Queenstown Action
NZDH Queenstown Action chapter
Adventure Capital of the World. A mighty title for a small town nestled on the shores
of Lake Wakatipu but one that has been well earned. Upon arrival adventure seekers
soon discover that whether you’re into high adrenaline-pumping activities like bungy
jumping, skydiving, jet boating, whitewater rafting, parapenting, and rally driving,
or prefer milder forms of adventure entertainment such as luging, ballooning, four
wheel driving, mountain biking or horse trekking, Queenstown offers something for
everyone!
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Day One
Queenstown
If your pulse quickens at the thought of throwing yourself off a bridge or platform
high above the ground attached only by a single rubber band, then you’ll be astounded
by the range of bungy options that are on offer in Queenstown.
There’s the 43-metre Kawerau Suspension Bridge bungy, where spectators look on from
A. J. Hackett’s brand-spanking new Bungy Centre which melds into the rock walls
of the canyon; the 47-metre Ledge perched high on Bob’s Peak, 400- metres above
Queenstown and offering stunning views; the 102-metre Pipeline Bungy accessible
only by a four wheel drive expedition through the scenically breathtaking Skippers
Canyon; and the staggering 134-metre Nevis Highwire Bungy, the newest jump in town!
In the canyons beneath the Edith Cavell Bridge an adventure activity of a different
ilk takes place on the Shotover Jet, where expert drivers put these famous ‘Big
Red’ jet boats through their paces, twisting through narrow canyons, skimming past
rocky outcrops and completing full 360-degree turns while spectators look on in
wide-eyed wonder!
The rugged beauty and unspoiled grandeur of the upper reaches of the Shotover River
also provide the setting for extreme whitewater rafting excitement; while the slightly
tamer Kawarau River provides an exhilarating ride and a great introduction to whitewater
rafting for first time rafters.
There are four rapids to negotiate including the final (and unforgettable) 400-metre
Dog Leg rapid, and Kawerau rafters will gain an unusual perspective of bungy jumpers
plummeting from the Kawerau Suspension Bridge.
Others hit the sky to ‘feel the fear but do it anyway’ stepping out into thin air
on a tandem skydive. At 4,500 metres, travelling towards the ground at a staggering
200 kph, total sensory overload is reached and it makes little difference that you’re
harnessed to an experienced, qualified Jumpmaster and using state of the art safety
equipment!
Ballooners, hang gliders and parapenters also fill the skies above Queenstown, and
helicopters zoom back and forth transporting visitors to nearby Lord of the Rings
filming locations. Others explore the historic Skippers Canyon on exciting four
wheel drive tours that snake along a treacherously narrow trail with deep vertical
drops to the vivid ice-blue Shotover River. There’s the option then to raft the
river, leap from the Pipeline bungy, or mountain-bike the 1860s pack track, once
the only route into this isolated region.
Four wheel drive tours are also provided on a rugged route up the Arrow River, where
several deep river crossings are negotiated en route to Macetown, a ghost town where
hundreds of miners once flocked when alluvial gold was discovered in the Arrow River
in 1862. Nearby at Xtreme Rally in the Cardrona Valley punters can zoom around a
purpose-built track, sliding sideways through corners and reaching speeds of up
to 160km/h on a range of rides, rated mild through to wild! Kids can join in the
action too, racing 50cc Suzuki Quadmaster bikes around a specialised track; while
stunt man Ian Soanes provides precarious rides aboard his giant Monster Trucks.
Other ways to explore the Cardrona Valley are on a quad bike tour at Criffel Peak
Safaris or on horseback at Backcountry Saddle Expeditions, where treks range from
two hours to a full day. Walter Peak High Country Farm on the far side of Queenstown’s
Lake Wakatipu also provides horse treks; to get there you must board the TSS Earnslaw,
an old, coal-fired, twin-screw steamer, one of Queenstown’s oldest attractions and
known fondly by the locals as ‘The Lady of the Lake’.
Another Queenstown favourite is the Skyline Gondola, which ascends to the top of
Bob’s Peak where a beautiful panorama awaits. There’s plenty of action here too:
a chair lift provides access to the top of the 800-metre-long luge, where punters
race down on purpose-built carts; or you can plummet to earth from the Ledge Bungy,
take off on a tandem parapente flight, or hike the Ben Lomond Track. Queenstown
Combos provide a convenient and value-packed way to experience many of the adventure
activities on offer in Queenstown and can be purchased at information centres or
through Apex Car Rentals, Shotover Street, Queenstown.
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