Sightseeing OverviewMuch of Queenstown’s value as a tourist destination comes from its stunningly
beautiful surroundings. Nestled on the shores of the pristine
Lake Wakatipu and surrounded by the breathtaking
Eyre and
Remarkables mountain ranges, Queenstown attracts visitors for the same reasons it attracted the
Lord of the Rings film crews.
Indeed, an entire industry has sprung up taking visitors on tours of their favorite
film locations. Other main sightseeing attractions, such as the
Skyline Gondola, the
Ben Lomond Summit
Track and
The Deer Park, make full advantage of their stunning views.
Queenstown is at the center of New Zealand’s booming
adventure sports market, with
bungee jumping, skydiving, white water rafting, lugeing, jet boating, paragliding, canyon swinging and
river boarding on offer to the brave or foolhardy.
In winter
skiing and
snowboarding are added to this list, thanks to the great ski fields on
Coronet Peak and in the Remarkables, and for the ultimate experience,
heli-skiing packages are also available.
Tourist InformationQueenstown i-SITE Visitor Center
Clocktower Building, corner of Camp and Shotover Streets
Tel: (03) 442 4100
or 0800 668 888.
Website:
www.queenstown-vacation.com This is the official Tourist Information Center, but there are numerous other information providers in Queenstown, including the excellent
Info & Track, 37 Shotover Street (tel: (03) 442 9708; website:
www.infotrack.co.nz).
PassesThere are currently no official passes available, but
Queenstown Combos (tel: (03) 442 7318
or 0800 423 836/ADVENTURE; website:
www.combos.co.nz) offers various combination packages including activities such as bungee jumping, jet boating, helicopter flights and white water rafting for reduced combined prices.
Key Attractions:Adventure Sports Queenstown is unquestionably the adventure sports capital of an extreme sports obsessed nation. An astounding number of extreme sports are on offer here, making the most of the stunning locality. The Karawau and Shotover rivers can be enjoyed whilst white water rafting, jet boating, and even ‘mad dog river boarding’, where the most daring adventurers navigate the rapids with nothing but body boards to hold on to.
For those who want to stay a little drier, the canyons can also be experienced whilst bouncing upside down on a bungee rope.
AJ Hackett has four jumps in the Queenstown area, including
Nevis, which at 143m (440ft) is one of the highest bungee jumps in the world. For an alternative experience, adrenaline junkies may choose to ‘swing’ rather than jump at AJ Hackett’s
The Ledge or the
Shotover Canyon Swing to experience a feeling closer to flying than falling.
Shotover Jet The Station, corner of Camp and Shotover Streets (departure point)
Tel: (03) 442 8570
or 0800 746 868/SHOTOVER.
Website:
www.shotoverjet.co.nz Queenstown Rafting 35 Shotover Street
Tel: (03) 442 9792
or 0800 723 8464/RAFTING.
Website:
www.rafting.co.nz Mad Dog River Boarding Info & Track, 37 Shotover Street (departure point)
Tel: (03) 442 7797.
Website:
www.riverboarding.co.nz AJ Hackett The Bungy Center at The Station, corner of Camp and Shotover Streets
Tel: (03) 442 4007
or 0800 286 495.
Website:
www.ajhackett.com Shotover Canyon Swing Info & Track, 37 Shotover Street (departure point)
Tel: (03) 442 6990
or 0800 279 464/2SWING.
Website:
www.canyonswing.co.nzSkyline Gondola, Restaurant & LugeOne of Queenstown’s premier attractions, the
Skyline Gondola carries passengers up 450m (almost 1,500ft) above Queenstown, giving them a superb view of the whole area. At the top there is a high quality restaurant, a luge track, a bungee jump, walking tracks towards Ben Lomond, and the opportunity to paraglide back down to the town.
Top of Brecon Street
Tel: (03) 441 0101.
Website:
www.skyline.co.nz Kiwi Birdlife Park Although New Zealand has no native mammals, it does have some truly amazing birds, many of which are on show in this wildlife park. Star attractions include kiwi birds and tuatara, members of a unique 200-million-year-old reptile species, which has a primitive ‘third eye’ (a patch of light-sensitive cells) on the top of its head.
Brecon Street
Tel: (03) 442 8059.
Website:
www.kiwibird.co.nz Lake Wakatipu Walks and Trails A number of excellent walking tracks surround Queenstown, ranging from the tough
Ben Lomond Summit Track, which provides spectacular panoramic views, to the easy
Frankton Arm Walkway, a walk along the Lake Wakatipu shoreline with great views of the Remarkables. For those feeling a little less energetic,
Queenstown Gardens, at the end of Rees Street, is a tranquil space with equally beautiful views.
Department of Conservation Office (DOC), 37 Shotover Street
Tel: (03) 442 7935.
Website:
www.doc.govt.nz Maori Cultural Experiences The outstanding
Haka Pa Maori Village gives visitors a chance to experience New Zealand as it may have been before Europeans arrived. Tourists are welcomed by a terrifying warrior’s challenge, and then treated to a show of traditional skills and music, before being given a sumptuous feast cooked in a Hangi oven. Closer to Queenstown,
Kiwi Haka offers some similar experiences.
Haka Pa Maori Village Waterfall Park, 345 Lake Hayes to Arrowtown Road
Tel: (03) 442 1534.
Website:
www.hakapa.com Kiwi Haka Top of Skyline Gondola, Restaurant & Luge, Brecon Street
Tel: (03) 441 0101.
Website:
www.skyline.co.nz/queenstown/kiwihaka Further Distractions:Caddyshack City This amazing mini golf course has 18 incredibly intricate holes, including a volcano, a rollercoaster and a ski lift.
Brecon Street
Tel: (03) 442 6642.
The Deer Park The Deer Park offers visitors the chance to photograph and feed many species of deer and other introduced animals, including highland cattle, bison and miniature horses, against a backdrop repeatedly used in the
Lord of the Rings films.
Peninsula Road
Tel: (03) 442 2949
or 0800 843333.
Website:
www.thedeerpark.co.nz
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Related Queenstown Content
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
Related New Zealand Content
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
New Zealand Airport Guides:
|
New Zealand City Guides:
|
| New Zealand Attraction Guides: |
|
|
Available Tours to New Zealand:
|
