Queenstown’s Most Detailed Historical Tour Experience.

Journey into the heart of Skippers Canyon.

Stories available in 8 different languages!

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Welcome to The Goldrush Tour

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The Goldrush Tour was launched in 2025 with one clear goal: to be Queenstown's most detailed historical tour. Travelling in our luxury 4WD vehicle as part of a small group of up to 11 guests, you will follow the same route once taken by early gold miners as the road winds through the Queenstown Gorge and partway up Coronet Peak, where it meets the Skippers Road and dives into the heart of Skippers Canyon to follow the Shotover River.

Along the way, documentary-style stories are available in 8 languages through a high-quality audio system, giving a depth of detail that would be impossible to achieve through traditional live commentary. It also means you can be sitting on the same bus as someone, enjoying the exact same stories as you, but in a completely different language

FAQ
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Who Am I?

Hi, I'm Cal — owner, operator, driver, researcher, and yes, even the cleaner here at The Goldrush Tour.

I've spent nearly a decade exploring this incredible region, including many years working as a driver/guide.

The history of Skippers Canyon has fascinated me for years. That interest turned into countless hours of research, piecing together the events, hardships, and forgotten stories that shaped the canyon. From the gold rush era to the modern day, every part of the tour has been built around sharing those stories in as much detail as possible, while still keeping the experience personal, relaxed, and accessible.

On most tours I bring along my faithful companion Aster, the tour mascot, who despite his breed has yet to actually retrieve any gold.

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Your journey back in time to Queenstown’s Golden Era

As a small owner-operated business, most tours are driven by Cal, the owner, giving guests an authentic local and personal experience, guided by someone with genuine passion and knowledge of the region. Your host will be delighted to answer questions, share additional stories, and treat you to historic photos of the canyon at the many photo stops along the route.

The tour concludes at a wonderful historic pub, where guests can enjoy a complimentary hot drink, soft drink, beer, or wine before returning to Queenstown.

Why Choose The Goldrush Tour?

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Travel one of New Zealand's most scenic alpine roads into the heart of Skippers Canyon, with plenty of photo stops throughout

Immersive documentary-style storytelling available in:

中文, English, 日本語, 한국어, Español, Français, Deutsch, Italiano

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View historic photographs, filming locations, and visual references throughout the tour

Modern 4WD vehicle designed for comfort on Skippers Road, with accessibility in mind

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Queenstown's most detailed and carefully researched historical tour experience

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Designed for travellers wanting more than just a standard sightseeing tour

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Independently owned and operated in Queenstown

5-star reviews across all major platforms

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Historic pub stop with complimentary barista coffee, beer, wine, or cold drink included

Small groups of up to 11 guests. We also cater to small private groups


Stories available in 8 different languages!

A weathered British flag with a distressed appearance, featuring the Union Jack design.
A weathered, torn French flag with blue, white, and red vertical stripes, showing scratches and damage.
An aged, worn flag of Italy with vertical stripes of green, white, and red.
A weathered, torn cloth with horizontal red and yellow stripes.
A worn, grungy representation of the German flag with horizontal black, red, and yellow stripes.
Grungy red background with Chinese flag elements, including stars and a circular emblem, overlaid with distressed textures.
A grungy, weathered wall with a faded Japanese flag, featuring a red circle in the center, with visible scratches and peeling paint.
A grunge-style South Korean flag with a central red and blue Taegeuk symbol and four black trigrams on a textured beige background.

From Our Guests


5.0 ★★★★★

Google Reviews


100% Recommended by our guests

Recognised By

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We Proudly Support

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Tourism Partners

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