Nomad Safaris

Nomad Safaris is a Queenstown 4WD tour company that describes itself as the original 4WD tour operator in the region. Its trips head off the sealed roads into the gold-mining valleys and film locations that surround the town, in small groups led by local guides who know the valleys, rivers and mountains well. The office is at 37 Shotover Street in the town centre, open from 7.30am to 5.30pm, and tours run seven days a week, every day of the year.

The signature gold heritage trips go to Skippers Canyon and Macetown, both linked to the region's gold-mining history, in vehicles built for back-country roads. The Lord of the Rings range includes a full-day tour, a Glenorchy tour that heads to the head of Lake Wakatipu, and a shorter Queenstown tour covering locations close to town. Other options include self-drive quad bike tours, guided walks on the Routeburn Track, a three-hour jet boat and 4WD combination, and private tours for families or groups who want their own vehicle and guide.

The vehicles are purpose-built for off-road work, including classic Land Rover Defenders and Toyota Land Cruisers, and each carries a maximum of six guests, which keeps the groups small and the commentary personal. Every vehicle has a Certificate of Fitness check every six months. The company holds Qualmark Gold and Qualmark Enviro-Gold accreditation and the Adventure Mark safety certification, and it won Excellence in Innovation at the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce awards in 2023, as well as earlier national tourism awards in 2004 and 2006.

Tours come in half-day, full-day and combination formats, so they slot easily into a busy itinerary. The Skippers and Macetown trips suit history enthusiasts and anyone curious about the gold rush, the film tours suit Tolkien fans, and the quad bikes suit those who want to drive themselves. With only six seats per vehicle, they also work well for families with older children.

Book through the company's online booking system or by emailing the reservations team. Pick-up arrangements vary by tour, so confirm the meeting point when you book. Dress for the weather and bring a camera for the film locations.