Skyline Gondola
The Queenstown Gondola takes visitors up to Bob's Peak above the
town, and has incredible views over Queenstown, the lake, and the
Remarkables Range. At the top of the gondola is the Luge offering
three-wheel cart rides for all different ages and abilities, or
there are numerous walks on the mountain with beautiful views of
the area. At the bottom terminal is the Kiwi and Birdlife Park
featuring nocturnal kiwi houses and other endangered species of New
Zealand.
Address:
Brecon Street
View from Skyline Gondola
Will Ellis
Arrowtown
Arrowtown sits at the edge of the Otago Goldfields and was one
of New Zealand's biggest gold towns in its day. It still has
reminders of the gold rush days with little miners' cottages along
the tree lined streets, historic wooden buildings, and 19th
century-style shops. There are the interesting remains of a Chinese
settlement, with interpretive signs, nestled along the banks of
Bush Creek where gold was panned. The Chinese diggers often worked
through the remains of previous miner's claims in search of
undetected fine gold. The Visitors Centre contains the excellent
Lake District Museum that has a small display on local history and
gold mining.
Address:
20 minutes from Queenstown
Buckingham Street
Bgabel
Lake Wanaka
Lake Wanaka was voted as one of the world's top 10 most romantic
destinations. It is a picture-perfect alpine lake located in the
Otago region of the South Island. It is New Zealand's
fourth-largest lake and certainly one of its most beautiful. The
lake is popular for boating, fishing, and swimming and the
temperate climate ensures that this is a year-round destination.
The nearby Harris Mountains provide ample opportunity for skiing in
winter as well.
Lake Wanaka
Ghislain Mary
Queenstown is a destination for all seasons, with its Alpine
climate. Winter is magical with snow-capped mountains and blue
skies, providing a haven for winter sports enthusiasts. Spring,
officially starting on September 1, brings a meltdown with
temperatures ranging between 46ºF (8ºC) and 59ºF (15ºC) with some
beautiful, fresh days and cool evenings, punctuated by spring
showers. At the end of November high summer sets in with long warm
days averaging around 80ºF (26ºC), ideal for outdoor fun in the
sun. Autumn arrives in March, still warm with occasional hot spots
and balmy evenings, magnificent as the leaves begin to turn.
Queenstown Airport
Location: The airport is just four miles (6km) from central
Queenstown.
Time: GMT +13
Getting to the city:
The best way to get into the city is by taxi, however, shuttles
are also available to be booked. Shuttle fares are cheaper for
children, but cost extra for transporting ski gear.
Car Rental:
Rental companies including Apex, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz,
Jucy, Nationwide, THL, and Thrifty all offer car rental services at
Queenstown Airport.
Airport Taxis:
Taxis are available from outside the terminal.
Facilities:
ATM, currency exchange, baggage lost and found office, baggage
storage facilities, tourist help desk, first aid facilities, wifi,
retail outlets, and restaurants. The terminal is fully accessible
for disabled passengers.
Parking
Long- and short-term parking is available. It is free for the
first 20 minutes, with a maximum charge of NZD 25 for the first
day, and NZD 75 for a week.
Queenstown is a compact city, easy to negotiate on foot.
Double-decker sight seeing buses are a popular way to cover the
city's principal attractions. The only existing public transport is
a bus service that operates on three lines; day passes are
available. Taxis are readily available and there are also several
car rental agencies.
Queenstown offers the perfect setting for adventure, relaxation
and fun all year round. With a buzzing atmosphere and stunning
scenery, you will find there is no other place in the world quite
like Queenstown. For iconic views of the city and Lake Wakatipu
take a ride on the Skyline Gondola which climbs its way to Bob's
Peak, where visitors can enjoy a peaceful walk or visit the Kiwi
and Birdlife Park when reaching the bottom terminal.
Around town, one can take a leisurely stroll through Queenstown
Gardens or take in the view from the Ben Lomond walkway. For the
golfer, there are plenty of world renowned courses to choose from
around Queenstown and for the wine fanatic, there are some of New
Zealand's finest vineyards around which one can plan a day of
excellent wine tasting. For something truly special, visitors to
Queenstown should not miss out on a visit to Lake Wanaka, which was
voted as one of the world's top 10 most romantic destinations in
the world and sports the most photographed tree in New Zealand.
As part of the Southern Scenic Route, Queenstown is ideally
located on a tourist highway in New Zealand linking Queenstown,
Fjordland, Te Anau and the iconic Milford Road to Dunedin via
Riverton, Invercargill, and The Catlins. If one has the time and an
adventurous spirit, an Australian travel magazine labelled the
Southern Scenic Route as "one of the world's great undiscovered
drives" in 2008, so rent a car and start exploring the most
beautiful scenery which can be found in New Zealand.