Queenstown is a popular tourist destination in New Zealand. It was here that the main scenes of the Lord of the Rings trilogy were filmed, but tourists come here not only to look at the holes of the hobbits. Extreme lovers love Queenstown: there are excellent conditions for kayaking and jet boating and bungee jumping – it is especially beautiful to do this on a suspension bridge across the Kawarau Gorge.
Note: according to allcitypopulation, the population of New Zealand is 5.123 million (2021).
In winter, there are numerous resorts, and all year round – all 75 wineries in the region, where you can try the local Pinot Noir, which local winemakers are especially proud of.
Transportation
There is a bus service between New Zealand cities, however, the prices are expensive: a ticket from Wellington to Auckland will cost about 62-88 NZD. Ferries run regularly between the North and South Islands, travel time is from 2 to 3 hours. It is better to book tickets in advance. To rent a car, you will have to fork out 195 NZD per day (insurance included).
A city bus ride costs from 4.55 NZD. Taxis are widely available and cost 7-8 NZD per kilometer. The prices on the page are for October 2022.
On a note
Spirits in Queenstown are sold only in specialized Bottle Stores, but some restaurants allow you to bring your own spirits: their doors are marked with a BYO (Bring Your Own) sign.
Entertainment and attractions of Queenstown
In the Queenstown area are the three main bungee in New Zealand:
- 43m Kawarau Bridge (23km to the northeast)
- 47-meter Ledge on a mountain above the city, from where it is allowed to jump in any position (wonderful view of the city)
- the highest in the country 134-meter Nevis-Higher, where they are thrown down in a special gondola
A scattering of unique natural attractions in Queenstown complements Kaikoura – a place where you can watch whales.
During the winter months, Remarkables Skifield is ready to host extreme sports enthusiasts. Another great place is Wanaka, a typical mountain village that offers its own slopes for skiers of all skill levels. You can get to Wanaka from Quenstuan in 1.5 hours. The approximate cost of a bus ticket is 20-25 USD. Nearby is the Snowpark NZ resort, where the entire ski elite comes in the summer.
To visit New Zealand and not visit the Maori tribes is unforgivable stupidity. Here you can not only stare at the unusual, but surprisingly hospitable indigenous people of these harsh lands, but also learn from them the art of applying combat makeup, the subtleties in search of a giant three-meter ostrich dinornis.
3 things to do in Queenstown
- Feel free to climb the Luge ride, which is an 800-meter concrete jump track for special three-wheeled karts descending from the mountain – “luge”.
- Organize a picnic near the Chard Farm Vineyard, the main treat of which will be delicious wine purchased in the neighboring cellars.
- Reach Skipper Canyon Maori Point (Maori Point), where, according to history, two Maori miners found gold in 1862. What should you dig – suddenly the gold diggers were inattentive!
Milford sound
Milford Sound is the place where The Lord of the Rings was filmed, landscapes of stunning beauty, rainforest of the Mesozoic era, ferns and horsetails in human growth. The secret of the flora and fauna of Milford Sound is in an amazing climate: on the one hand, snowfalls covering the mountains, on the other, warm waters that have nourished the forest for millions of years.
From the fjord of Milford Sound, the 54-kilometer Milford track begins: many waterfalls, lush vegetation, mountain peaks and kiwi birds under your feet are available.
You can get there either by plane with one landing (on the way one hour of summer). Or five hours by car on exciting roads with picturesque surroundings.
Fishing in Queenstown
If you were indifferent to fishing before visiting Queenstown, the local open spaces will certainly whet your appetite for fishing. Especially the coast is famous for fishing for trout at any time of the year. It’s not enough to cast a line, go on a cruise. Moreover, you should not aimlessly plow the expanses of the ocean, but set the goal of your trip to visit the abandoned Benedictine monasteries located at the very bottom of the craters of extinct volcanoes. Moreover, in one of these monasteries, New Zealand volcanologists created an extreme entertainment: descending into the very thickness of seething volcanic magma in a special capsule with powerful thermal insulation. There will be more joy than from catching an ordinary fish.
