Highlands - Experience the Exceptional
Highlands - Experience the Exceptional
Highlands - Experience the Exceptional
4.5
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
A world-class tourism destination just 45 minutes from Queenstown Airport, Highlands Motorsport and Tourism Park is home to a range of exceptional experiences which are exciting for the whole family. From the moment you arrive, you’ll be looked after by their friendly team – treating you to some authentic kiwi hospitality! Voted the #1 Thing to Do in Cromwell by TripAdvisor, Highlands – Experience the Exceptional is conveniently located along SH 6 in Cromwell in beautiful Central Otago. It’s a must do when you’re exploring the region – ideal for day trips because Highlands really does offer something fun and extraordinary for everyone. So whether you’re travelling solo, as a couple, in a group, or with family, Highlands is an NZ must-do for the ride of your lives.
Duration: 1-2 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view










Top ways to experience Highlands - Experience the Exceptional and nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
33 within 5 kms
Attractions
38 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- Laryssa WNew Zealand31 contributionsGreat little museum and race trackLovely tidy grounds with real racetrack (cars), separate go carting track, small car museum and Cafe. Friendly staff. We only toured the museum, specifically interested in the formula one cars. Watched a Porsche and Ferrari run the race track. There were lots of nice places to sit outside and watch the cars. Udrives were on the expensive side, so decided not to do it this trip. Go carts were booked out for the day, so would suggest booking ahead if you want to do either. Would definitely recommendHi there, thanks for your feedback. We are glad to hear you enjoyed your time at Highlands!Written 16 January 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited January 2023Travelled with familyWritten 15 January 2023
- Beth Neal1 contributionAdrenaline RushWhat an incredible adrenaline rushing experience at Highland Motorsport Park. Starting off with Go karts, taxi, Udrive and Hot lap, something I never thought in my wildest dreams I would ever get to experience! 🏎️🏁 Also a Museum of collectable cars, the Delorean being my favourite (because of Back to the Future)! So much information! Delicious food for lunch 😋 And the team at Highlands were all so very welcoming, friendly and supportive throughout the whole experience! I can't forget, the Loo's with a view, such incredible imagination has gone into this, just WOW!!! 😲🚽🪞🪟 I would definitely do this again! Thankyou to all the team at Highlands Motorsport Park for creating this extraordinary experience.Hi Beth, thanks for visiting and for the lovely feedback on the team and Highlands! We are so glad to hear you enjoyed your time here. We look forward to hopefully welcoming you back sometime in the future!Written 20 March 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited March 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 18 March 2023
- Malcolm R1 contributionHighlandsWhat a day! To say it was thrilling is so much of an understatement. Everything about our day at Highlands was amazing. The whole facility is immaculate. The staff are friendly and professional and all the driving experiences, go-kart, taxi, u-drive and hot lap, are an extreme adrenaline rush! On top of that, the food is great and the museum has some incredible cars a fascinating information. And if all of that doesn't impress you, visit the loo!Hi Mal, thanks for visiting and for the awesome feedback! We are so glad to hear you enjoyed your time at Highlands!Written 20 March 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited March 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 18 March 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
839 reviews
Excellent
694
Very good
92
Average
22
Poor
15
Terrible
17
PaulZac
Adelaide, Australia144 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
Tried to do this in Australia but couldn't find anywhere that would let you drive. Stumbled across Highlands in N.Z. It's a great complex with great staff. My instructor Paul was excellent and helped to elevate the experience even more. We ended up staying for lunch which was also very nice, and don't forget to visit the loo with a view.
Written 10 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review!
Great to hear you enjoyed your visit to Highlands. I will pass your compliments onto Paul!
We look forward to welcoming you back to Highlands in the future:)
Written 10 December 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jacqui N
Napier, New Zealand8 contributions
Nov 2023 • Family
That was so much fun...it took me till the last lap to get the hang of the kart so need to go back again to better my time!
The staff are so friendly and so very helpful, greeting us by our names and making us oldies feel like we were teenagers again.
Thanks guys, I will be back!
