Franz Josef to Queenstown Small Group Tour via Wanaka 1 -Way
Overview
Available languages
12 hours
Mobile ticket
Explore the untamed beauty of New Zealand's Wild West Coast on this small group, fully-guided tour from Franz Josef to Queenstown. Your journey takes you along the rugged beaches of the West Coast, soaking in the dramatic landscapes that make this region so unique. As you traverse the unforgettable Haast Pass, you'll be captivated by the lush rainforests and coastal plains before arriving at the serene, glacier-fed lakes of Wānaka and Hāwea.
Led by our passionate guides, this tour goes beyond the destinations, offering secret stops, wildlife viewings and delightful surprises along the way. Travel in comfort with modern minibuses, enjoy complimentary refreshments and enjoy a provided lunch as you journey through one of New Zealand’s most picturesque regions.
At Cheeky Kiwi Travel, it's the journey, the stories and the small group experience that truly set our tours apart.
We also offer tours from Queenstown to Franz Josef, Franz Josef to Christchurch or Christchurch to Franz Josef.
Additional Info
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Food options include; Vegan, Gluten Free and Dairy free options.
Children safety/booster seats are available to hire for NZ$20 per seat
Kindly advise any dietary requirements
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Kindly advise dietary requirements
Luggage allowance - 1 large & 1 small per person
Water available & snacks provided
Coffee and/or Tea
Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
What To Expect
Lake Matheson Walk
This spot is every photographers dream. On a calm day you can capture Mt Cook reflected elegantly across this picturesque lake. This easy bushwalk will reward you with breathtaking views across the southern alps.
Bruce Bay
At this location you will see where the thick native rainforest meets a seemingly endless open ocean of the Tasman Sea. This beautiful beach really is the best of the west.
Options
Winter Franz
Mercedes Benz Sprinter
Pickup included
Franz Josef to Queenstown Small Group Tour via Wanaka
Pickup included
Reviews
49 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Thanks Kristina
607joonc,
Dec 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had an unforgettable time during the journey. I really enjoyed the trip. Thank you very much Kristina. You made my day!!
A Must Do tour while in NZ
AABazer,
Dec 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Jonathan was an amazing tour guide. His knowledge of NZ folklore, heritage, culture, history, and geography was unbelievable. We made several stops to admire the landscape, but not before Jonathan took the time to explain to us what we are about to see and what we should look for. Jonathan really enjoys his job and it shows. His love and caring for New Zealand is infectious. I wish everyone would be as lucky as we were to have had Jonathan as a tour guide. Franz Josef to Queenstown is a must do tour while in New Zealand.
Exciting four seasons in one day
Natalie H,
Nov 28, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Although it was very wet at the beginning, it was still very enjoyable and entertaining. Within 12 hours we experienced four seasons. The waterfalls were extra strong due to the rain, it was all breathtaking. Definitely recommend even in wild weather. Our driver was amazing all day.
Noah the legend and beautiful stops
williammC5182QD,
Nov 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our guide, Noah, was amazing and made the day. He was calm, informative, funny and kind. We've been on a few CheekyKiwi trips across NZ and he's our favourite by far. The day was great, we had beautiful weather and stopped off at some beautiful locations. Lunch on this one is at an actual restaurant too which is nice. I kind of wish we were advised to bring towels/swim stuff so we could have a dip in the clear blue water at one stop but no biggie.
A wonderful experience with epic views on your way to Queenstown!
aglomske,
Nov 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing day with Kristina! Was able to see so many views along the way. Great variety in views from the shuttle, to walks, and then viewpoint stops. Highly recommend this tour.
Excelent experience and better guide tour/ driver
ernestoalda,
Nov 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excelent experience. The guide tour/driver was excelent. She helped us with nice places and stories. The day was awful but she transformed it as a beautiful day!
Wonderful tour!
eleanoro194,
Nov 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had a wonderful experience and am so happy I took this tour! Noah was a fantastic driver / guide. Since heavy rain meant the Blue Pools wouldn’t have a been a great stop, he substituted stops at some awesome waterfalls instead, which was a lovely surprise! He was kind, professional, and knowledgeable (and had more patience than I might have had in his shoes with some of the questions people were asking haha). I also really enjoyed the stops with walks through rain forest (Lake Matheson) and swamp forest (Ship Creek) even with the rainy weather - walking in the rain actually made the experience more magical. And it was nice Noah gave everyone the option to choose what they wanted to do at those stops. (Everyone besides me chose to stay at the cafe at Lake Matheson because it was pouring, and I was happy I still got to do the walk!) I’m excited that I already have another tour booked with Cheeky Kiwi since I had such a great experience with this one, and I will definitely recommend it to anyone I know who is going to New Zealand in the future!
Great way to travel!
samanthakmartin,
Nov 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Linette was a great guide on the tour from Franz Josef to Queenstown. Great stops along the way, so you don't feel like you've missed out on any of the sights. Terrific experience!
Beautiful way to go from FZJ to ZQN
Akshay K,
Nov 7, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Our guide Jon was great! Very knowledgeable about the area and the geography. He kept us engaged throughout the long trip and kept our spirits high. This is a wonderful way to go from Franz Josef to Queenstown if you don't have a car, since there isn't much by way of public transport in NZ's south island. The drive is breathtaking; there are plenty of stops all around the drive so you never feel like you're in the car too long. Overall, we reached by 6 PM which is really good. A point to note, in the menu offered to us for lunch, there were no chicken options, and we only eat chicken in non-vegetarian options. No biggie, just good to know for next time, please add a chicken option as well (it's on the menu for the Hard Antler)
Less popular route but even more amazing
yy898,
May 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Was planning from christchurch to Queenstown via franz josef, and happy to find this tour instead of trips of intercity bus. Learnt a lot of the diverse landscape of NZ, particularly its old dense rainforest of west coast. Seen beautiful snowy mountains and calm lake, dolphins racing at the beach, wanaka tree, learnt more local plants. Also lunch included in a pretty good local restaurant! Hanna was a knowledgeable guide and attentive driver. The relevantly quieter of this route provide a more senere atmosphere to enjoy the view. Very recommend!
From NZ$290.00
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