In April of 2017, my friends, husband, and I spent an amazing 15 days in New Zealand. The first five of which we spent in Queenstown. If you’re thinking of planning a trip to New Zealand and have no idea of where to start, then Queenstown is probably your best bet! There are so many things to do there. From hiking, zip-lining, paragliding, skydiving, bungee jumping, the list is truly endless.
We visited during their “fall” since the seasons are opposite from the US. We were hoping to catch great weather, milder temperatures, and less crowds. Unfortunately, the weather is very unpredictable and we ended up having several adventures cancelled. If I ever go back (and I plan to), then I would shoot for their summer months, January and February, so that the weather would be more predictable.
Welcome to New Zealand, where your adventure begins in Queenstown! After a long flight, grab your bags and head to your hotel for the next 4 nights.
After checking into the hotel, make your way to the Skyline Gondola + Luge for an adventurous downhill ride with stunning 220-degree views of Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables mountain range beyond.
If you’re feeling extra daring, you can also sign up for bungee jumping at AJ Hackett ledge jump or swing!
Grab some dinner at The Bunker or if you’re looking for something quicker to eat, try Smith’s Craft Beer House.
This morning is an early start, but for an amazing reason! Head to Queenstown airport to catch your short flight to Milford Sound with Milford Sound Scenic Flights, where you fly over Wakatipu Basin and into Fiordland, sweeping the length of Milford Sound where you can take in unparalleled views of world famous fiord.
Once landing in Milford Sound, you will take a short boat ride over to Sandfly Point to begin your guided walk on the famous Milford Track. This is a three and a half hour walk taking you along a well formed track to the half way point, Giant Gate waterfall.
After the walk, transfer to the boat terminal where you’ll board a Mitre Peak Cruise through Milford Sound where you will see scenic highlights along the way, such as the Bowen Falls, snow-capped Mount Pembroke, and the awe-inspiring Mitre Peak itself, towering 1692 meters from the ocean floor.
The flight back is breathtaking as you first spot 548 meter Sutherland Falls. This scenic flight will allow you to take in magnificent views of the mountains, glaciers, lakes and forests of the Fiordland national Park on your way back to Queenstown.
After your busy day, grab dinner at The Cow. This is seriously the coolest restaurant. The ambiance is awesome and they have a roaring fire for cold, dreary days. This was one of my favorite restaurant experiences in Queenstown.
Dinner at The Cow
Pizza at The Cow
TIP: If you end up like us and have bad weather, take this opportunity to explore downtown Queenstown or plan a trip on the Shotover River Extreme Jet Boats.
Since you have some time this morning, I highly recommend grabbing breakfast at Bespoke Kitchen before your excursions for the day.
After breakfast, head to your thrilling Tandem Paragliding excursion.
Grab a quick burger at Fergburger for lunch or head back to your hotel and make a quick lunch if you got the suite with a kitchen.
Next up, canyoning! This was probably one of my favorite things that we did while in New Zealand. If you’ve never done it, then I highly recommend this excursion! This adventure you will go down natural water slides, zip lines, pool jumps, abseils (rappelling), swimming and scrambling. I have a major fear of heights, but I would do this again and again!
Suprisingly, New Zealand has some of the best Thai food that I have ever eaten! Check out @Thai for some delicious Thai green curry.
Bespoke Kitchen, Queenstown. Picture / Guy Coombes
The beautiful Routeburn Track is located in Mount Aspiring National Park and is our plan for today. It is a hike that begins with a gradual ascent, through 130 million year old magical world of ferns, mosses, lichens and beech forest. During this trek, you will explore forgotten paths of the Maori, finding enchantment around each corner. This walk is often described as, being “far better than the Milford Track”.
Just 2.5 hours down the track, the woodlands part to reveal the rich grassland of the Routeburn Flats, overlooked on all sides by cloud-scraping mountains, some so high they have permafrost. The Flats is a pristine site to stop for lunch. After a delicious Kiwi style picnic lunch, turn and enjoy the valley in reverse.
Being from Tennessee, I have been whitewater rafting numerous times. That being said, whitewater rafting on the Shotover River after tons of rain making normal class 4 rapids become class 5 rapids was a whole other level!
This was the coolest experience! Due to weather, it was almost cancelled. Thankfully, at the last minute, they decided to run the excursion.
The Shotover River runs through Skippers Canyon and was one of the richest gold bearing rivers in the world. Start the journey from Deep Creek over peaceful waters at first, head towards the exhilarating rapids of the lower canyon. The adrenaline pumps as you paddle Rock Garden, After Shock, Sharks Fin, and Pinball to name but a few of the rapids. Raft the 170m Oxenbridge Tunnel before shooting Cascade Rapid to complete your adventure.
Here are three hotels that I would recommend. We stayed in the Scenic Suites. It was really nice because it was walking distance to downtown and it had a kitchen so that we could cook breakfast in the mornings before heading out on our busy day.
Have you ever been to New Zealand or Queenstown? If so, leave me a comment below and tell me your favorite experience of your trip!
If you need any help booking a trip to New Zealand, I would love to help!
ABOUT ME:
I was born in Mississippi but raised a Tennessee girl! I attended undergrad at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where I received my degree in Biochemistry. I then proceeded to go to pharmacy school at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center with my last 3 years in Knoxville. (Go VOLS!) 6 years ago I followed my sweetheart to Dallas, Texas, where I have been ever since!
I am currently a practicing Inpatient Pharmacist with a love for traveling. I love to get off the beaten path and go places/do things that are not the normal “tourist” thing to do. I love hiking and adventure travel!
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Follow me: @thatblondetravels
