Highlights of New Zealand

I’d always heard New Zealand was amazing, but it wasn’t until we visited Queenstown that I really understood what all of the fuss is about. The city sits on a beautiful lake perched below giant snow-topped mountains. With a plethora of magnificent hiking and biking trails, Queenstown is truly a nature lovers paradise.

Highlights of New Zealand – Queenstown Must Do’s

Bike the Queenstown Trail

The Queenstown Trail offers 120km of breathtaking scenery from Queenstown to the Gibbston Valley. We rode 45km around Lake Hayes and enjoyed amazing views at every turn. The path had some very steep inclines to battle, but for the most part was easy to follow and well maintained.

Tip: Rent electric mountain bikes to increase the distance you can cover in an afternoon. They are available at several locations around town.

Hike Queenstown Hill

The Queenstown Hill Time Walk was built to highlight the past, present, and future of Queenstown and the Lake Wakatipu region.  The view from the summit at Te Tapunui (mountain of intense sacredness) offers 360 degrees of stunning beauty. The hike varies in length depending on route and side paths. We explored most every path over our 3.75-mile hike.

Tip:  Dress in layers as the weather changes quickly and it’s very windy at the top. Gloves and a hat are a must.

Luge at the Queenstown Skyline

Skyline Queenstown is an attraction featuring a gondola, luge, mountain bike park, restaurant, and stargazing all with amazing panoramic views. We enjoyed the luge very much and the views from the top of the gondola were stunning. I know this is kind of a tourist trap, but it was really fun, so why not?

Tip:  It can be cold at the peak and weather changes quickly.  Dress in layers that include a raincoat.

Take a scenic drive

Pick a kilo of cherries at Dam Good Fruit.

Go-kart at the Highlands Motorsport Park.

Sample wines at one of the many wineries along route 6.

Stop for scenic photos at the Shotover River.

While Queenstown was our favorite stop, these are just a few Highlights of New Zealand. Feel free to reach out for further insight on our New Zealand adventures.  We also visited Auckland, Christchurch, Coromandel, and Whitianga and can certainly provide some advice on those areas!