7-Day Best of Queenstown Luxury Tour
A Luxury Queenstown Escape, Planned by Local Experts
Queenstown, Central Otago, Wānaka and Milford Sound
Experience Queenstown with local New Zealand travel specialists, on a private 7-day luxury journey designed around scenery, comfort and ease. From your base at Eichardt’s Private Hotel on Lake Wakatipu, enjoy private touring, Central Otago wine, alpine landscapes, Wānaka, Glenorchy-style scenery, an unforgettable Earnslaw Burn helicopter experience and a night aboard the Fiordland Jewel in Milford Sound.
This itinerary is designed for travellers who want to enjoy Queenstown properly, without rushing from place to place. We help shape the days around the weather, your pace and the experiences that suit you best, using local knowledge to make the journey feel seamless, personal and relaxed.
Queenstown-Based Luxury Travel Specialists | TIA Member | 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist | Local Support
Is This Queenstown Journey Right for You?
This luxury Queenstown itinerary is ideal if you want to stay in one of New Zealand’s most beautiful alpine towns while enjoying a handpicked selection of private experiences.
It suits couples, honeymooners, families and small private groups who want a mix of luxury accommodation, scenic touring, wine, food, helicopter experiences and Milford Sound without having to plan every detail themselves.
This journey is especially well suited if you want:
A luxury Queenstown base
Private touring with local guides
Central Otago wine and food experiences
A scenic helicopter experience
Time to enjoy Queenstown at your own pace
A private day tour to Arrowtown and Wānaka
An overnight Milford Sound cruise
High-end accommodation and seamless planning
Journey Overview
Duration: 7 days
Travel style: Private luxury Queenstown itinerary
Best suited to: Couples, honeymooners, families and small private groups
Accommodation style: Luxury hotel and boutique overnight cruise
Main base: Queenstown
Featured stay: Eichardt’s Private Hotel
Featured experience: Overnight Milford Sound cruise aboard Fiordland Jewel
Transport: Private transfers, private touring and optional scenic flights
Destinations: Queenstown, Central Otago, Arrowtown, Wānaka, Earnslaw Burn and Milford Sound
Tour Highlights
Eichardt’s Private Hotel
Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu
Private Central Otago wine tour
Earnslaw Burn helicopter experience
Arrowtown and Wānaka private tour
Free day to enjoy Queenstown
Milford Road scenic touring
Overnight Milford Sound cruise
Fiordland Jewel
Fine dining and local recommendations
Suggested Itinerary
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Welcome to Queenstown
Arrive in Queenstown, one of New Zealand’s most spectacular alpine destinations. Set on the shores of Lake Wakatipu and surrounded by the Remarkables mountain range, Queenstown is known for its dramatic scenery, excellent restaurants, boutique shopping, wine, outdoor experiences and easy access to some of the South Island’s most iconic landscapes.
Although often called New Zealand’s adventure capital, Queenstown also offers a refined and relaxed luxury holiday. It is a place where you can enjoy lakefront dining, private touring, scenic flights, wine country, mountain views and world-class accommodation, all within easy reach.
Private Airport Transfer
You will be met on arrival at Queenstown Airport and privately transferred to your accommodation.
Depending on your arrival time, the rest of the day can be kept relaxed with time to settle in, enjoy the lakefront, or dine at one of Queenstown’s excellent restaurants.
Accommodation: Eichardt’s Private Hotel
Eichardt’s Private Hotel is one of Queenstown’s most iconic luxury stays, located directly on the lakefront in the heart of town.
With a history dating back to 1861, Eichardt’s combines heritage character, refined service and one of the best positions in Queenstown. It is an ideal base for guests who want luxury, convenience and a true sense of place.
Meals included: Breakfast
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Central Otago Wine Country
Today is dedicated to the landscapes and flavours of Central Otago, one of New Zealand’s most beautiful and distinctive wine regions.
With rugged mountains, dry hillsides, river valleys and historic gold-mining towns, Central Otago has a completely different feel from other wine regions in New Zealand. It is especially known for Pinot Noir, along with elegant white wines, boutique cellar doors and relaxed vineyard dining.
Private Wine Tour
Your private wine tour can be shaped around your wine preferences, whether you prefer small boutique vineyards, premium tastings, a vineyard lunch, or a relaxed day exploring the Gibbston, Bannockburn or Cromwell wine areas.
With a private guide, there is no need to worry about driving, timing or choosing the right places. The day can flow at your pace, with local recommendations and plenty of time to enjoy the scenery.
Return to Queenstown for the evening.
Meals included: Breakfast
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Suggested Activity: Private Helicopter Flight
Today includes one of Queenstown’s most memorable scenic experiences: a helicopter flight into the Earnslaw Burn.
The Earnslaw Burn is a dramatic alpine valley known for its hanging glacier, waterfalls and remote mountain scenery. It is one of the most spectacular locations near Queenstown and is only accessible by air or by a long hike, making a helicopter flight a very special way to experience it.
Depending on the flight chosen and weather conditions, your experience may include an alpine landing, time for photos and the chance to take in one of the most dramatic landscapes in the region.
The afternoon can be kept flexible, allowing time to relax back in Queenstown, enjoy the lakefront, book a spa treatment or dine out.
Meals included: Breakfast
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Private Tour to Arrowtown and Wānaka
Today your private guide will take you through some of the most scenic areas surrounding Queenstown.
Travel through historic Arrowtown, a beautifully preserved gold-mining village with tree-lined streets, boutique shops, cafés and local character. Continue over the Crown Range, New Zealand’s highest sealed road, with sweeping views across valleys and mountains.
Arrive in Wānaka, a relaxed lakeside town known for its mountain views, outdoor lifestyle, boutique feel and the famous Wānaka Tree.
