hop-Off Wine Tours

Become your own tour guide for a day and enjoy having the freedom to explore the best parts of Queenstown, Arrowtown, and Gibbston Valley without being rushed or restricted by any preset itineraries. Enjoy the local wine and soak up the amazing sites of the Queenstown and Gibbston Valley. No need to make an itinerary and drive yourself, our friendly drivers will look after you and provide you with information on each location. Hop on and off as you please, visit as many destinations as you like, and choose how long you stay at each spot. Stop options include: • Shotover Jet boat ride • Canyon Food & Brew Co • Strike Bowl bowling and entertainment center • Cargo at Gantley’s taproom • The Gin Garden • Arrowtown historical gold mining town • The Winery, Arrowtown • Mora Wines & Kitchen by Artisan • Amisfield Bistro & Cellar Door • Nockies Palette Wines at Stoneridge • Wet Jacket Wines • AJ Hackett Bungy • Cargo Brewery & Bald Hills Wine • Mt Rosa Wines • Brennan Wines • Kinross Cellar Door & Bistro • Gibbston Valley Winery • Altitude Brewing • The Winery, Queenstown

Queenstown: Kawarau River Rafting and Jet Boat Ride

6. Queenstown: Kawarau River Rafting and Jet Boat Ride

Raft the Kawarau River, perhaps better known as the River Anduin in Lord of the Rings, for a great half-day activity in Queenstown This is a perfect introduction to whitewater rafting for first-timers. There will be plenty of rapids action plus time to sit back and enjoy the spectacular scenery. Catch the free shuttle from the centre of town out to the raft base where you will be fitted out with all your gear. From there, head back into the heart of Queenstown to catch your jet boat transfer. Take on the beginning 22 km of the Kawarau river at 95 km/h with thrilling 360-degree spins as you arrive at the rafting station. Your rafting adventure covers 8-kilometers of the river. Take on grade 2-3 rapids and perhaps the occasional grade 2-4 rapid, when there are higher water levels. These are usually easier to navigate and there is less risk of falling out. Enjoy flat stretches of river between the rapids where you have the opportunity to race your friends on the other rafts or jump out and swim. Keep an eye on the other rafts, as there is a good chance of a water fight. Conclude your adventure by rafting the longest commercially rafted rapid in New Zealand, the Dog Leg. This is a 400-meter long and grade 3/4 rapid. Add some extra excitement by joining in on the optional cliff jumping section, or sit back and watch your friends take a leap.

Queenstown: Gibbston Valley Half-Day Canyoning Adventure

7. Queenstown: Gibbston Valley Half-Day Canyoning Adventure

Get introduced to the fun and thrilling sport of canyoning at Kawarau Canyon on an half-day tour. Jump in a van for a 20-minute van transfer from downtown Queenstown into Gibbston Valley's wine country. Immerse yourself in the sport of canyoning whilst enjoying the beauty of your natural surroundings. Professional and qualified guides will kit you out with all the best equipment. Benefit from a full safety briefing and demonstration on all the elements of canyoning before heading out for adventure. You'll take an easy 5-minute walk to the canyon start point. Before you know it, you'll be off down the canyon, sliding natural watersides, trying your hand at abseiling down waterfalls and having the most awesome summer experience ever. This canyon is open to first-time canyoners as well as experienced adventure seekers, looking for an awesome activity in a safe and controlled environment.

