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Ben Lomond High Country Experiences

Experience Overview

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New Zealand is celebrated for its high-country farming heritage, and with BLACK, you gain exclusive access to a private, authentic high-country experience, offering an intimate glimpse into this iconic Kiwi way of life.

Explore the secluded beauty and rich heritage of Ben Lomond High Country Station, a 33,000-acre privately-owned property just moments from Queenstown. This historic station showcases New Zealand’s dramatic landscapes, featuring snow-capped peaks, tussock-clad hills, lush beech forests, and relics from a storied gold-mining past.

As one of the few high-country stations still owned and operated by New Zealanders, Ben Lomond offers an unparalleled connection to the land’s history and traditions. With BLACK’s exclusive access, guests are invited to immerse themselves in a luxury high-country experience, blending breathtaking views with authentic Kiwi hospitality.

Tour highlights & inclusions

DURATION
Half Day & Full Day

SUITABLE FOR
Everyone 18+

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Exclusive High-Country Access: Explore the 33,000-acre Ben Lomond High Country Station, one of the few stations still privately owned and operated by New Zealanders. Gain a rare glimpse into high-country farming heritage and Queenstown’s gold-mining history.

Tailored Experiences: Choose between a half-day tour to historic Seffers Town or a full-day journey to Moonlight Lodge, each offering unique insights into the station’s rich history, stunning landscapes, and authentic Kiwi culture.

Scenic Adventures: Traverse breathtaking landscapes featuring snow-capped peaks, tussock-covered hills, pristine rivers, native forests, and remnants of gold-mining settlements. Enjoy exclusive access to areas few visitors ever experience.

Luxury 4WD Transfers: Travel in style and comfort with BLACK in a private luxury 4WD SUV, ensuring an intimate and personalized experience.

Historic Seffers Town (Half-Day): Visit this historic 1860s gold-mining settlement and hear captivating stories about the lives of early miners and their families.

Moonlight Lodge and Farm Visit (Full-Day): Enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch paired with local wine at Moonlight Lodge, and, depending on the day, try gold panning or meet the station’s owner, John Foster, to learn about high-country farming life.

Expert Guides: BLACK’s knowledgeable guides provide exclusive insights into the station’s heritage, landscapes, and daily operations.

What to Bring: Sturdy shoes, warm layers, and a rain jacket for your high-country adventure.

Important Notes: Access depends on road conditions and river levels, and alternative options will be provided if necessary. Only luxury 4WD SUVs are used for these tours; larger vehicles are not suitable.

Half Day To Seffers Town

Half Day High Country Experience

Your private exclusive experience begins from your accommodation where you will be met by your guide from BLACK in a luxury 4wd SUV to commence your journey with a scenic drive from Queenstown to Moke Lake. From here, you'll enter the Ben Lomond working station and spend the morning exploring the vast landscape of the station with scenic stops en route, for your guide to explain the rich history of the region and explore the grazing lands, native forest, lakes and rivers as well as old mining huts and settlements.
You'll reach the historic ‘Seffers Town’ where remnants of the 1860s gold rush still whisper of Queenstown’s pioneering past. Your expert guide will share fascinating stories of the 3000+ miners and their families who once populated these valleys, as you explore grazing lands, native forests, and historic gold-mining sites. Expect exclusive access to a part of New Zealand few ever see.

Full Day To Moonlight Lodge

Full Day High Country Experience

Your exclusive experience begins as your guide from Black meets you at your accommodation in a luxury 4WD SUV. The morning takes you on a private excursion to Seffers Town, from Queenstown past moke lake and into the Ben Lomond High Country station where you’ll explore its rich gold-mining history and take in breathtaking views of the surrounding landscapes.
From there, delve deeper into the secluded Ben Lomond Station. Your 4WD adventure continues as you cross rivers and traverse vast high-country landscapes, climbing to the ridgeline for panoramic views of the Shotover River, Mount Dewar, and Skippers Canyon. With countless scenic stops along the way, you’ll experience the true excellence of this remote New Zealand wilderness.
Arriving at Moonlight Lodge, you’ll enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch accompanied by local wine. Depending on the day, you might try your hand at gold panning or meet the station’s owner, John Foster. John will share fascinating insights into high-country farming, the station’s history, and life in this remarkable landscape, introducing you to the farm’s sheep, working dogs, and timeless stories.

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