Southern Lakes

A premier holiday destination, Southern Lakes is an outdoor adventure playground set against a stunning background of lakes and mountains.

Tucked into the shores of Lake Wakatipu and surrounded by jagged peaks, the magical feel of Queenstown hits before you even touch down. The breathtaking aerial view of the region’s mountains evokes a strong desire to get out there and sample the myriad of action-packed experiences that mix unforgettable thrills with immensely satisfying personal challenge. Fill your days with bungy jumping, white-water rafting, jet boating, heli-skiing or skydiving, and when you’re ready to relax, you’ll find a fantastic range of eateries and bars as well as indulgent beauty spas and great accommodation. The dramatic blue lakes and rugged mountain ranges of the Wanaka region form a spectacular backdrop to a superb range of outdoor adventures.

DO IT. Bungy jump in the place it began, jet boat on the Kawarau, Shotover or Dart River, go flightseeing over Mt Aspiring National Park, browse the charming main street of Arrowtown, brave an extreme 4WD safari to Skippers Canyon, chill out at the American Express Queenstown Winter Festival in June.

Destinations

Queenstown Stunning lakeside resort, great base for adventure activities.
Arrowtown Historic gold rush town.
Wanaka Picturesque lakeside resort on the doorstep of Mount Aspiring National Park.

Getting there and around

Air Queenstown Airport offers both domestic services to a range of New Zealand destinations with Qantas and Air New Zealand, and international flights to Australia. Wanaka Airport offers direct flights to Christchurch International Airport. A bus service operates on a regular circuit between Queenstown Airport and popular hotels. Buses depart every 20 minutes, 17 hours per day.
Road Queenstown is 6 hours, 15 minutes from Christchurch, 5 hours from Milford Sound, and 1 hour, 30 minutes from Wanaka. Wanaka is 6 hours, 30 minutes from Christchurch. Travellers wishing to access the West Coast from Otago should take the SH 6 turnoff north of Wanaka. Haast Pass is the only pass through the Southern Alps in the Otago region. The drive from Wanaka to Haast takes just over 2 hours. Coach and shuttle services operate between Queenstown, Wanaka and other South Island destinations. Transfers to and from Arrowtown, Queenstown and the ski areas during winter are also readily available.

Insider's tip

Queenstown arguably produces New Zealand’s best Pinot Noir wines – make sure you sample them at a cosy café or pub.

Gold fever

Gold was discovered in the Lindis River early in 1861, but the discovery at Gabriel’s Gully at Lawrence in May of the same year is better known. In July 1861 there were about 150 men at Gabriel’s Gully and by September 1861 there were 6,000 people braving rough conditions in the hope of making their fortune.