Queenstown

Lake Wakatipu Scenic Catamaran Cruise from Queenstown

Name: Lake Wakatipu Scenic Catamaran Cruise from Queenstown
Brand: Southern Discoveries
SKU: 3960SCENIC
Price: 35.93 USD
Rating: 4.5 (264 reviews)

Badge of ExcellenceQueenstown, New Zealand

Lake Wakatipu Catamaran Cruise from Queenstown

From US$35.93

Select Date and Travelers

Free cancellation

Up to 24 hours in advance.

Queenstown Tours

Active & Outdoor Classes

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Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises

Travel & Transportation Services

Unique Experiences

Attractions

The Remarkables Tours & Tickets Lake Wakatipu Tours & Tickets Kawarau River Tours & Tickets Skyline Queenstown Tours & Tickets Walter Peak High Country Farm Tours & Tickets Shotover River Tours & Tickets Queenstown Gardens Tours & Tickets

Nearby

South Island Wanaka Akaroa Picton Wellington Tongariro National Park Hastings Rotorua North Island Tasmania New South Wales Victoria South Australia

1 hour 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Overview

Enjoy unobstructed views of the Remarkables and the Southern Alps during a catamaran cruise on Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown. Cruise accross the lake, stopping at Bob’s Cove to soak up the views from New Zealand's longest lake. Listen to the captain’s entertaining commentary about the natural landmarks and wildlife as you relax indoors or on the outdoor decks. You have a selection of morning and afternoon cruises to choose from.

Sightseeing cruise on Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown
Marvel at breathtaking views of Mt. Earnslaw, Bob's Cove, Cecil Peak, Mt. Nicholas, and the Remarkables mountain range
Listen to informative and entertaining commentary provided by the local skipper
Travel by catamaran with large viewing windows, warm indoor seating, and spacious outdoor decks with panoramic views
Visit and chat to the skipper in in the open wheelhouse if you choose
Refresh with a hot or cold beverage or snack available for purchase in the onboard cafe

What's Included

Sightseeing cruise Lake Wakatipu
Live commentary on board
Restroom on board

Food and Drinks - available for purchase
Hotel pickup and drop-off

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

Southern Discoveries - Queenstown Visitor Centre
St Omer Wharf 110 Beach Street, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
Departure Point: Southern Discoveries Queenstown Visitor Centre Address: St Omer Wharf, 110 Beach Street, Queenstown

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Glacier-carved Lake Wakatipu is renowned as New Zealand’s longest lake, and its depths reach 1,300 feet (400 meters). This leisurely cruise boasts dramatic views of the surrounding Remarkables mountains, which provide a constant backdrop to the sparkling blue waters.

Board your catamaran at the downtown pier in Queenstown in the morning or early afternoon. Enjoy ample time on Lake Wakatipu, which you may recognize as the film set for the Lothlórien scenes in 'The Lord of the Rings' series.

You may not see any Middle-earth elves here, but your captain highlights the wildlife and native flora. Peer out the large viewing windows, lounge on the outdoor decks, or join the captain in the wheelhouse to learn about atmospheric pressures that cause the lake’s water level to rise, which Maori legend says is the heartbeat of a giant who lies asleep in the lake’s depths.

The vessel crosses to the western shore, stopping en route at Bob's Cove. Soak up magnificent views toward Glenorchy, Mt. Earnslaw, and the Southern Alps. You can purchase beverages and snacks at the onboard cafe before returning to the starting point in Queenstown.

Southern Discoveries - Queenstown Visitor Centre

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Lake Wakatipu (Pass By)

The Remarkables Ski Area (Pass By)

Lake Wakatipu (Pass By)

Southern Discoveries - Mt Nicholas Farm Experience (Pass By)

Glenorchy (Pass By)

Coronet Peak Ski Resort (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Please advise of your country of origin at the time of booking
Stroller accessible
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Service animals allowed

Interpretation handouts are available in the following languages: Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, German, Spanish, French and Russian.
Near public transportation
Infant seats available
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 100 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

joanne_b

Beautiful views of the snow capped mountains and a smooth, relaxing boat cruise. The staff were friendly and I enjoyed having cups of tea along the journey.

Reviews

4.5

264 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-10 of 264 reviews

Chilled Cruise

Jasmiah_K, Sept 2023

Amazing scenery. Chilled and relaxed. Staff was friendly. The cruise is definitely a beautiful way to see other parts of Queenstown.

