Located on the side of Lake Wakatipu, the resort town of Queenstown is located on New Zealand’s South Island. It is the largest town in South Island, it is also definitely one of the most well-known ones and it gets tons of tourists throughout the year. So there was a lot to do and I was glad that I was spending four days in Queenstown.
Queenstown: 12 Things You Can Do for a 4 Day Visit
Day 1
On my agenda for the first day was the Queenstown Gondola. I decided to go to Skyline Queenstown and ride the gondola to the top of Bob’s Peak. Bob’s Peak had a panoramic view of Queenstown and its surrounding areas.
There was a sort of museum at the entrance of Skyline. I could look at some of the information about how the gondola had started out. One of the old gondola carriages had even been placed at the entrance. The carriages had changed now and they used much bigger ones.
There was a line to buy tickets for the gondola and other rides. There was actually a lot to do at Skyline, even other than the gondola rides.
Then it was time to climb into one of the gondolas. They were made mostly of glass so that the view would be visible from all sides. And they could fit ten people.
My gondola started climbing slowly up the hill.
I could soon see my destination. I would get off at the top.
Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu lay in front of my eyes. Lake Wakatipu was the third largest lake in New Zealand when it came to surface area.
Even the night view from the gondola was brilliant. The city was all lit up and I could see hundreds of lights from houses, cars, restaurants and streets.
The second thing on my itinerary was the Luge ride at Skyline. I had never done that before and I was really excited. I went to the section where the Luge rides took place and looked at the little carts that I would be riding down in. They looked pretty easy to navigate and so I felt more confident.
I had to ride up in a chairlift for the Luge ride. That looked a little risky, since I was so high up and the chairlift was completely open. But it was also very exciting.
There was a huge structure to the right when I went to get on the chairlift. It looked like Skyline was constructing something. I had read that they were expanding their premise so maybe it was for that reason.
I had to wear a helmet for my Luge ride.
The path that the cart would take while going down was really twisty and curvy. And there was snow everywhere. It looked so pretty. I could see the forests in the distance as the chairlift traveled up.
At the top, I found a Luge cart and was ready for my adventure.
3. Buffet Dinner Stratosfare Restaurant & Bar, Skyline Queenstown
Once I had finished all my rides for the day, it was time for a buffet dinner. The Stratosfare Restaurant and Bar was located at Skyline Queenstown itself.
The sides of the restaurant were made only of glass so the views were incredible. In fact, the view was one of the things about the restaurant that attracted tourists. Anyone could pay for a premier experience and get one of the tables beside the windows. The gondola ride came as part of the package so booking a meal at the Stratosfare Restaurant automatically gave me a gondola ride.
There were a lot of options, both vegetarian and meat-based. There were so many salads and vegetables available.
I looked through all the dishes at the buffet and filled a plate of my favorite items for myself. It had been a busy day and I was hungry. As soon as I finished eating, I was ready for bed. Then I would wake up early for the next day.
Day 2
4. Fergburger & Fergbaker
The next day, I went to one of the most famous burger joints in Queenstown. It was called Fergburger and it was well-known by both tourists and locals. They also had a bakery right next door called Fergbaker. There was usually a long line at both the places. I had to wait for a bit to get my food.
But the burger looked incredible when I finally got it.
Then I went to Fergbaker next door. It looked quaint and old-fashioned.
They had a huge variety of coffees and customers could ask for alternative milk or an extra shot of coffee.
The bakery cases were full of colorful and delicious looking sandwiches. Since I was already full, I didn’t eat anything but it would also be a great breakfast option.
After that, I decided to go to my next stop for the day. The Queenstown Gardens had many exotic and local plants and trees. But the most common large tree species was the Douglas Fir. I had read that there were many of those in the garden, even though the trees were native to North America.
The eight sided gazebo was very pretty and surrounded by flower boxes.
It was a bright and sunny winter’s day. The skies were incredibly blue and there were quite a few people walking about the Queenstown Gardens.
I stood under a fir tree and looked up at the dozens of branches above my head. It was a beautiful tree and it must have been quite old. The trunk was so thick!
Queenstown Gardens had quite a few hiking trails and the Gardens went right up to Lake Wakatipu and the Frankton Arm. Signs showed the way to the neighboring suburb of Frankton and the town of Queenstown proper. The Gardens were located just outside Queenstown.
Not only did the walking trails have excellent views of the lake and the mountains, tourists could even see the town of Queenstown from the lakeside. I had to stop for a few minutes just to admire the view. The water was shining in the sun and looked very blue. But the edges were green.
6. Deer Park Heights Queenstown
After I had finished my walk around the Queenstown Gardens, it was time to go to Deer Park Heights. It was a tourist hotspot where visitors could wander around a working deer farm and interact with the animals. And deer weren’t the only animals at the farm. The drive towards the deer park was extremely scenic and the deer park itself was in a very beautiful location. It was surrounded by mountains and lakes and the animals had plenty of grazing space. The first animals that I saw were the donkeys. They looked quite furry to deal with the cold winter temperatures.
Then there were the sheep. The sheep still had their full coats and they had not been sheared yet. Visitors could feed the animals but they had to get food from sheep pellet dispensers and they had to pay $2 NZ coins for that. Feeding the animals any kind of human food was strictly prohibited.
The farm also had pigs. The pigs had black and white fur and were simply huge! They were kept inside some wire fences so that they couldn’t escape. I knew that the deer park had been running since 1966. Although I didn’t know how old the actual farm inside the park was, I thought it was interesting that visitors were allowed to interact with the animals like this. It was a new experience.
