Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ Lunch & Queenstown Lake Cruise
Overview
Available languages
3 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
*Please note the TSS Earnslaw Steamship is undergoing scheduled maintenance during the period 19th May to 1 October 2025*
A return scenic cruise from Queenstown Bay, across stunning Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm on a vessel of your choice, a farm demonstration and a delicious BBQ Lunch at the Colonel’s Homestead.
The rural demonstrator will give guests an insight into life in the New Zealand high country by providing an entertaining farm show including working sheep dogs.
Enjoy a unique dining experience at Walter Peak where the menu showcases food and wine from the wider Central Otago region. Chefs prepare a tasty selection of meats on the outdoor grill, while fresh, seasonal salads and vegetables are available from the dining area of the Colonel’s Homestead. Top off lunch with a selection of delicious sweet treats and local cheeses.
Choose between sailing on the iconic 1912 TSS Earnslaw Steamship or the spacious and modern Spirit of Queenstown Catamaran.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Note: Menu items are subject to change based on chef's discretion and seasonal availability.
Note: Please let RealNZ know in advance if you have dietary requirements via messaging through Viator
Note: The TSS Earnslaw is cash free and we reserve the right to refuse cash as a means of payment when purchasing products or services.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Lake Wakatipu
Return Cruise on Lake Wakatipu on the either the Vintage Steamship, the TSS Earnslaw or the Modern Catamaran, Spirit of Queenstown. Your vessel of choice will travel from Queenstown to Walter Peak. Stop at Walter Peak for lunch and a sheep shearing demonstration, before returning across the lake to Queenstown.
Enjoy a quintessential Kiwi experience – a delicious gourmet BBQ lunch and a farm demo in a stunning lakeside setting. Your lunch starts with a cruise across Lake Whakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm. Once there, you can sit back on the lakeside terrace of the Colonel’s Homestead Restaurant and savor the delicious aromas as our chef has the best of local produce, sizzling away on the grill. Our lunch menu has been refreshed with the introduction of our new executive chef, so you'll have a plenty to choose from our seasonal menu - salads, vegetables, succulent meat cooked on the outdoor rotisserie or grill. If you’re vegetarian, don’t worry, you are well catered for too. Then finish your meal with a scrumptious dessert. After your lunch, you can join an entertaining farm demonstration or explore the beautiful lakeside gardens. Return cruise back to your original starting point in Queenstown, convenient to continue exploring.
What‘s Included
Cruise across lake Whakatipu and back to Queenstown
GST (Goods and Services Tax)
Live English commentary on board as well as interpretation handouts in English, German, Portuguese, Japanese, Thai, Korean and Chinese
Gourmet BBQ Lunch
Farm Show
Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
Options
BBQ Dining & Modern Cruise
BBQ Dining & Modern Cruise : Cruise both ways on the spacious and modern Spirit of Queenstown Catamaran. Epic viewing platforms to take the best photos
BBQ Dining & Cruise TSS/Spirit
Cruise across to Walter Peak on the historic and iconic TSS Earnslaw Steamship and return on the Modern Spirit of Queenstown
BBQ Dining & TSS Cruise
Cruise both ways on the iconic TSS Earnslaw, a coal-fired steamship that’s been a part of the region’s history since 1912
Reviews
1,205 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Fun all around
colleenzeman5,,Feb 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent buffet, beautiful grounds and a good sheep sheering show. Perfect amount of time spent and a nice steamboat ride to and from.
Trip worth doing
Julie R,,Feb 6, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Great trip out from Queenstown on the ESS Earnshaw to the Walter Peak farm where a sumptuous meal was provided . Lots of meat , lamb, chicken , beef , pork etc and a variety of side dishes and a great selection of desserts . Had a walk around the farm and watched the show
Fun Boat Trip and Lunch
Michael R,,Feb 6, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The ride on the steamship was a blast. It was filled to capacity but there was plenty of room to move about the ship freely. Boarding and disembarking were very well organized. There was a bar on board that also served coffee and even a woman playing the piano beautifully. What a great touch! Lunch was very good although I made the mistake of initially filling my plate with appetizers. When I returned for the meats the beef and chicken that remained were somewhat dry. The pork was quite good. The show in which a sheep was shorn and the dog shepherded the sheep was better than I expected. This was a fun outing!
