The Goldrush Tour: Skippers Canyon & The Shotover River | Queenstown, New Zealand

Accessing Skippers Canyon is typically done via guided tours due to the challenging and narrow nature of Skippers Road. The Goldrush Rush tour provides comfortable transportation, ensuring a safe and informative journey through the canyon's stunning scenery. Private vehicles are generally not recommended or allowed on parts of the road without specific permits or experience.

Skippers Road, leading through Skippers Canyon, is renowned for being one of New Zealand's most thrilling and challenging roads. It is a narrow, unsealed, and winding route carved into the canyon walls, offering breathtaking views but requiring skilled driving. It features steep drop-offs and tight corners, contributing to its historic charm and demanding reputation.

The Goldrush Rush tour offers the most in-depth look at Queenstown's golden history, combined with a journey through the stunning Skippers Canyon. It includes multiple photo stops along the scenic road and provides engaging English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese GPS-activated stories. You'll also enjoy a barista coffee or beer/wine, enhancing the immersive historical and scenic experience.

Skippers Canyon earned its name during the Central Otago Gold Rush. It is believed to be named after 'Skipper' Malcolm Duncan, a gold prospector who discovered gold in the Shotover River within the canyon in the early 1860s. The challenging terrain and dangerous river conditions required boats to be 'skipped' or dragged over rocks, further solidifying the name.

While The Goldrush Rush tour focuses on the scenic road and historical aspects of Skippers Canyon, a separate jet boat ride on the Shotover River, often associated with the area, typically lasts around 25 to 30 minutes. These rides are known for their thrilling speed and 360-degree spins through the canyon's narrow gorges and rapids.

For activities such as a jet boat ride near Skippers Canyon, it's recommended to wear comfortable, warm, and quick-drying layers, as you may get wet from splashes. Sturdy, closed-toe shoes are advisable. Sunglasses and sunscreen are also beneficial. For The Goldrush Rush scenic tour, layered clothing is ideal due to varying weather conditions, and comfortable walking shoes are suitable for photo stops.

The Goldrush Rush tour provides an extensive exploration of Queenstown's golden era, delving into the exciting period of the 1860s gold rush. You'll learn about the lives of the early prospectors, the challenges they faced, and how the discovery of gold shaped the region. The GPS-activated stories offer detailed narratives, bringing the rich history of the canyon and its people to life.

Yes, The Goldrush Rush tour includes multiple dedicated photo stops along the breathtaking Skippers Canyon Scenic Road. These stops are carefully chosen to provide optimal vantage points for capturing the dramatic landscapes, the winding Shotover River, and the unique historical features of the canyon, ensuring you get stunning memorable pictures.