Category Archives: Queenstown

5 of the Finest Holiday Destinations in New Zealand

Blessed with the best of nature, New Zealand is one of the most sought after travel destinations in the world.

New-Zealand

Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, this popular Oceania country is known for its beautiful landscapes, rich history and culture, and terrific wine! For those of you heading to this island paradise, here is a list of must visit destinations in New Zealand.

Hawke’s Bay

Home to a wide variety of red and white wines, Hawke’s Bay is no less than a paradise for wine lovers. Red Blends, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are among the popular wines available in the city. Guided tours to the nearby farms, wine tasting events and wine festivals are organised both within and outside the town.

Rotorua

Often known as the heartland of Maori culture, Rotorua is a beautiful city and apt place to enjoy the rich history and culture of the country. Visiting the authentic pre-European villages, learning about cave paintings, experiencing the traditional cooking methods, wearing the traditional village costumes and participating in the Maori singing and other cultural shows are the major draws for the tourists here.

Bay of Islands

A popular enclave consisting of more than 140 subtropical islets, Bay of Islands is much loved by the travellers. Featuring some of the most beautiful beaches, attractive corals along with offering stunning vistas of the surrounding landscape, the island is perfect spot for the ones looking for a serene beach holiday in New Zealand. A wide range of adrenalin-pumping adventure activities including snorkelling, deep sea diving and surfing can be enjoyed on the islands.

Queenstown

Located on the shores of South Island’s Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown is easily one of the most popular adventure destinations in New Zealand. The resort town is best known for its unmatched beauty and thrilling adventure opportunities, such as kayaking, bungee jumping, jet boating, white-water rafting, hiking and skiing. The nearby Milford Sound, part of the Fjordland National Park World Heritage area is a nice spot for the ones who prefer a much quieter holiday adventure.

Kaikoura

A beautiful coastal town in South Island, Kaikoura is a place to enjoy the many wonders of Mother Nature! With different wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, the town is home to rich flora and fauna. In fact, Kaikoura is one of the best places in the world to spot whales and dolphins.

The Joys of Visiting New Zealand during winters

With the onset of winter in June, the North and South islands of New Zealand witness a huge influx of winter enthusiasts. Join the horde of holidaymakers to enjoy the stunning natural retreats, snowy landscapes, and wildlife. Also, ski or snowboard down the slopes and hike along the empty trails or go whale watching.

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Besides, there is the Queenstown Winter Festival in June to look forward to. It is one of the most popular winter events, which attracts thousands of visitors. Read on to know some of the top winter highlights of New Zealand.

Experience Adventure at Abel Tasman National Park

Abel Tasman ranks among New Zealand’s finest coastal national parks with water sports, sky diving, trail walking and day trips as its main attractions. Hit the beach to soak up the sun by the day and lie under the night sky to admire the beauty of the place. Stay at a beachfront lodge to enjoy the coast. Various boating companies offer single day or multi day tours of the park. While professionals can rent a kayak and explore the wilderness of the sea on their own, amateurs may seek the expertise of a number of kayaking agencies.

Whale Watching, Kaikoura

Also known as the whale watching capital of New Zealand, Kaikoura is a fabulous place to watch these gigantic primitive mammals in their natural habitat. Ranging from the largest of dolphins, the Orca, to the smallest, the place has it all. A spectacular variety of sea birds makes this place all the more appealing.

Snowboarding and Skiing in the Alps

Home to the Southern Alps, New Zealand offers one of the best snowboarding and skiing experiences in the world. Snowboarding gear is available on hire and experienced instructors are there to teach you priceless lessons. Choose from a variety of places like Queenstown, Coronet peak and Treble Cone to snowboard to your heart’s content.

Train Journey with the TranzAlpine Express

No journey to New Zealand is complete without a tour of the beautiful landscapes of the country. The TranzAlpine Express, one of best in its class, offers a beautiful winter experience by taking you through the snow clad Canterbury Plains, the cascading slopes of the Alps, and the meandering rivers. Operated by Kiwi Rail, this train runs daily between Christchurch and Greymouth. The entire journey takes less than 5 hours.

