Queenstown is the most popular site in the country, the adventure capital of the world and home to more adrenaline activities than you can count. Bungy jumping started here. Sledging and jet boating found fame here. If it can be done in New Zealand, you can probably find it in Queenstown. Traditional adventure sports abound: white water rafting, horseback riding and epic hiking. Queenstown itself has a frontier feel– tucked next to a mirror lake under the aptly named Remarkables mountain range. The town is small and outdoorsy. On the outskirts are some of the best luxury lodges in the country. And from Queenstown, you can visit the Otago valley, famous for its delicious pinot noirs.
Fiordland is just a day trip or scenic flight away. In a country filled with beautiful places, Fiordland tops them all. Narrow cuts of ocean twist and turn in a glassy calm. Towering mountains rise sheer from the water’s edge. Moss and forest cling to cliff faces. Milford Sound alone has hundreds of waterfalls. Boat rides take you past the cascading waters through the fjords to the open ocean and back. For those wanting to stay longer, there is luxury accommodation in the small town of Te Anau. From there you can cruise both Milford and Doubtful Sounds. You can even get away from the crowds and kayak the tranquil fjords in a tandem kayak with your companion. The famed Milford Track, a beautiful multi-day hike named the ‘greatest walk in the world,’ leaves from Te Anau as well.
Top Activities in Queenstown and Fiordland, NZ:
Boating the incredible Milford Sound
Tasting an Otago pinot noir at an area winery
Adventure and adrenaline galore
