Mt Cook & Lake Tekapo Small Group Tour from Queenstown (2-day)

Mt Cook & Lake Tekapo Tour. This small group, fully-guided tour combines two of the most stunning locations in the South Island with the time and options to enjoy the activities, unlike other tours. Led by our famously passionate tour guides, notorious for bringing your journey to life by sharing their stories and rich background knowledge,  and run in modern, comfortable minibuses packed with extras ensuring your comfort and safety.

Highlights:

• Mt Cook & Aoraki National Park

• Lake Tekapo & Lake Pukaki

• Church of the Good Shepard, Lindis Pass, the Southern Alps and High Country Salmon

• Free time for activities & walks

Itinerary:

Day 1:

1.      Queenstown - Your tour starts in the stunning city of Queenstown. As we drive out of the city your guide will not only set the scene for your adventure today but also point out and guide you past some of the area’s top highlights. 

2.      Kawarau Suspension Bridge – Departing Queenstown we then make our way through the stunning Kawarau Gorge passing beautiful views, the Kawarau Suspension Bridge and the famous Roaring Meg Lookout. Time and light permitting we will stop for that first great shot of the tour.

3.      Cromwell – Exiting the Kawarau Gorge we enter the fruit and wine growing region of Cromwell. Passing huge fields of vines we cross Lake Dunstan and follow this beautiful lake towards Lindis Pass.

4.      Lindis Pass – Climbing in altitude, Lindis Pass has amazing views down through the valley. Being one of only three alpine roads through the otherwise impassable Southern Alps, we stop at the Lindis Pass lookout 971m above sea level for an essential photo.  

5.      Omarama – While driving through the endless plains of the Mackenzie district we will spot several of the famous Merino breed of sheep before stopping at the quaint township of Omarama. While in Omarama we have time for a break or even to try the best creamy chicken pie in NZ (in our opinion)!

6.      Lake Pukaki – Turning west we begin to enter the Aoraki National Park and Lake Pukaki begins to emerge in front of us. Lake Pukaki is one of the bluest lakes you will ever see and stunningly framed by the backdrop of Aoraki/Mt Cook and the Southern Alps. We stop for some amazing photos and to just marvel the sight that we are beholding. It’s not
hard to see why so many Lord of the Rings scene were filmed nearby and we will point them out for you.

7.      Mt Cook Information Centre – Arriving at Mt Cook Village, weather depending, we should get some amazing shots of the mountain itself.  At 3724m, Aoraki/Mt Cook is New Zealand’s highest peak, however, the mountain can be viewed without any acclimatisation whatsoever from the village which is just 750m above sea level.

8.      Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park – While in the national park you have 3 hours free time to enjoy free walks/hikes or one of the extra optional activities. Some of our recommendations include: The Hooker Valley hike -this easy 3 hour fairly flat walk is considered one of New Zealand’s most beautiful hikes. Heli Hike - this adventure on the Tasman Glacier is the ultimate way to enjoy the area. Scenic flights – see the region from the air and land on the Tasman Glacier. Whatever you have decided to do, we will pick you up and drop you off where you need to go and make sure you are well looked after.

9.      Tekapo - Farewelling Mt Cook we make our way to Lake Tekapo for the night. This turquoise blue lake is famous world over for its beauty and how pristine it is. We arrive early evening so you can enjoy exploring and buy some dinner at a local restaurant of your choice. At night and weather depending you can choose to participate in one of the famous stargazing optional extra activities, for an additional price. 1 night 3* double or twin share accommodation included in tour price. Extra charge applies for single share or to upgrade to 4* accommodation, please select in optional extras section while booking

Day 2:

10.    Tekapo – After a relaxing night at Tekapo Day 2 starts with a guided tour of the local highlights such as the Church of the Good Shepard and the Mackenzie dog before starting to head back toward Queenstown.

11.    High Country Salmon – On our way to Queenstown we will make a stop at High Country Salmon, a local salmon farm, where you can feed the fish and taste some of the freshest salmon in New Zealand.

12.    Jacksons Orchards – During summer months when the sun is still up and we get close to Queenstown we often stop at Jackson's Orchards to try or buy delicious local fruit or real fruit ice cream.

13.    Queenstown – Sadly the tour must come to an end as we re-enter Queenstown and say our goodbyes.

Inclusions:

• Small Group
• Fully Guided Tour
• Bottled Water & Snacks
• Accommodation

Optional Extras:

• One-way flight from Tekapo to Queenstown  
• One-way tour from Queenstown to Christchurch via Mt Cook & Tekapo
• Scenic flights with Glacier landings
• Heli Hike
• Star Gazing Experience
• Upgrade to 4* accommodation
• Single share accommodation 

While the destinations you will be visiting are truly spectacular, we at Cheeky Kiwi Travel believe it is our small groups, our guides, the journey and the little details that set our tours well apart. Secret stops, wildlife viewings, specially designed vehicles, complementary refreshments and many other pleasant surprises ensure our tours are an experience to remember.

For further information on luggage, pickup locations, cancellation policy etc please read our FAQ's at the bottom of our home page.