A fantastic day crossing the lake on the Steamer, and ride into the mountains of Walter Peak farms. Great horseback ride and the guides were great , fabulous treats with tea at days end. Very impressed.
Walter Peak Horse Treks
Departure Location
RealNZ Visitor Centre on Steamer Wharf, 88 Beach Street, Queenstown Bay.
What to bring
Covered shoes/boots (non slip), long trousers, warm clothing/jacket, sunscreen/sunglasses, camera and personal medication.
Extra Information
- Suitable for riders of all abilities, including first-time riders
- Safety helmets and wet weather clothing are provided
- There’s a minimum age 7 years
- A minimum height of 120cms
- A maximum weight of 100 kilograms
- Café on board the TSS Earnslaw
- Please note: The TSS Earnslaw will undergo its annual maintenance from 15 May to 26 June 2023 and will not be operating during this time.
About the TSS Earnslaw
TSS Earnslaw Vintage Steamship, 1912
The TSS Earnslaw is an integral part of Queenstown’s pioneering history and to this day a Queenstown icon.
She was commissioned by New Zealand Railways to service the communities around Lake Wakatipu. Launched in the same year as the Titanic, the TSS Earnslaw’s maiden voyage was on 18 October 1912.
Soon known as The Lady of the Lake, she provided an essential link between the isolated farming communities along the lake and the outside world. At 48 metres long, she was the biggest boat on the Lake and carried passengers, sheep, cattle, mail and supplies.
Nearly scrapped in 1968, she was rescued and purchased by RealNZ and put to work once again carrying passengers around the Lake. Since then the TSS Earnslaw has been painstakingly restored to its original condition – everything you see is pretty much like it was 100 years ago. Today, the TSS Earnslaw is the only passenger-carrying coal fired steamship in operation in the southern hemisphere, making her one of the most unique experiences in the world.
The TSS Earnslaw has featured in several movies including a cameo in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull as an Amazon River Boat. Parts of the trawler SS Venture in Peter Jackson’s King Kong were inspired by the TSS Earnslaw. Famous composer Ron Goodwin composed a piece of music inspired by the rhythm of the TSS Earnslaw’s engines.
FAQs
In case you haven't found the information you were looking for, we've put together some of the most common questions our customers ask about our trips. If you need more specific answers, please contact us directly.
