A Private Highlights Tour gives you the perfect amount of time for an overview of Queenstown and the Wakatipu Basin, a great way to start your holiday or to visit a certain spot that’s on your must do list.

Some suggestions are:

• Take look at Gibbston, the Valley of the Vines. Drop in to one of the many cellar doors to taste award winning offerings from one of the most southern wine region in the world.
• Visit Arrowtown with its old-world charm, fantastic shopping and golden history.
• Visit some art galleries or homes of local artists and craftsmen.
• Take a short guided hike and learn about the unique flora and fauna found nowhere else in the world.
• Visit a mountain lookout to view the area from above and hear about how this stunning landscape came to be.
• Seek out some of the film locations that the area is famous for.
• Include a morning or afternoon tea break at a hand-picked local cafe.

Contact us and we will put together an exclusive private tour that is perfectly suited to you.

We’ll be ready to pick you up from your accommodation at a time that works for you and return you to your desired location at the completion of your tour.

Small luxury vehicle / up to 3 guests - $735

Large luxury vehicle / up to 6 guests - $980

You may also choose to add on and combine activities with your tour – Heli trips, jet-boating, gondola ride, horse riding, 4WD experiences, bungee jumps, lake cruises, farm visits, and plenty more – Just ask us, and we’ll make sure everything is organised to fit perfectly with your plans.

By joining us for a Southern Lakes Private Day Tour you have the opportunity to journey further afield and see what is so special about our sister towns over the mountains - Wanaka, Cardrona Valley, Glenorchy, Cromwell and Bannockburn, Clyde and Alexandra are all options that are within reach in an 8 hour day.

Some suggestions are:

• A visit to Wanaka, a drive around the lake and up into the awesome Aspiring National Park home of Tititea, the highest mountain in this area.
• A food and wine loop tour through the Cromwell Basin, Wanaka and the Cardrona Valley. Visit world class vineyards, gin distilleries, microbreweries, renowned food and produce suppliers, cafes, bars and restaurants. Hand-picked to your individual taste.
• A gourmet Glenorchy picnic. Following our Lake Wakatipu to its head and along the braided rivers beyond, we’ll show you a secret spot that is perfect to lay out the picnic rug and relax with a glass of wine and a gourmet spread. Follow this by a wander in the forest or along the river. Every detail can be arranged and if you wish, some private time for you, knowing that your guide can be on hand should you need them.
• A back-country tour into the Nevis Valley via the highest public road in the country. Learn about the gold mining history and further back to the times when the nomadic Maori tribes hunted the moa to extinction in these parts. No tour buses, crowds or noise to be found this far from town. Follow this by a meal at an award-winning Bannockburn winery and a drive home via the stunning Kawarau Gorge.
• A visit to the beautiful farmlands of the Ida Valley stopping at historic towns of Central Otago including Clyde, Alexandra and the “ghost town” of St Bathans. Learn about the pioneers of farming, fruit growing and invention that provided a livelihood for early settlers. Experience the warmth and hospitality of the local communities.
• For the wine buff, a full day of winery visits including an exclusive tour and introduction to the team of a working vineyard that produces internationally acclaimed wines. You will have the choice of 4-6 wineries and cellar doors to visit in a completely tailored tour.

Being a private tour, we can be flexible to fit with your plans, we will pick you up from your door and drop you home or into town with some dinner recommendations when the tour concludes. Contact us to talk about making this day tour exclusive to you.

Small luxury vehicle / up to 3 guests - $1295

Large luxury vehicle / up to 6 guests - $1715

The above tours can be incorporated with a one-way heli option for those would like to see the landscape from ground and sky or those a little short on time. Contact us for prices.

If you would like to make any Day Tour into an over-night trip we have a list of wonderful accommodation options that we recommend. We can make all the arrangements for you. Talk to us about how we can put it all together.

There is very good reason that Milford Sound should be on your list when visiting New Zealand. Claimed as the Eighth Natural Wonder of the World, the grandeur and beauty of Milford and the Fiordland National Park is sure to take your breath away.  

