Even though I visited Queenstown way back in 2017, my mind still has an obnoxious, yet welcome habit of drifting back into those old memories like it was yesterday. But, Queenstown is dubbed the “Adventure Capital of the World” for a reason, so I suppose that does make it a pretty hard place to forget!

In the same afternoon here you can go from soaking in a cedar-lined hot tub to bungy jumping inside of a canyon. The adrenaline dial can easily (and quickly!) be turned up from zero to your heart’s content. If you’re planning a trip to New Zealand, Queenstown should definitely be on your list and here are all the things I recommend you do (and book in advance!), organized by how high it will spike your heart rate.

Author’s Note: I visited Queenstown in November 2017, but all activities listed below have been verified as currently operating as of May 2026. That said, prices, booking details, and operational logistics do sometimes change, so it’s important to confirm details directly with each operator before you book!

Tier 1: The “Full Sends”

These are for the ones who came to Queenstown specifically to do something that scares them. No partial commitment at this level, you’re either fully in or fully out.

Tandem Skydiving

NZONE has been operating since 1990 as New Zealand’s first tandem skydive company. You jump from your choice of 9,000, 12,000, or 15,000 feet over Queenstown, free-falling over Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables at up to 200km per hour. The drop zone sits at the base of the Remarkables alongside a working sheep farm, which is very appropo for New Zealand. If you’ve already done bungy jumping and want to know what the next level feels like, this is it.

Entry Cost: From 359 NZD/person*

Hours: Flights run daily, weather-dependent*

Additional Notes: Weight requirements. Minimum age 6.**

Nevis Bungy

Nevis Bungy is New Zealand’s highest commercial bungy jump at 134 meters, suspended above the Nevis River gorge on a cable car platform. You book through AJ Hackett, a company that owns and operates many of Queenstown’s adventure experiences and has been around for years (in other words, they’re fairly reputable). And on the day of your experience, you’ll check in at their station building on the corner of Shotover and Camp Streets in central Queenstown, and board a 4WD bus that takes you out of town to the bungy’s location. Door to door, I’d allow at least four hours.

What I remember most from this experience, before the adrenaline rush took hold that is, was the bus ride out! The AJ Hackett crew plays pump-up music the entire way, a mix of old and new. And I distinctly remember hearing “Relax” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood coming on about mid-way through the drive, which is either the most wrong or most right song choice depending on where you’re at in your pre-jump anxiety spiral. For me, that song had luckily come at the perfect time since I’d already spent weeks nervously second guessing my decision to book.

By the time you arrive on site and take the cable car over to the jump platform, you’ll probably be in a strange headspace like I was, but the music does continue throughout to help psych yourself up. And once you jump? Any pre-anxiety nerves vanish because there’s nothing left to worry about. It forces your mind to just be exactly where you’re at. The free fall is 8.5 seconds and the view you get of the Nevis Valley as well as the feeling that accompanies it is worth every second.

Book as early in your trip as possible and don’t save it for the last day. Do it on day two or three so you can spend the rest of the week feeling more confident. The ticket includes the bungy, photos and video, and return transport*.

Entry Cost: From 395 NZD/person*

Hours: Operates daily. Opening hours vary by site, season and daylight hours. Please check the individual activity page or your booking confirmation for up-to-date operating times.*

Additional Notes: Weight requirements. Minimum age 13. Under 15 requires adult consent and is recommended to be accompanied.**

Nevis Catapult

I didn’t do this one because it only opened one year after my Queenstown visit, but the Nevis Catapult is one of AJ Hackett’s craziest thrills. While the Nevis bungy drops you straight down, the Catapult actually fires you across the valley. You end up traveling a total of 150 meters (492 feet) at up to 100km per hour in 1.5 seconds, with up to 3Gs of force! By every account I’ve heard, the catapult’s initial launch is so fast your brain doesn’t even process it until it’s over and you’re rebounding.

