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4WD Tours
89 Tours & Activities

Skippers Canyon Tours
4 Tours & Activities

Outdoor Activities
237 Tours & Activities
4 hours (Approx.)
Hotel pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
Good for avoiding crowds
Overview
Leave bustling Queenstown behind for the scenic beauty of Skippers Canyon on a half-day 4WD tour of the historic gorge. An experienced guide traverses Gorge Road and follows an old mining route toward Coronet Peak and into Skippers Canyon for outstanding views over the Wakatipu Basin and the Shotover River. Enjoy short walks and stop for scrumptious morning or afternoon tea including chilled wine, cookies and homemade cheese.
- Uncover the beauty of Skippers Canyon on this half-day 4WD tour from Queenstown
- Enjoy morning tea or afternoon tea of homemade cheese and crackers
- Travel in a comfortable 4WD minivan
- Plenty of photo opportunities
- Informative and friendly guide
- Hotel pickup and drop off from centrally located Queenstown hotels
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This 4WD tour of Skippers Canyon reveals the rugged beauty of the gold country and scenic gorge near Queenstown. After pickup from your centrally located hotel, climb aboard for the 4-hour tour, which includes a stop for morning or afternoon tea.
Traveling along Gorge Road, your driver-guide passes the suburb of Arthur’s Point, crosses the Edith Cavell Bridge over the Shotover River and continues up a miners’ route toward Coronet Peak, a world-class ski area with outstanding views over the Wakatipu Basin.
Shortly after you reach the saddle — the highest point of your trip at an elevation of 3,199 feet (975 meters) — take in views of Mt Aurum and the surrounding valleys and hills. Your guide navigates the 4WD vehicle along the steep and narrow Skippers Road past Hells Gate, stopping at special points of interest such as the Zoo of Rocks and the old Skippers Road once used by gold miners.
On the descent you’ll pass Castle Rock, Bus Scratch Corner and the remains of Welcome Home Pub. Reaching Bells Hill, get another glimpse of the gold-bearing Shotover River, passing Pinchers Bluff, Devils Elbow and Deep Creek.
Your guide leads several short walks in Skippers Canyon and stops at a scenic picnic spot for coffee or tea and chilled wine with cookies and homemade cheese served on crackers, all while you enjoy the canyon views. LOTR fans may recognize the movie site from a scene in The Lord of the Rings where Frodo escaped the Black Riders with the help of Arwen and the forces of the river.
On returning to Queenstown, you’re dropped off at your hotel.
Traveling along Gorge Road, your driver-guide passes the suburb of Arthur’s Point, crosses the Edith Cavell Bridge over the Shotover River and continues up a miners’ route toward Coronet Peak, a world-class ski area with outstanding views over the Wakatipu Basin.
Shortly after you reach the saddle — the highest point of your trip at an elevation of 3,199 feet (975 meters) — take in views of Mt Aurum and the surrounding valleys and hills. Your guide navigates the 4WD vehicle along the steep and narrow Skippers Road past Hells Gate, stopping at special points of interest such as the Zoo of Rocks and the old Skippers Road once used by gold miners.
On the descent you’ll pass Castle Rock, Bus Scratch Corner and the remains of Welcome Home Pub. Reaching Bells Hill, get another glimpse of the gold-bearing Shotover River, passing Pinchers Bluff, Devils Elbow and Deep Creek.
Your guide leads several short walks in Skippers Canyon and stops at a scenic picnic spot for coffee or tea and chilled wine with cookies and homemade cheese served on crackers, all while you enjoy the canyon views. LOTR fans may recognize the movie site from a scene in The Lord of the Rings where Frodo escaped the Black Riders with the help of Arwen and the forces of the river.
On returning to Queenstown, you’re dropped off at your hotel.
Itinerary
We drive through historic Skippers Canyon and explain the goldrush history of it. Short walks and plenty of photo stops are a feature of the tour. At Skippers School, a picnic is prepared. We spend about 30 min at Skippers School before we head back to Queenstown.
Duration: 30 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
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Product code: 2144SKIP
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