Suggested Stops
Your day may include Arrowtown, Lake Hayes, the Crown Range, Cardrona Hotel, Wānaka lakefront, boutique shops, scenic lookouts and time for lunch.
Because this is a private day, the route can be adjusted to suit the weather, your interests and the pace you prefer.
Return to Queenstown in the late afternoon.
Meals included: Breakfast
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Explore Queenstown at Your Own Pace
Today is left open so you can enjoy Queenstown in your own way.
You may like to take the gondola up Bob’s Peak for panoramic views over Lake Wakatipu, stroll the lakefront, browse boutique shops, enjoy a long lunch, visit a spa, or take a gentle walk or e-bike ride along the Frankton Track.
Another popular option is the TSS Earnslaw steamship across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Station, where you can enjoy a farm experience or relaxed dining.
This free day also gives flexibility in case one of your weather-dependent experiences, such as a helicopter flight, needs to move.
Meals included: Breakfast
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Private Journey to Milford Sound
Today you travel from Queenstown to Milford Sound with your private driver-guide.
The journey to Milford Sound is one of the most scenic drives in New Zealand. Travel along Lake Wakatipu, through Southland countryside, into Te Anau and then deep into Fiordland National Park. Along the Milford Road, your guide can include scenic stops for photos, short walks and views of mountains, valleys, rainforest, waterfalls and alpine landscapes.
Milford Sound is located within Fiordland National Park and is known for its steep cliffs, dark waters, waterfalls and dramatic scenery. Rain or shine, it is one of New Zealand’s most powerful natural experiences.
Suggested Activity: Overnight Milford Sound Cruise
Rather than visiting Milford Sound as a long day trip, this itinerary includes an overnight cruise aboard the Fiordland Jewel.
Staying overnight allows you to experience Milford Sound after the day visitors have left. The pace is slower, the atmosphere is more peaceful, and you have more time to enjoy the fiord.
Depending on conditions, the overnight cruise may include kayaking, tender boat excursions, wildlife viewing, dinner onboard and time to relax in the top deck hot tub.
Accommodation: Fiordland Jewel
The Fiordland Jewel offers a boutique overnight experience in Milford Sound, with comfortable cabins, onboard dining and a relaxed small-vessel atmosphere.
It is a special way to experience Fiordland, combining comfort, scenery and time in one of New Zealand’s most remarkable natural places.
Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
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Return to Queenstown
Wake up surrounded by the scenery of Milford Sound before enjoying breakfast onboard.
After your overnight cruise, return to Queenstown by private transfer or, weather permitting, upgrade to a scenic flight back to Queenstown for a spectacular aerial view of Fiordland, alpine lakes, glaciers and mountains.
Your journey ends with a transfer to Queenstown Airport or your Queenstown accommodation.
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation Featured in This Journey
Eichardt’s Private Hotel
Eichardt’s Private Hotel is a landmark luxury property in central Queenstown, positioned directly on the shores of Lake Wakatipu.
Known for its heritage, refined service and unbeatable location, Eichardt’s is ideal for guests who want to be close to Queenstown’s restaurants, shops, lakefront and private touring options.
Fiordland Jewel
The Fiordland Jewel is a boutique vessel offering overnight cruises in Milford Sound.
With a small-vessel feel, onboard dining, comfortable cabins and the chance to experience Milford Sound after the day crowds have gone, it is one of the most memorable ways to stay in Fiordland.
How This Journey Can Be Customised
This itinerary can be adjusted in many ways, including:
Add extra nights in Queenstown
Upgrade helicopter and scenic flight experiences
Add golf experiences
Include a spa day or wellness experience
Extend to Aoraki/Mt Cook
Continue through the South Island
Choose a Milford Sound day tour with a scenic flight return instead
Add extra time in Te Anau or Fiordland
Combine this journey with one of our longer New Zealand luxury itineraries
What We Arrange
Custom itinerary planning
Luxury accommodation
Private airport transfers
Private local touring
Central Otago wine experiences
Helicopter and scenic flight options
Milford Sound overnight cruise arrangements
Restaurant and dining suggestions
Activity bookings
Flexible timing around weather-dependent experiences
Local support before and during your journey
Why Plan With New Zealand Luxury Travel Agents?
We are based in Queenstown and know this region personally.
That makes a real difference when planning a luxury Queenstown itinerary. We understand how the days should flow, which experiences work best in different weather, how long the drives really take, and when to leave space in the itinerary so the trip feels relaxed rather than overfilled.
As the VIP division of New Zealand Private Tours, and part of the same family as Remarkable Scenic Tours, we combine local knowledge, private touring experience and careful travel planning to create seamless New Zealand journeys.
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The cost depends on your travel dates, accommodation availability, room type, number of travellers, private touring, helicopter experiences and the Milford Sound cruise option selected.
We price each journey individually once we understand your travel style and preferences.
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No. This is a sample luxury Queenstown itinerary and can be tailored around your dates, pace, interests and preferred accommodation style.
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Yes. This itinerary is designed as a private journey, with private transfers, private day tours and handpicked experiences.
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Yes. Eichardt’s Private Hotel is a featured option, but we can suggest other luxury Queenstown hotels, villas or lodges depending on your style and budget.
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Yes. Helicopter flights are weather dependent. We recommend keeping some flexibility in the itinerary so scenic flights can be moved if conditions are not suitable.
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Yes. A scenic flight from Milford Sound to Queenstown can often be added, weather permitting. If the flight cannot operate, a road transfer is used instead.
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Availability depends on the cruise operator, season and travel dates. We will check the best option for your dates and advise what is available.
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Yes. This itinerary can easily be extended with extra nights in Queenstown, Wānaka, Aoraki/Mt Cook, Te Anau, Fiordland or other parts of the South Island.