Queenstown to Christchurch via Mt Cook & Lake Tekapo Small Group Tour (One Way)
Overview
Available languages
Queenstown to Christchurch via Mt Cook, this one way, small group, fully-guided day 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.
Description
Please be aware that while lunch is not provided on this tour, there will be an opportunity for you to purchase food along the way.
Please note: the Hooker Valley Track is currently CLOSED while the Department of Conservation works on replacing one of the swing bridges. This is expected to be complete in Autumn 2026 so the track will be inaccessible to the public until then.
Highlights:
- Mt Cook & Aoraki National Park
- Lake Tekapo & Lake Pukaki
- Church of the Good Shepard, Lindis Pass and the Southern Alps
- Free time for activities & walks
Itinerary:
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 north 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 striking lake towards Lindis Pass.
4. Lindis Pass (10 mins) – 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 (30 mins) – While driving through the endless plains of the Mackenzie district we will spot several of the celebrated 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 (10 mins) – 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 scenes were filmed nearby and we will point them out for you.
7. Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park (2.5 - 3hrs) – 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.While in the national park you have approximately 2.5 - 3 hours free time to enjoy free walks/hikes or one of the extra optional activities. Some of our recommendations include: Tasman Glacier View walk, Scenic flights – see the region from the air and land on the Tasmin 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. Before departing, our guide will hand you over to our Christchurch partners Cheeky Kea, who will be guiding your tour from Mt Cook to Christchurch.
8. Tekapo (10 minutes) - Farewelling Mt Cook we make our way to Lake Tekapo. This turquoise blue lake is famous world over for its pristine beauty. We have a short time here but long enough to get those Instagram breaking photos explore the Church of the Good Shepard and see the Mackenzie dog before starting to head towards Christchurch.
9. Christchurch – upon arriving in Christchurch your guides will point out any highlights we pass while travelling to the drop off locations to complete the tour.
Cancellation Policy
Terms: Tours will only run if at least 5 people have booked on the tour, we reserves the right to alter the tour due to weather or operational needs.
A full refund will be issued for cancellations made a minimum of 10 days prior to the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Small Group
Fully Guided Tour
Water available & snacks provided
Lunch
Meeting points
Select a meeting point
Options
Reviews
140 reviews
Serene and beautiful!
982renaem,,Feb 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00The only reason this is a 4 instead of a 5 is because it is so long and cramped in the van and sometimes it was hard to hear. The 3 drivers we had were Great! Lynnette our 1st driver was fun and shared information along the route. Brandt our 2nd driver was a wealth of geological information and great commentary! The 3rd was Polly who enlightened us to Maori knowledge and culture. Great information but 11 to 12 hours makes for a long day. The views were breathing taking! We had a perfectly clear day, which we have been told is rare. My only other suggestion is give us 15 more minutes at the Mt Cook overlook. We made the trip for the Mt Cook view and most couldn't make the walk to the best view point in the time allocated. I made it barely, but the views were well worth it!
Amazing mountain scenery!
347marielucec,,Feb 13, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Another great day with Cheeky Kiwi. We had perfect weather, although a bit foggy when arriving at Mt Cook, but it totally cleared up. Our guide Josef from Queenstown to Mt Cook was awesome, going above and beyond to make sure I could do the helicopter flight I eventually decided to do thanks to this perfect weather, AND still be able to do the two short hikes (if I walked fast, which I did!). We then switched vans and drivers and the two ladies were also nice, with lots of explanations along the way. It is a very long drive with no stops and not much to see after Lake Tekapo. But that's how it is! This was my 4th day trip with them, and I highly recommend it, very professional, very informative, comfortable rides, time to stop and take photos, snacks and (most of the time) lunch provided, nice atmosphere with people of all ages and nationalities. A great experience for solo travelers!
