Travel to the Adrenaline Town of Queenstown

Queenstown is a resort town known as the adventure sports capital of New Zealand. It is located in the southwest of the South Island, in the Otago region on the shores of Lake Wakatipu.
This is the most vibrant town on the South Island, particularly on its western side, with a city center full of nightlife, restaurants, and pubs.

 

Its name was given to it following the comment of one of the first visitors who said "it is beautiful enough for a Queen", and it is indeed a picturesque and stunningly beautiful town.

Recommended accommodations in Queenstown and its surroundings:

In the city center:

Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa

Five-star hotel in the city center. Free internet.

The Spire Hotel

Five-star hotel. Stylish boutique hotel in the city center. Free internet. Paid public parking nearby.

Away from the center:

Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa

Five-star hotel on the lake shore. Includes an indoor pool, gym, and spa. Grill restaurant. 15-20 minutes' drive from the city center. 

Family-friendly and cheaper, outside the city:

The Black Box, Brand New Fernhill Homes

 2-bedroom apartment near Queenstown. Includes a fully equipped kitchen. Free internet and parking.
Cute Shotover Country Flat

2-bedroom apartment, 15 minutes' drive from Queenstown center. Includes a kitchen. Free internet and parking. 

Willowbrook Country Apartments

Apartments for 4-6 people in a country house in the town of Arrowtown, located a 15-minute drive from Queenstown center. Include a kitchen or kitchenette, free internet, and parking.

Attractions in Queenstown

Queenstown is known for its adventure activities including: paragliding, skydiving, bungy jumping, parasailing, high-speed jet boating in winding rivers, and more.

♦ Recommended water attractions in Queenstown from the Viator site:

The town also has a large selection of more moderate travel and entertainment options; for example, it is successful for cycling trips, horseback riding, all kinds of cruises, or just walking in the Queenstown Gardens located on a peninsula surrounded by water near the city center.

It is great to combine a Segway trip in Queenstown through beautiful scenery, including many ascents and descents along the marina, Queenstown Gardens, and nearby neighborhoods.

♦ Air attractions in Queenstown from the Viator site:

Bungy jumping

Queenstown is the "birthplace" of bungy and today has several bungy sites.
One of them is AJ Hackett Bungy, located at the "Kawarau" bridge, which was the first place where people bungy jumped in New Zealand. It is recommended (even for those who do not plan to jump) to watch several bungy jumps from the bridge (it is really fun and fascinating to look at the jumpers who are excited before the jump, this is a site where you can see the jumpers from all directions) and then take a guided tour of the site which includes a movie about the history of bungy and its wonders, and explanations and demonstrations of the types of ropes and how they are prepared, etc. At the site, a jump is performed from a bridge into a river, and the jumper can choose whether to dip in the river water and how much. After the jump, the jumper is taken by boat to a small nearby dock.

 

 

Extreme enthusiasts will find much more than bungy here:
A cool activity (for the daring only) is the: Shotover Canyon Swing, a type of bungy where you jump from one side of a cliff above the river to the other side on a giant rope swing.

Videos of these bungy jumps and high-speed boat rides:

High-speed boat ride

Another dizzying activity is a wild ride in the "Shotover Jet" - this is a cruise of about 25 minutes in the river inside a narrow and picturesque canyon. In each boat, there are about 12 people and a very experienced driver who navigates the boat at high speeds in sharp turns in shallow water between rocks. Every now and then he wiggles his finger to prepare his passengers for a turn and does a 360-degree spin on the spot. During the cruise, he stops for explanations about the place and the boat and its capabilities. A successful and highly recommended experience (despite the high price).

♦ Viator - Booking a high-speed boat ride on a winding rushing river

Shotover River Extreme Jet Boat Ride in Queenstown

 

View of Queenstown

It is a must to take the gondola to the top of the mountain, Skyline Queenstown – Gondola. The view seen during the cable car ride and from the top of the mountain is wonderful: you can see the small city in all its glory, sitting on a lake with blue water, full of boats, many gliders in the sky, and nearby, bungy jumpers. At the summit is the starting point of the "LUGE". This is a kind of personal sled, very reminiscent of an alpine slide, but you travel on it on a sloped track that resembles a winding racing track, not connected to a cable or rod.

At the top of the mountain, there are also many hiking trails. An easy and successful track is a circular route of about half an hour. Along its entire length, there are successful lookout points (in some you can see the view inside a large picture frame—a nice idea that allows you to take charming pictures) of the city, the lake, the Luge track, the gliders from the mountain, and the nearby forest. Part of the path passes through a grove.

Skydiving

Queenstown is also the capital of skydiving in New Zealand. If you are not afraid of heights and are willing to invest a considerable amount of money in the pleasure, this is the place to experience it!

♦ Viator - Booking a Tandem Skydive in Queenstown

- NZONE Skydive Queenstown
Another hair-raising attraction!

 

Paragliding

Another fun experience you can do here is tandem paragliding over stunning scenery.

♦ Booking a tandem paragliding experience in Queenstown from the Viator site: