Queenstown

The town centre is small, packed with bars, restaurants and activity desks, and walkable end to end in ten minutes. You do not have to throw yourself off anything to enjoy the place: the lakefront, the views and the nearby valleys carry it on their own.

Things to do

• Ride the Skyline gondola above town for the classic view, with a luge run at the top.
• Jump or watch at the Kawarau Bridge, the original commercial bungy site, about 20 minutes out.
• Take a jet boat through the Shotover canyons, or a cruise on the lake aboard the old steamship Earnslaw.
• Ski Coronet Peak, the Remarkables, Cardrona or Treble Cone in winter, all within an hour.

Where to go nearby

• Arrowtown, a preserved gold-mining village 20 minutes away, especially good in autumn.
• The Gibbston Valley wineries, known for pinot noir, on the road to Cromwell.
• Glenorchy at the head of the lake, and the long day trip out to Milford Sound and Fiordland.

Good to know

A bungy off the Kawarau Bridge runs around NZ$220, the Skyline gondola about NZ$50, and a Milford day tour with coach and cruise NZ$200 or more. The lakefront walks and the view from the gondola base cost nothing. Winter ski passes and gear add up fast, so budget hard if you come to ski. Book popular activities and any Milford trip days ahead in peak season, when they sell out.

Honest note: prices for food, drink and beds are the highest in the country, and the centre can feel like a theme park in peak summer and ski season. Book activities and accommodation well ahead, and consider staying in Arrowtown or Frankton to save money.

Queenstown has two clear peaks. Winter, June to August, brings the ski crowd, with cold, often sub-zero days, snow on the ranges and the town at its busiest and priciest; the four nearby fields draw skiers from across the world. Summer, December to February, is warm and long, often 20 to 28 degrees and ideal for the lake, the hikes and the day trip to Milford. Autumn (April to May) is the quiet favourite, with golden poplars around Arrowtown and crisp, settled weather. Spring can still be cold and wet. The shoulder months of May and November are the cheapest and least crowded, though some activities scale back. The mountain setting means the weather can change fast, so carry warm layers any time of year.

The compact centre is best on foot, with everything from the lakefront to the gondola base within a few blocks. Orbus buses run a cheap flat fare on the Bee Card and link the centre with Frankton, the airport and Arrowtown, which is handy if you stay outside town to save money. Most activity operators run their own shuttles to the bungy sites, ski fields and wineries, so you rarely need to drive yourself. A rental car is useful for the lake roads to Glenorchy and the longer trips, but parking in the centre is tight and metered in peak season. Queenstown Airport is at Frankton, about 8 kilometres east, around 15 minutes from town; it is a busy regional gateway with direct flights from Auckland and Australia, and a taxi to the centre runs roughly NZ$35 to NZ$50.