Kia Ora! I have spent a fair amount of time in Queenstown whilst living in New Zealand from holidaying to living for a couple of months there. I always like to explore the less touristic spots however as this is such a popular destination I believe there are little of these left. That does not go without saying you will LOVE your adventure there regardless and in a way... the busyness almost makes it better. Another recommendation is to hire a car, unless you have limited time and want to stay in the city centre I would highly advise a car as a lot of the hiking/other activities are a little out of town. Be aware parking is very limited so either book accomodation that can provide parking or take note of side roads that have free parking available (I believe gorge road is one of these and I have parked there many times but this may have changed).
You will never be bored as Queenstown has so much to offer whether you like hiking, mountain biking, indulging in food and wine, taking a scenic stroll, to skiing or snowboarding in winter.
If you plan to live for a little in Queenstown just note accomodation is quite hard to come by so book/rent in advance. There are plenty of social pages on facebook you can post and seek out private accomodation and also bookings.com or hostel world depending on your budget. Camping is also an amazing option with plenty of spot's to park up allowing you to explore the lush nature on offer and escape the busy centre if that is more up your street!
Day trips
Gibbston River Trail
@nataliebowler
My partner and I really wanted to do the Gibbston Valley wineries as a full day trip therefore I hired a bike through the company 'aroundthebasin' linked above (yes, I braved it and hired a normal bike not an ebike, it's very do-able but please consider fitness and the fact you will be of course... indulging in wine and food). I paid $105 for a full day bike hire which involved a shuttle to and from Queenstown central and it was worth every penny. You meet at their shop in town and return. On top of this you have to pay for your wine tastings + food. An incredible day out passing by the mountainous ranges and alongside the famous bungy jumping. I could not fault any of the wineries... We tried 6 in total. I enjoyed every single one particularly Gibbston Valley winery as they sell organic wine, the 2022 china terrace chardonnay... phwoar definitely give that a try. Mt rosa was our last stop and well worth the additional ride (literally about 5 minutes down the road). A small boutique kind of winery and I can say their Rosé definitely took me by surprise (I'm quite fussy with finding the right rosé. You'll cross a few bridges along the way and even bump into some furry friends!
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Bob’s Cove Track & Nature Walk
@nataliebowler
A personal fave. A short walk around the lake which a short steep climb to the viewpoint. Ensure you have enough time and take a little dip and picnic with you. To get here you head along the main road towards Glenorchy and you will see a DOC sign on your left with a little car park where the track starts. There are multiple other walks that combine with this track or you can do parts of along the way.
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Moke Lake
@nataliebowler
Another beautiful quiet spot to visit. Walk around the lake or even camp here for the night! You can just turn up, it is a 'first come first served' basis through DOC. A nice spot for sunset too.
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