Heliworks Queenstown Helicopters

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Heliworks Queenstown Helicopters

Wet Jacket Wine Experience

 

The Wet Jacket Wine Experience – Fiordland by Helicopter

The Wet Jacket Wine Experience starts in Queenstown with a private helicopter lift into the Southern Alps. Snow-capped peaks and crystal alpine valleys stretch out beneath you. The flight weaves through ridgelines, glacier-fed lakes, and remote wilderness. Heading south into Fiordland National Park, the story of Wet Jacket Wines comes alive. It’s not about vineyard rows, but one of New Zealand’s wildest places: Wet Jacket Arm in Dusky Sound. Named by Captain James Cook in 1773 after his crew returned drenched from stormy seas, this rugged fiord is the brand’s spiritual home. Founder Greg Hay has spent over 20 years exploring these sounds, bringing their raw beauty, history, and isolation into every bottle.

Your journey includes two landings within Wet Jacket Arm. Each spot is chosen on the day by your pilot and private Wet Jacket Cellar Door Host. Aerial views of Resolution Island and Anchor Island reveal the scale and remoteness of the area. At each landing, enjoy a hosted tasting of Wet Jacket Wines. Towering peaks, still waters, and silence set the scene. Every pour reflects the brand’s heritage and the rugged landscapes that inspired it.

Next, you land at Campbell’s Kingdom. Your pilot selects the perfect location, and your host shares insights about the surrounding landscape. An elevated artisan picnic lunch follows, overlooking Doubtful Sound. Local gourmet produce is paired with Wet Jacket Wines, with fiord waters, lush valleys, and distant peaks as your backdrop.

The experience ends with a scenic flight back to Queenstown. Glide over glacier-carved valleys and snow-tipped summits one last time. It’s a seamless blend of wilderness, luxury, and heritage.

Top Reasons to Experience Wet Jacket Wines by Helicopter

  • Private helicopter tours from Queenstown over the Southern Alps and Fiordland National Park
  • Two exclusive landings within Wet Jacket Arm for hosted Wet Jacket Wine tastings
  • Scenic aerial views of Resolution Island, Anchor Island, glaciers, and alpine valleys
  • Artisan picnic lunch at Campbell’s Kingdom paired with Wet Jacket Wines
  • Immersive Fiordland adventure combining luxury, heritage storytelling, and wildlife conservation

 


Full day charter


4 Scenic landings 2 x Alpine landings within Wet Jacket Arm 1 x Campbells Kingdom 1 x Alpine landing for an artisan lunch


Private Charter


Gourmet Picnic Lunch


Wine Tasting


Waterfalls


Lakes

This experience is only available as a private charter. We have private charter rates available for our Squirrel helicopters, our twin-engine Squirrels and our 9-seater BK.

Find out more about our fleet.

Squirrel (up to 6 passengers): $20,120 per helicopter

H130 (up to 6 passengers): $22,575 per helicopter

BK117 (up to 9 passengers): $29,840 per helicopter

Prices are valid from 1 October 2025 - 30 September 2026. On our shared departures, you may be in a helicopter with up to 9 people.

  • Wear comfortable covered shoes
  • Bring along or wear warm clothing, including a jacket
  • Remember to bring your camera, sunscreen and sunglasses

Bookings
• We recommend booking in advance via our online booking calendar.
• For the purpose of aircraft weight and balance and in accordance with the Civil Aviation Authority rules and regulations, we require all passenger weights at the time of booking. Once we have received and reviewed this information we will be able to confirm the booking.
• Our booking system will ask for your credit card details, which are securely stored to confirm your booking, however we will not charge your card until the day of your booking.
• Please note a surcharge will be incurred for credit and contactless payments.

Your flight
• You will need to contact us one hour prior to your departure time for a weather check.
• Flights depart on demand and are subject to availability.
• Flights depart from our Heliworks Queenstown base in Frankton.
• Advertised times away, flight and landing times are approximate and can be subject to weather conditions. On occasion, flight paths and landing locations may change at the pilot’s discretion.

Pricing
• Our prices change annually from 1 October. Please select your preferred date of travel on our booking system or view the pricing section to view pricing schedules.
• Prices are in NZ currency and include Goods and Services Tax.
• We reserve the right to change prices at any time without further notice. However, if we have confirmed an advance booking the quoted price will not be altered.

Payments
• We accept EFTPOS, Visa, Mastercard and cash. Please note a surcharge will be incurred for credit and contactless payments.

Cancellations
• Any cancellations made within 24 hours of departure will incur a 50% cancellation fee. If passengers ‘no-show’ for a flight, 100% of the fare will apply. If we cannot operate due to weather and as a result, passengers are unable to fly, no cancellation fees will apply.

 

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