Walter peak cruise & bbq
Kathleen G,,Feb 6, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00What a fantastic day out. Pleasant cruise, lovely meal and interesting show. All staff both on the boat and Walter peak were extremely friendly and helpful. I would highly recommend this activity.
Its wonderful. Well worth...
janet s,,Jan 30, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Its wonderful. Well worth the money, time Great food amd great show for all ages Loved everything ❤️ ♥️ 💕
A complete day out , great trip, great food and great entertainment.
Francis H,,Jan 30, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00A fantastic trip on a steam driven ship , where we stopped off for a bbq , and to be honest we have all experienced those large catered for bbqs where you are served up burnt offerings with a limp lettuce etc so expectations were not that high. However the variety, quality and the size of portions of the food provided were outstanding . Hats of to all the catering staff and servers , we loved it. It was followed by a sheep sheering and sheep dog demo which were also fantastic and entertaining . We would fully recommend this trip.
Misleading booking information
lilliansB4311EW,,Jan 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00I’ve lived in Queenstown for about a year now, and finally decided to take the Earnslaw cruise while my family came to visit. I booked through trip advisor to save some money, thinking it was a great deal. However, only in the fine print did it say “modern cruise”, which is not the iconic Earnslaw steamship featured in all of the advertisement photos for this booking. I discovered this when we arrived at the office to check in. The staff informed us we were booked on the modern cruise boat, which although would be nice, was not the experience we were looking for. Thankfully there was still space to board the Earnslaw, and we paid the difference for the ticket price at the office. The staff informed us this happens all the time, and customers are often mislead with this advertisement thinking they are booking the steamboat but really booking the modern cruise boat. Ultimately both boats will get you to the Walter’s Peak destination to attend lunch and the farm show, but make sure you read which boat you are boarding before booking! In the future I would book directly with the RealNZ company.
Much more than a snag on the BBQ.
Oscardog16,,Jan 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Much more than a snag on the BBQ. The weather was good, so we sat on the open deck and enjoyed the views on the lake. The lunch exceeded our expectations. Australians think of a BBQ as steak and sausages grilled on an outdoor hot plate. The joints of meat on this gourmet BBQ menu were cooked in a similar way to a Spanish BBQ (parrillada or asado). They served beef, lamb chicken and belly pork with crackle (my favourite). They also had a cooked fish on offer. The dessert bar was fabulous; the portions were small enough that you could try each dessert between 2 people. The boat was fabulous watching a man stoking coal in the furnace and the functioning steam engine from the passenger deck above. We highly recommend this tour.
Best BBQ Ever!
Kim S,,Jan 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was a last minute booking for us on our arrival at Queenstown and we are so glad we booked it! Perfect day for a sail across the lake in the beautiful, restored steamer. Such a lovely setting for Walter Peak - wonderful gardens. The food on offer was amazing- great assortment to suit all pallets. Meat cooked to perfection, so one happy husband. Don’t get me started on the puddings - I had to settle for just three ☹️ Well worth the money and highly recommended if you’re ever in Queenstown.
Walter Peak Farm was an...
Angela R,,Jan 25, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Walter Peak Farm was an unforgettable experience. The gourmet lunch was absolutely amazing—fresh, beautifully prepared, and full of flavor. Every bite felt thoughtful and indulgent. Paired with the stunning setting, it was hard to tell what stole the show more: the food or the views. The scenic backdrop across the lake was truly breathtaking and easily rivaled some of the most beautiful landscapes we’ve seen in New Zealand. A perfect mix of great food, relaxed atmosphere, and postcard-worthy scenery. Highly recommend.
From NZ$159.00
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