24 – 27 February 2018

Once our time in Fjordland National Park was done we went back to Queenstown. We had passed through a few days ago, this time we stayed for 4 days. Queenstown has only 15,300 residents however it feels bigger with the swell of tourists. With good reson it is one of the premier tourism destinations in New Zealand. The scenic ski town sits on Lake Wakatipo and is close to several attractions such as Arrowtown, Glenorchy, The Remarkables, Ben Lomond, Lake Hawea, and Lake Wanaka. The area has plenty to see and do year-round.

The drive from Te Anau to Queenstown was a pleasure. When we drove south we were trying to get out of the way of Cyclone Gita. On the drive north we had time to stop along the way and take in the surroundings. After stocking up on supplies and checking in, we had time to explore town.

The next day we walked the trails around Queenstown Bay before rain showers started. There are limited indoor activities in town so we made the best of it by going to the movies. The weather finally improved for our last two days so we took full advantage by biking on the Otago Central Rail Trail, luging at Skyline, and taking a ride on the TSS Earnslaw. More about them to follow.

Lake Wakatipo south of Qtown

Sunset over Lake Wakatipo

Queenstown on Lake Wakatipo