2-Hour Scenic Cruise in Lake Mapourika: Discover West Coast Beauty and native birdlife

110 Ratings

Franz Josef / Waiau

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Embark on a 2-hour scenic cruise on Lake Mapourika and immerse yourself in the stunning beauty of the West Coast. Discover native birdlife, explore a kiwi conservation area, and enjoy a relaxing evening cruise with a glass of wine.

Duration: 2 hours

Cancellation: 24 hours

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Highlights

Lake Mapourika - Discover the true beauty of the West Coast in a small personalized cruise on Lake Mapourika. The Jurassic rainforest fringed bays which reflect the surrounding Alps and Glaciers will leave you in awe of its beauty. Explore a kiwi conservation area with your knowledgeable local skipper and enjoy watching curious native birdlife in the surrounding rainforest shoreline.

What's Included

Tea and coffee included

Additional Information

Experience the genuine splendor of the Western Seaboard on a intimate cruise through Lake Mapourika. The prehistoric rainforest-fringed edges that mirror the nearby Alps and Glaciers will leave you marveling at its magnificence. Embark on a journey through a kiwi preservation region with your well-informed local captain and delight in the sight of…

Location

30 Main Road

Main Road

Please check-in at our office 15 minutes prior to your trip departure time.

Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings

4.8

(110 Ratings)

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Resort16121767865

Feb 22, 2026

Lake and Rainforest tour. - Jo was an excellent guide. Extremely knowledgeable, affable and we felt very safe in his care.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Mblumenfeld1

Jan 27, 2026

Great morning activity - Joe was our guide and he was personable knowledgeable and very accommodating. The path taken was not strenuous but very rustic. Just a wonderful experience.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Wilson52016

Jan 10, 2026

Franz Josef Wilderness Rain or Shine - We arrived at Franz Josef with limited visibility due to wet and foggy conditions - but Joe assured us the tour would still be worth it, even if we couldn’t see the glacier. Turns out he was right, he was very knowledgeable and engaging with all 9 passengers and we learnt a lot about the area and how it is being protected for years to come. The peace and serenity was awesome on the lake, with avid wildlife chatter. Great tour, great guide - highly recommend!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Pioneer666992

Jan 8, 2026

A Magical Journey Through Time and Nature - We absolutely loved our 2-hour scenic boat ride. Carl was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, and his passion for the area and conservation was truly inspiring — it made us want to be more involved ourselves. We learned so many fascinating facts along the way, including seeing the very same trees that appeared in photos from the early 1900s, which was pretty special. The scenery was moody, magical, and unforgettable, and the hot chocolate was the perfect finishing touch. A wonderful experience from start to finish. We highly recommend this trip.

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Grandtour22440680268

Jan 5, 2026

Wilderness Trip - Loved our Wilderness trip on the lake which took us across to the other side where we then did an easy climb into the native bush finishing off with a hot chocolate and biscuit , then back across the lake to where we started. A few of the group decided the finish our trip by jumping into the water for a swim. So much to see and learn from our guide Joe along the way (apparently quite famous on the coast) We are lucky to live in such a beautiful country

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B43pxbenw

Dec 17, 2025

Cruise on the Lake. - Chad, the tour guide and boat operator was awesome, as he described local details as we explored the Lake. We caught a glimpse of the Frank Joseph Glacier in the distance. We listened to the sounds of nature/ birds etc and enjoyed a cup of tea and biscuits. The bus took us to and from the lake. Definitely recommend this tour to others.!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Vdrkrans

Dec 3, 2025

Amazing early morning scenic cruise - The weather was beautiful, the lake was like a mirror and our captain Chad was really amazing! Very relaxed, knows his stuff and showed really beautiful spots on the lake as well as the amazing reflection from the mountains on the water. As per usual (😉) he sailed 10 minutes longer and really made the difference. we can recommend this tour strongly!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Hazelcambers

Feb 6, 2026

Gentle cruising - Gentle cruising around lake, very friendly and informative skipper who made the cruise worthwhile. Nice boat, very comfortable.

Review provided by Viator

Ankur_k

Feb 1, 2026

Good Lake Views - Nice lake view along with a good commentary from the guide. Got to know about the history as well as different species of birds and plant life around the lake. No coffee/tea as someone forgot to put the cups in boat , funny . A bit expensive overall

Review provided by Viator

David

Jan 29, 2026

Very enthusiastic … - … and knowledgeable guide Carl which did add to the rather lacklustre background scenery. The cruise we - and other couples thought - was rather pricey for what it was but Franz Josef itself offers very little in the way of an alternative.

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Check Availability

From $73

up to 15 guests

1 - Adult