Heli Gold Express

Experience the thrill of the gold rush with our Heli Gold Tours. Departing from Heliworks Queenstown, this journey blends adventure, history, and a touch of luxury. And yes, any gold you find is yours to keep.

Step back in time as you fly over rugged terrain shaped by ambition. Land in remote locations that were once bustling with hopeful miners. Explore the wild beauty of Central Otago and see how gold fever left its mark on the landscape.

In the mid-1800s, whispers of gold in Central Otago sparked a frenzy. Miners arrived from across the globe. They braved tough conditions and scoured riverbeds, hoping to strike it rich.

Towns sprang up almost overnight. Tales of rivalry, resilience, and the highs and lows of the goldfields still echo through the valleys today. On this tour, you’ll walk where they once stood — and who knows, you might just find a little gold of your own.

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Heli Gold Panning

On departure, you will fly over Queenstown, seeing views of the Remarkables, Cecil Peak, and Lake Whakatipu before landing in Skippers Canyon with your guide to pan for gold. During your gold panning session, your guide will give you an overview of the area’s gold mining history. 

Duration: 2.5 hours 
Minimum numbers: 4 people are required to confirm

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Heli Gold Mining Wine Tour

This four-hour adventure takes you to one of our gold mining claims in Skippers Canyon or Macetown. Spend an hour and a half panning for gold with Chris from Aurum Gold Prospecting Tours, followed by a picnic lunch. Afterwards, your helicopter will whisk you away to Peregrine Winery for a Vine to Glass Tasting experience.

You’ll go beyond the cellar door to explore the vineyard, the winery, and its stunning architecture. For more about Wine tours with Heliworks see here.

Duration: 4 hours
Included: Lunch, winery tour and tasting

Minimum numbers: 4 people are required to confirm 

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Saint Bathans Day Trip 

This package offers the ultimate heli gold mining adventure. Your day begins with a flight to the remote Kyeburn Diggings in Central Otago, where the old timers once struck gold.

Take in the sights of Saint Bathans and Blue Lake as Chris gives an overview of the area before landing near the Danseys Pass Hotel for hot scones or pikelets with jam and cream.

After morning tea, our guides will set you up with a dredge or high banker on Chris’s exclusive gold claim on the Kyeburn River for a few hours of fully-guided gold mining, complete with a picnic lunch.

On your return, enjoy an early afternoon soak in the hot tubs at Omarama, followed by a final stop at Skippers Canyon Museum, where Chris will conclude the day with a gold mining history lesson and a glass of whiskey.

Duration: 8 hours 
Included: Morning tea, lunch, guided gold-dredging tour, hot pool, museum tour and drinks

Maximum numbers: 5 adults, pending passenger weights