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Queenstown Tickets

Plan your TSS Earnslaw cruise & Walter Peak Farm experience

The TSS Earnslaw is a 1912 coal-fired steamship that crosses Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown to Walter Peak High Country Farm. On its own, the cruise is 90 minutes there and back and you never leave the boat. Book a farm tour, a gourmet BBQ, a horse trek, or the Garden to Table walk instead, and you disembark at Walter Peak for two to four extra hours. Which of those you choose matters more than the sailing time itself. This guide covers boarding, sailing times, what each Walter Peak option involves, and who can and can't take part.

Quick overview: TSS Earnslaw at a glance

  • When to book: The cruise-only sailing rarely sells out and can usually be booked the same day. The Gourmet BBQ (lunch or dinner), Farm Tour, Horse Trek and Garden to Table add-ons run on fixed daily departures with a set number of seats and are worth booking 2–3 days ahead in December–February; shoulder months (April–May, September–October) are easier to get same-week.
  • Time on the water: 45 minutes each way, 90 minutes return, whichever option you book. The extra hours are spent at Walter Peak, not on the boat.
  • What's included: The cruise-only ticket includes the return sailing and access to the on-board café, engine room walkway and Fo'c'sle Gallery museum — nothing at Walter Peak. Assumed but not included: food. There's a licensed café on board for snacks and drinks, and the BBQ, afternoon tea or dinner is only included on the Walter Peak add-on tickets.
  • What changes the experience most: Whether you disembark at Walter Peak at all, and if you do, which of the four add-ons you pick — they're different days out, not tiers of the same one.
  • Physical effort: Low for the cruise, BBQ and Farm Tour (short walks on gravel paths). Higher for Horse Trek (min. height 120cm) and Garden to Table (uneven tussock ground, not wheelchair-suitable).
  • If the weather turns: The lake crossing itself rarely cancels; Lake Wakatipu is largely sheltered. Horse Trek and outdoor Walter Peak activities are more weather-sensitive. See "Weather & cancellation" below.

Jump to what you need

Which TSS Earnslaw experience is right for you?

OptionWhat's includedBest forPrice from

TSS Earnslaw Cruise (cruise only)

90-min return sailing, on-board café, engine room and Fo'c'sle Gallery access. No disembarking at Walter Peak.

A short scenic cruise on a budget, or a second visit for anyone who's already done Walter Peak

NZ$79

Gourmet BBQ Experience (lunch or dinner)

Return cruise, disembark at Walter Peak, a farm show (sheepdogs and shearing), and a BBQ lunch or dinner at the Colonel's Homestead

Anyone who wants the farm show plus a proper sit-down meal, not just afternoon tea

NZ$169

Walter Peak Farm Tour

Return cruise, guided walk around the farmyard (sheep, deer, alpaca, Highland cattle), the sheepdog and shearing show, and afternoon tea

Families, and anyone who wants the animals and the farm show without paying for a full meal

NZ$139

Garden to Table Experience

Return cruise, a guided walk through Walter Peak's market gardens and orchard, an optional native tree planting, and a high-country tea

Visitors more interested in the gardens and conservation story than the farm animals

NZ$169

Walter Peak Horse Trekking

Return cruise, a 40–45 min guided horse trek in a small group (max 6 per guide), plus tea at the Colonel's Homestead

First-time or novice riders who want a gentle trek and a lookout view, not a serious ride

NZ$299
💡 Not sure which to pick?
  • Farm Tour if you want the sheepdogs, shearing and animals in around 3.5 hours.
  • Gourmet BBQ if a proper meal matters more than an extra hour on the farm.
  • Garden to Table if animals aren't the draw but the gardens and conservation angle are.
  • Horse Trekking only if you (or your kids, from age 7) actually want to ride; it's the longest and priciest option and doesn't include the farm show.

When is the best time for a TSS Earnslaw cruise?

What actually happens on the cruise

Steamer Wharf at Lake Wakatipu with mountains in Queenstown, New Zealand.
1/5

Boarding at Steamer Wharf

Check in at the RealNZ Visitor Centre, Steamer Wharf, 88 Beach Street, and queue at the dock. The crew checks you in by name rather than scanning a ticket at the gangway.

The crossing

The Earnslaw is coal-fired — head below decks to the walkway overlooking the engine room, where the crew still hand-feeds the boiler, or up top for the open-deck views across Lake Wakatipu toward the Remarkables and Cecil Peak. There's a small museum in the forecastle and a licensed café serving snacks, hot drinks and alcohol. The crossing takes 45 minutes each way.

If you're staying on board (cruise-only)

The boat turns around at Walter Peak without you disembarking, and you're back at Steamer Wharf roughly 90 minutes after you left.

