Sightseeing
Arrowtown Chinese Settlement
Arrowtown Chinese Settlement preserves the restored huts and stories of Chinese gold miners who lived near Arrowtown during the nineteenth-century gold rush.
Queenstown · New Zealand
Sightseeing
Queenstown Central
Queenstown · New Zealand
Queenstown Central is the vibrant heart of New Zealand's adventure capital, a compact downtown of restaurants, bars, and outdoor gear shops overlooking the glacial blue of Lake Wakatipu and the jagged Remarkables mountain range. The mall, lakefront promenade, and Steamer Wharf precinct buzz with travelers from around the world drawn by bungee jumping, skiing, jet boating, and hiking. The nightly energy of Queenstown's bar scene has earned it a reputation as the southern hemisphere's party capital.
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Sightseeing
Sawpit Gully Track
Sawpit Gully Track is a walking route near Arrowtown, offering historic gold-mining scenery, open ridgelines, native scrub, and views of the surrounding hills.
Queenstown · New Zealand
Sightseeing
Crown Range Road
Crown Range Road is New Zealand's highest sealed main road, climbing to 1,076 meters above sea level on the pass between Queenstown and Wanaka through an extraordinary panorama of high-country farmland, mountain ranges, and the deep blue of Lake Wanaka below. The descent to Wanaka on the Cardona side through the Cardrona Valley is one of New Zealand's most scenic drives. The road is popular with cyclists and motorists seeking the most direct (though challenging in winter) route between the two resort towns.
Queenstown · New Zealand
Sightseeing
Arrowtown
Arrowtown is a perfectly preserved gold rush town in the Queenstown Lakes district, nestled in an Otago valley where the Arrow River was once panned for gold in the 1860s. Its broad main street of stone and timber gold-rush era buildings houses boutiques, restaurants, and the excellent Lakes District Museum. The surrounding gorge walk and autumn foliage — the poplars and willows turning gold in April — create some of the most beautiful seasonal scenes in New Zealand.
Queenstown · New Zealand
Sightseeing
Lake Hayes
Lake Hayes is a peaceful lake near Queenstown, valued for reflections of surrounding mountains, cycling paths, walking loops, and picnic spots.
Queenstown · New Zealand
Sightseeing
Glenorchy
Glenorchy is a remote paradise village at the head of Lake Wakatipu, 45 km from Queenstown through sublime mountain scenery that was used extensively in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy as Isengard and Lothlórien. The sleepy village of 300 people is surrounded by mountains, wetlands, and the braided Dart River, offering kayaking, jet boating, horse trekking, and walking access to the wilderness of Mount Aspiring National Park. The drive from Queenstown along Lake Wakatipu's shore is one of New Zealand's most scenic road trips.
Queenstown · New Zealand
Destination
New Zealand
Mountain passes, clear lakes and generous distances make New Zealand a natural fit for a patient road trip.
New Zealand
Travel guides
Queenstown Winter 2026: Ski, Adventure & Scenic Drives
Queenstown winter travel guide 2026: world-class skiing at Coronet Peak and The Remarkables, bungee jumping, jet boating, scenic drives, Central Otago pinot noi
7 days
Inspiration trips
New Zealand South Island Scenic Loop: 7 Days
A focused seven-day South Island route from Christchurch through Lake Tekapo, Aoraki Mount Cook, Wanaka and Queenstown without forcing a full-island sprint.
7 days · Moderate
Travel guides
New Zealand North to South: A Practical 12-Day Road Trip
A realistic twelve-day route from Auckland to Queenstown, with ferry and rental-car planning, manageable driving days, and time for New Zealand landscapes.
12 days
Inspiration trips
Self-Drive Tour of the Glacial Fjords on New Zealand's West Coast (5 Days)
A classic 5-day self-drive itinerary starting in Christchurch, passing through Arthur’s Pass, Punakaiki, Hokitika, Fox Glacier, and Lake Matheson, and ending in
5 days · EasyRelated reading