Queenstown Winter Festival

Queenstown celebrates one of the best winter festivals of the southern hemisphere with lights, sound, music and fireworks by the end of June. A spectacular display of fireworks marks the opening of the festival followed by a host of other fun filled activities like live street music, comedy shows, mountain races and street parties. This festival is all about celebrating the city’s unique culture with pomp and grandeur. Get ready to enthral yourself for 10 full days from 24th June to 3rd July.

Highlights of Queenstown Winter Festival, 2016

Travellers planning to explore New Zealand this year should visit the fun and adventure-obsessed country in the months of June and July.

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Queenstown’s iconic celebration, called ‘Queenstown Winter Festival’, will be held from 24th June to 3rd July, 2016. It is a 10-day festival propagating the town’s culture, community, street party, fireworks and lots more!

Tickets and Venues

The tickets for the festival will be on sale from 9th May, 2016. Some of the chosen venues are 1876 Bar and Restaurant, Coronet Peak, Skyline Restaurant and Village Green. Needless to say, every spot has a charm of its own and offers plenty of interesting activities. For example, Village Green will display fairy lights and playful penguins especially for kids.

Exclusive Accommodation Deals

Travellers, particularly budget travellers, won’t have to bother about accommodation. The festival has several ‘accommodation partners’ like Blue Peaks Apartments, Crowne Plaza Queenstown, Heartland Hotel and Hotel St Moritz that are based out of superb locations and have special packages for festival visitors.

Historical Significance of Queenstown Winter Festival

Queenstown Winter Festival started in 1975 as an excuse for a party. With more than 45,000 visitors annually, this festival – in its first season – featured races, entertainment and a ball with beer for adults and soda for kids. The people of the town heartily liked it and continued to celebrate the festival year after year. It has evolved over time. A consumer survey of 500 respondents last year indicated that most of the attendees of Queenstown Winter Festival 2015 rated the occasion as ‘Excellent’ and ‘Very Good’. Unsurprisingly, Queenstown Winter Festival has a special place in the hearts of the residents.

Festival Partners and Awards

Its title sponsor is American Express. Key sponsors are well-known brands like iHeartRadio, Auckland Airport and Atomic Coffee Roasters. Queenstown Winter Festival has won many significant awards and has even made it to the ‘World’s Top 10 Must-Do Festivals’ by ‘Yahoo!7 Travel’.

Top Four Adventure Activities in South Island, New Zealand!

South Island in New Zealand is an impressive place, packed with opportunities for adventure amidst challenging and inspiring landscapes.

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Popular for its different adventure sports and outdoor activities such as hiking and mountain biking, it is an unusual place to visit.

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Be it the shoreline or mountain ranges and valleys and plains, the destination has infinite scope for adventure and fun.

Skydiving, Queenstown

The surrounding areas of Queenstown are full of stunning attractions. One can go for a short trip across the river or enter the jungle. The first skydive experience is a scary thing but there is no looking back once you do it. The best thing about skydiving is that you can enjoy Queenstown’s scenery and even capture yourself flying high in a video. There are numerous tour agents who arrange skydiving.

Freestyle Ledge Bungy in Queenstown

The Ledge Bungy is a perfect example of the ‘up-for-anything’ Kiwi attitude and one of the most famous adventure attractions in Queenstown. It’s truly a fast & furious experience and absolutely not to be missed during your Queenstown holiday. Check out the different deals and offers before booking your tickets!

Shotover Jet, Queenstown

Try an ultimate Jet Boating experience with Shotover Jet; the adrenaline rush makes it unforgettable. Enjoy an amazing white water ride as you speed through the dramatic and narrow canyons. The total ride duration is 1 hour 30 minutes. Wearing Life jacket is a must.
Please note: Entry on the jet is on first come first serve basis; try to reach 15 minutes before your time. If you are late, send an email stating your confirmation so that you are put on the next available boat.