Entry Cost: From 295 NZD/person*

Hours: Operates daily. Opening hours vary by site, season and daylight hours. Please check the individual activity page or your booking confirmation for up-to-date operating times.*

Additional Notes: Weight requirements. Minimum age 13. Under 15 requires adult consent and is recommended to be accompanied.**

Nevis Swing

Another one I didn’t do (the bungy alone was already testing my adrenaline limit), but the Nevis Swing is considered the most famous swing in the world! This unique bungy experience allows you to swing over Nevis Canyon by yourself or tandem with a friend as well as forwards, backwards, or upside down. This one’s unique because you get to choose how you complete the 300m (984 feet) arc on the bungy swing.

Entry Cost: From 325 NZD/person*

Hours: Operates daily. Opening hours vary by site, season and daylight hours. Please check the individual activity page or your booking confirmation for up-to-date operating times.*

Additional Notes: Weight requirements. Minimum age 10. Under 15 requires adult consent and is recommended to be accompanied.**

Tier 2: THE High Adrenaline ACTIVITIES

You don’t need to be known as an adrenaline junkie to do these, but you do still have to commit!

Kawarau Bridge Bungy

This is where it all started. The world’s first commercial bungy jump opened here in 1988 when AJ Hackett leaped from the Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge, a 43 meter drop above the Kawarau River. The bridge itself dates to 1880, originally built to cross the river to the goldfields.

At 43 meters it’s a third the height of the Nevis, which makes it a more accessible entry point into bungy jumping for those who want thrills but not necessarily the maximum thrills. Notably it’s the only bungy site where you can touch the water on the way down if conditions allow. Even if you don’t jump, the viewing platform is free to visit and worth a stop if you have a car. The site is on State Highway 6 about 25 minutes from Queenstown, directly en route to Gibbston Valley wine country.

Entry Cost: From 320 NZD/person*

Hours: Operates daily. Opening hours vary by site, season and daylight hours. Please check the individual activity page or your booking confirmation for up-to-date operating times.*

Additional Notes: Weight requirements. Minimum age 10. Under 15 requires adult consent and is recommended to be accompanied.**

Kawarau ZipRIDE

The Kawarau ZipRide sits at the same Kawarau Bridge site as the bungy and is the lower-commitment option if you want something fast and fun or are traveling as a family. Three 130-meter lines run side by side over the Kawarau River at up to 60 kilometers per hour, and the crew lets you choose how you want to ride: seated forward, seated backward, Superman face-down, or Batman upside down! At the end of the line you’re rotated 180 degrees and returned to the launch platform. It’s been described as a “soft thrill,” is still quite exciting. Book single rides or a multi-ride pack to really get your money’s worth. The minimum age for the zipride is 8*.

Entry Cost: From 50 NZD/person*

Hours: Operates daily. Opening hours vary by site, season and daylight hours. Please check the individual activity page or your booking confirmation for up-to-date operating times.*

Additional Notes: Weight requirements. Minimum age 8. 8–9 year olds must ride tandem with an adult aged 20+, under 15 require consent.**

Kawarau Swing

The Kawarau Swing is the newest addition to Queenstown’s adventure lineup as of October 2025 is also at the Kawarau Bungy Centre and is a little less daunting than the Nevis Swing from Tier 1. You launch from 43 meters above the Kawarau River and arc through the gorge in a giant pendulum swing. This AJ Hackett offering can be done solo, tandem, or with three people at once, making it the only triple swing in the South Island. The swing was designed explicitly as a small step below bungy jumping with a big drop, big arc, built more for laughter than terror. If your travel group has mixed adrenaline thresholds or you’re traveling with family, this is one you can still do together. Minimum age for the Kawarau Swing is 8*.

