Queenstown

15 Best Lake Wakatipu Cruises

The lake crossings compared: the TSS Earnslaw, a 1912 coal-fired steamship still on schedule, scenic ninety-minute loops and the Walter Peak runs that end at a gourmet barbecue on a high-country farm. The steamship is the same age as the Titanic and having a better century.

1.Queenstown: Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ & Lake Whakatipu Cruise

Experience scenic lake cruises, a gourmet BBQ, and lively farm demonstrations at Walter Peak in Queenstown—perfect for food lovers and families alike.

Most Popular★ 4.8

“The whole trip was excellent a lovely trip on the steam boat followed by a delicious varied lunch and then a very interesting talk and display of sheep shearing. Would thoroughly recommend.”

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2.Queenstown: Lake Wakatipu Scenic Cruise (90 Minutes)

Discover Queenstown’s stunning Lake Wakatipu with a 90-minute scenic cruise featuring expert guides, breathtaking views, and great value.

★ 5.0

“It was absolutely amazing ! The service was fantastic! Troy was super accommodating to everyone. Definitely recommend to people with kids! My 1 year old and 4 year old had a wonderful time.”

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4.Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ Lunch & Queenstown Lake Cruise

Discover Queenstown’s best with a vintage steamship cruise, sheep farm demonstrations, and a gourmet BBQ. An authentic and scenic New Zealand experience.

★ 5.0

“Impressive steam ship maiden voyage 1912. Food other end just Ok nothing special felt to me like a buffet at a cruise ship and waited 10 mins in buffet queue. Enjoyable overall but probably not quite 5 stars.”

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5.Queenstown: Queenstown Lake Cruise and Walter Peak Farm Tour

Discover the charming blend of scenic lake cruising and farm life at Walter Peak in Queenstown. Enjoy farm demonstrations, animals, and high tea for a memorable 3.5-hour experience.

★ 4.8

“It was a really great experience and great value for money. Loved getting to see, feed and pat all the animals. Baby Butterscotch and Baby Caramel were extremely cute. Also getting to watch the sheep sheering and seeing the dogs hard at work rounding them…”

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7.Dinner at Walter Peak High Country Farm and Cruise from Queenstown

Experience a scenic lake cruise, a delicious buffet dinner, and a lively farm demonstration at Walter Peak, all in one memorable Queenstown outing.

★ 4.5

“The steamer ride across the lake was a lot of fun. It was very interesting to see the engine room and all that goes on down there. It’s not every day you see somebody shoveling coal into a furnace to keep the engine running. The…”

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8.Queenstown Lake Cruise and Walter Peak Farm Adventure

Discover Queenstown’s charm with a scenic lake cruise aboard a vintage steamship and a lively farm visit featuring animal encounters, demonstrations, and high tea.

★ 4.5

“Booked at 11.30am for a 1pm departure. Other websites had no availability. Really good way to spend a few hours. Not too long either kids loved farm tour and patting / hand feeding baby animals. Farm show pretty basic but good if no previous exposure…”

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9.TSS Earnslaw Lake Wakatipu Steamship Cruise from Queenstown

Experience Queenstown’s beauty aboard the historic TSS Earnslaw steamship. Enjoy scenic lake views, engine room tours, and a relaxing 1.5-hour cruise.

★ 4.5

“Be prepared to eat a lot of food. We upgraded our experience to the dinner cruise when we arrived in Queenstown at the suggestion of several local drivers we had. The trip in the boat is interesting seeing the steam engine room. The food Read…”

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10.Queenstown: Lake Wakatipu Scenic Cruise

Experience stunning views of Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables on a 1.5-hour scenic cruise in Queenstown. Perfect for relaxing, photo-taking, and wildlife spotting.

★ 4.7

“Great tour with a welcoming and friendly staff. Troy has a great sense of humour and a wealth of local knowledge. It's a lovely way to see the area while relaxing with a hot chocolate.”

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11.Glacier Explorer & Earnslaw Burn Helicopter Flight

Experience a thrilling helicopter tour over Queenstown’s glaciers and Mount Aspiring National Park, including a glacier landings and stunning alpine views.

★ 4.9

“Incredible experience. Was easy to book, got picked up headed to the chopper and we were up within 15 minutes. We had a glacier landing which was an absolute highlight. The pilot was lovely and a wealth of knowledge. He took us around to more…”

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More Lake Wakatipu Cruises

Explore Queenstown

Jet boats, bungy history and Milford Sound up the road.