JOIN QUEENSTOWN'S MOST EXPERIENCED 4WD
GUIDE ON A PRIVATE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE TOUR
P R I V A T E F U L L D A Y E X P E D I T I O N
SERPENTINE CHURCH
Poolburn Reservoir, Dunstan Rd, Rough Ridge, Ida Valley
P R I V A T E F U L L D A Y E X P E D I T I O N
SERPENTINE CHURCH
Poolburn Reservoir, Dunstan Rd, Rough Ridge, Ida Valley
WHY CHOOSE US ? Del has 35 years of commercial 4WD experience PRIVATE Tour Travel in a safe, modern Land Rover
A full day out of Queenstown into the high tussock of Rough Ridge, on the old goldfields routes to one of New Zealand’s loneliest churches. We run Poolburn Reservoir, the Old Dunstan Road and the stone Serpentine Church, sitting at about 1,000 metres where the diggings once were. The same open country stood in for the plains of Rohan in The Two Towers.
Gold was found on the winding Waimonga Creek in 1863, and the place took its name from that serpentine course. By 1873 the miners had a stone church for what was then one of the highest townships on the Otago goldfields — stores, hotels, a school and a cemetery on a swampy flat, snowed in the first winter. The town is long gone. The church is still there, restored and furnished, and the only way in is by 4WD: Old Dunstan Road, then Long Valley Ridge and the Serpentine track. Poolburn, the Depression-era dam completed in 1931, drowned the old coaching hotels on the road down to the Ida Valley. Wide country, schist tors, and a proper high-country day. Private, maximum four.
A full day out of Queenstown into the high tussock of Rough Ridge, on the old goldfields routes to one of New Zealand’s loneliest churches. We run Poolburn Reservoir, the Old Dunstan Road and the stone Serpentine Church, sitting at about 1,000 metres where the diggings once were. The same open country stood in for the plains of Rohan in The Two Towers.
SERPENTINE CHURCH
ADVENTURE
A full day out of Queenstown into the high tussock of Rough Ridge, on the old goldfields routes to one of New Zealand’s loneliest churches. We run Poolburn Reservoir, the Old Dunstan Road and the stone Serpentine Church, sitting at about 1,000 metres where the diggings once were. The same open country stood in for the plains of Rohan in The Two Towers.
Gold was found on the winding Waimonga Creek in 1863, and the place took its name from that serpentine course. By 1873 the miners had a stone church for what was then one of the highest townships on the Otago goldfields — stores, hotels, a school and a cemetery on a swampy flat, snowed in the first winter. The town is long gone. The church is still there, restored and furnished, and the only way in is by 4WD: Old Dunstan Road, then Long Valley Ridge and the Serpentine track. Poolburn, the Depression-era dam completed in 1931, drowned the old coaching hotels on the road down to the Ida Valley. Wide country, schist tors, and a proper high-country day. Private, maximum four.
Gold was found on the winding Waimonga Creek in 1863, and the place took its name from that serpentine course. By 1873 the miners had a stone church for what was then one of the highest townships on the Otago goldfields — stores, hotels, a school and a cemetery on a swampy flat, snowed in the first winter. The town is long gone. The church is still there, restored and furnished, and the only way in is by 4WD: Old Dunstan Road, then Long Valley Ridge and the Serpentine track. Poolburn, the Depression-era dam completed in 1931, drowned the old coaching hotels on the road down to the Ida Valley. Wide country, schist tors, and a proper high-country day. Private, maximum four.
FULL DAY
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Adult : NZ$850 per person
Couple : NZ$1700 Private tour
3rd and 4th Adult : $395 per person
Child : NZ$300
Minimum 2 Adults
4 maximum guests per vehicle
Includes lunch & refreshments
Departures 8am flexible
Tour length Up to 8 hours
FULL DAY
Private Adventure
Couple NZ$1,700 (NZ$850 each)
3rd or 4th adult NZ$395
Child : NZ$300
Minimum 2 Adults
Maximum 4 guests per vehicle
Group bookings POA
Includes picnic lunch & refreshments
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Departures
8am
(flexible on private tour)
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Tour length
Up to 8 hours
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-
Information
Serpentine Church.
Full day from Queenstown.
A full day out of Queenstown into the high tussock of Rough Ridge, on the old goldfields routes to one of New Zealand’s loneliest churches. We run Poolburn Reservoir, the Old Dunstan Road and the stone Serpentine Church, sitting at about 1,000 metres where the diggings once were. The same open country stood in for the plains of Rohan in The Two Towers.
Gold was found on the winding Waimonga Creek in 1863, and the place took its name from that serpentine course. By 1873 the miners had a stone church for what was then one of the highest townships on the Otago goldfields. The town is long gone. The church is still there, restored and furnished, and the only way in is by 4WD.