Entry Cost: From 240 NZD/person*

Hours: Operates daily. Opening hours vary by site, season and daylight hours. Please check the individual activity page or your booking confirmation for up-to-date operating times.*

Additional Notes: Weight requirements. Minimum age 8. Under 15 requires adult consent and is recommended to be accompanied.**

Shotover River White Water Rafting

If you’re visiting New Zealand and are even a little bit drawn to adventure, the Shotover River White Water Rafting experiences in Queenstown deserve a serious look. This experience offers Grade 3-5 whitewater rapids, where Grade 5 is the highest grade commercially-rafted anywhere in the world! You’ll journey down the river through the breathtaking Skipper’s Canyon, hitting “The Mother,” a relentless stretch of Grade 4-5 rapids, before finishing down the river’s Cascade Rapid. The guides are experienced and the whole experience is well-run, clocking in around 4-5 hours, including transport and a hot shower at the base after.

A few things to know before you book: you need to be a confident swimmer, and the season generally runs from spring through fall though exact months vary each year.

Entry Cost: From 299 NZD/person*

Hours: Operates daily from October/November through April*

Additional Notes: Weight requirements. Minimum age 13. You need to be water competent with moderate fitness and travellers with a heart condition or taking heart medication are not able to participate.**

Shotover Jet

Queenstown’s Shotover Jet is the only experience and company permitted to operate inside the Shotover River Canyons. For this tour-meets-thrill-ride, you’ll be cruising in a high-powered V8 jet boat traveling at up to 90km per hour in as little as 10 centimers of water, clearing canyon walls by what feels like a hair, and executing full 360-degree spins mid-river. The whole ride takes about 25 minutes on the water and feels so exhilarating!

I did this one on my last full day in Queenstown, and in some ways, it’s more terrifying than white water rafting was for the first time because of how out of control you feel on board. You’re just sitting in a boat screaming while someone who clearly loves their job drives very fast at a wall. I was lucky enough that Iidn’t get soaked, but the crew here makes absolutely no apologies for that if you do!

The base of the Shotover Jet experience is at Arthurs Point, just about 10 minutes from central Queenstown. And a courtesy shuttle runs from the Station Building if you don’t have a car. Just make sure to bring a change of clothes or at minimum dry shoes to swap into afterward.

Entry Cost: From 200 NZD/person with discounts available for children*

Hours: Operates 7 days a week, weather-allowing with trip departure times from 9.30AM – 4PM*

Additional Notes: Height requirements. Children must be accompanied by a paying adult.**

Tier 3: Active Adventure

These experiences will still elevate your heart rate, but really because you’ll be doing something physical in beautiful, natural surroundings rather than out of pure terror.

Kawarau River White Water Rafting

The gentler of Queenstown’s two rafting rivers, the Kawarau runs Grade 2-3 and is suited to first-time rafters, families, and anyone who wants the experience without the Shotover’s intensity. With Challenge Rafting, you’ll raft 8km through the Gibbston Valley, passing under the Kawarau Bungy Bridge on the way, with the chance to swim a rapid or even try to cliff jump in the calmer sections. The grand finale is the 400 meter Dog Leg Rapid.

Entry Cost: From 240 NZD/person*

Hours: Operates daily from October/November through April*

Additional Notes: Weight requirements. Minimum age 13. You need to be water competent with moderate fitness and travellers with a heart condition or taking heart medication are not able to participate.**

Skyline Gondola + Luge

The Queenstown Skyline gondola carries you 480 meters up Bob’s Peak, the steepest cable car ascent in the Southern Hemisphere and I must say that the views from the top are worth the uphill journey alone. Up here, you’ll see Lake Wakatipu, the Remarkables, Coronet Peak, and most of Queenstown laid out below! I recommend spending some time up here before you do anything else, maybe even visiting the famous Stratosfare Restaurant.

After you’ve had your fill, then head back down the mountain via the luge. It’s 1,600 meters of banked corners, tunnels, and dips on a gravity-powered three-wheeled cart you can control entirely with handlebars! There are two tracks you can choose from: the gentler Arrow and the steeper Dart (I personally went with the Dart!). There’s quite a few gondola + luge packages, but I think you really only need the 3 luge ride option. Book gondola and luge tickets online in advance (especially on weekends!) to skip the ticket queue at the base.

