Queenstown activities
There are too many activities in Queenstown to describe, so we’ve added some of our favourites below. We only recommend the activities with the best value for money. It’s best to wait until you arrive before booking, because most activities can be booked for the following day, and it’s best to check the weather before planning your adventures. That being said, you’re welcome to contact us before arrival for help booking in advance.
Anything outside of town includes transport in the price, and all the pickup locations are less than a minute walk from the front door of Adventure Queenstown and a couple of minutes from Adventure Q2. We can book for you once you arrive, all you need to do is ask!
Prices for activities depend on season, time of day, and many other factors, so we haven’t included them below but feel free to shoot us a message now or chat with us once you arrive and we’ll let you know all the details.
Adventure Queenstown Hostel: queenstown@adventurehostels.co.nz
Adventure Q2 Hostel: q2@adventurehostels.co.nz
NZONE Skydive
You know you want to! It’s not as scary as you think. In fact, it’s easy to skydive. One, two, three… go! Operating since the mid-1980s, NZONE have been thrilling jumpers for ages. It’s pretty hard to beat the views of Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu as a setting for your jump. We only recommend the 12,000ft and 15,000ft jumps, with a free fall time of 40-45 and 60-65 seconds respectively.
Kawarau Bridge Bungy
This is the first bungy jump ever opened in the world! It is 43 metres high, and situated over the beautiful Kawarau River. Jumpers can choose to stay dry or get dunked and it’s the only bungy in town that allows tandem jumps.
Nevis Bungy
This is the BIG one! At 134 metres, the Nevis is Australasia’s highest bungy. You have to hop into a cable car just to reach the glass-bottomed jumping platform suspended over a rugged canyon. With eight seconds of free fall, this bungy is no joke.
Ledge Bungy
Located right in Queenstown at the top of the gondola, this 47-metre-high bungy starts 400 metres above the town! This is a “freestyle” bungy – because you’re in a waist harness you have the freedom to take a run and jump, spin, flip, etc. The cost of the gondola is not included in the price, but you can also walk up the hill for free, which takes about an hour.
Shotover Canyon Swing
Welcome to the world’s highest cliff jump! Started by two local lads in 2002, this is not your ordinary backyard swing. Choose from 70+ jump styles and be prepared to soil your undies. The uniquely designed system sends you swinging 200 metres with a 60-metre vertical freefall down a steep rocky cliff face. Throw their insane staff into the mix and you’ve got the experience of a lifetime. We can’t recommend these guys enough.
Skippers Canyon Jet
Owned by a fifth-generation gold mining family who still live in the Skippers Canyon, this great adventure delivers all the spins and thrills of a high speed ride. Even the drive out there is amazing: a 45-minute trip deep into the canyon with breathtaking views – usually placed in the top five most dangerous roads in the world. Don’t worry though, despite the scary cliffs along the narrow track, it’s perfectly safe with a seasoned guide at the wheel.
White Water Rafting Queenstown
Choose one of the two different rivers: The Kawarau River for a more leisurely experience (grade 2-3), or get right into the thrilling rapids of the Shotover River (grade 3-5). This rafting company can cater for everyone. The Shotover River includes the stunning drive deep into the canyon which will take your breath away. And yes, the water is cold, cold, cold! Don’t worry too much though, you’ll have a nice big wetsuit for your 1.5 hours on the water.
Horseback riding
There are a couple of companies all nearby: Dart Stables and High Country Horses are supremely located in an area recognised for exceptional beauty and natural, untouched qualities. With horses of various breeds, knowledgeable and enthusiastic guides, and over 20 years’ experience, these companies provide a great horse riding experience for all levels of rider.
Nevis Swing
You will be suspended 160 metres above the valley floor and can either wait for the countdown, have your friends release you, or you can leave it up to the crew to leave you hanging – heart pumping – before letting you go when you least expect it. Once released, you’ll experience a massive rush of adrenaline as you find yourself accelerating through the valley at mind-blowing speeds in a 300-metre arc – the world’s largest.
Milford Sound
New Zealand’s #1 tourist attraction, Milford Sound, is just stunning! While it’s a four-to-five-hour drive away, it is a beautiful bus trip with scenic photo opportunities. Once in Milford Sound, you will board a boat and enjoy a two-hour cruise all the way along the fiord, out to the Tasman Sea, and back. After the cruise, it is a straight journey back to Queenstown. The entire trip takes about 12 hours.
Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise
Ten times larger than Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound is best seen on an overnight cruise so you can enjoy all that this tucked-away fiord has to offer. Doubtful Sound is often overlooked because it’s difficult to reach. With a bus to Manipouri, you then take a scenic cruise across the lake, followed by another bus through the rainforest and over Wilmot Pass to reach the shores of Doubtful. With an option to kayak and a buffet dinner and breakfast, this overnight cruise is a fantastic way to experience one of the great views of Fiordland National Park.
