Your Skippers Canyon Goldrush Experience.

What to expect.

Old black and white photograph of a canyon with steep rock walls on either side and a dirt road running through the middle. A horse-drawn carriage with people is traveling on the road, and there's a small creek or stream at the bottom of the canyon, with a stone-lined bank.

The Journey into Skippers Canyon

A journey through the Canyon’s Past

The journey into Skippers Canyon is part of the experience. As you travel from Queenstown into its dramatic landscape, the stories of the gold rush begin to connect with the places outside your window. This small-group vehicle tour gives you time to take in the scenery, discover its history and see why the canyon has captured imaginations for generations.

Stories Along The Way

Skippers Canyon was shaped by people who ventured into difficult country in search of gold. Their ambition, ingenuity and everyday lives are at the heart of this tour.

Through highly detailed storytelling, delivered in real time by a GPS system, you’ll hear all about life in the canyon as you travel through it. The stories unfold at the places they belong, bringing another dimension to the road, the landscape and the traces of the past you see along the way.

Group of six people with a dog standing on a rocky area in a mountainous landscape with hills and mountains in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

More than the Vehicle View

The canyon offers plenty of reasons to pause. Along the route, there are opportunities to take photos, appreciate the remarkable scenery and discover points of historical interest. You’ll also encounter locations connected to well known film productions.

With a small group of up to 11 guests, the experience feels personal and unhurried, giving you space to enjoy both the journey and the places you visit.

Something for younger travellers

Children can enjoy the journey in their own way, with dedicated audio stations offering classic storytelling tracks or music. It’s a chance for the whole family to experience Skippers Canyon together, while listening to what interests them most.

A family of four with a dog posing on a large rock by a river in a mountainous landscape with overcast sky.

The Goldrush Tour at A Glance

Duration: Approximately 3.5 to 4 hours
Group size: Up to 11 guests per vehicle
Pickup: Convenient central Queenstown pickup points
Along the way: Goldrush stories, historical points of interest, filming locations and photo stops
Included: A barista coffee or beer/wine as part of your tour

Gold lion silhouette inside a black circle

Golden lighthouse with light beams inside a circular border.

GORILLA ROCK

HELLS GATE

Gold-colored castle with flags on towers, set inside a circular border.

Golden outline of a small house with a chimney inside a black circle

LIGHTHOUSE ROCK

CASTLE ROCK

Two electronic vaping devices inside a gold circle on a black background.

Golden bowl with a textured surface, inside a black circle.

Gold coin featuring a stylized lion or mythical creature design within a black circle

PINCHERS BLUFF

MAORI POINT

WELCOME HOME HOTEL

BALDERSONS HUT

Journey Into Skippers Canyon

Journey Into The Past

Old photo - similar spot to main phtot with lighthouse rock.jpg

Opening of the New Skippers Bridge 1901.jpg

Welcome Home Hotel (Long Gully Pub) 2.jpg

Make Memories along one of NZ’s Most Spectacular Roads.

Book Queenstown’s MOST DETAILED HISTORICAL TOUR TODAY to ensure your holiday is unforgettable. Whether you’re drawn by the scenery, the gold rush history or the adventure of the road itself, this is a chance to experience Skippers Canyon with its stories brought to life around you!

BOOK NOW