From the docks in Queenstown, step aboard your deluxe catamaran to cruise across gorgeous Lake Wakatipu, which reaches depths of 1,300 feet (400 meters). Surrounding mountain ranges create a dramatic backdrop to the dark blue lake.
Your boat is equipped with warm indoor seating, large viewing windows and outdoor decks that offer panoramic views of the Southern Alps, Glenorchy, Mt Earnslaw, and the Remarkables mountain range. An onboard cafe serves beverages and snacks for purchase.
Listen to informative commentary from your captain about the sights you see from the boat. Atmospheric pressures cause the lake’s water levels to rise and fall about 5 inches (12 centimeters) every few minutes. A Maori legend attributes the phenomenon to the heartbeat of a giant who lies asleep in the depths of the lake.
A slumbering giant might prove hard to find, but one could say that Elves have been here. Lothl?rien scenes filmed for The Lord of the Rings movie were staged here at Lake Wakatipu.
Disembark from your catamaran at the Mt Nicholas High Country Station on the western shore of the lake and then visit a family-run merino sheep farm where you can learn about raising sheep and making wool. Then transfer to a 4WD vehicle to scale the mountains with stops at spectacular spots where you can enjoy short walks.
Your cruise on Lake Wakatipu, farm and high country 4WD tour ends upon your return to the docks in Queenstown.