Entry Cost:

• Gondola: 69 NZD/adult, with discounts available for children*
• Gondola + 3 Luge Rides: 94 NZD/adult, with discounts available for children*
• More ticketing options available on the Skyline website.

Hours: Open daily year-round, until late, with different opening hours available for the gondola, luge, restaurant, cafe, and other activities. Check Skyline’s website for real-time availability and reservations for Stratosfare Restaurant, Stargazing, and Guided Walks. And check back on your day of visit for the latest updates. Hours may vary with weather, maintenance, or construction.

Additional Notes: Children must be at least 6 years old and over 110 cm (43 inches) to ride solo on the luge. Younger or smaller children can ride the luge tandem with an adult. Luge accessibility is assessed case-by-case, but the gondola is wheelchair and pram accessible.**

Ziptrek Ecotours

Ziptrek opened in Queenstown in 2009, and is a relatively easy, but still active tour! You ride the Skyline Gondola up, then zipline through the beech forest canopy from tree platform-to-tree platform, making a nice descent back toward town. The Kea 6-Line Tour is the most involved with six lines (as the name suggests) and 30 stories of descent. It also includes what Ziptrek describes as the world’s steepest tree-to-tree zipline at up to 70 kilometers per hour!

Entry Cost: From 119 NZD/person*

Hours: Operates daily*

Additional Notes: Weight requirements. Minimum age 6. Children aged 14 or under MUST be accompanied by a paying adult (15+). One person bookings are tentative, and guests will need to call us 24 hours prior to their tour to reconfirm their booking. Skyline gondola tickets are not included in the tour price. One person bookings are tentative, and guests will need to call us 24 hours prior to their tour to reconfirm their booking.**

Coronet Peak Skiing

New Zealand’s first commercial ski field, Coronet Peak has been operating seasonally since 1947and is just 20 minutes from central Queenstown. The terrain runs the full range from wide groomed runs for beginners (like me!) to steeper gullies and off-piste for advanced skiers and boarders. Arguably, the best parts about skiing here though are the views of Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables from the top. The season typically runs June through October, so this is strictly a winter trip addition, but if your timing lines up it’s one of the better reasons to visit Queenstown outside of warmer months!

The Night Ski is worth noting too: on select Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights the mountain stays open until 9pm, which is about as good as it gets! A dedicated ski bus runs from central Queenstown throughout the day, and full rental gear is available on the mountain if you’re not traveling with your own.

Entry Cost: Varies depending on ski package and equipment rentals*

Hours: Operates seasonally in winter. Early operations with conveyor lifts typically kick off around late May to early June, with the full mountain opening mid-June. Exact timing shifts year to year depending on conditions.*

Additional Notes: Don’t forget to look up Coronet Peak’s après ski offerings too! Heidi’s Hut an Hot Tub are the perfect post-ski add-ons.

NOMAD SAFARIS 4WD TOUR

Now, Nomad Safaris’ 4WD tours are a bit a harder to place on an adrenaline scale because it depends on which route you take. And being the huge Lord of the Rings nerd that I am, I of course, decided to go big or go home with the full day 9.5 hour Lord of the Rings Tour through Queenstown and Glenorchy. This one essentially combines two of the company’s smaller tours (the Glenorchy and Queenstown 4WD tours) into one epic adventure of a day.

The first half of the tour was spent tackling the Glenorchy and Paradise and was a much more tame experience than the afternoon, as far as the adrenaline and thrills go. Along the route, my friend Hayley and I got to visit filming locations from LOTR, The Hobbit, X-men Origins: Wolverine, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and others. But the true highlights for us were, of course, the Lord of the Rings locations.

