What to do and see in Queenstown, South Island: The Best Helicopter Tours

On this premier scenic flight you will marvel at the outstanding landforms and stunning beauty of the Wakatipu basin. The untamed Shotover River is revealed in rugged Skippers Canyon. See spectacular film locations from Lord of the Rings. The flight includes a landing at the Remarkables, 1538 meters above Queenstown where you can stand in the snow during Winter and admire the fantastic panoramic views.

Inclusions: Hotel pickup and drop off, Scenic helicopter flight with landing (10 minutes), Pilot guide, Live commentary on board, GST (Goods and Services Tax)

Exclusions: Items of a personal nature

Allow 1.5 hours Includes 1 landing on a glacier In the Queenstown area, we have three of the largest glaciers in New Zealand’s South Island and they are all above 6000 ft. Our Milford Sound and Glacier experience combines a scenic flight over the Southern Alps to the majestic Milford Sound, where you will fly over the Sound before heading north to the glacier areas. We will land beside one of the glaciers, providing the ideal opportunity for you to explore and take some memorable photographs.

Inclusions: Scenic Helicopter tour, Bose noise cancelling headsets to hear the guide clearly, Professional pilot / guide, Applicable landing and facility fees, National Park fees, Complimentary Hotel pickup and drop-off, Complimentary bottled water

Exclusions: Lunch, Gratuities

Allow 4 hours 2 landings: Milford Sound & Alpine landing Over The Top Helicopters are pleased to offer a personal scenic helicopter flight to Milford Sound with a cruise. Your pilot, acting as your personal guide, will fly you down to Milford, over the breath-taking snow-capped Southern Alps, where we will land and shut down the helicopter. You will board the cruise boat to take one of the most memorable journeys you can imagine down Milford Sound, taking in the rainforest covered slopes and the majestic waterfalls. On return to Milford you will again board the helicopter for yet more amazing scenery from the air, together with a landing on an alpine location allowing you to take more photographs of an amazing experience.

Inclusions: Scenic Helicopter tour, Bose noise cancelling headsets to hear the guide clearly, Professional pilot / guide, Applicable landing and facility fees, National Park fees, Complimentary Hotel pickup and drop-off, Alpine Landing

Exclusions: Food & Beverage

The Picnic on the Peak is one of our most popular excursions. Queenstown has some of the most breathtaking scenery in New Zealand and what better way to enjoy the remarkable views of Lake Wakatipu and the Southern Alps than enjoying a champagne picnic perched high up on one of the peaks.

Inclusions: Scenic Helicopter tour, Amazing opportunity to capture the most photographic scenery in New Zealand, Applicable landing and facility fees, Complimentary car parking, Gourmet picnic hamper including cheeses, meats, salad & fruit from local sources, Beverage hamper including champagne, beer, water & soft drink, Picnic rug, chairs

Exclusions: Gratuities

Discover the highlights of New Zealand's South Island, from stunning glaciers to vast National Parks there's plenty to explore! Tour highlights include the world-famous TranzAlpine Scenic Train, a glacier Heli Hike, Glacier Hot Pools and an unforgettable day trip to Fiordland for a Milford Sound Nature Cruise. The perfect way to fit the best of the South Island into five day! This is an Independent coach tour, where you travel on a combination of touring coaches and sightseeing services with commentary and/or point to point coaches which may not have commentary. You will be with different people on each part of the tour and different drivers. You have free time to explore on your own and are free to choose where and when to eat, meals are not included unless specified.

Inclusions: Lunch, Air-conditioned vehicles, Return coach transport from Christchurch, Breif commentary on board coaches and tours, 4 nights accommodation, TranzApline Scenic Train, Franz Josef Heli Hike, Glacier Hot Pools, Milford Sound Nature Cruise

Exclusions: Meals unless specified, Pre and post tour accommodation, Gratuities, Travel insurance. We recommend travel insurance for all tours

View alpine lakes, rivers, forests, glacial valleys, and ice capped mountains from above with this 2-2.5 hour helicopter tour. Fly over the fiord and enjoy landing on a remote west coast beach and an alpine glacier!

Inclusions: Scenic Helicopter tour, Glacier and West Coast Beach landing with helicopter shut down to experience complete serenity of the surrounds, Live commentary in English from your knowledgeable pilot, Dramatically stunning views in the Fiordland National Park, Amazing opportunity to capture the most photographic scenery in New Zealand, Applicable National park, landing and facility fees, Complimentary car parking, Luxury and pristine range of helicopters within the fleet, Shared or private helicopter options available

Exclusions: Food and Beverage - options available to pre purchase, Gratuities

Untouched Backcountry Heli Tour where the helicopter is yours for the day with your own private guide to explore some of the most remote corners of the lower South Island, touching down in magical places where it feels like Giant Moas could still wander out of the wilderness. This exclusive private tour will have you getting up close to wildlife, rainforests, waterfalls, glaciers and New Zealand's most famous attraction without crossing paths with another tourist. Featuring Mt Nicholas Station: Pioneer Living on a Remote Farm, Lake Erskine: An alpine lake with icebergs surrounded by hanging glaciers, Picnic at Lake Quill above Sutherland Falls, Martins Bay to visit a NZ fur seal colony, Milford Sound, Isobel/Tyndall Glacier via valley of the waterfalls/Earnslaw Burn.  

Inclusions: Helicopter & Pilot, Private Guide, Bottled water, Picnic Lunch, Hotel pickup and drop-off, Lunch, Snacks

Exclusions: Gratuities

Includes: 1 Alpine Lift from our hangar at Queenstown Airport, fly up to the Remarkables Mountain range, where the helicopter will land and shutdown, so you can experience the complete serenity of the area.  Experience the view and snap the ultimate photograph, one mile high. Views over the mountain vista, Lake Wakatipu, and the surrounding Wakatipu basin.

Inclusions: Scenic Helicopter tour, Alpine landing with helicopter shut down to experience complete serenity of the surrounds, Amazing opportunity to capture the most photographic scenery in New Zealand, Applicable National park, landing and facility fees, Complimentary Hotel pickup and drop-off, Complimentary car parking, Luxury and pristine range of helicopters within the fleet, Shared or private helicopter options available

Exclusions: Food and beverages - options available to pre purchase, Gratuities

The one-hour fixed-wing flight from Queenstown to Franz Josef or Tasman Glacier is certainly spectacular, but the highlight of this trip is the glacier Heli Hike. The experienced guides will take you into a deep part of the glacier via a scenic helicopter flight. The helicopter passes over the deep crevasses of the icefalls and waterfalls to land on the upper Franz Josef icefall or on the Tasman glacier itself. From there you’ll be fitted with crampons for the two hours on the ice, exploring caves and seeing the natural, ever-changing wonder of the glacier in the South Island of New Zealand.

Inclusions: Hiking boots and crampons are provided, Air-conditioned vehicle

Exclusions:

Explore the spectacular Fiordland National Park by air on this half-day Milford Sound helicopter flight from Queenstown. Fly over Milford Sound by helicopter with a guide, and gaze out over the cliffs, waterfalls, and forests below. Stop for a stroll in Milford Sound for fine views over Mitre Peak, then land on a West Coast beach and Mt. Tutoko glacier. Along the way, gain insight into Milford Sound’s impressive geography and see sides of the region many visitors miss. This 2.5-hour tour includes round-trip travel from your Queenstown hotel.

Inclusions: Hotel pickup and drop-off, Guide, Headsets, Helicopter flight

Exclusions: Souvenir photos (available to purchase), Lunch