Glencoe

Day Trips

Wake up refreshed and enjoy a hearty breakfast at your lakeside lodge while breathing in crisp mountain air. Take a gentle riverside walk along the edge of Lake Wakatipu and watch mist roll off the water. A local guide shares stories of early settlers as you prepare for the day’s adventures.

Enjoy a gourmet picnic on a grassy knoll overlooking sapphire waters. Wander through native beech forest trails and pause to spot kererū and tui flitting between branches. Return to town for a relaxing coffee at a riverside café.

Dine at a farm-to-table restaurant featuring fresh trout and locally grown vegetables. Watch sunset colours dance across the mountain peaks as you savor each course. Then stroll back under a sky full of twinkling Southern Hemisphere stars.

Fuel up with a protein-packed breakfast before meeting your guide for a waterfall hike. Trek through moss-carpeted forest trails alive with ferns and bird song. Reach the first cascade and feel its cool spray as sunlight filters through the canopy.

Enjoy a packed lunch next to a thundering waterfall pool, where you can dip your toes in the clear mountain water. Continue along rocky ridges to discover a second, more secluded fall. Snap photos of emerald pools before beginning the descent.

Relax in a hot tub back at your lodge, soothing tired muscles with warm, mineral-rich water. Share stories around a communal fireplace while enjoying locally crafted ale. Stroll outside afterward to gaze at constellations unobscured by city lights.

After breakfast, meet your kayak guide at the shore of Lake Wakatipu. Paddle across mirror-calm water framed by jagged peaks and hear only the gentle lap of your paddle. Spot black swans gliding gracefully in the distance.

Land on a small, uninhabited beach for a lakeside lunch of gourmet sandwiches and fresh fruit. Explore hidden coves by kayak and peer into crystal-clear shallows for fish and water plants. Share laughter and stories as you paddle back against a gentle breeze.

Warm up with a hot chocolate by an outdoor fire pit as twilight settles on the lake. Enjoy a lakeside barbecue featuring grass-fed lamb and seasonal greens. Retire early with a sense of peace, lulled by distant owl calls.

Enjoy an energizing breakfast of granola and yogurt before mounting your mountain bike. Tackle winding trails that carve through alpine meadows blanketed in wildflowers. Pause for panoramic views of glacier-topped ranges.

Stop at a high-pasture hut for a picnic lunch with artisan bread and local cheese. Descend through verdant valleys alive with the buzz of cicadas and the scent of manuka blossoms. Navigate gentle streams crossing the trail and feel the spray on your face.

Head to the village pub for a craft beer tasting featuring seasonal ales. Savor a wood-fired pizza made with New Zealand goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Relax on the terrace, recounting the day’s biking thrills under a dusky sky.

Begin with a traditional Māori pōwhiri (welcome ceremony) led by local elders. Listen to ancestral songs and watch the haka performed on the village marae (meeting ground). Feel the energy of centuries-old traditions still vibrant today.

Enjoy a hangi lunch—meats and vegetables slow-cooked in an earth oven—served on woven flax mats. Learn weaving techniques and carve patterns symbolic of local legends. Participate in interactive story sessions recounting heroic ancestors.

Sit around a communal fire to listen to waiata (Māori songs) while sipping wild herbal tea. Taste kūmara (sweet potato) pudding scented with native honey. Drift to sleep immersed in the warmth of local hospitality and song.

Grab your camera and join a professional photographer at first light to capture golden peaks. Wander through tussock-covered hills where dewy spider webs glisten in sunrise hues. Learn tips for framing dramatic landscapes and reflective water shots.

Pack a light lunch and head to a hidden tarn accessible only by 4x4. Compose images of snow-melt streams tumbling over mossy rocks. Practice long-exposure techniques to create silk-smooth water effects.

Gather at a cozy café to review your day’s portfolio over aromatic coffee. Receive personalized feedback on composition and editing fundamentals. End the evening with a digital slideshow of your best shots projected against a rustic wall.

Board a helicopter after an early breakfast for a thrilling flight to a nearby glacier. Feel the rush as you ascend above fern-covered valleys into ice-studded pinnacles. Land on the icecap and crunch across pristine blue crevasses.

Explore secret ice caves carved by meltwater, illuminated by ethereal turquoise light. Enjoy a gourmet lunch on the glacier—champagne and canapés served on a snow table. Return to the landing zone via scenic mountain ridges.

Unwind at your lodge’s lounge with fine New Zealand Pinot Noir. Savor artisanal cheese platters while reliving the day’s epic vistas. Retreat to your suite and drift to sleep against the backdrop of distant glacier peaks.

Rise before dawn for a riverside breakfast of smoked salmon and rustic bread. Wade into crystal-clear streams teeming with brown and rainbow trout. Cast upstream and feel the thrilling tug of your first catch.

Learn fly-tying techniques from a master angler beside a waterfall. Prepare your own fly patterns and test them on secluded river bends. Enjoy lunch cooked over an open flame on the riverbank.

Return with your guide to town for a cooking demonstration using your fresh catch. Feast on pan-fried trout fillets with herb beurre blanc and garden salad. Stroll home under whispering pines as firelight flickers from windows.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before driving to a boutique vineyard in the foothills. Tour the sun-drenched vines while learning about pinot noir and riesling cultivation. Sample freshly pressed grape juice straight from the press.

Indulge in a cellar tasting of reserve wines paired with local olives and cheese. Walk through oak barrel rooms where vintages age in cool stone walls. Chat with the winemaker about sustainable practices and harvest techniques.

Dine alfresco amidst vine rows as lanterns glow softly overhead. Savor a multi-course meal featuring regional produce and wine pairing. Later, wander under a canopy of stars back to your car, glass in hand.

Pack your bags after a final lakeside breakfast featuring freshly baked scones. Head to a mountain spa for a rejuvenating soak in natural hot pools overlooking peaks. Treat yourself to a deep-tissue massage infused with native lavender oil.

Enjoy a light lunch of garden greens and pressed juices. Relax in a thermal steam room scented with manuka wood chips. Take a final meditation session as wind chimes ring softly in the breeze.

Return to your lodge to bid farewell with a farewell dinner of slow-roasted lamb and seasonal root vegetables. Watch dusk settle over the mountains one last time and toast to unforgettable memories. Pack for your journey home full of renewed energy and inspiration.