Experience the magic of autumn in one of New Zealand’s most spectacular regions as Bay Tours takes you on an unforgettable journey through the golden landscapes of Central Otago. In April 2027 we’ll spend 8 days travelling around a patchwork of vibrant autumn colours that decorate some of the South Island’s most breathtaking scenery. Basing ourselves for a few days in each of Queenstown, Wānaka and Cromwell, we’ll enjoy an amazing array of activities and travel over some of New Zealand’s most iconic roads, all in the full flush of autumn hues. Here’s an idea of what we’ll get up to;
Day 1: Today we gather and fly to Queenstown. Is there a more visually spectacular arrival into an airport anywhere? We’ll be met by our Bay Tours coach and make our way to the Novotel Queenstown, nestled on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, our home for the next three nights.
Day 2: Our adventures start as we head to Millbrook Resort – golfing playground of the rich and famous – for morning tea before we continue down the road to Arrowtown. If there’s one town in NZ most strongly associated with autumn colours in all their splendour, it’s Arrowtown, with reds, oranges and yellows lighting up the surrounding hillsides. We’ll take time to wander and explore this historic gold-rush town and enjoy lunch here. Our afternoon destination is Ayrburn, a rather glamourous new multi-venue precinct on the Lake Hayes Road, which is a wonderland of galleries, gardens, bars and restaurants. We’ll enjoy some relaxing time here before we return to Queenstown and our hotel. A special treat this evening as we take the magnificent TSS Earnslaw across the lake to Walter Peak Station for a gourmet barbeque dinner followed by entertainment.
Day 3: It’s a leisurely start today with Free Time in the morning to wander central Queenstown before we embark on our afternoon’s adventure – a jet boat journey with a difference. This isn’t some quick thrill-seeker spin on the river. The experience begins when we board our coach and drive the scenic road around Lake Wakatipu to Glenorchy, at the northerly end of the lake. From here our river journey begins as we gradually thread our way up the braided Dart River, deep into Mt Aspiring National Park as our guide’s stories bring the scenery to life. There’s the option of an easy walk into native bush before we re-board our jetboat and pick the pace up for our return journey. What a wonderful afternoon spent in this remote, pristine place.
Day 4: This morning we load our luggage as today we’re transferring our attention to the Wānaka district. We’ll take the legendary Crown Range Road, stopping at the old Cardrona Hotel and a few other viewing spots along the way before we arrive in Wānaka itself. Our first stop is the unique community recycling hub that is Wastebusters, where the locals have formulated all sorts of ways of minimising how much of their waste goes to landfill. There’s free time to wander the centre of town and grab a bite for lunch before we meet at the lakefront for our afternoon guided cruise up Lake Wānaka. Our accommodation for the next two nights is the Edgewater Hotel.
Day 5: We can’t come to Wānaka without visiting ‘The Wānaka Tree’ which is half submerged in the lake and still growing. Then we’re off to the famous National Transport & Toy Museum to view the widest (and wildest) range of vehicles you can imagine, plus a huge gallery of toys from your childhood up to the present day. (Don’t forget to have a go on the vintage pedal cars out the back). For lunch we visit Wānaka’s renowned Food Truck Park where there’s a huge range of food styles to choose from.
The afternoon is Free Time where you can relax at the hotel or perhaps go for a wander along the lake front into town.
Day 6: We’re on the move again today, this time to the Cromwell district. And our first destination is Highlands Motorsport Park. This motor racetrack, and much more, was established by Scotsman Tony Quinn, who also owns Hampton Downs and Taupo Motorsport Park as well. Tony’s amazing collection of race cars is housed at Highlands, and we’ll have a chance to look around it as well as have some morning tea…and a special experience as well (cameras at the ready). A stay in Cromwell wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Jones Family Fruit Stall for a chance to try the huge range of fresh produce grown in the Cromwell area. Then it’s off to lunch at Carrick Winery, ‘out the back’ of Cromwell in a wine making area called Bannockburn. In the afternoon we first explore Cromwell Historic Precinct with its restored buildings, information boards and lakeside gardens. Our accommodation for these next two nights is Marsden Lake Resort at Pisa Moorings on Lake Dunstan.
Day 7: Today we venture south into first the Roxburgh and then the Alexandra districts. We’ll explore the old town of Roxburgh before heading on to ‘Alex’ and the new Iceinline Indoor Curling Rink for a go at this most ancient of sports. We’ll have a look around town before heading back to Clyde for lunch at The Old Post Office Café. After lunch there’s time to stroll down Sunderland St and Miners Lane to see all the restored 19th century stone buildings. Our final destination of the day is a special one, as we have the rare opportunity to tour the mighty Clyde Hydro Dam on the Clyde River.
Day 8: This morning we make our way back to Queenstown Airport and say farewell to Central Otago as we fly home.
Join us for a spectacular autumn escape where golden poplars and liquid ambers, crystal-clear lakes, mountain vistas, and unforgettable experiences showcase Central Otago at its most colourful and captivating.
