Set against a cinematic backdrop of mountains and lakes that is more believable as an elaborate prank staged by Jacinda Ardern, Peter Jackson and Taika Waititi, Queenstown, New Zealand, has been hailed “adventure capital of the world” where three million tourists flock each year to get their adrenaline pumping. Teagan Bell visited during the peak of winter to see what all the fuss is about.
Where to stay
After tossing up between AirBnB properties and a number of other affordable hotels, my friend and I settled on the Sherwood, which markets itself as a “community hotel” that offers “a unique setting to unwind, and reconnect with self and nature”, complete with a sauna, yoga classes and Ayurvedic massages.
Its focus is on upcycling, which is apparent in the stylish guest rooms that are insulated with recycled cork and feature curtains fashioned out of ex-military blankets and carpet tiles made from recycled nylon fishing nets.
There was also no television or any other form of electronic entertainment aside from a radio, which was playing eerie classical music when we checked in and a very good, very stable wifi connection.
One of the best pieces of travel advice I’ve read was to pre-pay for everything before you leave so that when you arrive the left over funds you have is essentially just spending money.
To have breakfast included in our accommodation was exorbitant at best, so we opted to buy a box of cereal and yoghurt for the week, ham, cheese and bread for lunch time, and budgeted to have dinner out. While this didn’t go exactly to plan and many of our meals were either icecream or cheese and crackers due to poor time management and exhaustion, I would recommend accommodation that has basic meal-preparation amenities, or a microwave at least.
Unless you’re not on a budget, in which case Queenstown holds some of the best meals to be eaten, which brings me to my next point.
Where to eat
Every meal my friend and I ate, aside from a very unfortunate side order of silverbeet, was inexplicably delicious.
New Zealand was one of the last lands to be settled by humans, which means it had a very long period of isolation to form its amazing biodiversity of animal, fungal and plant life. This is why everything tastes so good. Or, at least, this is what I tell myself.
There are countless pubs in Queenstown, with many situated on a wharf overlooking Lake Wakatipu, and we took no time to pop into one for a serve of the famous “fush and chups”.
We also tried Fergburger, which I later found out has some legendary status in the burger world, and for good reason. It really was the best burger I’ve ever had, but it was also the size of my head so I’d warn against ordering sides unless you’re sharing (in which case, the onion rings are to die for).
New Zealand is also famous for its dairy and that means wonderful ice cream and desserts. Queenstown knows this which is why it has two Patagonia stores within 100m of each other. My friend and I visited daily for a scoop of the good stuff and a hot chocolate, and I’d suggest you do the same.
I would also suggest you pay a visit to the restaurant at Sherwood, which apparently is popular with everyone in town, not just hotel guests.
In true Sherwood fashion, every meal is made from produce grown in its communal garden, but the menu may be confusing for people who don’t know what an endive is or struggle to read menus that don’t use prepositions.
If you only have time to eat one meal though, or if you suspect you might die bungy jumping the next day, your last meal must be a bowl of spaghetti bolognese at The Cow.
It’s the best bowl of pasta I’ve ever eaten in my carb-fueled life and the restaurant itself is ambrosia for the cold, weathered and famished.
Set in an old stone barn, it features an open fire, rafters decorated with copper kegs and cookware, and candles on each table for a cosy, intimate space that feels like you’ve stumbled into a period drama.
What to do
Skyline Gondola & Luge
There’s nothing more terrifying than the thought of being suspended helpless in a metal box over a cliff in an area prone to earthquakes, so you can understand my hesitation here.
I was also not 100 per cent sure what luging was, but visions of the Winter Olympics sprung to mind and thoughts of reaching very high, uncontrollable speeds where I am subsequently flung to my death also sprung to mind.
In reality the Skyline Gondola was a very safe, very fun experience and a great way to view Queenstown and its surrounding terrain.
And the luge turned out to be more like a family-friendly version of Mario Kart on the side of a snowy cliff that was so unreasonably fun you could honestly do it all day.
Jet boating
Among the encyclopedic number of adventure activities Queenstown is known for, jet boating is one of the most famous, namely, the original experience that operates on the Shotover River.
Not wanting to dish out $155 though, we settled for a cheaper option that took us along the Frankton Arm to the Kawarau River, with a few 360 spins thrown in for good measure. It was cold, wet and fast, but a great way to view the scenery up close.
Ice bar
We backed up our jet boating with a visit to Minus 5 Ice Bar for another “unmissable” tourist experience. Inside, it’s a chilly negative six degrees and we only lasted around 15 minutes before our extremities were screaming and we’d downed our cocktails.
There’s great photo opportunities to be had with ice sculptures, though, and you get to smash your ice cup when finished which is super satisfying.
Skiing & snowboarding
We knew we wanted to visit the snow and because, as many locals had despondently informed us, Queenstown had not yet experienced a “proper” winter this year, a trip to the ski fields seemed the only way to do it.
There are four main ski slopes in the Wanaka and Queenstown area, with Coronet Peak and the Remarkables the closest and best suited to novices.
We chose the former as it was the fastest to get to and snowboarding because it seemed the easiest out of the two. How wrong we were.
Our package was $236 per person and included return transportation, snow gear, a daily lift pass, two two-hour lessons and the snowboard itself.
The day was worth the money we paid though for the full experience you’ll need more than just a single day in the ski fields.
Horse riding
Before I left, someone had told me about their magical experience riding through Glenorchy and because of the annoyingly quixotic view I can sometimes have of the world, I was convinced I had to try it.
If bungy jumping is what gets your heart racing, then horse riding is what makes it trundle along at a sloth-like pace. At the start I was living my childhood dream infused with some a fantasy film; The Saddle Club goes to Isengard. But two and a half hours on a walking horse is not something I’d wish on my worst enemy.
The ride took us across the Rees River, through various shooting locations for Hollywood blockbusters like Lord of the Rings (of course), the Chronicles of Narnia, Mission Impossible and X Men, but even the most beautiful scenery could not save my brain from a bored stupor and my toes from the alpine wind lashing at them through my gum boots.
Milford Sound
If you’re not flinging yourself off of bridges or partaking in some other thrill-seeking adventure activity in Queenstown, you’re most likely there for sight seeing tours and Milford Sound is the big one people flock from far and wide for. Without a doubt, the scenery I witnessed along the way was among the most beautiful I have ever seen, with Lake Te Anau, countless snow-capped mountain ranges and alpine rainforests.
The fiord itself is like taking a glimpse into prehistoric times, with the most photographed summit in the country, Mitre Peak, cascading waterfalls and countless rainbows.
It is as exhausting as it is beautiful though, with the bus trip a staggering eight and a half hours return and the cruise out to the Tasman Sea an hour and a half. There is the option, however, to fly back via charter plane for a hefty $400 so start saving now.
