Queenstown Scenic Highlights

Queenstown | Regional Information | Activity Highlights | Scenic Highlights | History

From the moment you wake up until the moment the sun slips behind the mountains, Queenstown delivers full strength alpine scenery.

Queenstown Scenic Highlights Overview

Long summer days in Queenstown blonde the tussocks, throwing the hills open to mountain bikers and hikers. The brilliant reds and golds of autumn colour the trees, inspiring photographers and golfers alike.

In winter, snow transforms the region into a remarkable alpine playground for skiers and snowboarders. Spring brings the spark of fresh green to the landscape—a time to celebrate life with a cruise on the lake or an invigorating bungy jump.

» Queenstown Attractions Directory

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Skippers Canyon - the Road to High Adventure

From the 1860s until recently, Skippers Canyon was the very centre of gold mining activity in the Queenstown region. Historical sites still exist today and you can see a number of original gold mining workings that are progressively being restored.

There are many exciting adventure activities that can be enjoyed here, these include bungy jumping, the flying fox and jet boating.

Hand carved out of solid rock, the Skippers Road is also an adventure in itself.

» Skippers Canyon Information

Follow Your Nose - the Queenstown Wine Trail

Spend the afternoon sampling award winning local vintages and learning the secrets of the world's southernmost wine growing region. Central Otago has won more gold medals for Pinot Noir than any other New Zealand region.

Grapes were first grown here during the gold rush of the late 1800s, when Frenchman Jean Desire Feraud recognised potential and planted vines. A cruise around the local vineyards is a must. There are numerous wine tours on offer.

Middle Earth

If you've see the Lord of the Rings trilogy, you're already familiar with some of Queenstown's most picturesque places. Rugged mountains, lush beech forests, golden hill country and crystal clear waterways made Queenstown, Glenorchy and Arrowtown perfect for many Middle-earth locations.

Fans will recognise the Ford of Bruinen, Dimrill Dale, Ithilien, Isengard, Lothlorien, Amon Hen and the Pillars of the Kings.

Several operators conduct specialised tours of Lord of the Rings filming sites. These tours are increasingly popular with LOTR fans; they're also great for those who just want to see the magnificent back country.

Glenorchy - the Gateway to Paradise

Bordered by a World Heritage area, the frontier village of Glenorchy at the northern tip of Lake Wakatipu is completely surrounded by mountains, glacier fed rivers and beech forest. The road to Glenorchy promises breathtaking views of Lake Wakatipu and glacial geological formations, including sheer mountain sides and hanging valleys.

20 kilometres further on is Paradise, a tiny farming settlement where the road evolves into a 4WD track and, eventually, a walking path. Many of New Zealand's great walks start or finish just beyond Glenorchy.

You can walk across the great divide via the Routeburn, Greenstone or Caples tracks or across the Mt Aspiring National Park on the Dart and Rees Track.

» Glenorchy Travel Directory

Useful Queenstown Links

To help plan your Queenstown holiday choose from the main categories below:

• Queenstown Accommodation
• Queenstown Tours
• Queenstown Attractions and Activities
• Queenstown Transport
• Queenstown Cuisine and Dining
• Queenstown Shopping
• Queenstown Visitor Information

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Queenstown Region Information

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