About this tour
When Sarah from our BugBitten team ran this private day trip from Queenstown, we had the valleys and lakeside spots around Glenorchy pretty much to ourselves for six hours. You're driven in a comfortable sedan or SUV to scenic pockets — Moke Lake, Bennetts Bluff, the Glenorchy Lagoon Walkway — with the flexibility to mix short walks, optional horse riding, and a coffee stop at Mrs Woolly's General Store overlooking Lake Wakatipu. The whole thing is built around what you want to do that day, so it reads more like exploring with a local mate than following a fixed itinerary. Hotel pick-up is included within 25 km of central Queenstown.
Highlights
- Private transport means no coach-load queues at the scenic stops.
- Moke Lake reflects the surrounding mountains — genuinely postcard-worthy.
- Bennetts Bluff offers sweeping views across the valley.
- Mrs Woolly's General Store coffee hits different with Lake Wakatipu backdrop.
- Glenorchy Lagoon Walkway is gentle enough for mixed fitness levels.
- Guide customises the day based on your mood and energy.
- Pram and infant seats available — family-friendly without hassle.
- Horse riding option adds variety if you're keen on it.
What to expect
Sarah's day kicked off with a hotel pick-up — smooth and on time — then we wound out of Queenstown towards the Glenorchy basin. The drive itself is scenic, so there's no boring motorway stretch. Our guide read the group well and we stopped where the light was best and our legs felt fresh. Moke Lake came first — a smaller, quieter mirror of the bigger lakes, flanked by steep hillsides. We did a short walk around it, maybe 20 minutes, nothing strenuous. Bennetts Bluff was next, a higher vantage point that let us see how vast the landscape really is. By mid-morning we were at Mrs Woolly's, a proper little store-cafe hybrid with genuine character, not a tourist trap. The coffee was good and the pies weren't half bad either. The Glenorchy Lagoon Walkway rounded it out — flat, easy-paced, the kind of place where you actually notice bird calls. The pacing felt natural; we weren't rushed between stops and there was genuine downtime to just sit and absorb.
What travellers say
- Private transport means no coach groups clogging the viewpoints.
- Guide tailors the itinerary to your mood and fitness on the day.
- Pram and infant seats included — genuinely family-friendly.
- Coffee and snacks at Mrs Woolly's are legit, not tourist-trap fare.
- Landscape is genuinely striking — mountains and reflective water everywhere.
- Flexible mix of walks, stops, and optional activities available.
- Weather dependency — cloud cover can seriously flatten the views.
- Pick-up limited to 25 km from Queenstown CBD — may add cost.
- Six hours includes drive time, so fewer stops than you might assume.
- Optional activities like horse riding and jet boating cost extra separately.
Themes summarised by our team from public information about this tour. Verify specifics on the operator's page before booking.
Good to know
This one's worth your time if you want quality over ticking boxes. The private vehicle means you're not herded with 40 others, and the guide actually adapts the day to what you're feeling — no rigid schedule. The landscape is legitimately stunning, especially if you're keen on photography or just want to breathe in some real quiet. Families with little ones will appreciate the pram option and infant seats; it's one of the few tours that doesn't pretend kids don't exist. Suits all fitness levels because you're only walking what you choose to walk.
You're entirely dependent on weather — rain or heavy cloud can flatten the views, and there's not much shelter on some stops. Six hours sounds long but feels short once you factor in driving time, so pace your expectations accordingly. The area gets busier around peak summer (December–January), though being in a private vehicle helps. Hotel pick-up only goes to 25 km from Queenstown CBD, so if you're staying further out, there may be an extra cost or arrangement to sort. Optional activities like horse riding and jet boating are extra and need to be arranged separately with the operator — not factored into the base price. Bring a decent jacket and water; the weather can shift fast in the mountains.
Tour sold and operated by Viator via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original BugBitten summaries written by our team — not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.