Wanaka Skiing

If you are in South Island during winters, you must try Wanaka Skiing, which features the longest ski and snowboard runs of the Queenstown. Treble Cone’s is the longest ski run with a vertical drop of 700m. The complete ski dive can be completed in 40 minutes. Travel a little further and you will find the dedicated cross country ski field of Snow Farm and Cardrona ski area. Before you book your tickets, don’t forget to browse complete information on the official website of Treble Cone, Lake Wanaka in South Island of New Zealand.

Three Popular Activities in Milford Sound, New Zealand

Milford Sound spoils you with a huge array of delightful activities and attractions. Depending upon your preferences, you can choose from amongst various activities and sports that suit you.

 Milford Sound by Joan Campderrós-i-Canas / CC BY

Milford Sound by Joan Campderrós-i-Canas / CC BY

There are various tour operators and guides here, who ensure that you enjoy your holidays to the hilt. Here are our top picks from Milford Sound.

Helicopter Ride

A helicopter ride is one of the best ways to admire the sights of Milford Sound. Helicopter rides as well as light aircraft flights are available from Te Anau, Wanaka, and Queenstown to Milford Sound and are offered by a number of helicopter operators. The airborne journey from these three destinations to Milford Sound offers you unrivalled views of glaciers and mountains. En route, the helicopter stops at the high Tutoko Glacier and if the weather is favourable, also atop the magnificent Sutherland Falls.

Cruises

If you are planning to go for a holiday to Milford Sound, Water Cruise should be on the top of your list.  There are various boat operators in Milford Sound, who offer guided tours and day cruises such as Cruise Milford NZ, Real Journeys and Milford Deep Underwater Observatory among others. Most of these cruises arrive from Queenstown or Te Anau during the afternoon, so if you want to enjoy some quiet time, it is better to reach early or during sunset. Take a camera along as you will get lots of opportunities to capture picture-perfect moments.

Kayaking

If you are an adventure buff, you will probably fall in love with kayaking. Besides the thrill and adventure, kayaking lets you access secluded places where the cruise ships are unable to enter. You can also explore and discover a great variety of fauna life here, including penguins and seals. While moving quietly on the water, you will exercise yourself and work up a good appetite and satiate the same with a lovely dinner later. Safety gear and waterproof bags are provided to visitors. It is advisable not to carry phones, while kayaking.

Top 3 Bungy Jumping Sites in New Zealand to Satiate Your Appetite for Adventure

Crazy, nerve-cracking and heart-chocking! It’s Bungy Jumping, we are talking about! And New Zealand is one of the best places on our earth to be a part of this exhilaration. Adventure seekers looking to add a travel experience full of delightful screams buy air tickets to fly to the Kiwi Nation and visit these cities and towns that are among the top notch bungy jumping sites in the world.

Bungy-Jumping

Queenstown

This panoramic town is home to Nevis Bungy, the highest in the Australasia and among the top places bungy jumping lovers must visit in their lifetime. It is located above gorgeous NevisRiver and thrill seekers get an opportunity to jump from a cable car that can accommodate six people. To be a jumper, you need to be over 13 and weigh at least 45kgs. Remember, weather here is quite different than the town. So, wearing warm clothes and carrying extra layers of clothes is always recommendable even if you are booking tickets to enjoy New Zealand summers.

Auckland

Auckland, the largest metropolitan region in New Zealand, is reputed for its adventure streak. This city is home to first ever harbour bridge jumping in the world which takes place at AucklandBridge. It features Bungy Pod, a specially constructed podium to take a heart-pounding plunge from the sky-piercing height. Highlight of bungy jumping here includes a rare chance to take a jump that offers a refreshing ocean dip! Adventurous souls as young as 10 years also partake in this activity and feel the adrenaline rush provided their weight is not less than 35kgs. Besides bungy jumping, this bridge is also known for Bridge Climbing that allows travellers to capture the breathtaking beauty of Auckland.

Taupo

This is another popular option among travellers spending pounds on air tickets to experience the thrill of water touch bungy in New Zealand. Honeymooners yearning to spend an adventure-filled-romantic-holiday in Kiwis can visit this heaven in NorthIsland and register for a couple jump. They can retain these astonishing moments in the form of photographs and videos.

No matter which city/town you opt for, it makes sense to inform the crew about medical conditions beforehand, if any.