• A 4.5 hour drive from Queenstown takes you into the heart of the World Heritage listed Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound Village.
• Stop for a morning break in Te Anau, 2 hours from Queenstown. Once a Southland farming hub, but fast becoming known as hip little town with shops, cafes and restaurants lining the main street which ends on the shore of Lake Te Anau, the second largest lake in New Zealand.
• Being a private tour, we are able to stop for photos and fresh air when you wish, though your guide knows the good spots and will make sure you have the opportunity to stop at The Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes and for a short walk to see The Chasm.
• Once in Milford Sound you will board a boutique cruise which sails you through some of the most breath-taking scenery on earth. The 1 hour 45minute cruise will take you the length of the fiord and towards the Tasman Sea along the base of the soaring mountains that rise over a mile straight up from the water.
• Unique sea life and birds are often in Milford Sound with sightings of dolphins, penguins, seals and birds.
• On rainy days (it does rain a lot in Milford), you will be treated to dozens of waterfalls, of which, all but two dry up when the sun comes out - this means that no matter the weather your day will be amazing.
• The return journey to Queenstown gives you time to relax and reflect on all you have seen and will have you back to your door in the evening after approximately a 12 hour day.
• Choose to fly there or back by plane or heli if you are short on time or would like to see Fiordland from the air, but don’t miss the drive one way or the other.

Small luxury vehicle / up to 3 guests - $1850

Large luxury vehicle / up to 6 guests - $2450

Included in your tour is: Private luxury vehicle transport each way, your personal guide, scenic boat cruise for all guests, a picnic lunchbox and bottled water, (tea, coffee and cookies are also served onboard the cruise).

Aoraki / Mt Cook, the tallest mountain in New Zealand, is covered in snow year round, even on the hottest days of summer you can have a snow experience on a private day tour to visit this alpine wonderland.

• Departing Queenstown in the morning we will travel through the Kawarau Gorge and on to Cromwell in true Central Otago. Here we stop at a roadside stall to sample some of the fruits fresh from the orchards that this area is famous for.
• Having had a break and stocked up on snacks, our journey then takes us through the dramatic Lindis Pass and on to Mackenzie Country at the base of the Southern Alps.
• Pass by Lake Pukaki, with its incredible aqua blue water before arriving at Mt Cook Village where the scale of the towering mountains of this National Park are revealed.
• Once at Mount Cook there are many choices of activities including walks, 4WD buggy tours, ski planes, heli tours, glacier landings, iceberg boat tours, lunch at the Hermitage, and a visit to the fantastic Department of Conservation Information Centre and Museum. The cost of these activities are not included in the price of the private tour, giving you option to choose - we can recommend and pre-book activities for you when planning your day.
• Once you're finished with your chosen experience, we will travel back to Queenstown, this time via the Lake Pukaki Visitor Centre, Wanaka and the Cardrona Valley. A break in Wanaka and time for some more photos or perhaps a beer at the classic Cardrona Pub before a short trip home over the Crown Range and the conclusion of your tour, we'll have you dropped back to your accommodation in the evening. The total trip time is approximately 12 hours.

Small luxury vehicle / Up to 3 guests - $1665

Large luxury vehicle / up to 6 guests - $2200

• If you would like to make this tour into an over-night experience, we are able to book accommodation for you. Ask us for a quote.
• If you would prefer to heli one way between Queenstown and Mt Cook, we can make the arrangements for you and ensure that your tour is planned around your flights.

Choose to add an hour or two to any of our tours or book a completely tailored trip for yourself.

• We are also experts at airport transfers, monitoring your flight and being there ready and waiting to ensure your departure or arrival is stress free and seamless. We also pride ourselves on delivering some special touches to make you feel right at home from the moment we meet.
• With countless festivals, concerts, shows and events in the Queenstown area, by booking Luxe Guides for your event transport you can be sure that you will be delivered on time, in style and free of hassle.
• Contact us for transfers that are required due to airport closures. We love the seasons here in Queenstown but sometimes the weather throws us unwanted airport delays. If you are caught in a situation where you must get to another regional airport at late notice, we are able to help.