Queenstown

Best time to visit Queenstown

Queenstown is one of the few New Zealand destinations that's appealing year-round. December to February is peak summer: warm water in the Wakatipu, every outdoor activity available, but also the busiest time. March and April are widely considered the best season: golden autumn in Arrowtown, harvest time in Gibbston, cool days for hiking, and shorter queues for activities. June to September is ski season on Coronet Peak and the Remarkables: a completely different Queenstown, with snow-capped peaks, après-ski atmosphere, and warm restaurants after a long day on the slopes. For non-skiers, winter is trickier: walking tracks are often closed, the Milford Road can be shut, and the lake is too cold for swimming. With a campervan, you have a real advantage in Queenstown: the best spots aren't in the overpriced town centre, but in places hotel guests never get to see. Twelve Mile Delta by the lake, Moke Lake in the mountains behind it, Glendhu Bay over in Wānaka: with a campervan you sleep better than in the best hotel and pay a fraction of the price. Early in the morning, while the town is still asleep, you sit by the lake with the whole panorama to yourself.

Campgrounds around Queenstown

Freedom camping is heavily restricted in the Queenstown Lakes District. But the DOC campsites in the region are among the finest in the country: Twelve Mile Delta sits 12 km west of the town centre on the shore of Lake Wakatipu, with direct lake views and mountains behind. No power, simple toilets, first come first served. Arrive by 2pm during peak season.

The Moke Lake DOC campsite sits 17 km north of Queenstown on a gravel road, no trouble at all for a Chilli Rentals campervan. This alpine lake, over 600 metres up, is completely surrounded by mountains and has almost no light pollution. Sitting there in the evening, with Queenstown twinkling in the distance and the lake perfectly still, is one of those arguments for a campervan that's hard to put into words.

Wānaka as an alternative base: 65 km northeast over the Crown Range. Quieter than Queenstown, cheaper campgrounds, and easy to reach for a day trip into Queenstown. Crown Range Road is one of the most scenic mountain roads on the South Island. Sleep in Wānaka at night and drive into Queenstown in the morning, and you get both without the constant town buzz.

Glenorchy and the scenic road

The road from Queenstown to Glenorchy along the western shore of Lake Wakatipu is one of the most photographed in New Zealand: 46 km of sealed road, several official viewpoints, and a different scene at every time of day. Backlit in the morning, deep blue at midday, orange and pink in the evening. Glenorchy itself is a small mountaineering and hiking village at the end of the lake.

From Glenorchy, gravel roads lead into the Dart River Valley and Routeburn region, part of Mount Aspiring National Park. Dart River Wilderness Jet is the best-known activity: a jetboat ride through the Dart River gorge, with Māori history and Tolkien filming locations along the way. The Routeburn Track also starts here, one of the Great Walks with overnight huts.

Drive to Glenorchy early in the morning (6 to 7am) and you'll have the scenic road almost to yourself. Head back around midday, just as the tour buses are arriving. This rhythm is easy to pull off with a campervan: get up early, hit the road, and make the most of the best hours.

Adrenaline and activities

Bungy jumping: the AJ Hackett Kawarau Bridge is the original site, opened in 1988 and still running daily. A 43-metre jump into the Kawarau River, around 275 NZD. For anyone who wants to go higher, there's the Nevis Highwire: 134 metres, New Zealand's highest bungy jump.

Shotover Jet: 25 minutes through a narrow rock canyon on the Shotover River, complete with 360-degree spins, around 150 NZD. The most compact experience on Queenstown's activity list. If you're only doing one activity, we'd recommend the Shotover Jet for the best value for the experience.

Gondola up Bob's Peak: from 42 NZD. The full panorama over Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables opens up. Walk the Ben Lomond Saddle Route to the same lookout instead (1.5 hours from the edge of town) and you get the same view for free.

Paragliding: a tandem flight with a professional pilot from Coronet Peak or Bob's Peak. No skill required, suitable for anyone over 8. 10 to 20 minutes in the air, one of the calmer activities on offer, with the best views of any of them.

Arrowtown: history and autumn colours

Arrowtown lies 20 minutes east of Queenstown and is a well-preserved 19th-century gold-mining town. The Chinese Settlement on the Arrow River is free to visit: a whole quarter of clay huts and stone buildings once inhabited by Chinese gold miners in the 1800s. One of the best-preserved historic sites in the country.

In April, the poplars and birches along the Arrow River turn orange, yellow, and red. The Arrowtown Autumn Festival in April is one of the loveliest regional festivals in New Zealand. If you're in Queenstown in autumn and haven't been to Arrowtown, you're missing the region's finest chapter.

Arrowtown Camp by the river is the best place to spend an autumn night: leaves fall right outside the campervan, mist hangs over the river valley in the morning, and afternoon sunlight filters through the golden canopy. It's one of those places that makes you understand why camping in New Zealand isn't about doing without, it's the opposite.

Moving on: Milford Sound and the South Island loop

Queenstown isn't the end of the South Island, it's the centre of it. From here, Milford Sound, Wānaka, Mount Cook, Dunedin, and the Catlins are all reachable legs of the trip. The tried-and-tested sequence: Queenstown as your base, a day trip to Glenorchy, then on to Te Anau and the Milford Road for the boat tour, then back or onward to Wānaka and Mount Cook.

Returning the campervan: for anyone driving the South Island from Christchurch to Queenstown, we offer a one-way return in Queenstown. If you're travelling the other way, you'd return the campervan in Christchurch. We'll go over the details during your booking conversation.