Top 10 Hiking & Trekking in Queenstown

1.Otago Central Rail Trail One Day Wonder Cycle tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 300 reviews · from $99Our pick

Start in historic Clyde, get fitted with a Merida bike, then ride from Auripo through Poolburn Gorge, across the Poolburn Viaduct, and on to Omakau and Chatto Creek. Your driver provides route advice and commentary, while you ride at your own pace. Choose a café stop, Ophir, and a later finish in Clyde if energy allows.

“No better way to see and experience the Central Otago region - the team at BikeItNow were brilliant, the bikes were all set up perfectly and ready to go. Couldn’t ask for a better day. Thanks to Lisa and all the crew.”

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2.The Wine Trail Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 158 reviews · from $197

Travel from Queenstown or Arrowtown to Gibbston in a small group of up to eight. With Susana or another guide, you’ll visit selected Central Otago wineries and cellar doors, taste local wines, enjoy lunch, and ride in air-conditioned comfort. Pickup time is confirmed the day before.

“We had a great time with Susana! She made learning about all the wines fun and she helped me find a wine that I actually liked!”

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3.Gold Discovery Trail Horse Trek Cardrona – Most popular!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 151 reviews · from $309

Meet your horse in Cardrona, learn basic stopping and steering, then ride across streams, farm country, mountain lanes, and gold-rush routes. Guides such as Phoebe and Val add local stories and horse tales. The two-hour trip suits beginners and experienced riders, with groups capped at seven.

“The host and guide were very nice. The trip couldn’t been great without the unique experience we’d enjoyed.”

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4.The Original Queenstown Wine Trail Tour – Celebrating 33+ Years!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 141 reviews · from $123

Spend about five and a half hours visiting three Central Otago wineries with a local driver-guide. Taste wine at Gibbston Valley, Mt Rosa, and Kinross, enter New Zealand’s largest underground wine cave, and pause for an optional winery lunch. Small groups are capped at 14, with selected central Queenstown hotel pickup and drop-off.

“A wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Everyone involved provided interesting information about the wines and wineries as well as what makes this area ideal for producing exceptional wines. The time was a bit too short for the number of wines we tasted, but it was worth the trip.”

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5.Self-Guided Bike Ride on the Arrow Bridges Trail

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 96 reviews · 4 hours · from $56

Ride 15 km downstream from Arrowtown to Gibbston Valley on a standard or electric bike. Around The Basin provides the shuttle, bike, helmet, map, and trail briefing, leaving you free to stop for photos, coffee, wine, or cheese. Expect wide gravel paths, six bridges, three suspension bridges, river views, and a few small bumps.

“Around the Basin took us to Arrowtown and briefed us before we headed off on the self-guided trail back to Queenstown via beautiful scenery. We had e-bikes but you could totally do it on regular bikes. So well organised. It took us about 3.5 hours just ambling and taking a few photos.”

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6.Cromwell: Lake Dunstan Trail Bike Rental and Luxury Shuttle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 44 reviews · 5 hours · from $107

Ride the 42km Lake Dunstan Trail from Cromwell to Clyde with nzbiketrails. Choose a standard bike, e-bike, or gravel bike, then follow compact gravel through engineered cliff-side sections, across the 85m Hugo suspension bridge, and past Carrick Winery. Your bike, safety gear, support, and luxury shuttle back to Cromwell are included.

“The whole experience was very rewarding. Luke was very good at explaining how to operate the bike to challenge all the different parts of the track. The scenery was amazing and I found the track quite challenging at times definitely needing to be 100% focus when going up the hill on parts of the track and the winding down hill .. My Husband enjoyed the track immensely and would definitely do it again..”

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7.Franz Josef Glacier Hike & Scenic Flight

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 25 reviews · 6h 30m · from $1,015

Fly from Queenstown across the Southern Alps, then take a helicopter onto Franz Josef Glacier for a guided two-hour crampon walk among icefalls and ice caves. Weather may switch your visit to the Tasman Glacier. Guides such as Sarah lead the hike, while pilots provide commentary and mountain views.

“Great way to see Mount Cook and the glaciers there if you’re short on time from Queenstown”

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8.E-bike Hire on the Queenstown Trail

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 17 reviews · 1 day - 4 hours · from $53Best value

Collect a pedal-assisted Merida e-bike at 3 Searle Lane in central Queenstown, then follow the Queenstown Trail beside Lake Whakatipu toward Frankton. Ride at your own pace with a helmet, trail map, and route advice from the English-speaking team. Choose the Kelvin Peninsula or Twin Rivers Trail for a half-day outing.

“We really enjoyed our ride up to the Shotover bridge and back thru the Botanical Gardens. Highly recommended! Joe & Maria Gold Coast”

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9.Routeburn Track Guided Full-Day Walk or Half Day

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 7 reviews · 270 minutes - 10 hours · from $152

Choose a gentle 1.5-hour Routeburn nature walk with snacks, or a seven-hour guided hike toward Falls Hut with lunch. Your small group travels from Queenstown along the scenic Glenorchy Road, crosses a swing bridge, and learns about beech forest, alpine plants, wildlife, and local history from an English-speaking guide.

“Hayden was an awesome guide. We went to the most beautiful places I've ever seen in my life and he treated us with so much kindness and took us to very special places. The group was small and it felt like hiking with friends. The tour went through really beautiful places up the mountain and then out on the plains as well. The lunch was pretty decent picnic, enough and just good for the track. I will definitely do this again when I'm back to Queenstown!”

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10.Lake Dunstan Trail eBike Adventure (inc Shuttle)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 6 hours · from $113

Ride 43km from Clyde to Cromwell on a premium e-bike, following Lake Dunstan past the Clyde Dam, Hugo Suspension Bridge, bluff bridges, vineyards, and Carrick Cellar Door. Kiwi Journeys provides the shuttle, helmet, pannier, repair kit, route briefing, and bike support. You need confidence on a bike and reasonable fitness for the steep, narrow Grade 3 sections.

“We loved this experience! The ebikes from Kiwi Journeys were high quality, in excellent condition, and easy to ride. They gave us an excellent overview of what to expect, including some interesting tidbits about Clyde and Cromwell on the drive to Clyde. We are not regular riders, and were a little worried this trail would be a stretch... but we made it safe and sound, and found it to be the perfect balance of challenge and fun. really glad we opted for an option that started I. Clyde, as the challending part was the first half, and the second half was much easier. The views are fantastic, and we thoroughky…”

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