Coronet Peak Tandems
We all see people paragliding from the top of Bob’s Peak in town, but a flight from the base of the ski fields gives you more than twice the flight time! With up to 20 minutes of air time, you won’t be sorry as you get the chance to do more tricks and turns before landing a few thousand metres further down the valley. Offering both paragliding and hang gliding in the summer, and in the winter you have the opportunity to take the chairlift to the summit of Coronet Peak for an even more exhilarating paraglide experience.
Skyline Luge
Skyline Luge has become a worldwide favourite and a must-do activity in Queenstown. Jump in your specialised luge cart and enjoy a thrilling, gravity-fuelled downhill ride. Take it easy on the blue track or zoom around the curves and over the bumps of the red track, then hop on the chairlift and do it all over again – once is never enough!
Pure Glenorchy Lord of the Rings Tour
The 45-minute drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy is legendary on its own. It’s a quintessential South Island experience, just like Glenorchy itself. The Lord of the Rings films were all shot in this region, aptly named ”Paradise”, known for its vast fields and dramatic mountainous backgrounds. This guided tour is a great way to experience one of the most stunning and uninterrupted landscapes in the world.
Gibbston Valley wine tasting
Through several different tour options, you can learn about the humble beginnings of Central Otago wines in Gibbston Valley, just a 20-minute drive from town, and a region many thought would never sustain grape growing. Taste the world-leading Pinot Noir and see how wrong they were!
Skyline downhill mountain biking
If you don’t love mountain biking now, you will after you visit Queenstown which boasts some of the best downhill mountain bike trails in the world. Simply rent a bike, ride the gondola up and take one of the numerous trails back down. The trails are no joyride though: with hairpin turns, rock sections, and jumps scattered through the downhill course they will amp your adrenaline up from normal to heavy in seconds.
Canyoning New Zealand
In short, this is the sport of getting from the top of a canyon to the bottom using any means possible: abseiling down waterfalls, jumping from cliffs, sliding down rock formations, swimming through pools and climbing through narrow passageways are just some of what you will do. A good hard workout and an incredible amount of fun!
Serious Fun Riverboarding
Bodyboard, yes, bodyboard up to 14 kilometres of New Zealand white water. Conquer grade 2-3 rapids not in a conventional raft, but in the thick of it with just a bit of foam, your wits, and a highly trained guide to get you through. You’ll enjoy surfing standing waves, riding whirl pools, and catching underwater currents if you’re brave enough. The high-volume Kawarau River pumps with adrenaline, and this trip will challenge your nerves from start to finish.
TSS Earnslaw Cruise
A leisurely 90-minute cruise across Lake Wakatipu aboard the iconic steamship the TSS Earnslaw, which has been running since 1912. It’s undoubtedly one of the best ways to experience Queenstown’s famed scenic beauty. You can visit the engine room and see its engines at work, check out the bridge, or kick back and enjoy a wine or beer. You can also combine the cruise with a visit to Walter Peak High Country Farm for a guided farm tour, barbecue lunch or evening dinner.
Scenic flight to Milford Sound
Flying over the Southern Alps from Queenstown to Milford Sound is awe-inspiring. On arrival, join a scenic cruise with excellent viewing opportunities. Keep a lookout for wildlife and scenic highlights such as the iconic Mitre Peak as you cruise on the fiord. After your cruise, fly back to Queenstown with views of the incredible scenery of Fiordland National Park – remote valleys, cascading waterfalls, lush rainforest, alpine lakes and cloud-piercing summits.
Hiking
If you love to hike, there are lots of options from the centre of town. Queenstown Hill may be the most popular short trek at a cruisy two hours round trip, but it is the five-to-six-hour round-trip hike up to Ben Lomond Peak that will make you gasp for air (literally) at the breathtaking view. From the top you get a beautiful 360-degree vantage point to look out on an epic landscape.
Frisbee/disc golf
Disc golf has been played in and around the Wakatipu for decades, most notably in the Queenstown Gardens. The course in the gardens was the first permanently marked-out course in New Zealand. Starting out with 17 object targets and one lone basket back in 1996, it has grown over the years and has now become a full 18 basket tournament course. Not sure how to play? Easy, just ask!
Cardrona Alpine Resort ski field
Cardrona is a mountain between Queenstown and Wānaka that suits all skiers with wide-open pistes, great terrain, and a massive park which makes it the ideal option if you’re a novice or serious skier. It is one of the highest ski areas in the region with the most chairlifts, and some of New Zealand’s best snow conditions. The only downside is that Cardrona is just over an hour drive away and therefore has fewer transport departure times.
Treble Cone ski field
This is the largest ski field in the South Island and is a great hill for the intermediate and advanced skier. With lots of natural chutes, drops, and half pipes this is an excellent option for those looking to get off-piste and have some fun. The ski field is a two-hour drive from Queenstown.
The Remarkables ski field
Better known as “Remarks”, this ski field has three slower old-style lifts and one new high speed lift. It is great for freestyle, park, and off piste. It’s about a 45-minute drive from Queenstown.
Coronet Peak ski field
With three modern high-speed lifts and a lot of pisted terrain, we recommend this ski field for on-piste skiing and boarding. Coronet Peak is about a 30-minute journey from Queenstown.
