The 4 of us went out for an afternoon tour to Skippers Canyon. None of us had been there before, and we all loved it. No way would I want to drive myself, or be in our car with my husband driving! Going with Del is definitely the best way to do this. We will definitely do this again in winter, to see it in a different season. 

The vehicle was so comfortable, and only having the 4 of us in the car, was great. 

Definitely do this tour with Del if you want a great experience.

Loretta , January 2022

We've been to Queenstown several times, but never made it to Skipper's Canyon before. We have now, and can definitely say it's our Number 1 thing to do in Queenstown...and you have to do it with Del. What an amazing trip - Del is just the best guide; highly informative, very knowledgeable, and really funny! The Skipper's Road is super narrow, and you would be crazy to do it yourself - not to mention all the stunning views you would miss. (One of the highlights was watching the nervous faces of those we passed on the narrowest of spaces, yet we always felt 110% confident with Del in the driver's seat.) And Del knows all the best spots for the best photo angles. Not to mention he makes a mean cuppa! We were so lucky to strike a perfect weather day in spring, and now want to come back and see the canyon in winter - and we will definitely do it with Del. Forget throwing yourself off a bridge or shooting up the river in a tin can - don't miss Skipper's Canyon with 4 Wheel Drive Expeditions with Del, this is the afternoon you will remember most about visiting Queenstown.

Steve, October 2021

My friend and I recently took 3 tours in the Queenstown region with Del - half day trips to Glenorchy and Paradise and Skippers Canyon and a full day in the Nevis Valley. All 3 outings were thoroughly enjoyable, made even more so by Del's skillful driving and informative comments, particularly with regard to Otago's gold mining history. We learned a great deal about the huge effect mining had made on the local environment and also of the work and conditions braved by the early Chinese immigrants who came mostly with the modest ambition of earning enough money to buy a small farm back in their home province, but suffered terrible hardship in their endeavours. 

The scenery and countryside of each of these 3 trips was surprisingly different as the Glenorchy tour took us alongside the lake, through farmland and beech forests to the eastern end of Mt Aspiring National Park, with glorious views of the Rees and Dart Rivers, numerous mountains and location sites used during the filming of Lord of the Rings. 

The drive through Skippers Canyon, generally recognised as New Zealand's most dangerous road, was a doddle with Del at the wheel. At no stage did I feel nervous, though normally I'm sure I would have been very anxious looking down on the sheer drop to the Shotover River below. In an entirely different way, the scenery here was completely stunning, enhanced by the autumn colours and certainly a photographer's dream. 

Both Skippers and the Nevis Valley had been high on my bucket list and again I was not disappointed. We were blessed with beautiful golden light during the early part of the tour through the Lower Nevis where the colours of the windswept tussock contrasted with rocky outcrops and the last smattering of snow. A number of fascinating buildings scattered through the valley provided great photographic opportunities and we made a sobering visit to the bleak little cemetery before climbing to Duffers Saddle with its grotesque rocky tors and magnificent views in every direction from Lake Dunstan and Cromwell all the way back to the Remarkables. 

I highly recommend all of these tours and only wish I had been in Queenstown longer to take a couple of other 4WD adventures with Del. His driving skills, knowledge and unfailing good humour combined with the most stunning scenery added to a truly memorable Queenstown holiday. Sincere thanks Del for sharing your obvious love of this region with us.

Pauline May 2021

Last week when weather cancelled our flight to Milford Sound we were a bit despondent. To compensate we booked a half day 4WD Tour of Skippers Canyon with Del. We are so glad we did! This was one of the best visitor experiences we have ever had anywhere. The scenery is absolutely, pinch yourself, stunning. The road is hair raising - very narrow with vertical drops on one side - but that just makes the experience of the landscape all the more visceral and Del has been driving it for 30 years so we felt completely safe. His Landrover is near new and very comfortable even when the road gets lumpy. With all of those years of experience Del's knowledge of the Skippers Road and Shotover River is immense and he freely shares it while mixing in local anecdotes accumulated over his time treating people to this experience. You finish the tour with an understanding of the bravery (or was it madness?) of the people who chased the gold on the Shotover as well as feeling you have made a new friend in Del. We did get a scenic flight later that day but we both felt it paled in comparison to the on ground tour. If you can do both - go for it. If you can only do one, go for the 4WD Skipper Tour with Del - you won't regret it! Thanks Del, you singularly made our visit to Queenstown truly memorable. 

