Gold Heritage: Skippers Canyon Tour

Nomad Safaris offers a complete 4WD tour into the historic Skippers Canyon, exploring all accessible sections of this iconic route. The Nomad Safaris Skippers Canyon adventure is a half-day heritage tour that travels along the rugged Skippers Road. As your guide navigates this awe-inspiring canyon, you will visit many historic sites and scenic viewpoints.

The British Automobile Association voted Skippers Canyon Road as one of the 25 most scenic roads in the world. Travel the road that was hacked by hand into the sheer cliff sides of the Shotover River Valley. This is an exciting adventure the whole family will enjoy.

Trip Details

The Skippers Canyon 4WD tour departs from Queenstown heading out towards Coronet Peak. As you head up the peak towards the entrance to this spectacular canyon, there are stunning panoramic views of the Wakatipu Basin.

After entering Skippers Canyon you will travel to Lighthouse Rock, which provides a dramatic lookout over the entire valley. Follow in the footsteps of pioneers, adventurers and explorers as this winding road takes you past historical mining areas and showcases the impressive scale of the gold mining operations that have taken place throughout the canyon.  There will be several stops for photos along the way including viewing the historic Skippers Bridge offering a striking photo opportunity.

During the tour you will indulge in morning or afternoon tea while enjoying the stunning scenery.

On the return journey, you will stop at Deep Creek where you can immerse yourself in the heritage of the area by trying your hand at gold panning. Our trained guides will teach you traditional techniques used on one of the richest gold-bearing rivers in the world. 

You may also recognise locations along the Skippers Road featured in The Lord of The Rings.

Highlights 

• Travel the Skippers Canyon Road 
• View the Skippers Suspension Bridge 
• Gold Pan in the Shotover River 
• View the sheer scale of the historic mining operations from Maori Point

FAQ's

Can we book a Private Charter?
If you’d like a more private trip, you can book a whole vehicle for your group, our maximum group size is 6.
What is 4 Pax max?
Choose this option to guarantee everyone a window seat. A maximum of four passengers per vehicle, each guest enjoys their own window seat. This differs from our standard tours, which accommodate up to six passengers per vehicle, and do not guarantee a window seat throughout the experience. Please note, our guides always encourage seat rotation so everyone has the opportunity to enjoy a different window view during the tour.
Why is the Skippers Bridge closed and when will it reopen?
The Bridge is closed indefinitely due to long-term maintenance and safety works. We do not have an expected opening date.
What are your Child rates/ Child ages?
We do have child rates available. Infants (0-3 years) travel for free and children (4-14 years) travel at a discounted price.
Can my child come on this tour?
Our 4WD tours in Queenstown welcome all ages; there’s no minimum age requirement. We provide child and booster seats upon request at booking.

If your preferred date and time are unavailable, please feel free to contact us.

Important: get in touch if you need to cancel between 7 days and 24 hours prior to your tour: res@nomadsafaris.co.nz

IMPORTANT Every adventure has risks — from changing weather to rough trails and physical challenges. Before you book, please review our full Weather Cancellation Policy and Disclosure of Risks.

Discover Queenstown with Nomad Safaris. Explore our full range of adventure tours at www.nomadsafaris.co.nz