Then I started driving around the other areas. Picnicking was allowed and the view was definitely worth the drive! I saw an entire herd of deer at the top of a hill, overlooking the Wakatipu Basin. They were obviously very used to humans because they didn’t pay me any attention. I had read that the Lord of the Rings movies had sets in the area and I could see why it would be a nice place to shoot a movie.
Even the stags looked picturesque. One stag stood at the edge of the hill and he looked like he was posing for my photo. His antlers were just wonderful. Neighboring villages and Queenstown could be seen in the background. The lake looked so blue and the snowcapped mountains in the background were absolutely stunning. I was so glad that I had decided to come for this unique experience. Most people didn’t get to see deer from so close and in a natural setting.
There were also some mountain goats. Their horns were much smaller than the antlers of the stags. But they were also so hairy and fluffy! I knew they must have grown winter coats to keep them warm during the cold months. There were meadows full of grass in Deer Park Heights but the grass was beginning to get dry and brown. There were also a lot of rocky areas, which I was sure the goats loved.
The cows looked so cute. They came right up to the car like they were looking for affection. They were also pretty hairy. But they were quite small and not as big as some cows I had seen before.
7. Lake Wakatipu Walk
Finished with the deer park, I went on to my next stop for the day. The Lake Wakatipu Walk was one of the most scenic places in the town. Queenstown itself was considered an ideal place for hikers because there were so many lovely hiking trails. The walkway had a deck which led out to the lake.
The path was nicely paved and there were benches here and there so visitors could sit down and admire the view. I spent a slow and relaxing afternoon at the Lake Wakatipu Walk. Clouds were gathering as evening started to fall but the views were so pretty that I couldn’t bring myself to leave.
There were places where I could climb down the rocks to the lakeside. The water was pretty cold and it rippled with the breeze. It had been a busy few days and it felt calm and soothing to just sit down in one place for a while.
The neighboring farms, villages and towns could all be seen from the lakeside. I had to take a few pictures.
I ended the day with a delicious dinner at Shanghai2Taipei. It was a hotpot restaurant and they served two different kinds of soup bases. One was spicy and full of chilies and one was slightly milder.
They also brought me trays of meat to dip in my hotpot. I could cook everything to my liking. The meat was sliced thinly and it was of very good quality.
Other things like vermicelli noodles, imitation crab sticks and mushrooms were also available. I had a lovely dinner and was soon ready to head out for the night.
My drink had a very cute teddy bear shaped piece of ice. It was hanging off the edge of the glass and it was one of the sweetest things that I had ever seen.
Day 3
My third day was one of the most exciting days in New Zealand. I had booked a cruise to go to Milford Sound. It was a fiord in the southwestern part of South Island and was within the Fiordland National Park. The place had won many travel awards and it is considered New Zealand’s most famous tourist destination. So of course I was eager to see it.
I went to the jetty to find my cruise ship. The jetty was surrounded by mountains on all sides and I was curious to see what kind of landscapes we would be seeing.
It was an all day cruise so I was happy to see that the boat looked luxurious and comfortable.
I got food as soon as I arrived. There was a chicken and mushroom pie, some cookies, a cereal bar, a packet of sea salt chips and an apple. It was a light breakfast but perfect for a full day of cruising.
I sat inside and watched the hills and forests go by.
We were navigating between the mountains and over the lake so easily.
I could also see other ships and boats.
The view alone was worth the trip! Some of the mountains had cliffs that fell straight into the lake while the other mountains had more gentle slopes. Most of these areas were quite uninhabited.
Then we came across a waterfall.
It was the Stirling Falls and it was a 151 m tall waterfall. It looked magnificent.
Day 4
10. Glenorchy Wharf
For my last day in Queenstown, I had scheduled a visit to Glenorchy Wharf. Glenorchy is a small, charming village that is only 45 minutes away from Queenstown. It was perfect for a short road trip.
There were quite a few other visitors and everyone was walking around the lake. I found it so strange that there were some trees actually growing inside the waters of the lake. The rocky, pebbly beach was easy to walk on.
The wharf and viewpoint offered a view of the gleaming mountains. They were quickly getting covered up by clouds and the snow-covered mountain peaks were barely visible.
I walked out on the deck and took a few pictures of the surrounding scenery. There were some streetlights on tall poles so I knew that the place would be well-lit even after dark. It had some tourists but it wasn’t really crowded.
There were so many birds floating on the water or flying around us.
11. Horse Riding Experience at Glenorchy
I had also decided to go horse riding while I was in Glenorchy. I went to the stables to find a horse.
There was a wooden horse that had been fully set up with a saddle and reins. It looked really cute!
There were riding boots and helmets for visitors to borrow. I had to keep my own shoes away on a wooden shelf. I quickly sat down and got ready for my ride.
There were some fenced areas in front where the horses were kept. And there was even some outdoor seating with a fire pit in case it got cold. It felt nice to be out in the bright sunshine.
The horses were more like ponies. They were pretty small and really shaggy, with long hair. I quickly got onto the back of my horse. There were some other riders getting ready beside me.
Then I went for a ride along a horse track. We walked over some pebbly beaches and crossed some shallow streams. It was a once-in-a-lifetime sort of experience.
My last stop in Queenstown was the iconic Ice Bar. The whole bar was made completely of ice and the bottles of alcohol were stored on ice shelves!
Even the glass that my drink was served in was made of ice. I had bundled up in my warmest clothes so I wouldn’t get cold.
I saw chandeliers made of ice as well. The lights in the bar changed from blue to purple to green.
There were booths carved out of ice and all kinds of statues and decorative sculptures that were also made of ice. I had never seen anything like this before.