Alistair & Sharon, Wellington Sept 14th 2020

If, when you visit New Zealand, Queenstown is a must, then Skippers Canyon is even more of a must - and without the shadow of a doubt the biggest "must" of all when choosing your tour guide is 4WD EXPEDITIONS. Myself (82) and my 76 year old wife were advised by our Kiwi son-in-law not to miss this this experience. How right he was. Time spent on reconnaissance they say is seldom wasted - and ours led us to choose 4WD EXPEDITIONS and Del as our guide. It turned out be be an inspired and rewarding choice. On the dot of 08.00 he arrived at our hotel in a spotless and extremely comfortable Land Rover Discovery. His first task was to reassure my wife, who suffers from vertigo and has a deep seated fear of heights and was on the point of pulling out at the last minute. Reassured by Del that everything would be alright she climbed into the back seat of the Discovery, still not entirely convinced but hoping for the best. What followed was a masterpiece of skilful driving and a fascinating commentary on the geology and history of the area; clearly the result of a genuine interest and much research. The scenery is jaw dropping - the drop-offs even more so but my wife's fears evaporated as she, like myself, was just blown away by the experience. As Del said, no matter how many times you make the trip you could never tire of what Skippers Canyon has to offer. We stopped to admire the views at several memorable spots and highlighted by our mid-morning tea break at what was arguably the most spectacular of the lot; with a view across the valley to what was a goldmining settlement and the beautifully restored local school. In fact "tea break" doesn't to justice to what was on offer. tea, coffee, chocolate, cookies and cakes; a veritable feast. This is most definitely not the usual tour where you are just lumped in as part of a group. Instead you are given a personal tour by a highly professional and skilful guide with a profound knowledge of the area, and delivered with humour. We spent almost two months in New Zealand, visiting both the North and South Islands. Skippers Canyon with Del was unquestionably the highlight. Excellent value for money and not on any account to be missed. 

Ian Oxfordshire, 2020

We were a group of four semi-retired professionals aged 55-65 on a 10 week tour of New Zealand and so had already seen lots of impressive and spectacular scenery in both the North and South Islands - but this was a whole new type of scenery and experience. We were collected promptly from our accommodation in a very clean and luxurious white Land Rover Discovery. The trip was tailored to our interests - and we were given a detailed briefing of what it would/could entail. Despite the, at times, winding and narrow track with vertiginious drops, we all felt safe and were confident in Del's control of the vehicle and were aware of the equipment he carried just in case. He was able to stop at some stunning view points to give us details of the local geology and history and knew where to look for specific wildlife, such as the falcons which we were keen to find. Tea and biscuits looking over the valley to a goldmining settlement and school was a nice touch. 

The stop by the river where LOTR was filmed, exploring the multicoloured stones and seeing the jet boats go past, just added to the whole experience. Del was also able to offer useful local advice on other activities (e.g. paragliding), shops and restaurants in the area. 

Highly recommended and good value for money. Many thanks Del, for a great afternoon out.

Teresa UK 2020

What a fantastic experience going up the skippers road canyon with Del, absolutely amazing landscape and Del's your man for very entertaining stories and wealth of knowledge on the history of the area. Lovely comfortable vehicle. By far the best trip we have done in New Zealand. Highly recommended.

Rae Scotland 2019

Del gave us a fantastic tour of Skippers Canyon. He had an amazing amount of knowledge about the area which was really interesting. Del stopped at many scenic sites where we had lots of time for great photos. We would thoroughly recommend this trip especially if you were after a personal touch.