超级推荐！
Trek30854346162,,Feb 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Went with my mom. A very good choice for traveling from Queenstown to Christchurch, save some money meanwhile got a chance to hike Mt. Cook for around 2 hours. Special thanks to Grant and Benj, our drivers, very responsible, very knowledgeable and super professional! One family of our group members has some communication problems with their agency ( booked the wrong time for helicopter, and couldn’t find their accommodation) ; both of the drivers chose to place the rest of us at the scenic area (to let us do our sightseeing), then went back to the minibus helped solving the problem—— everyone got what they wanted, a win-win situation. We will definitely pick Cheeky Kiwi to do local tours next time when revisiting New Zealand. 该公司的司导们非常专业负责，解决问题耐心迅速，Cheeky Kiwi是当地报团的不二选择。诚荐！
Great Service
395stuartw,,Feb 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The whole experience was incredible. The service was wonderful and they took very good care of us. They also did a very good job explaining to us all the details about what we were seeing.
Don't miss this trip!
Aditi B,,Feb 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Stunning views and a well planned journey. Joe and Nigel were excellent drivers and guides. Knowledgeable, entertaining and very informative. Professional yet bringing their own personal touch. I can highly recommend this tour through fairytale land with Cheeky Kiwi!
Long day, beautiful NZ
G2802BWalanw,,Feb 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00My son and I were looking for a one way transfer to Christchurch and thought this seemed like a good way to see some sights on the way. Jess picked us up at Gibbston Winery as we stayed there because it was the last pickup of the tour and I could sleep in a bit longer. She was super informative, easy going, drove us a couple hours including a breakfast stop to Mt Cook where there were lots of options for hiking, flying or Helicopter/Glacier landings. Jess worked hard to change some bookings due to weather and execute new bookings for people who decided at last minute they would like to fly to a glacier. The views from the visitor center were breathtaking. Im not gonna lie, the roads are winding and I’ve been in NZ for three weeks now, we have taken 10+ tours - no one yet has driven the speed limit around these turns. I think they are all so used to the track they all drive like they are Formula 1 drivers. Jess and Wilhem did slow down when I asked. Unfortunately, my stomach is not fond of racing or winding roads or car travel in general (unless I’m driving) so I took a pill and a patch and dozed on and off throughout the day. A little goes a long way. This ended up being a twelve hour tour. We left at 7am and got to Christchurch at 7:45pm. Twelve hours might be four or five hours too many. The stops were all interesting and Jess departed while we were at Mt Cook and Wilhem took over. Wilhem was funny and engaging and might have been a little too engaging - he requested we get to know each other by introducing ourselves and where we are from and what we do for a living- the questions might have been a little too personal and the jokes a little off-color for my taste but at least it wasn’t boring. Wilhem went out of his way to give me a heads up on the turns and slow down and he was great with checking in on our final destinations and making sure we got where we wanted to be - I would recommend the tour but communicate the length and details better to be prepared - I thought this was a 6/7 hour one way tour/transfer.
Queenstown to Christchurch
Y2481FVjackies,,Jan 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent. Bus arrived on time at hotel for punctual departure. Guide Amanda was very friendly and helpful. She was happy to join us on walks and explained instructions clearly ie where we needed to be and at what time to depart. Change over of drivers was seamless at lunchtime. Would definitely use again especially if Amanda was on trip.
Amazing Drive with Stunning Scenery
Vacation07554523751,,Jan 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Beautiful opportunity to incorporate a tour into a transfer from Queenstown to Christchurch. Our tour guide, Dean drove the first leg to Mt Cook. He was friendly, super knowledgeable and warm. Lots of great information. The scenery (albeit rainy) was magnificent with stunning landscapes. We did 2 hikes, and loved them both. Drivers were switched and then Joe drove the final leg to Christchurch. A lovely young guide who provided great information. Lake Tekopa was stunning. It was a long day but so worth it. Joe dropped us off right at our AirBNB. Super impressed with the company and the guides. We’d highly recommend them!
Great trip; amazing company
Jarid M,,Jan 20, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00I took this shuttle because I was flying out of Christchurch. The shuttle and service are good, you go through all the tourist spots. Lake tekapo, the church and the road with the mountain. Worth the combination of a bus and yet sightseeing the touristy stuff. A big thanks to cheeky kiwi as I left my credit card in Queenstown and they kindly arranged for it to be brought to Christchurch. Many many thanks, you guys rock!
Excellent
Y6968LXfionar,,Jan 12, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A fantastic day all round, thanks to drivers who were informative and friendly, highly recommended cheeky kiwi! Thanks guys for a wonderful day trip
From A$339.62
Queenstown, New Zealand
- Free cancellation
Reserve Now & Pay Later - available
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