SOUTHERN LAKES / THE EXPERIENCE
Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ Lunch & Queenstown Lake Cruise
BEFORE YOU GO
Your day, at a glance.
- Duration
- 3 h 30 min
- Group size
- Up to 100 people
- Guide
- English
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Our take
This is the most booked Walter Peak trip and the one our lake cruise comparison names as the best single lake trip. You check in at 88 Beach Street 30 minutes before sailing, cross the lake on the TSS Earnslaw, eat a barbecue lunch at the homestead, then watch the sheepdog and shearing show before sailing back. It runs about 3.5 hours, carries close to 1,400 reviews averaging around 4.8, and is listed as wheelchair accessible.
Travellers mostly filmed the engine room and the farm show. CJ Explores and AL_Squad2020 both stood over the stokers on the way across. Set your expectations for lunch as a good farm barbecue rather than a restaurant meal; some reviewers call it a buffet, and plant-based guests should ask before booking. Drinks are bought at the bar. The boat can be the Spirit of Queenstown catamaran instead of the steamship during maintenance, which RealNZ lists as 18 May to 27 June 2026.
Good for
- A first visit that wants the steamship, the farm and lunch in one go
- Groups with a wheelchair user, since the lunch trip is listed as accessible
Think twice if
- You'd rather spend the time on the water; most of the 3.5 hours is on land
- The Earnslaw is the point and your date falls in the maintenance weeks
Written by Southern Lakes Tours from the listing, traveller reviews and the videos behind our comparison pages. Checked November 2026. How we review tours.
From the operator
A return scenic cruise from Queenstown Bay, across stunning Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm on a vessel of your choice, a farm demonstration and a delicious BBQ Lunch at the Colonel’s Homestead.
The rural demonstrator will give guests an insight into life in the New Zealand high country by providing an entertaining farm show including working sheep dogs.
Enjoy a unique dining experience at Walter Peak where the menu showcases food and wine from the wider Central Otago region. Chefs prepare a tasty selection of meats on the outdoor grill, while fresh, seasonal salads and vegetables are available from the dining area of the Colonel’s Homestead. Top off lunch with a selection of delicious sweet treats and local cheeses.
Choose between sailing on the iconic 1912 TSS Earnslaw Steamship or the spacious and modern Spirit of Queenstown Catamaran.
From the listing by RealNZ on Viator.
The tour, stop by stop
- Return Cruise on Lake Wakatipu on the either the Vintage Steamship, the TSS Earnslaw or the Modern Catamaran, Spirit of Queenstown. Your vessel of choice will travel from Queenstown to Walter Peak. Stop at Walter Peak for lunch and a sheep shearing demonstration, before returning across the lake to Queenstown. About 90 min.
- Enjoy a quintessential Kiwi experience, a delicious gourmet BBQ lunch and a farm demo in a stunning lakeside setting. Your lunch starts with a cruise across Lake Whakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm. Once there, you can sit back on the lakeside terrace of the Colonel’s Homestead Restaurant and savor the delicious aromas as our chef has the best of local produce, sizzling away on the grill. Our lunch menu has been refreshed with the introduction of our new executive chef, so you'll have a plenty to choose from our seasonal menu - salads, vegetables, succulent meat cooked on the outdoor rotisserie or grill. If you’re vegetarian, don’t worry, you are well catered for too. Then finish your meal with a scrumptious dessert. After your lunch, you can join an entertaining farm demonstration or explore the beautiful lakeside gardens. Return cruise back to your original starting point in Queenstown, convenient to continue exploring. About 120 min.
What's included
- Cruise across lake Whakatipu and back to Queenstown
- GST (Goods and Services Tax)
- Live English commentary on board as well as interpretation handouts in English, German, Portuguese, Japanese, Thai, Korean and Chinese
- Gourmet BBQ Lunch
- Farm Show
Not included
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
Meeting point
Please arrive 30 minutes before departure, you will be given a boarding pass to access the vessel.
Checking in
Please arrive 30 minutes before departure at the RealNZ Queenstown Visitor Centre, you will be checked in by name. (You are not required to check in at the office prior to this time)
Please contact RealNZ directly at least 24hrs before departure to advise of any dietary requirements.
Where it ends
Please arrive 30 minutes before departure, you will be given a boarding pass to access the vessel.
Your Viator voucher confirms the exact spot and time.
Good to know
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Note: Menu items are subject to change based on chef's discretion and seasonal availability.
- Note: Please let RealNZ know in advance if you have dietary requirements via messaging through Viator
- Note: The TSS Earnslaw is cash free and we reserve the right to refuse cash as a means of payment when purchasing products or services.
- Note: When the TSS Earnslaw is on survey, the modern catamaran will be substituted
- Note: The TSS Earnslaw will undergo annual maintenance between May 18th - June 27th 2026. The Spirit of Queenstown vessel will be available during this time
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
How refunds and weather cancellations work is on our booking help page.
How it compares
We compare this tour with the other options on our things to do in queenstown page, with what each one includes and where it leaves from. How we choose tours.
KEEP YOUR OPTIONS OPEN
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