Short on time, but want more than a quick look?

You’re visiting Queenstown and want to explore beyond the town centre - without hiring a car or rushing between stops. You’d like to get higher into the hills, experience quieter places, and have a local guide take care of the driving, the timing, and the details.

You’d also love to come away with photographs that genuinely reflect your time here - the kind of images that first inspired you to travel to the Southern Lakes in the first place.

AuthenticAs Queenstown is designed for exactly this. We collect you from your accommodation and spend three relaxed hours exploring some of the region’s most beautiful and varied locations, at a pace that allows you to enjoy them properly.

Two routes, one flexible experience

Most days, our journey follows one of two broad routes:

West of Queenstown - Moke Lake and Bob’s Cove, offering open landscapes, forest walks, and sweeping lake views.
East of Queenstown - Coronet Peak, Arrowtown, and Lake Hayes, combining mountain views, historic character, and quieter corners.

We don’t lock this in ahead of time. Weather, light, the season, and your interests all play a role, and we’ll suggest the route — or a combination - that makes the most sense on the day. With local knowledge and experience, we know where to go to avoid crowds and find the best conditions within the time we have together.

Guided, relaxed, and genuinely personal

Along the way, we share stories of the land, the people, and the place, adding depth and context to what you’re seeing. Before your tour, we’ll talk through any must-dos or always-wanted moments, so your time is spent exactly where it matters most to you.

This isn’t a whistle-stop tour where you’re constantly getting in and out of the vehicle. We want you to slow down, relax, and really take in your surroundings — whether that’s standing quietly by the lake, walking a short forest track, or simply enjoying the view with time to breathe.

Photography that’s part of the experience

As well as being guides, we’re professional photographers — and this is what truly sets AuthenticAs apart. You can put your phones away and be present, knowing we’ll take care of capturing the moments for you.

We work naturally and unobtrusively, helping you feel comfortable in front of the camera and creating images that reflect who you are and how the experience felt, rather than stiff or staged poses.

Usually by mid-afternoon the following day you’ll receive a small selection of images for you to relive your day and share with your family and friends. Your full gallery will be delivered via digital download within two weeks.

When it comes to numbers, it’s a bit like asking how long a piece of string is. Rather than holding the shutter down and delivering hundreds of near-identical images, we focus on creating a considered set of photographs that genuinely reflect your experience. Some people are very comfortable in front of the camera and bring lots of ideas; others less so. Either way, we work at your pace and do our best to make the process feel relaxed and natural.

Safety, professionalism, and local knowledge

Safety underpins everything we do. Our vehicles are Qualworx Health & Safety audited, certified to carry passengers, and operated by licensed drivers with the appropriate insurances in place. We hold Department of Conservation concessions, Outdoor First Aid certification, and are Qualmark Silver accredited.

This is our home, and we spend a great deal of time here — guiding, photographing, and teaching others about this landscape. That experience shapes every decision we make during your time with us.