Everything you need to know about the WHV in Queenstown

Sporting activities

If you love sports, Queenstown is made for you: hiking, mountain biking, water sports and, of course, skiing. With the surrounding scenery, mountains and lakes, you won’t want to stay indoors!

Hiking and cycling

Queenstown offers over 130 km of hiking and cycling trails; you can choose routes based on level of difficulty and length. Remember that these trails are shared between cyclists and hikers, so respect the relevant safety instructions.

The Ben Lomond Track is the most popular hike in the area, but there are over a dozen hiking trails for all abilities (ranging from 20-minute walks to day-hikes). You can find details of the hikes available on the Department of Conservation (DOC) website.

Cyclists will love the Queenstown Bike Park, accessible by the gondola. Experience 12 mountain bike trails that connect with Lake Wakatipu. It’s not cheap (it’s Queenstown, after all!) but the views are worth the money.

In nearby Glenorchy, beginners can practise their mountain biking on the Paradise trail. More experienced mountain bikers should try the 7 Mile trail (which is located seven miles from Queenstown).

Swimming

Several options are available to you:

• Swimming pool: Alpine Aqualand is located in Frankton (10-minute drive).
• Lakes: Wilson Bay at Lake Wakatipu and the northern part of Lake Hayes are popular spots for lake swimming.
• Rivers: Parts of the Kawarau River and Shotover River are suitable for swimming. These rivers are also known for their rapids and are popular locations for white water rafting.

Skiing

Queenstown has two ski areas in the immediate area: Coronet Peak Ski Area and The Remarkables Ski Area. There are other ski resorts further afield, such as the Cardrona Alpine Resort and Treble Cone Ski Area.

Extreme sports

The region offers many opportunities for thrill seeking, such as canyoning, rafting, jet skiing, paragliding, etc. The Queenstown region is home to several spots for skydiving and bungee jumping. Plan a substantial budget if you want to try every extreme sport Queenstown is known for!

Cultural life

Festivals

Here are just a few examples of the many festivals that happen in Queenstown throughout the year:

• Rhythm and Alps Music Festival: a multi-day music festival in the Cardrona Valley to celebrate the end of the year (December).
• Arrowtown Autumn Festival: Witness the changing colours of the leaves in Arrowtown (April).
• Winter Pride: The Southern Hemisphere’s largest winter pride festival (August).
• LUMA Southern Light Project: The Queenstown Gardens are illuminated with various art and light installations (May-June).
• Winter Games NZ: Two weeks of winter sports competitions with international athletes, like a mini winter Olympics (August-September).

For full details of upcoming events in Queenstown, make sure you check out EventFinda and the Queenstown city website.

Cinema, theatre, music

• Reading Cinemas Queenstown offers cheap cinema tickets on Terrific Tuesdays.
• Queenstown Events Centre, SkyCity Casino or Arrowtown Athenaeum Hall are the main venues for concerts and theatre performances.
• Many local bands perform in the city’s restaurants/pubs, like Sherwood or Wakatipu Grill.
• The Remarkable Theatre holds performances at Queenstown Gardens.

Museums and art

Queenstown is not really known for its arts and culture. The town has only one museum, the Lake District Museum & Gallery. Here, you can rent a pan and go panning for gold in the river.

There are a few more art galleries available, such as the Central Art Gallery (exhibits from well-known New Zealand artists) or the Lightworx Gallery (modern art gallery).

Queenstown offers a 100% made in New Zealand art market on Saturdays along the lake at Earnslaw Park. You can buy locally-made paintings, jewellery, pottery, soap or sculptures.