I spent 48 hours in Queenstown, this is the ultimate 2 day itinerary

It may be famous as New Zealand’s winter playground, but Queenstown also sizzles in summer, this traveller discovers.

Queenstown’s thrills begin before you even land. The short hop over the Tasman masquerades as a scenic flight as the plane soars above the dramatic glacier-carved valleys and snow-slathered peaks of Fiordland. It’s a tantalising entrée to New Zealand’s adventure capital, which is making giant strides in regenerative tourism. Aussies know Queenstown/Tahuna as the country’s premier ski hub, but in the warmer months this South Island alpine town sizzles with summertime adventures.

DAY 1: Morning

All roads lead to Lake Whakatipu, the glittering centrepiece of Queenstown. Stroll along the pedestrianised boulevard of waterfront restaurants and on to the pier where the underwater Time Tripper experience provides an immersive introduction to Queenstown’s geological history and Māori legend. Step below the waterline and back in time 90 million years to when dinosaurs roamed the Earth and New Zealand broke away from the Gondwana supercontinent. The audiovisual display charts the region’s evolution – from glaciated wilderness to adventure mecca (vying for carbon-zero status by 2030) – and ends with a live feeding frenzy as food pellets are released and snaffled up by scores of trout, diving ducks and slithering eels. 

For an above-water jaunt, step aboard the historic TSS Earnslaw (moored nearby) and enjoy a 90-minute scenic cruise on the century-old steamship, a former cargo vessel dating back to 1912. Disembark and meander through Earnslaw Park to Fergburger, an institution with mouth-watering burgers and eye-watering queues. The Little Lamby is decidedly Kiwi and worth the hour-long wait. 

Kayaking in Queenstown Bay. Picture: Destination Queenstown

Afternoon

Take a swim at Queenstown Bay Beach. The sapphire-hued waters of New Zealand’s third-largest lake are irresistible. But beware: the glacier-fed water is deep and very cold, plunging to 380m and barely nudging 10C. There’s a pontoon where you can thaw your bones, or opt for a paddleboat or kayak. Sitting on the beach, gazing across the water at snow-dusted peaks, is a lovely way to while away the afternoon, too.

When it’s time to up the adrenaline, head to Skyline Gondola and Luge and zip 450m up the recently upgraded cable car (the southern hemisphere’s steepest) to the top of Bob’s Peak. Step out onto the observation deck and take in sweeping views across Lake Whakatipu, Coronet Peak, The Remarkables and Cecil and Walter peaks. Then grab a helmet and hit the luge tracks (there are two), barrelling down the 800m course in a gravity-driven cart as fast (or as slow) as you please. Don’t miss the chance to see New Zealand’s national bird up close at the Kiwi Park wildlife sanctuary, adjoining the gondola. 

Bob's Peak is home to the Skyline Gondola and Luge. Picture: Destination Queenstown

Evening

Check in to Sherwood, a reimagined Tudor-style ’80s motor inn with a mountain chalet aesthetic and lake glimpses. The hotel balances sustainability with homely comforts: the floors are furnished with recycled tyre rubber and carpets made from nylon fishing nets, while the curtains are fashioned from upcycled woollen army blankets.

Relax in the sauna (there’s also a yoga studio and massage rooms), then snuggle into a lamb's wool-bedecked chair in the on-site restaurant. Exposed wooden beams and climbing plants complement this kitchen-garden eatery, where the vegetable patch dictates the menu and food waste is composted back into the garden. 

Sunrise hike up Queenstown Hill. Picture: Catherine Best

DAY 2: Morning

The early bird catches… a crowd-free epic sunrise. Set off before dawn to tackle Queenstown Hill/Te Tapu-nui, a 4.2km trail with spectacular views across Lake Whakatipu and the Southern Alps. Park at the trail head off Belfast Terrace and climb through pine forest to the Basket of Dreams millennium sculpture before making the final, steep push to the summit. You’ll be rewarded with 360-degree views as the mountaintops glow in gilt splendour.

Return to town and pick up an e-bike from Around the Basin and let it do the grunt work as you ride the lakeside Frankton Track to Frankton Marina (around 6km).

Here, you’ll find the Boat Shed Café & Bistro, a popular local’s haunt occupying an old, circa 1869, shipping office. Nab a waterfront table on the deck and refuel with Turkish poached eggs on sourdough laced with labneh and dukkah. Take it slow on the return journey, stopping to admire Queenstown Gardens, a green finger protruding into Lake Whakatipu resplendent with rose gardens, ponds and giant sequoia trees. 

The Shotover Jet is one of Queenstown's most popular extreme activities.

Afternoon

Drive just north of Queenstown to Arthurs Point, straddling the Shotover River/Kimiākau, and get set for a high-octane boat ride with Shotover Jet. The Queenstown adventure staple will have you hurtling through narrow canyons at 90kmh and fishtailing as the jet engines churn out 760 litres of water a second. The Māori-owned enterprise is working towards electrifying its fleet to remove 120 tonnes of carbon emitted per boat annually. 

Afterwards, head next door to Canyon Brewing to calm your nerves with a tasting paddle. Sit in the absurdly scenic beer garden – with the striking arch of Edith Cavell Bridge as a backdrop – and tuck into puffy wood-fired flatbread, calamari and merino lamb skewers, washed down with a quartet of craft beers. The brewery grows and malts its own barley locally to reduce its carbon footprint, and the by-product is used in pizza bases and stock feed. 

Soaking up the views from Onsen Hot Pools. Picture: Destination Queenstown

Evening

A three-minute drive upriver, you’ll find Onsen Hot Pools, an indulgent Japanese-style bathhouse with 14 private cedar-lined pools perched high overlooking the Shotover River. Book one for a sunset bathe and sit back and relax with a glass of bubbles. 

Dry off before making your way to Nest Kitchen & Bar, a stupendous restaurant with pitched ceilings and glass walls with arguably the best waterfront dining views in Queenstown. Book a window table and ponder which has the greatest feast – your eyes or your stomach.

The menu, a set three-course or dégustation, is delicate and flavour-packed, using local produce and wild foraged ingredients. The burnt-honey custard with olive oil sponge and blue cheese ice-cream is an unlikely hit, topped only by a fellow diner who gets down on bended knee on the balcony to propose. 

The writer was a guest of Destination Queenstown.