Private tour, maximum four. Queenstown hotel pickup. About 8 hours.
Couple $1,700, extra adult $395. GST included. We simply go further…
Includes 15% NZ Goods & Services Tax
Payment can be made direct on the day with credit cards, eftpos or cash.
Different start times can be arranged by request where possible. Pick-ups at local accommodation by prior arrangement.
-
Highlights
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
SERPENTINE CHURCH ADVENTURE
- Old Dunstan Road, the 1860s goldfields trail over Rough Ridge.
- Poolburn Reservoir, the plains of Rohan in The Two Towers.
- The 1873 Serpentine Church, one of New Zealand’s most remote.
- About 1,000 metres up, where a goldfield township once stood.
- Diggings opened on the winding Waimonga Creek in 1863.
- Schist tors and big-sky tussock, well off the sealed road.
- The dam that drowned the old Poolburn coaching hotels.
- We simply go further…
-
Why choose us
Why choose us
Del has guided these roads since 1990 — 35+ years in Skippers, the high country and the back roads out of Queenstown. Local. Family-run. Kiwi-owned.
Every trip is private. Max four guests. No buses. No shared vans. You set the pace.
Safety is audited, not just claimed. We hold AdventureMark® certification against the MBIE Safety Audit Standard for Adventure Activities. Licensed with NZTA, DOC and WorkSafe NZ. Del also works as a certified 4WD technical adviser with WorkSafe New Zealand adventure-activity audit providers.
You travel in a modern expedition 4WD — proper seats, large windows, easy access. Pickup from Queenstown accommodation by arrangement.
Relaxed, authentic, and actually personal. That’s the point of a small family outfit.
- Del — 35+ years guiding here (since 1990)
- Local Kiwi family business
- Private tours only — max 4
- No buses or shared vans
- AdventureMark® audited SMS
- NZTA, DOC and WorkSafe licensed
- Impeccable Skippers safety record
- Comfortable expedition 4WD
- Queenstown pickup
-
Disclaimer ⚠️
SAFETY COMPLIANCE
4WD Expeditions maintains a robust safety management system, meticulously aligning with the MBIE Safety Audit Standard for Adventure Activities. Our formal certification under AdventureMark® underscores our unwavering dedication to prioritizing the safety and well-being of our clients. Our commitment to continuous improvement is evident through regular reviews by AdventureMark® to ensure ongoing compliance with the established safety standard.
IMPORTANT
Any off road / back country driving can lead to unexpected incidents. This can include but is not limited to - accidents, injuries, vehicle damage, property damage & loss of life.
RISKS FROM NATURAL HAZARDS
4WD Expeditions actively monitors all tours for natural hazards including but not limited to the following.
Weather, Storms, Lightening, High winds, Landslip, Snow avalanche, Ice, Rockfall, Flooding, Wildfires.
4WD Expeditions reserve the right to delay or cancel any tours or activities if weather conditions are not suitable.
-
Information
Serpentine Church.
Full day from Queenstown.
A full day out of Queenstown into the high tussock of Rough Ridge, on the old goldfields routes to one of New Zealand’s loneliest churches. We run Poolburn Reservoir, the Old Dunstan Road and the stone Serpentine Church, sitting at about 1,000 metres where the diggings once were. The same open country stood in for the plains of Rohan in The Two Towers.
Gold was found on the winding Waimonga Creek in 1863, and the place took its name from that serpentine course. By 1873 the miners had a stone church for what was then one of the highest townships on the Otago goldfields. The town is long gone. The church is still there, restored and furnished, and the only way in is by 4WD.
Private tour, maximum four. Queenstown hotel pickup. About 8 hours.
Couple $1,700, extra adult $395. GST included. We simply go further…
Includes 15% NZ Goods & Services Tax
Payment can be made direct on the day with credit cards, eftpos or cash.
Different start times can be arranged by request where possible. Pick-ups at local accommodation by prior arrangement.
-
Highlights
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
SERPENTINE CHURCH ADVENTURE
- Old Dunstan Road, the 1860s goldfields trail over Rough Ridge.
- Poolburn Reservoir, the plains of Rohan in The Two Towers.
- The 1873 Serpentine Church, one of New Zealand’s most remote.
- About 1,000 metres up, where a goldfield township once stood.
- Diggings opened on the winding Waimonga Creek in 1863.
- Schist tors and big-sky tussock, well off the sealed road.
- The dam that drowned the old Poolburn coaching hotels.
