Queenstown, the adventure capital of New Zealand

Having seen amazing photos of lupins in the New Zealand countryside, we decided to book ourselves a free-and-easy holiday to Queenstown for a summer vacation.

A direct flight from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL) to Queenstown Airport (ZQN) takes only about 3 hours and 10 minutes. Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Air New Zealand offer direct services. Needless to say, we went with Jetstar for budget fares since it’s such a short flight.

We opted to stay in a hotel near downtown Queenstown, right on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, in order to be a short walk from Queenstown’s vibrant shopping and entertainment district. It was an excellent choice, offering mountain and lake views, and ease of getting to a good selection of eateries.

Kiwi Park

Being oldies, we chose sedate activities like visiting the Kiwi Park, where we saw a variety of birds, including the Keas, Kākārikis, Teals, Tūīs, Tuataras, Wekas and Falcons.

Antipodes Island Kākāriki:

Besides walking through the grounds to view the various birds in their aviaries, we attended a bird demonstration of various birds flying to their trainer.

After our relaxing trip to the Kiwi Park, we headed back to the town centre, where we had a simple Japanese lunch. We spent the rest of the afternoon soaking up the atmosphere by Lake Wakatipu.

TSS Earnslaw Steamship Lake Cruise

In the evening, we took a cruise across Lake Wakatipu aboard New Zealand’s oldest steamship, the TSS Earnslaw, to Walter Peak Station.

Launched in 1912, the TSS Earnslaw is a vintage coal-fired steamship, and is believed to be the largest and grandest vessel ever to ply Lake Wakatipu. It is also believed to be the only coal-fired passenger carrying vessel still operating in the southern hemisphere.

After a short scenic cruise across the lake with breathtaking views of the Remarkables mountain range and Cecil Peak, we arrived at Walter Peak High Country Farm.

The farm has beautifully landscaped flowering gardens. We were given some time to wander through the gardens.

Shortly after, we were ushered into the homestead, where we had a sumptious seafood buffet dinner.

After dinner, we were treated to a sheep-shearing demonstration before heading back via the same steamship. What an evening it was to remember!

Milford Sound

We headed off for a day tour to Milford Sound the next day. Alas, we failed to check the weather forecast and picked a rainy day to head there. So our stop at Mirror Lakes was a disappointment as we couldn’t take photos of the stunning mountain scenery reflected in the waters of the lakes, which were rippled by raindrops.

Then on to the Homer Tunnel. It was quite amazing that they managed to cut a tunnel through the sheer rocky ranges.

As we emerged out the other side of the tunnel, we were presented with one of the world’s most dramatic alpine drives, down through the Cleddau Valley. Due to the rain, there were heaps of waterfalls everywhere. Our guide told us the various names of rivers and waterfalls, but it was difficult to remember them all. We could almost hear the music of Jurassic Park in our heads as we drove through the valley.

Finally, we arrived at the cruise terminal at Milford Sound, where we boarded a ship that cruised the waters of this natural wonder.

The cruise meandered down the Milford Sound. We took in the sights of wild seals relaxing on rocks, the cliffs and peaks, Lady Bowen Falls and Stirling Falls. All in all, it was quite a magical experience especially when the cruise ship went up close to Lady Bowen Falls. We were somewhat drenched by the sprays from the waterfall, but simply could not miss out on the on-deck experience of being up close to the waterfalls.

It was a long day out, lasting around 12 hours. We left Queenstown around 7:30 am and returned in the evening around 7:30 pm. Needless to say, we needed a day to recover after the long day out!

Arrowtown

After a day’s rest with leisurely strolls along the waterfront, indulging in local cuisine in Queenstown, we decided to take a 30-minute drive to Arrowtown.

Arrowtown (Kā-Muriwai) is a gold-mining town established in 1862, nestled in a river valley, surrounded by mountains. It is built on the banks of the Arrow River (Haehaenui). We spent a few relaxing hours, exploring the little town with its art galleries and historic 19th century buildings located on the main street, Buckingham Street.

We also dropped in at Lakes District Museum to view artifacts and old photos.

We also learnt that Arrowtown is most famous for serving as a filming location for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring!

Other Activities Available in Queenstown

Not wanting to test our physical limits, we did not try bungee jumping, the Shotover Jet or the 4WD Skippers Canyon Scenic Tour.

All in all, we had an enjoyable short stay in Queenstown. We might return again someday.