From Arrowtown: Scenic Valley of the Vines Bike & Wine Tour

8. From Arrowtown: Scenic Valley of the Vines Bike & Wine Tour

Try local wine and enjoy a bike ride experience on the beautiful Twin Rivers Trail. Ride with ease with wide and easy-to-navigate bike trails. Add some excitement to your trip with a bungee jumping experience. Learn about the history of the area and become immersed in its wine culture. Start your tour with a 20-minute scenic shuttle into Arrowtown. Your guide will give you a brief lesson on the history of gold mining in the area and will share some intriguing facts about the town. Even try gold mining yourself. Arrive near the trail and, after a briefing, set off for 2-3 hours of riding time over 7 bridges, 2 rivers, and into the Valley of the Vines on your own time. Try any one of the dining options below for breakfast, lunch, or brunch. Brunch options: AB Bakeries - Arguably the best bakery in Otago. Fork and Tap - Great little pub with fantastic garden dining Provisions - Healthy breakfast, brunch, and lunch Slow Cuts - Hidden gem, casual dining – try the chicken burger Lunch options: Gibbston Tavern - Wood-fired oven Gibbston Valley - Grazing platters (book in advance) Enjoy pickup from the wineries and then return to Queenstown and partake in some optional karaoke.

Queenstown: Wine Tasting Tour

9. Queenstown: Wine Tasting Tour

Your wine guide will collect you near your Queenstown accommodation around 10am in a premium Mercedes vehicle, before traveling 30 minutes out to the spectacular Gibbston wine region. Throughout the day you will visit four tasting locations, tasting over 18 local wines. Our first location includes a tour and tasting at New Zealand’s famous Gibbston Valley underground wine cave. Here you will visit the vines before exploring their incredible wine cave and tasting their world-famous wines. From here we move on to Kinross, a fantastic tasting location that showcases wines from five different wine-makers, their cellar-door hosts will entertain and educate you on the wide history of the region. It is at Kinross where we allow time for lunch, and you can order off their varied delicious menu (lunch is paid for separately on the day). After lunch, visit the beautiful tasting room at Mt Rosa Wines. Mt Rosa is an owner-operator cellar door, with single-label wines that are unique and hard to source around NZ and the world. The fourth location is The Church Tasting Room, a picturesque location, in a small refurbished church sitting on large sweeping grounds and the tasting room for Mt Edward Wines. At the end of the tour you can be dropped back near your accommodation around 4pm, or choose to go into Queenstown to enjoy your afternoon/evening. Travel in style with transfers in a premium Mercedes van, enjoy learning how to taste wine through onboard videos and make use of our complimentary WiFi and Spotify playlists.

Queenstown: Kawarau River Jet Boat Adventure

10. Queenstown: Kawarau River Jet Boat Adventure

Discover Queenstown’s untouched and pristine wilderness during an authentic jet boat adventure across Lake Wakatipu and along the historic Kawarau River. Choose from a 25-minute or 1-hour experience and spend more time on the water with a convenient departure right from the heart of Queenstown. Depart from Thunder Bay next to Steamer Wharf in the heart of Queenstown and travel far up the Kawarau River, covering a distance of 47 km. Along the way, listen to interesting commentary from your experienced driver. After getting equipped with a life jacket, climb on board and experience exhilarating 360-degree spins, skimming the water at speeds of up to 95 km/hour.  Then, travel down the river where it is calmest, even when the lake is rough. Take your camera along to capture the stunning scenery of your jet boat experience with frequent photo opportunities.

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What people are saying about Gibbston

Our full day tour was amazing with Tania as our tour guide. We had never been to any of the wineries we visited on the day of the tour, and they were all incredible, especially Kinross, as our son proposed to his girlfriend whilst we were there! Incredible day for the couple and the 6 of us family touring together. Would definitely recommend Altitude tours, everything went seem less, Tania was full of local knowledge and chose the most wonderful destination for lunch at Bannockburn hotel. Would highly recommend. Many Thanks, The Fredericks Family

Excellent ride with a great guide, exploring new areas and with a welcome wine tasting and cheese board at the end. Would definitely recommend as an amazing way to see the scenery and have fun at the same time.

The whole day was simply great! Our guide Holly was oh so lovely and very knowledgeable about the area. All wineries visited offered fantastic wines and service. Great value for money, would 100% recommend.

Dave was great fun flexible and accommodating to our plans. I would recommend for wine tasting in Queenstown region.

The driver was a gentleman and so informative. Ewen, what a lovely man.