- We simply go further…
-
Why choose us
Why choose us
Del has guided these roads since 1990 — 35+ years in Skippers, the high country and the back roads out of Queenstown. Local. Family-run. Kiwi-owned.
Every trip is private. Max four guests. No buses. No shared vans. You set the pace.
Safety is audited, not just claimed. We hold AdventureMark® certification against the MBIE Safety Audit Standard for Adventure Activities. Licensed with NZTA, DOC and WorkSafe NZ. Del also works as a certified 4WD technical adviser with WorkSafe New Zealand adventure-activity audit providers.
You travel in a modern expedition 4WD — proper seats, large windows, easy access. Pickup from Queenstown accommodation by arrangement.
Relaxed, authentic, and actually personal. That’s the point of a small family outfit.
- Del — 35+ years guiding here (since 1990)
- Local Kiwi family business
- Private tours only — max 4
- No buses or shared vans
- AdventureMark® audited SMS
- NZTA, DOC and WorkSafe licensed
- Impeccable Skippers safety record
- Comfortable expedition 4WD
- Queenstown pickup
-
Disclaimer ⚠️
SAFETY COMPLIANCE
4WD Expeditions maintains a robust safety management system, meticulously aligning with the MBIE Safety Audit Standard for Adventure Activities. Our formal certification under AdventureMark® underscores our unwavering dedication to prioritizing the safety and well-being of our clients. Our commitment to continuous improvement is evident through regular reviews by AdventureMark® to ensure ongoing compliance with the established safety standard.
IMPORTANT
Any off road / back country driving can lead to unexpected incidents. This can include but is not limited to - accidents, injuries, vehicle damage, property damage & loss of life.
RISKS FROM NATURAL HAZARDS
4WD Expeditions actively monitors all tours for natural hazards including but not limited to the following.
Weather, Storms, Lightening, High winds, Landslip, Snow avalanche, Ice, Rockfall, Flooding, Wildfires.
4WD Expeditions reserve the right to delay or cancel any tours or activities if weather conditions are not suitable.
Additional Serpentine full day tour images (click on first image to open gallery)
Additional Serpentine full day tour images (click on image to open gallery)
- INFO
- Minimum 2 adults per booking
- Maximum 4 passengers
- Child (16 and under) $45
- Includes morning / afternoon tea
- Duration up to 4.5 hours
- Includes 15% NZ Goods & Services Tax
Payment can be made direct on the day with credit cards, eftpos or cash.
Different start times can be arranged by request where possible. Pick-ups at local accommodation by prior arrangement.
Skippers Canyon passenger tours operate in rain, hail, snow and sunshine all year around!
- REVIEWS
Do it!
Highlight of our holiday so far. This time in NZ we wanted to get off the beaten track. Absolutely amazing! So completely different from the Queenstown side of the mountains. We are coming back in June 2020 to do it all again in the snow. Can't wait. Highly recommended. If you want a tour without sharing in a group this is perfect.
Rosemary, Australia
My wife and I recently did the Skipper’s Canyon tour with Del as our driver and guide. Del was fantastic - incredibly knowledgeable and experienced and showed us all the best features and views the canyon has to offer. He was great to have a chat with and share a few laughs - we learned so much along the way. My wife doesn’t normally do too well heights or steep drop offs on a bumpy road, but with Del’s experience on that road, she felt very safe and had the best time. We stopped in one of the most spectacular spots I’ve ever had the pleasure to have a delicious morning tea - supplied by Del (he even did an amazing job catering to our dietary requirements). Before going, I was a little concerned about heading out the same way as we came in, thinking that travelling the same route twice would take away from the experience - I couldn’t be more wrong! It was amazing travelling the same picturesque track with a completely different perspective, this was also enhanced by the different lighting and low lying cloud we experienced on the way in. I couldn’t recommend this tour with Del highly enough, we want to come back and do the same trip again, but in winter with some snow - we also want to see all the other trips Del has to offer. This is a must do!
Toby Pickering, Australia
- HIGHLIGHTS
Highlights of this half day include:
- Dels 30 years Skippers guiding experience
- We go further !
- Hells and Heavens Gates
- Lighthouse Rock
- Historic gold mining relics
- Shotover River
- Major Lord of the Rings locations
- Engineering marvel Pinchers Bluff
- Traversing Skippers Bridge (1901)
- Skippers School (1879)
- Skippers Cemetery
and much more..
- WHY CHOOSE US
- All tours are PRIVATE
- Local family business run by kiwis
- Del has been guiding tourists since 1990
- 30 years Skippers guiding experience
- It's your trip and we make time for you
- Flexible and personalised experiences
- No buses or vans !!
We are extremely professional and pay attention to detail
Extremely comfortable expedition class vehicles for exclusive passenger tours