If you're disembarking at Walter Peak

A rural host meets you at the wharf. From here, the day forks by ticket:

  • Farm Tour / BBQ: Guided walk around the farmyard to see and feed sheep, deer, alpaca, and Highland cattle, then the sheepdog and shearing show in the amphitheatre. BBQ ticket holders sit down to a farm-to-table lunch or dinner at the Colonel's Homestead; Farm Tour ticket holders get afternoon tea (scones, cakes, slices) instead.
  • Garden to Table: Guided walk through the market gardens and orchard, tasting seasonal produce, with the option to plant a native seedling, finishing with a high-country tea.
  • Horse Trekking: Meet your horse and guide at the stables for a 40–45 minute trek, then tea at the Colonel's Homestead.

The return crossing

All options return via the same 45-minute sailing back to Steamer Wharf.

The moment most people don't expect: the working sheepdogs and horses are animals with a job, not props — ask before petting, and only feed farm animals what the farm provides. New Zealand's biosecurity rules are taken seriously here.

Getting to the dock

How long do you need?

Who can take part? Restrictions & requirements

ExperienceSuitable forNot allowed / restrictedNote

TSS Earnslaw Cruise (cruise only)

All ages, limited mobility (stay on one level)

None

Ramp access on and off at both wharves

Gourmet BBQ Experience

All ages, most mobility levels

Unaided wheelchair users may struggle

Inclined gravel path from wharf to restaurant

Walter Peak Farm Tour

All ages, most mobility levels

Unaided wheelchair users may struggle

Farmyard paths are gravel, not paved

Garden to Table Experience

All ages, walkers

Wheelchair users, limited mobility

Uneven tussock ground along the peninsula

Walter Peak Horse Trekking

Ages 7+, first-time/novice riders

Under 7s, under 120cm height, over 100kg weight

Limits enforced at the stables, no exception, no refund

⚠️ The Horse Trek's height and weight limits are non-negotiable

These are checked on the day. If you're close to the weight limit, confirm before booking rather than finding out at the stables.

Know before you go

  • Footwear: Closed, flat shoes for the Farm Tour, Garden to Table and Horse Trek — you're walking on gravel, tussock, or getting on a horse, not touring a paved site.
  • Layers: The lake and the boat deck are noticeably cooler than central Queenstown, especially at dawn/dusk sailings and in winter; the cabin is warm (it's coal-heated), so bring a layer you can take off once aboard.
  • Sun protection: The open deck and the farmyard have little shade; sunglasses and sunscreen matter even on cool days.
  • What NOT to bring: Food for the farm animals — only feed them what the farm provides, for biosecurity reasons.
  • Provided: The on-board café covers snacks and drinks (cruise-only doesn't include a meal); the BBQ, afternoon tea or high-country tea is included on the relevant Walter Peak tickets.
  • On board: a licensed café and bar, restrooms, an engine-room viewing walkway, and a small museum in the forecastle.
  • At Walter Peak: restrooms, a gift shop, and the Colonel's Homestead restaurant for BBQ and tea services.
  • Accessibility: there's ramp access on and off the boat at both wharves, and the cruise-only sailing is suitable for guests with limited mobility since you stay on one level throughout.
  • The Farm Tour and Gourmet BBQ are wheelchair accessible with caveats — the path from the Walter Peak wharf to the restaurant is an inclined gravel path that can be difficult for unaccompanied wheelchair users.
  • The Garden to Table Experience is not suitable for wheelchair users or limited mobility, due to uneven tussock ground on the peninsula walk.
  • Lake Wakatipu is largely sheltered, so the crossing itself is rarely affected by weather, and seasickness isn't a common issue.
  • Outdoor Walter Peak activities, particularly Horse Trekking, are more exposed and can be affected by high wind or heavy rain.
  • If your sailing or activity is canceled for weather, safety, or unscheduled maintenance, you're entitled to a full refund.
  • If you need to cancel or change your own booking, we require at least 24 hours' notice before departure for a refund.
  • Check in 20–30 minutes before departure at Steamer Wharf; boarding is by name, not ticket scan.
  • Feed farm animals only what's provided on site, for biosecurity reasons.
  • Working dogs and horses aren't for unsupervised petting; ask a guide first.
  • The Horse Trek's height and weight limits are enforced on the day with no exception.

Practical tips

  • Book the Walter Peak add-ons a few days ahead in December–February; the cruise-only sailing is far more flexible and can usually be booked same-day.
  • If you're deciding between the Farm Tour and the Gourmet BBQ, the real difference is the meal — afternoon tea versus a sit-down BBQ — not the amount of farm time you get.
  • Bring a layer even in summer; the open deck and the lake crossing are cooler than central Queenstown.
  • If Horse Trekking is the plan, sort out the weight and height check before you book, not at the stables.
  • The dinner BBQ sailing is the most atmospheric option in the shoulder seasons, when the evening light over the Remarkables lasts longest.

What else is worth visiting nearby?

Frequently asked questions about taking a TSS Earnslaw cruise

The cruise-only sailing is 90 minutes return. The Farm Tour, Gourmet BBQ and Garden to Table experiences run 3 to 4 hours door to door, and Horse Trekking around 3 hours 45 minutes, once you add the time at Walter Peak.

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