Earnslaw Queenstown

The historic Earnslaw steamboat is an icon of Queenstown, and is commonly photographed docked at Steamer Wharf or cruising the waters of Lake Wakatipu. Earnslaw lake cruises are available multiple times a day, including the option of lunch, morning/afternoon tea, or dinner cruises to Walter Peak Estate, a picturesque sheep farm.

Walter Peak is about a 30 minute boat ride on Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown. The old steamboat is beautiful and it’s fascinating to watch the coal being shovelled into the furnace (although you might end up smelling a bit like a steamboat). As to be expected, the scenery of the lake, The Remarkables and Queenstown is particularly striking. The grand old estate at Walter Peak is also rather majestic. Sitting on the shores of the lake, the buildings of yesteryear have been lovingly restored.

We went on a dinner tour which was pretty good value. The dinner is a 5-course buffet affair, so don’t go on this tour if you’re already struggling to squeeze into your ski pants. The food was not extraordinary, but with so much variety and impressive service you couldn’t go wrong.

The dinner tour included a sheep dog and sheep shearing demonstration, which may not sound very exciting, but it was fantastic and the absolute highlight of the evening. The host was an amazing comedian and had us in stitches. The jokes may have been well rehearsed but they were hilarious. Unfortunately there were no jokes in relation to sheep and Velcro gloves?!

This tour is ideal for those seeking a more relaxed Queenstown activity. It is a complete contrast to jet-boating, and probably not a tour for young revellers, but is incredibly enjoyable nonetheless.

See the Real Journeys website for more information.