Sandra, NZ 2019

Just an absolutely amazing trip, A private adventure, Del / Tour owner and our guide was brilliant. This is a must do!!! Del has many trips he can offer, we did the skippers canyon half day. Wow, wow, wow

Mike NZ 2019

Do it!

Highlight of our holiday so far. This time in NZ we wanted to get off the beaten track. Absolutely amazing! So completely different from the Queenstown side of the mountains. We are coming back in June 2020 to do it all again in the snow. Can't wait. Highly recommended. If you want a tour without sharing in a group this is perfect.

Rosemary, Australia 

My wife and I recently did the Skipper’s Canyon tour with Del as our driver and guide. Del was fantastic - incredibly knowledgeable and experienced and showed us all the best features and views the canyon has to offer. He was great to have a chat with and share a few laughs - we learned so much along the way. My wife doesn’t normally do too well heights or steep drop offs on a bumpy road, but with Del’s experience on that road, she felt very safe and had the best time. We stopped in one of the most spectacular spots I’ve ever had the pleasure to have a delicious morning tea - supplied by Del (he even did an amazing job catering to our dietary requirements). Before going, I was a little concerned about heading out the same way as we came in, thinking that travelling the same route twice would take away from the experience - I couldn’t be more wrong! It was amazing travelling the same picturesque track with a completely different perspective, this was also enhanced by the different lighting and low lying cloud we experienced on the way in. I couldn’t recommend this tour with Del highly enough, we want to come back and do the same trip again, but in winter with some snow - we also want to see all the other trips Del has to offer. This is a must do!

Toby Pickering, Australia

As this would be our final day in New Zealand, we wanted a day out to remember. 4WD Expeditions delivered just that!

We were picked up from our accommodation in a fantastic comfortable 4x4 and driven by an experienced, confident, friendly driver out to see some of the most beautiful, breathtaking scenery we have seen in New Zealand. Our brilliant driver Del was knowledgable, funny and entertaining through the whole trip. Tea and cake was included in one of the best picnic spots imaginable, and a beautiful Lord of the Rings location visit was the cherry on the delicious cake.

This trip is a definite must for anyone visiting Queenstown, offering something for everyone- exciting 4x4ing on cliffside roads, beautiful scenery and views and a chance to chat and laugh with a friendly New Zealander!

We went on the half-day Skippers tour, and it was amazing. The weather was clear and the mountains had snowy peaks - picture perfect! Del was the perfect guide. He knows all the stories and the history of the canyon and the general area. It’s easy to tell that Del has been doing this for years. He knows his way around and he is an excellent driver. We had the best time!

Skippers Canyon is a stunning deep river gorge, set amongst the glacial-carved peaks of Queenstown's mountain high country. The canyon was carved by the infamous Shotover River, made famous by the 1860's gold rush which saw many people make there fortunes in this dramatic setting. The winding tracks take in spectacular mountain scenery and make for an unforgettable 4x4 adventure. Join Del - Queenstown's most experienced Skippers Canyon guide on your own off road tour. Del will chat with you and tailor the tour to suit your style. He can make the tour as adventurous or relaxing as you like. 

Del has been guiding tourists locally for over 30 years and has a wealth of knowledge about the area.

We are a friendly, professional and safety conscious tour operator.

You will travel in a modern and comfortable 4WD vehicle with great leg room, easy access, large windows and all mod cons (no buses or vans).

- Minimum 2 adults per booking

- Maximum 4 passengers per vehicle

- Child age : 3 - 15 years old

- Includes morning / afternoon tea

- Duration up to 4.5 hours

- Optional Private tour available

- Includes 15% NZ Goods & Services Tax

Contact us to make payment on the day with Visa, Mastercard, eftpos or cash, or alternatively book online with the BOOK HERE button.

Groups size over 4 pax ? no problem, please contact us for booking information.

Different start times can be arranged by request where possible. Pick-ups at local accommodation by prior arrangement.

Skippers Canyon passenger tours operate in rain, hail, snow and sunshine all year around!

Highlights of this half day include:

- Dels 30 years Skippers guiding experience

- We go further !