Nice, relaxing cruise on the lake

Desiree_S, Sept 2023

This was a very nice little cruise ride around beautiful lake Wakatipu. The boat itself is very spacious and clean and there is a cafeteria with full service on board.

Relaxing and enchanting!

Harshita_M, Aug 2023

I was looking for a relaxing evening cruise with my partner. This 1-2 hour evening cruise was relaxing and comfortable. We saw plenty of beautiful sights and had the opportunity to go to the front of the shop for added thrill.

Great ride!

Salome_P, Aug 2023

The scenery around Lake Wakatipu was beautiful and very peaceful. The scenic ride was smooth & relaxing.

Highly Recommended

Steven_P, Aug 2023

highly recommend, bit overcast on the day but still a nice relaxing couple of hours on the water, captain was great at commentary too!

Very comfortable....

Gabriel_I, Aug 2023

Very comfortable. And it was not busy, lots of space for yourself. Friendly staff. Nice view. Highly recommended

Fun cruise!

Krista_T, Aug 2023

Very nice scenic cruise around the lake. I was looking for something to do that was cheap and relatively short before an afternoon flight, and I'm very happy I went with this tour. I learned a lot about the area, and despite not having the best weather, we still have beautiful views. Very nice café on board as well. I would definitely recommend.

Awesome 👌

Kritsana_T, Aug 2023

I touched the snow mountain fortress and beautiful natural. I can say in one word that it's Awesome 👌 👏 👍

Great Lake Tour

Lynette_G, Jul 2023

Definitely a must do activity if you have 2 hrs to spare! The crew and Captain Roy made the trip so fun and interesting.

Relaxing trip

Wendy_N, Jul 2023

Relaxing trip with beautiful scenery, well worth doing. Quite a windy day but you couldn't tell as it was quite a smooth trip.

Shinning winter day

ELISIO_E, Jul 2023

The scenic landsacpe of the snowed mountains around the lake was realy amazing experience!! The taste of cheese and wine combined perfectly with the wonderful whether.

Great Lake Tour

Edward_P, Jul 2023

Great lake tour on a rainy afternoon. The boat was a fully enclosed catamaran that provided fast travel out and back along the main east-west leg of Lake Wakatipu. I was originally attracted to the old glamour of the paddle wheel boat, but on a cold, rainy winter afternoon, the catamaran was an excellent choice. We saw more lake shore and had a smoother, warmer ride than our other options. Captain and crew were polite and efficient. They provided quality English audio descriptions of the major attractions along the route.

Holiday fun🎉

Rahapa_R, Jul 2023

Kia ora ra, mokopuna & I thoroughly enjoyed the cruise on Lake Wakatipu, nga mihi nui ki a koutou katoa 🤩🫶🎉

Beautiful views of the...

joanne_b, Jun 2023

Beautiful views of the snow capped mountains and a smooth, relaxing boat cruise. The staff were friendly and I enjoyed having cups of tea along the journey.

Good Value

sharon_s, Jun 2023

The comentary was informative and the menu on board was very good. The viewing windows down stairs were very large which provided a great lookout if the weather was bad.

Lovely cruise around the...

Michelle_C, Jun 2023

Lovely cruise around the lake with mutilple opportunities to take scenic photos of the gorgeous area. the staff were super helpful and yummy food..

Great views

Dildar_S, Jun 2023

This is the far best cruise trip I went to. The views were breathtaking. Definitely recommend and come back if visiting Queenstown next time.

Amazing! Absolutely breathtaking

Steph_B, Jun 2023

Amazing tour for a great price. I didn’t get the meal option but food was offered on board. I ordered a lasagna and a juice for about 20$ not bad at all. The views were breathtaking. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a nice afternoon cruise.

Tranquility at its best

Jason_S, Jun 2023

The silence in the middle of the lake was deafening. The mountains covered in snow added to a fantastic cruise.

Lake leisure

Sandy_S, Jun 2023

The catamaran itself was fabulous, I did the wine and cheese lunch cruise which was lovely. Weather was cold but sunny, cheese platter was amazing! Staff were welcoming and friendly and the commentary was fantastic, full of so many interesting facts about the region. Overall it was such a great day and I 💯 would recommend it to everyone. Next time Im visiting Queenstown I will definitely do it again. Loved it.

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