23rd – 26th September

Day 1-2

We arrived in Queenstown in the afternoon.  After a quick drive around to get our bearings we began to get ready for our dinner that evening.  We were having a skyline dinner, a massive delicious buffet with lots of options to choose from.  To access the restaurant we had to get a Gondola (cable car) up to the top with beautiful views of Queenstown.

The next morning we drove out to Kawarau Bridge, ‘the world home of Bungy’.  Here we watched a few of our new friends ‘take the leap’, needless to say, I wasn’t one of them..maybe one day…After some thrill-watching, we headed out to Cargo Brewery for some wine and beer tasting.

The next activity for the afternoon was a hike up Queenstown hill.  Now let me tell you, coming from somewhere where there are little hills around hiking up this monster was a challenge but boy was it worth it.  We took little breaks often as we made our way up, I am pleased to say we made it to the top.  Such amazing views of Queenstown and the surrounding mountains, absolutely incredible.  If you’re going to Queenstown I would definitely recommend taking an afternoon out to do this hike. It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to get there, once you are there it all becomes worth it. 

After taking a nice long shower we headed out to Habana Rum Bar for a few drinks before checking out the Ice Bar.  Everything in there was made from ice, the glasses, chairs, statues and so much more.  Although not big in there, if you’ve never been to an ice bar before its definitely something to experience.

Day 3

Today was an early start but well worth it!  We went on a Funyak Trip.  Our day began getting kitted out in the right gear for the activities that day.  We then boarded a jet boat that sped us through the Dart River in expert speed, throwing in some exciting 360 turns.  These took us to the destination where we would begin our Funyak experience. 

The Funyaks are made for 3 people, although 2 can go in one alone.  We paddled along the river enjoying the beautiful landscape as we went.  It wasn’t without some fun of course!  Getting stuck on some rocks in shallower parts of the river meant we had to get out and pull our Funyak to slightly deeper water then fight the current as we attempted to get back in!

We stopped for a delicious lunch, before heading off again. This time through a small gap in the rocks carved out by a glacier.  Our guides were great, pointing out some of the famous spots where Lord of the Rings and other movies were filmed.

That evening we went out to dinner at the Lonestar Restaurant – the food was incredible!

Day 4

Our final day in Queenstown was spent exploring the town and doing a bit of good old shopping.  For brunch, we made a stop at the Ferg Bakery picking up some delicious croissants and doughnuts.  Around mid-afternoon, we went into the Little Blackwood and enjoyed a delicious cheeseboard.