Lake Tekapo Tour: Private 12-Hour Adventure

Discover Lake Tekapo’s beauty on a private 12-hour tour from Queenstown. Customize your journey, explore iconic sites, and enjoy total flexibility.

Duration: 11 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Queenstown - Begin your adventure in Queenstown, New Zealand’s adventure capital, nestled on the shores of Lake Wakatipu and surrounded by breathtaking alpine scenery.
  • Lake Hayes - Just outside Queenstown, this tranquil, mirror-like lake is renowned for its stunning reflections of the surrounding mountains in calm weather.
  • **Kawarau…
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • On-board WiFi
  • Surcharges on fuel
  • Parking fees
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • Full freedom to explore with a custom itinerary — stop anywhere, anytime for photos, coffee, or more
What's Not Included
  • Meals
  • Tea and coffee
Additional Information

Escape the hustle and bustle with an exclusive, tailor-made 12-hour excursion from Queenstown to the stunning turquoise beauty of Lake Tekapo. Journey through breathtaking alpine scenery, quaint towns, and glistening lakes — with the liberty to pause wherever you wish.

  • 12-hour private tour designed to match your interests and pace
  • Choose your route…
Location
Queenstown
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(12 Ratings)
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L_travel_review
Mar 23, 2026
Getting to know the lakes - Extremely happy to have Jay with our small group tour. He is very joyful and passionate about New Zealand and showed us as many spots as possible throughout the trip. The trip was enjoyable and we learnt about all the stories and histories of the lakes and mountains. We made it on time back to Queenstown and even made extra stops! No extra admission fees are required and everything was excellent. The whole 12 hour trip was surely unforgettable and worth it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Srinivaas_g
Feb 26, 2026
Great trip! - We had a great time in this private tour with Jay. We covered Lindis pass, Clay cliffs, Cromwell, Tekapo lake (multiple viewpoints) and Pukaki lake (multiple viewpoints). Jay shared a lot of great info and also took some very nice pictures. He also took to some scenic hidden gems for the lakes with no people around which was very cool. If you are 2-3 people this private tour is only slightly more expensive/comparable to a group tour but it is a much better experience as you can spend good time at the the lakes and other places of interest.
Review provided by Viator
Srinivaasg
Feb 25, 2026
Great private tour to lake Tekapo - We had a great time in this private tour with Jay. We covered Lindis pass, Clay cliffs, Cromwell, Tekapo lake (multiple viewpoints) and Pukaki lake (multiple viewpoints). Jay shared a lot of great info and also took some very nice pictures. He also took to some scenic hidden gems for the lakes with no people around which was very cool. If you are 2-3 people this private tour is only slightly more expensive/comparable to a group tour but it is a much better experience as you can spend good time at the the lakes and other places of interest.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
John_w
Feb 14, 2026
Amazing day trip with Jay - Our journey with Jay from Arrowtown to Lake Tekapo covered some of New Zealand's most scenic alpine routes, winding through landscapes dotted with vibrant lupins and native and invasive flora, with Jay providing informative and engaging commentary throughout. We stopped at a fruit farm for delicious kiwiberries and then at a salmon farm for incredibly fresh salmon, followed by an amazing visit to Lake Pukaki where we enjoyed melt-in-your-mouth salmon sashimi and were mesmerized by the distinctive milky-turquoise waters caused by glacial flour. Throughout the day, we were thrilled to spot karearea on multiple occasions, with Jay looking out for them. At Kea Point, we completed the rewarding walking track through alpine meadows and were treated to spectacular views of Aoraki/Mount Cook and the Hooker Valley from the lookout point. After visiting the picturesque Church of the Good Shepherd, and multiple viewpoints of Lake Tekapo, we finished this wonderful day with delicious pizza.
Review provided by Viator
Susanwr9012hg
Feb 10, 2026
Like traveling with friends, very relaxing - The day before this trip we took another trip for your company and we were very pleased with the service of the tour guide Jay, so we asked if we could add a day trip. Although the season has passed, Jay is still trying to help us find flowers (very careful). As the shark shipment was delayed due to an accident before we went to Lake Pukaki, Jay quickly adjusted the itinerary and told us we could enjoy it again on the way back. There is no stress all the way, and there will be a lot of restaurant options available for us to choose from the day before (our family is a guest, the main purpose of this trip is to eat good food). The main issue on this route is the toilet, but Jay will also remind us of the path and level of cleanliness of each toilet, very attentive to the girl. In addition, Jay is a good photographer, he will also take us to some private shooting attractions to avoid shooting crowds; he will also give us some tips for shooting red-style photos. Even at the end of the trip, he is willing to take us to the restaurant location we have booked, and is willing to provide some tourist information about Queen Town to provide some ideas for our future freelancers.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kanwalm2019
Jan 10, 2026
The Best Way to Experience Lake Tekapo - We had an amazing experience with Jay as our private tour guide! He was incredibly sweet, friendly, and accommodating, and genuinely happy to tailor the day around all of our suggestions. The entire trip felt relaxed and personal, never rushed, and he made sure we were comfortable and enjoying ourselves throughout the whole day. Jay went above and beyond by helping us switch out hotels in the morning, which made everything so much easier and stress-free. He constantly checked in to make sure we were okay and having a great time, which we really appreciated. Anyone looking for the flexibility to make stops along the way and truly curate their own day trip should absolutely reach out to Jay and his team. He had great suggestions throughout the tour and also recommended additional spots for us to check out for the remainder of our time in Queenstown, which was incredibly helpful. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking, and the flexibility of the private tour made it even more special. We truly enjoyed every moment of the experience and will definitely be passing Jay’s recommendation along to all of our friends and family. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
K1264dxelainek
Jan 2, 2026
Excellent day trip - Jay was an excellent guide. Did not bombard me with information, but was able to answer my questions and when he noticed things that I was interested in, would give me more information of that type. Because I booked a private tour, he asked if there were specific things that I wanted to do. I arranged for him to bring my bike and camping gear and drop me off at Lake Tekapo. He even helped me set up my tent. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Md
Dec 23, 2025
Spectacular experience - This review I am leaving specially for MrJay Jung is an excellent Personality and great photographer too.He makes the tour for us with the special memory and awesome experience.Really I recommended this private tour for every.Ofcourse he made private tour very easy for us.love you Jay.💖💖
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sili_l
Dec 1, 2025
Nice and relax - This is really a nice trip. The tour guide is very thoughtful and friendly which really made us feel relaxed. I would recommend to people who come with friends and families.
Review provided by Viator
19geraldiner
Sep 6, 2025
Amazing Private Tour with Jay J - My friends and I had the opportunity to see and explore the amazing Mt Cook and all other lakes closed by (lake Takapo and Lake Pukaki).. special thanks to our guide Jay for taking us in all these places and even explaining the history behind them. It was 4 of us and we had the private tour. Jay has been patient and accomodating to us. I highly recommend him if you ever get a chance to visit Queenstown, NZ, contact him... this trip is all worth it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $583 (Per Vehicle)
up to 15 guests
1 - Traveler
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).