Click HERE for a map of Queenstown and
surrounding areas
Located in the south-west of the
South Island, in the Otago Region, Queenstown is built around
Queenstown Bay, a long, thin, snaking inlet of Lake Wakatipu.
Formed by glacial movement millenia ago, the area has stunning
views of the lake, green valleys and the nearby mountains.
The surrounding area has several beautiful towns and villages, such
as Arrowtown, Wanaka, Cromwell and Glenorchy, as well as
a number of lakes, such as Lake Wanaka and Fiordland, and the
area is known as the Southern Lakes Region.
Settled initially as a farming
estate, everything changed around 1862, when gold was
discovered nearby, and the town grew expedentially to accommodate
the influx of prospectors, pioneers, their families and new
businesses and services to provide for them.
Now the influx is tourists, with
Queenstown being very popular with local as well as foreign
visitors, for many adventure and adrenaline activities. You
can experience almost any thing you could think of, including
skiing, jet boats, white water rafting, bungy jumping, mountain
biking, hiking (or tramping as it's known here), 4WD safaris,
fishing, hang-gliding, hot-air ballooning and even
sky-diving! If you prefer something a little more laid back,
there are many activities and attractions that are a little less
high-adrenaline, such as scenic walks, day tours
and excursions, flightseeing trips, wildlife parks, farm
tours, water parks, and many, many more. The area also
has a number of good wineries that offer tours and tastings, and
you can usually find a number of local wines on the wine list
at dinner!
Queenstown is a fairly small town,
with a population of around 10,500, but offers everything for
visitors to enjoy. There are many choices for
shopping, in Queenstown and neighbouring towns, and also
for restaurants, bars and nightclubs, to suit every
budget.
The choice of accommodation is
huge, and ranges from campsites, Holiday Parks and Hostels, to
boutique B & B's, guest houses and luxury lodges, retreats and
resort hotels.
Despite being at quite high
altitude and a southerly location, Queenstown has pleasant
weather most of the year. The town is nestled among
the surrounding mountains which offers some protection from the
worst weather. Temperatures range from around
22-24°C, up to 30°C during the summer months, with long,
warm sunny days, down to 0°C in the winter, with frequent snowfall,
though snow doesn't stay for long periods.
Queenstown's International
Airport offers flights around New Zealand and to many international
destinations, as well as a busy helicopter and flightseeing
operation. The town has good road, rail and bus services, so
travelling in and around the area is easy and pleasurable.
Queenstown is a lovely town to
spend some time visiting, and is worth adding to
your South Island itinerary.
ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATION DETAILS
AND PRICES ARE CURRENTLY BEING CREATED, IF THE HOTEL OF YOUR
CHOICE IS NOT SHOWN AT THIS TIME PLEASE CALL OUR RESERVATIONS
CENTRE
Photos by kind courtesy of The Official Website of
Queensland, New Zealand.