- Comfortable 4WD vehicle

- Hells and Heavens Gates

- Lighthouse Rock

- Historic gold mining relics

- Shotover River

- Major Lord of the Rings locations

- Engineering marvel Pinchers Bluff

- Traversing Skippers Bridge (1901)

- Skippers School (1879)

- Skippers Cemetery

and much more..

- All tours are flexible and personalised to meet your needs.

- We are a local, family run business who make time for you, take pride in what we do and aspire to give you the best experience possible.

- Del has been guiding tourists locally for over 30 years and has a wealth of knowledge about the area.

- We are professional, safety conscious and pay attention to detail with a impeccable safety record.

- You will travel in a modern and comfortable modern 4WD vehicle with large seats, great leg room, easy access, large windows and all mod cons (no buses or vans).

- All seats face forward (no sideways seating).

PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR

Click here for Skippers Canyon Photography tour.

TAG ALONG TOUR

Click here for Skippers Canyon Tag Along tour.

SELF DRIVE OPTION

This option provides the best of both worlds.

• You drive you own vehicle into Skippers Canyon. 
• Meet up at points of interest along the journey to hear the rich local history and stories for a deeper understanding of the view points.

Self Drive Information

NB. This tour is NOT a fully supported Tag Along Tour, it is a self guided commentary tour.

For a fully supported tour see our Tag Along options from the top navigation menu.

On this tour we simply meet at set locations along the road for commentary. 

What we DO provide

• Commentary at set points along the Skippers Canyon Rd.
• Radio communication for commentary on areas we cannot exit the vehicle.
• Alerts over the radio to oncoming traffic.

What we DO NOT provide

• Any help with your driving besides warnings of oncoming traffic.
• Any vehicle /driving tips or recommendations.
• Any insurance for you or your vehicle.
• Any fuel for your vehicle.
• Any responsibility for you or your own vehicle. 
• Any responsibility for your driving or your actions taken while in Skippers Canyon.
• Any responsibility for any damage you do to your own vehicle or too another vehicle. 
• Any responsibility for any of your personal equipment / gear. 
•  Hazard awareness communication of the road.
• Any support for breakdowns / incidents / accidents apart from helping to call emergency services or a local vehicle garage.

How it works

We meet up at the Skippers Saddle for a meet and greet where we go over the following.

• Radio procedures
• Meet points
• At each view / commentary point before we leave we will notify you of the next meeting point and how long it takes to reach it. 

Timings

As this is officially a self drive tour and we only meet you at certain points along the way for cemmentary, we will have a set time that we have to start to leave the Canyon. This does not mean you have to leave. You are free to explore in your own time. 

As everyone drives at different speeds we do not guarantee a set destination point. It comes down to you and how you drive.

Trip cancellations

Bearing in mind the Skippers Canyon Road is a New Zealand public road and thus you have legal obligations whilst driving on it.

If we see you driving irratically or dangeriously or  in a manor not suitable for a public narrow gravel mountain road we will without hesitation cancel the trip. No refunds will be given.

The Road

The 1890 Skippers Canyon Road is a NZ public road where all road laws and obligations are required to be upheld.

• Most rental agencys DO NOT provide any insurance for the Skippers Canyon Road.
• Some private insurance companies DO NOT cover Skippers Canyon.
• The road is mainly gravel and dirt. It is winding and narrow with large unprotected drops and oncoming traffic.
• In wet weather the road surface can become slippery.
• Slips do happen on the road, so there is always a possibility your vehicle will be trapped on the wrong side of a slip for a unknown duration of time.

SAFETY COMPLIANCE

4WD Expeditions maintains a robust safety management system, meticulously aligning with the MBIE Safety Audit Standard for Adventure Activities. Our formal certification under AdventureMark® underscores our unwavering dedication to prioritizing the safety and well-being of our clients. Our commitment to continuous improvement is evident through regular reviews by AdventureMark® to ensure ongoing compliance with the established safety standard.

