ESCAPE
THE
ORDINARY.

OUR ADVENTURES
call for enquiries

ESCAPE
THE
ORDINARY.

OUR ADVENTURES
call for enquiries

Meet Your Hosts.

We’re Chris and Erica, your certified skippers. We offer a ‘uniquely New Zealand’ experience, join us on one of our guided tours of Lake Te Anau.

We have two vessels, providing personally crafted adventures that are sure to give you an experience you will never forget. Whether you’re after a relaxing cruise or something a bit quicker we’ve got you covered.

We’ve both been on the water most of our lives, previously owning and operating Southern Express in Taranaki which serviced the oil and gas fields. Chris has worked all over the globe on a range of different vessels,
while Erica grew up in Auckland spending all her free time out on the Hauraki Gulf.

After 10 years on the Taranaki coastline we made the move to Te Anau to be closer to family and showcase this remarkable part of New Zealand.

join us and escape the ordinary
check out

what we do.

Discovery Cruise

2 Hours

Discover the beauty of Lake Te Anau on a two hour discovery cruise. Explore the stunning South Fiord with an intimate group of up to 6 passengers.

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Cruise &
Fly

3 Hours

Experience Te Anau from above and below the canopy, fly over Lake Manapouri and other hidden gems along the way.

Learn More

Flyby Explore

1 Hour

Short on time? Join either Chris or Erica for a quick expedition to South Fiord. Discover ancient beech forests, and breathtaking lake views.

Learn More

Waterfall Adventure

3 Hours

An extraordinary three hour guided expedition that will transport you deep into the heart of New Zealand’s most breathtaking wilderness.

Learn More

Non Scheduled Charters

Discover New Zealand’s hidden wonders with our personalised adventures! We craft unforgettable experiences on either vessel for corporate teams, families, and friends.

Learn More

Self-Drive Boat Hire

Want the freedom to explore at your own pace without buying your own boat? MATAI gives you that freedom with the reliability you need for serious fishing, hunting, and adventure.

Learn More
check out

What we do.

Discovery Cruise

2 Hours

Discover the beauty of Lake Te Anau on a two hour discovery cruise. Explore the stunning South Fiord with an intimate group of up to 6 passengers.

Learn More

Cruise & Fly

3 Hours

Experience Te Anau from above and below the canopy, fly over Lake
Manapouri and other hidden gems along the way.

Learn More

Flyby Explore

1 Hour

Short on time? Join either Chris or Erica for a quick expedition to South
Fiord. Discover ancient beech forests, and breathtaking lake views.

Learn More

Waterfall Adventure

3 Hours

An extraordinary three hour guided expedition that will transport you
deep into the heart of New Zealand’s most breathtaking wilderness.

Learn More

Non Scheduled Charters

Discover New Zealand’s hidden wonders with our personalised
adventures! We craft unforgettable experiences on either vessel for
corporate teams, families, and friends.

Learn More
What Our Guests Say

Hear From Our Happy Cruise-goers

Discover why our guests rave about their experiences with us on Lake Te Anau.

★★★★★
We missed out on Milford Sound due to road closure and instead found this hour cruise from Cruise Te Anau. And WOW this more than made up for it. We had so much fun and got right up close to the waterfalls and even got to drink the fresh water from the lakes 😍 more than made up for missing out on milford sound and we had the boat to ourselves and my boyfriend even got to drive the boat! Never seen anyone so happy! Thank you guys for such a great trip!

Kayti B | sep 2025

★★★★★
This business is now run by a fantastic couple called Erica and Chris. We went on the discovery cruise to the south Fiord of lake Te Anau for approx. 2 hours, where we stopped off at Fiordland rain forest where Erica took us on a nature walk for 30 mins, which was spectacular.
The scenery along this trip was simply breathtaking. While Chris drove the boat, Erica kept us company up on deck imparting her vast knowledge of the lake and surrounding area, along with some great friendly chats.
We would highly recommend booking this trip with Chris and Erica as a must do on your travels. This was one of the highlights of our trip to New Zealand. We hope to get back to NZ one day and when we do we will certainly book another trip with Erica and Chris.
The motto on their website is absolutely true “arrive as strangers, leave as friends”.

macshortie | FEB 2025

★★★★★
This trip was amazing! Chris was our Skipper and he took us out on the Lake with heaps of knowledge about the whole area and fed us with stunning views and some chocolate treats. He took us to places you would usually never see and showed us so many hidden waterfalls and small beaches. All in all a great experience and besides the more popular and bigger tours as Milford and Doubtful Sound in this area, it was way more quiet and less crowded on the Lake. Big thanks from Vera & Moritz!

Moritz E| OCT 2025

★★★★★
What an experience! The best thing I’ve done on my trip to New Zealand so far! I could not recommend enough! Lovely people, and a great trip! If I could give more than 5* I would!!

callum b | SEP 2025

Start Your Adventure

Book Your Unforgettable Lake Te Anau Experience Today!

Don’t miss out on the adventure of a lifetime. Reserve your spot with us now!

book now
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