We got to walk around where Peter Jackson filmed Amon Hen, the Forest of Lothlórien, and Ithilien Camp. And I can confirm that the light in Paradise in late afternoon, the way it filters through the beech forest, is exactly what you see on screen! What made it even more special was that our guide brought replica props and a binder with stills from the film so we could see where exact scenes played out and then go ahead and re-enact them if we wanted to (and boy, did we do just that!).

Later that day, we drove to Skippers Canyon Road, a historic gold mining route carved into the canyon wall with a sheer drop on one side! It’s actually one of the world’s most dangerous roads and has no guardrails, despite its crazy height. This part of the tour was especially thrilling, but what stuck with me the most was a giant rock resembling Harambe (IYKYK)!

We next crossed the Arrow River in the 4WD, going down, through, and back up the river bed, and into Arrowtown, a perfectly intact 1860s gold rush town with no chain businesses on its main street that deserves an independent half-day if you have the time!

If a full day Lord of the Rings tour isn’t necessarily your speed, Nomad Safaris runs multiple other 4WD tour configurations, as well as quad biking, e-bike tours, and guided walks throughout the area.

Entry Cost:

• 4WD Tours: From 299 NZD/person*
• Quad Biking: From 340 NZD/person*
• Guided Walks: From 255 NZD/person*
• E-Bikes: From 255 NZD/person*

Hours: Trips will depart in all weather conditions unless the operations manager considers it to be too dangerous*

Additional Notes: For quad biking, you just must be 16+ with a good understanding of English. For e-biking, the minimum age recommended is 14 and up based on international safety standards.**

Horseback Riding Trail

Take a horseback riding tour an hour’s drive from Queenstown along what might be the most scenic path in New Zealand, following Lake Wakatipu north to Glenorchy. High Country Horses has been running treks around Queenstown since 1987 with exclusive access to over 100,000 acres of high country land, and the Rees River Trail is their 2.5-hour half-day ride suited to all levels, including complete beginners.

I did this trek during my visit, riding through lupin fields in full bloom**, crossing glacial-fed rivers on horseback, and working my way up to a full gallop. The mountain range visible for most of the ride is the same range Peter Jackson used as the backdrop for Isengard, Saruman’s tower, in the Lord of the Rings films. Riding through that landscape on horseback, with the lupins in the foreground and the mountains in the distance, is one of the more cinematic and magical travel moments I’ve had anywhere!

The stables are at 243 Priory Road, just past Glenorchy. Self-drive is required from Queenstown. If you’re interested in visiting when the lupins are in bloom, I recommend trying to time your visit to the last few weeks of November and first few weeks of December (late spring – early summer).

Entry Cost: From 180 NZD/person*

Hours: Trips will depart in all weather conditions unless the operations manager considers it to be too dangerous*

Additional Notes: Weight restrictions. Minimum age varies by tour.**

the Ben Lomond Track

The definitive full-day hike in Queenstown, and the one every serious hiker mentions first. The 8.7 mile track starts at the base of the Skyline Gondola on Brecon Street via the Tiki Trail, which can be a steep climb through a Douglas fir forest or you can take the gondola up and skip straight to the alpine terrain. From Bob’s Peak, it’s a further climb to the Ben Lomond Saddle, which is a satisfying turnaround for moderate hikers with sweeping views over the Southern Alps and Lake Wakatipu.

If you have the legs and want even more of a challenge, push on to the summit at 1,748 meters. The full hike our and return to town takes about takes 6-8 hours total. It’s also free and begins close to the town center, which makes it more accessible if you’re traveling with a budget.

Entry Cost: Free, with the option of adding on the Skyline Gondola to ease the hike (at a cost)*

Hours: 24/7, though track conditions often change. Be prepared by checking with the Department of Conservation before you go.**

Additional Notes: If this hike is an activity you’re considering, start early, check the weather, and bring layers because conditions above the saddle can change quickly!**

Tier 4: Low Stakes Leisure

The leisurely activities around town that allow you to experience Queenstown at a slow and steady pace.