IMPORTANT

Any off road / back country driving can lead to unexpected incidents. This can include but is not limited to - accidents, injuries, vehicle damage, property damage & loss of life.

RISKS FROM NATURAL HAZARDS

4WD Expeditions actively monitors all tours for natural hazards including but not limited to the following.

Weather, Storms, Lightening, High winds, Landslip, Snow avalanche, Ice, Rockfall, Flooding, Wildfires.

4WD Expeditions reserve the right to delay or cancel any tours or activities if weather conditions are not suitable. 

I went out to Skippers Canyon on the afternoon tour with my godparents, who had done this same trip in January with Del and raved about it. The scenery was incredible and unique, and it was very comfortable having the car to ourselves. Del is very knowledgeable and very friendly, not to mention the only one you’d want driving out that way with his experience. A must do! 

Caitlin, February 2022

We both thoroughly enjoyed this trip up the Skippers Canyon. Having only been as far as the school house on a previous trip years ago, it was fabulous to go further up the Branches Rd. Del was the perfect guide, extremely knowledgeable and made the whole day very enjoyable. 

Alayne NZ 2021

We were a group of four semi-retired professionals aged 55-65 on a 10 week tour of New Zealand and so had already seen lots of impressive and spectacular scenery in both the North and South Islands - but this was a whole new type of scenery and experience. We were collected promptly from our accommodation in a very clean and luxurious white Land Rover Discovery. The trip was tailored to our interests - and we were given a detailed briefing of what it would/could entail. Despite the, at times, winding and narrow track with vertiginious drops, we all felt safe and were confident in Del's control of the vehicle and were aware of the equipment he carried just in case. He was able to stop at some stunning view points to give us details of the local geology and history and knew where to look for specific wildlife, such as the falcons which we were keen to find. Tea and biscuits looking over the valley to a goldmining settlement and school was a nice touch. 

The stop by the river where LOTR was filmed, exploring the multicoloured stones and seeing the jet boats go past, just added to the whole experience. Del was also able to offer useful local advice on other activities (e.g. paragliding), shops and restaurants in the area. 

Highly recommended and good value for money. Many thanks Del, for a great afternoon out.

Teresa UK 2020

This was a great tour with a really great guide, Del. Skippers Canyon isn't to be missed while you're in Queenstown and Del provided great understanding and coverage of all that the Canyon has to offer.

Del was great to deal with right from first contact and we appreciated his guidance in preparing for the day. He is easy to get on with and made sure we had a great day. Our trip meant that we experienced un-seasonal snow in April and we appreciated his expertise, local knowledge of the area and weather conditions.

Thoroughly enjoyed another aspect of the Central Otago landscape and we look forward to being able to join him again in the very near future.

INFORMATION

- Minimum 2 adults per booking

- Maximum 4 passengers

- Includes morning and afternoon tea

- BYO lunch or optional extra $35 per person (standard & vegetarian only). We highly recommend www.bespokekitchen.nz in Queenstown for all dietry requirements. Amazing food. We can stop off at a suitable cafe / bakery after pickup for clients to purchase their own lunch.

- Duration, 6 to 8 hours

- Includes 15% NZ Goods & Services Tax

- Optional private tour available

Payment can be made direct on the day with Visa, Mastercard, eftpos or cash.

Groups size over 4 pax ? no problem, please contact us for booking information.

Different start times can be arranged by request where possible. Pick-ups at local accommodation by prior arrangement.

 Highlights of this full day include everything from half day tour plus :

- Experience more rugged track to road end

- Explore the seldom visited Upper Shotover

- Packers Point and its incredible views

- Otto Strohle's hut (amazing in Autumn)

- Branches Road

- Campbells Saddle

- Mcleods Bluff

- Sandhills diversion

- View of Nugget Mine stamping battery

- Picnic lunch beside the Upper Shotover River

- Chance for a cooling swim in Shotover River 

- Immersion in a mountain waterfall

- Opportunity to combine with a Jet Boat tour

and much more..   

- All tours are flexible and personalised to meet your needs.

