Queenstown is not only a resort town in the
Otago region of the south-west of
New Zealand's South Island, but it definitely is the adventure capital of the country. Any adrenaline-pumping sport and activity can be done right here, from paragliding to skiing, from downhill mountain biking to jet boating, from whitewater rafting to bungy jumping, it’s all right at home in Queenstown!. The town, the largest in
Central Otago, is built around a beautiful inlet on the shores of
Lake Wakatipu, a long thin lake shaped like a staggered lightning bolt. Queenstown offers its residents and visitors some of the most spectacular mountain views in
New Zealand. The town and its surrounds are known for its commerce-oriented tourism, especially adventure and
ski tourism in the winter months. It is popular with young international and New Zealand travellers alike.
They come here for the amazing scenery with beautiful mountains and the sparkling
Lake Wakatipu and many a guest is in search of some thrilling adventure.
Queenstown bears the title of “
Adventure Capital of the World”, and it is here that visitors can bungy-jump,
ski or snowboard, paraglide, jet boat, do white water rafting, skydiving, hang gliding, jetskiing and drive quad bikes. The area has been a popular place ever since the first
Maori came here in search of pounamu [greenstone] and the giant flightless Moa bird. European settlers followed because of the fertile grazing lands. They discovered a whole lot more when gold was first sighted in the region’s waterways and a real goldrush started in the 1860’s. Queenstown is the perfect base for a visit to
Fjordland National Park and the Southern Lakes Region.