Gibbston Valley Wine

Central Otago is one of the world’s southernmost wine regions and produces some of the finest Pinot Noir anywhere! And Gibbston Valley, located just 25 minutes from central Queenstown on State Highway 6, is the heart of it and the most visited area in the region. Join a tour through New Zealand’s largest wine cave, a natural tunnel cut into the schist rock, where you taste three wines for under 30 NZD*.

If you’re interested in making a day of it, the Kawarau Bridge Bungy is right at the valley entrance, so you can always start the day with one of AJ Hackett’s bungy experiences if you like before enjoying a more mellow afternoon sampling wines.

Entry Cost: Varies by winery and/or tour operator*

Hours: Varies by winery*

Additional Notes: If you’re drinking, do not self drive or e-bike after this activity. Go with a tour operator (Nomad Safaris is my recommendation!) who will pick you up from your wine tasting and drive you back into Queenstown.

Queenstown Gardens

Another budget friendly option, the Queenstown Gardens is free*, open 24 hours, and just five minutes on foot from the town center. Located along the lakefront, the gardens sit on a small peninsula on the shores of Lake Wakatipu and date back to 1867. Stroll the 1km (0.6 mile) path and see the park’s heritage-listed trees, a rose garden, a disc golf course, and views of the Remarkables that haven’t changed since the gold rush.

Entry Cost: Free*

Hours: 24/7**

Additional Notes: N/A**

Milford Sound Day Trip

Despite it’s name, Milford Sound is technically a fiord (fjord) and not a sound. It sits about 290 kilometers (180 miles) from Queenstown in Fiordland National Park. Most people visit via a full day coach and cruise tour that leaves Queenstown early, drives you through the park, and puts you on a small cruise ship in the water before returning in the evening. I did this as a full day and can confirm that despite it being one of the most popular and touristy activities in the country, it’s a can’t miss experience!

If you visit on a rainy day or sometime in early spring, you may get lucky like I did and see a few waterfalls along the way into the park. And I hear that on a clear and not-as-windy day, the reflections in the fiord are out of this world! Either way, you can’t really go wrong.

Multiple operators run full-day coach-cruise-coach and self-drive tours from Queenstown and some even offer a scenic flight one way, which is worth the extra cost if your budget allows.

Entry Cost: Varies by tour operator. I recommend Pure Milford which offers coach-cruise-coach tours starting at 276 NZD/person*

Hours: Varies by operator, but tours are generally offered daily, if the road to Piopiotahi / Milford Sound is open and the weather is good.*

Additional Notes: Milford is one of the wettest places on earth! While tours are offered year-round, it’s important to come prepared for various conditions. Pure Milford has a great seasonal guide on their website to help you generally stay prepared for the season.**

Onsen Hot Pools

After everything above, Queenstown’s Onsen Hot Pools delivers the perfect counterpoint: a private cedar-lined hot tub perched on a cliffside above the Shotover River Canyon, heated to 38.5 degrees, with a retractable roof and views straight down to the valley. On a clear day you can watch the Shotover Jet running on the river below you!

I loved the Original Onsen experience, which gives you 60 minutes of exclusive pool access, and then you can always add a massage or spa treatment if you have time. A complimentary shuttle runs from Camp Street in central Queenstown, about 10 minutes away.

Entry Cost: Starting at 137 NZD/person*

Hours: 9AM – 11PM, 7 days a week. The last booking of the day is 10PM for the Pools and 8.30PM for the Day Spa and Soak & Spa packages.*

Additional Notes: Stay hydrated and bring a book or a card game if you’re doing the hour long soak. Minimum age varies by experience, but is generally 16-18 years old**

*At time of writing.

**Each experience, tour, and activity has different qualifications and restrictions. These can change at any time so it’s best to check with the individual tour operator directly prior to booking.