Queenstown walking tour & city guide

The town

The Skyline Gondola climbs Bob's Peak for views over the lake and mountains, with a luge track at the top. The lakefront and the TSS Earnslaw steamship are classic sights.

Adventures

The Kawarau Bridge was the site of the world's first commercial bungee jump. Jet boating, skiing and hiking are all nearby. Milford Sound, a spectacular fjord, is a long day trip.

A day in Queenstown

Take the Skyline Gondola up Bob's Peak for a view over Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables, and race down on the luge. Walk along the lakefront to the Queenstown Gardens on a small peninsula.

In the afternoon, choose an adventure: jet boating on the Shotover River, bungee jumping at the Kawarau Bridge where commercial bungee was born, or a cruise on the TSS Earnslaw steamship.

Good to know

Queenstown is the adventure capital of New Zealand, busy year-round: skiing in winter, hiking in summer. Milford Sound is a long but spectacular day trip.

Arrowtown, a gold rush village nearby, is beautiful in autumn when the trees turn gold.

Beyond the adrenaline

Queenstown is not only about adventure. The road along Lake Wakatipu to Glenorchy is one of the most beautiful drives in the country, and the landscapes nearby appear in many scenes from The Lord of the Rings. The Gibbston Valley, a short drive away, produces excellent Pinot Noir, and its wineries welcome visitors for tastings. In the evenings, the waterfront and the small streets of the town center stay lively late into the night, with restaurants, bars and food carts.