The staff are so friendly and so very helpful, greeting us by our names and making us oldies feel like we were teenagers again.
Thanks guys, I will be back!
Written 6 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review. It's great to hear you enjoyed your time at Highlands and we look forward to seeing you again!
Written 19 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lucy H
4 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
What a well run Go Kart experience!
The staff are so incredible with their knowledge, and efficiency!
We loved our race! And believe we will return next time we are here. Add this to your must do. We also did the Super car Fast Dash and museum. And enjoyed the cafe. Make sure you talk to the friendly staff, they are super helpful with figuring out the best deal. Money well spent with our adrenaline hit!
The staff are so incredible with their knowledge, and efficiency!
We loved our race! And believe we will return next time we are here. Add this to your must do. We also did the Super car Fast Dash and museum. And enjoyed the cafe. Make sure you talk to the friendly staff, they are super helpful with figuring out the best deal. Money well spent with our adrenaline hit!
Written 5 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for such a great review! Great to hear your enjoyed your day at Highlands.
We look forward to welcoming you back to Highlands in the future.
Written 19 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lucy H
4 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
My husband and I loved our two laps for the Super car Fast Dash, we would recommend adding on the extra lap, as it goes so quickly. Recommend having your phone to record, and capturing the facials. Staff were friendly and super helpful.
Written 5 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review and great to hear you enjoyed your Fast Dashes!
Written 19 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ed
Wellington, New Zealand12 contributions
Sep 2023 • Family
The Highlands Taxi ride was a fantastic experience, and it was easily worth every cent. I would 100% do it again another time.
Written 28 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Great to hear you enjoyed your ride in the Taxi! Hopefully we see you again at Highlands soon!
Written 19 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Pathfinder787388
Dunedin, New Zealand2 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
What a fantastic day!
The Go-Karts were so much fun and a great personal buzz after watching my partner on his Radical U-Drive experience.
The staff were amazing from the front desk and cafe to the pros with the vehicles.
An excellent day all.up!
Ka rawe! Awesome!
The Go-Karts were so much fun and a great personal buzz after watching my partner on his Radical U-Drive experience.
The staff were amazing from the front desk and cafe to the pros with the vehicles.
An excellent day all.up!
Ka rawe! Awesome!
Written 25 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review!
Great to hear you enjoyed your time at Highlands.
We look forward to welcoming you back in the future.
Written 19 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
duncan d
1 contribution
Aug 2023 • Couples
We did the fast lap
Fantastic
Highly recommended
Great setup, cafe and viewing great for families as well
Fantastic
Highly recommended
Great setup, cafe and viewing great for families as well
Written 29 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review, Duncan! We are glad you enjoyed the Fast Dash!
Written 13 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Trip32129450707
2 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
Steve is an absolute legend! From the get go when shaking his welcoming hand, his knowledge cruising the track delivered with such passion, like talking about a brother & his hobby. And what an impressive hobby this park is. Thank you Steve for such a thrilling, entertaining drive. Very refreshing and not once did we feel uncomfortable....at 180km/h! Loved it! Especially the aliens! Cheers Steve!
Written 28 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for this wonderful feedback! I have passed this on to Steve. We are so glad you enjoyed your visit and hope to see you back here some time!
Written 13 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Trip32129450707
2 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
Impressive track, and level of safety just brilliant. Very friendly & genuine crew, loved it! Thank you Tony Quinn, what an incredible venue you have! Well done!
Written 28 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review! Great to hear you enjoyed your visit to Highlands. I will pass your compliments onto the team. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future.
Written 19 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
lycanic
Dunedin, New Zealand11 contributions
Aug 2023 • Business
A MUST do passing through Cromwell. A well thought out activity to do with family and friends - kid friendly and such a great way to have FUN for a small price!!
Written 24 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review, Lyshanna. We are glad to hear you enjoyed your visit to Highlands!
Written 13 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
CreativeFood2018
Temuka, New Zealand17 contributions
Hi, is the dinosaur park still a thing? We came a couple of years ago nad wet eeanting to return next month but can't see any info on your website. Thanks!
Cheryl H
51 contributions
We were there end of December early January and there were dinosaurs throughout the kart track and outside the kart entrance
Klo1079
Bundaberg, Australia9 contributions
Hi, just wondering how to get from our accommodation in Queenstown to this complex as we do not have a hire car. Thank you.
rsatnam
Auckland Central, New Zealand95 contributions
We had a rental car too. It is an hour or two drive to the park and it is a beautiful drive too. On the way back we stopped for wine and cheese tasting at Gibbston. If you can do the same, it would be awesome. I am not sure if there are bus tours (there must be)
Suhaimi Keledek
1 contribution
Can my 2yrs and 4yr old ride the go kart with me?
HighlandsNZ
Cromwell, New Zealand7 contributions
HI there sorry minimum age is 6 years old, we do have balance bikes though for little ones.
jinnleesc
Sydney, Australia1 contribution
Are you open on the 31/12/2017 or the 1/1/2018? If yes what is the opening hours? We are travelling as a family and have 4 adults and 1 kid (6yo) in our group, can we all fit in the ''taxi''?
HighlandsNZ
Cromwell, New Zealand7 contributions
HI There,
We are open both days - in fact the only day we are not open is Christmas Day. Our operating hours are 10 - 5pm. The Taxi can fit up to four people at a time. You can do two taxi's and have three in one and two in the next one! I'd recommend booking, you can call Highlands on 03 4454052 and we can lock it all in for you. We look forward to welcoming you to Highlands!
Martin K
Thailand36 contributions
Hi, I'd like to know exactly what is involved with the jurassic safari tour, can't seem to find much info on the website. Thanks
marketing753
Queenstown, New Zealand
Hi MKunzmann,
Our Jurassic Safari tour is best suited for families, with children 10 years and under. It is a 50minute experience, exploring the forest of large scale animals on display, with accompanying commentary from a guide. It even includes noises that are associated with the animals on display. The children will have the opportunity to play in the adventure playground when they reach the forest area and get up close and personal with the large prehistoric animals on display. The price is only $99 per family (2 adults and up to 3 children). This price also includes FREE entry into the National Motorsport Museum, and access to our mini golf and balance bikes for under 6 year olds. We look forward to welcoming you to Highlands one day soon! Kind regards, Fleur Casey
Business Development Manager
Hi David, i'm looking at buying an experience for my fathers birthday - can i ask which experience you chose?
Maggy20152015
Invercargill, New Zealand52 contributions
Hope it's not too late but the McLaren would be amazing
toursept07
brisbane44 contributions
Do you have to pay to just go in the museum???
KiwiRJ13
London15 contributions
Yes $25 per adult, half price if you do another attraction - I highly recommend the Porsche Cayenne lap for $120 total - ie if you have 4 people it's only $30pp.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listingHIGHLANDS - EXPERIENCE THE EXCEPTIONAL: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Highlands - Experience the Exceptional
- According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Highlands - Experience the Exceptional:
- Go Karts - Highlands Motorsport and Tourism Park (From $50.41)
- Supercar Fast Dash - Highlands Motorsport and Tourism Park (From $204.70)
- Mustang V8 U-Drive - Highlands Motorsport and Tourism Park (From $406.31)
- Radical U-Drive - Highlands Motorsport and Tourism Park (From $441.29)
- Highlands Taxi - Highlands Motorsport and Tourism Park (From $153.28)
- Hotels near Highlands - Experience the Exceptional:
- (0.55 km) Falcon's Nest
- (0.74 km) Central Park Apartments
- (3.28 km) Carrick Lodge Motel
- (3.24 km) Colonial Manor Motel
- (4.84 km) Burn Cottage Retreat
- Restaurants near Highlands - Experience the Exceptional:
- (0.16 km) Highlands Cafe
- (3.23 km) Bannockburn Hotel - Wine Country Restaurant and Bar
- (3.11 km) The Winery Restaurant at Mt Difficulty
- (1.07 km) Sanga's Pies
- (2.93 km) Carrick Winery & Restaurant