Afternoon Te Anau Cruise: Historic Motor Yacht Experience in Lake Te Anau
5.0
135 Ratings
Te Anau
Embark on an elegant afternoon cruise aboard the historic motor yacht 'Faith' on Lake Te Anau. Enjoy a guided walk, afternoon tea, and breathtaking views of New Zealand's scenery.
Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights

You’ll arrive at the historic wharf on the edge of Lake Te Anau at 1.55pm for a 2pm departure on the ship, Faith. Youll be met by your crew who will give you a safety briefing, and an order of events for your cruise. The crew will cast off and give you time to explore the ship. You’ll be offered tea and coffee once under way, and either have a chance to chat with crew, or enjoy time to yourself. You’ll have some amazing photo opportunities at all times, especially as you enter the South Fiord of Lake Te Anau. You’ll dock on the Hidden Lakes wharf and have your nature guide take you for a 15-minute walk into the first of the Hidden Lakes. This is another wonderful place for photos. It’s an easy walk with no hills on the track. Its a leafy trail, so you’ll want to have comfortable footwear.

Upon return to the Faith you’ll have your afternoon tea and refreshments served, and time to relax and listen to the sounds of nature with the engine turned off.

As you cruise out of the South Fiord your crew will raise the sails if the wind allows, and cruise back to Te Anau with the special feeling of big sails billowing above you. Upon return you’ll be accompanied back down the wharf to shore by your crew. At all times our intent is to be relaxed and allow you the flexibility of choosing to focus on the chapters of the experience which give you the most pleasure. We aim to return at 5pm.

Points of Interest

  • 85 Lakefront Drive
What's Included
  • Local guide
  • Live commentary on board
  • Afternoon tea
  • Light refreshments
  • Local taxes
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional Information

Embark on a sophisticated journey aboard the historic ‘Faith’ motor yacht on Lake Te Anau. Indulge in a laid-back 3-hour voyage that encompasses a guided exploration of the Fiordland National Park, an enjoyable afternoon tea and beverages, and the pleasure of sailing home. You’ll be attended by three uniformed crew members during your time aboard and guided by two nature experts through New Zealand’s stunning landscapes. To maintain an intimate and comfortable ambiance, this opportunity is limited to a maximum of 16 passengers.

  • Minimum drinking age is 18 years
  • Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Location
85 Lakefront Drive
Lakefront Drive
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(135 Ratings)
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Julian_h
Apr 6, 2024
A delightful afternoon! - Such a great and personable crew, along with the beautiful scenery and ship, made this an experience that was well worth it!
Review provided by Viator
Jimkn6085dl
Mar 22, 2024
A highlight of our New Zealand trip - Wonderful cruise. Adam is a great captain - answering all your questions. The nature hike through the forest with Jackie was wonderful. She is incredibly knowledgeable on New Zealand plant life.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Badboybill
Mar 12, 2024
Beautiful boat and Adam is a fine guy. - While our cruise did not work out due to poor weather, Adam was quite the gracious host all the same. He gave us a nice tour of his beautiful boat and took care of canceling the booking on his end. He even offered some suggestions of alternate things to do in town.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lisa_m
Mar 8, 2024
Lovely afternoon sail! Would definitely do again!! - The day was perfect - clear and sunny skies, the water was fairly smooth, the boat ride was relaxing and a little breezy! Paul and Jackie were a blast! Jackie’s commentary along the hike was great! Funny and she pointed out fun tips of plants, wildlife, the area and New Zealand history along the way. It was an easy hike, with some lulling hills but they handed out walking sticks prior to start if anyone wants them! So the hike can be done by most people able to walk without difficulty. The snacks were lovely! Each passenger got a plate of their own little snacks! On the way back, sails were hoisted and passengers were offered to take turns for the opportunity to drive or steer the boat back to the docks. There was a full ship of 16 passengers on the boat for our afternoon sailing and I was pleasantly surprised we all had room to spread out and find a place to sit. If sunny definitely bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, just to protect yourself from the elements:) but the views were stunning as all the mountains were out. It was perfect! Highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Daniel_h
Mar 2, 2024
The crew were very... - The crew were very friendly as well as knowledgeable. It was a very relaxed and enjoyable experience. We had tasty snacks and delicious wine. It felt like we had all the time in the world to enjoy our excursion with a very personable crew.
Review provided by Viator
15kirstw
Feb 29, 2024
Tranquillity in Fiordland! - We really enjoyed a peaceful afternoon, where we basked in the sun and offered refreshments. The host and captain were really lovely and made us feel so relaxed. The boat is beautiful. The hosts had some really interesting things to say on the nature of the bush and the history of the boat. A lovely time- thank you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Graham
Feb 29, 2024
A memorable experience, should be higher in TA listings - Milford Sound and the glow worm caves are where most tourists go, but to get away from the crowds, to relax and be looked after while enjoying Lake Te Anau and its scenery, you can’t beat this cruise. Adam and his assistant are charming and courteous. Nothing is too much trouble. The restored wooden boat is magnificent. We enjoyed a cruise, a nature walk, canapés and drinks followed by a few minutes under sail. Everyone who has sailed so far has given five stars. Why is it not top of the activity list on TA?
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Charles_f
Feb 24, 2024
A gentle relaxing afternoon on Lake Te Anau - We had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon cruising Lake Te Anau on the Faith. The crew were friendly, welcoming and attentive to all 12 passengers on our cruise. We sailed across the lake to some mound islands in an arm of Lake Te Anau where we had a very pleasant buffet tea. Later we went on a walk through the forest to the Hidden Lake with a highly informative commentary by one of the crew. On the way back we enjoyed a period of steering the boat whilst under sail. This was our second cruise on The Faith in four years and it won't be the last.
Review provided by Viator
Gillianm5155
Feb 23, 2024
A brilliant way to pass a few hours on the water. - This was our second trip on ‘Faith’ having previously cruised 5 yrs ago with George and Adam. Yesterday we were welcomed aboard again by Adam but this time there was a new shipmate - Paul, who, incidentally hailed from Portsmouth a fine naval port in the UK. Once again we had a wonderful time learning about the history of ‘Faith’ and how she ended up in NZ after starting life in Scotland. We had a relaxing walk on an island where Paul was a mine of information on the flora and fauna. I can’t recommend this trip highly enough, we had wine and snacks throughout which loosened lots of tongues during the trip which meant nearly everyone conversed with each other. It was brilliant. Sadly Adam didn’t remember us from the last trip but as it was 5 years ago we forgave him 😂
Review provided by Tripadvisor
P1729lorobertb
Feb 11, 2024
Lake Cruise Extraordinaire - Forget the highly promoted stuff, this reasonable adventure is designed for small groups, those who love peace and quiet, and enjoy the elegance of the Gatsby era. Come on, being served champagne and canapes on board a vessel in a stunningly gorgeous setting doesn't light you up you must be the ultimate scrooge. To top it off, skipper Adam and crew will take you to a gorgeous island for a marvelous nature walk. What a treat!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
May 2024
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