- We are a local, family run business who make time for you, take pride in what we do and aspire to give you the best experience possible.

- Del has been guiding tourists locally for over 30 years and has a wealth of knowledge about the area.

- We are professional, safety conscious,  pay attention to detail and have a  impeccable safety record.

- You will travel in a modern 4WD vehicle with comfortable seats, great leg room, large windows and all mod cons (no buses or vans).

PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR

Click here for Skippers Canyon Photography tour.

TAG ALONG TOUR

Click here for Skippers Canyon Tag Along tour.

SELF DRIVE OPTION

This option provides the best of both worlds.

• You drive you own vehicle into Skippers Canyon. 
• Meet up at points of interest along the journey to hear the rich local history and stories for a deeper understanding of the view points.

Self drive information

NB. This tour is NOT a fully supported Tag Along Tour, it is a self guided commentary tour.

For a fully supported tour see our Tag Along options from the top navigation menu.

On this tour we simply meet at set locations along the road for commentary. 

What we DO provide

• Commentary at set points along the Skippers Canyon Rd.
• Radio communication for commentary on areas we cannot exit the vehicle.
• Alerts over the radio to oncoming traffic.

What we DO NOT provide

• Any help with your driving besides warnings of oncoming trafic.
• Any vehicle /driving tips or recommendations.
• Any insurance for you or your vehicle.
• Any fuel for your vehicle.
• Any responsibility for you or your own vehicle. 
• Any responsibility for your driving or your actions taken while in Skippers Canyon.
• Any responsibility for any damage you do to your own vehicle or too another vehicle. 
• Any responsibility for any of your personal equipment / gear. 
• Hazard awareness communication of the road.
• Any support for breakdowns / incidents / accidents apart from helping to call emergency services or a local vehicle garage.

How it works

We meet up at the Skippers Saddle for a meet and greet where we go over the following.

• Radio procedures.
• Meet points
• At each view / commentary point before we leave we will notify you of the next meeting point and how long it takes to reach it. 

Timings

As this is officially a self drive tour and we only meet you at certain points along the way for cemmentary, we will have a set time that we have to start to leave the Canyon. This does not mean you have to leave. You are free to explore in your own time. 

As everyone drives at different speeds we do not guarantee a set destination point. It comes down to you and how you drive.

Trip cancellations

Bearing in mind the Skippers Canyon Road is a New Zealand public road and thus you have legal obligations whilst driving on it.

If we see you driving irratically or dangeriously or  in a manor not suitable for a public narrow gravel mountain road we will without hesitation cancel the trip. No refunds will be given.

The Road

The 1890 Skippers Canyon Road is a NZ public road where all road laws and obligations are required to be upheld.

• Most rental agencys DO NOT provide any insurance for the Skippers Canyon Road.
• Some private insurance companies DO NOT cover Skippers Canyon.
• The road is mainly gravel and dirt. It is winding and narrow with large unprotected drops and oncoming traffic.
•  In wet weather the road surface can become slippery.
• Slips do happen on the road, so there is always a possibility your vehicle will be trapped on the wrong side of a slip for a unknown duration of time.

SAFETY COMPLIANCE

4WD Expeditions maintains a robust safety management system, meticulously aligning with the MBIE Safety Audit Standard for Adventure Activities. Our formal certification under AdventureMark® underscores our unwavering dedication to prioritizing the safety and well-being of our clients. Our commitment to continuous improvement is evident through regular reviews by AdventureMark® to ensure ongoing compliance with the established safety standard.

IMPORTANT

Any off road / back country driving can lead to unexpected incidents. This can include but is not limited to - accidents, injuries, vehicle damage, property damage & loss of life.

RISKS FROM NATURAL HAZARDS

4WD Expeditions actively monitors all tours for natural hazards including but not limited to the following.

Weather, Storms, Lightening, High winds, Landslip, Snow avalanche, Ice, Rockfall, Flooding, Wildfires.

4WD Expeditions reserve the right to delay or cancel any tours or activities if weather conditions are not suitable.