5 Days of Adrenaline-Pumping Fun in Queenstown

This five-day itinerary introduces you to a thrilling range of low impact adrenaline activities set in Queenstown’s stunning alpine landscape. Push your personal boundaries as much as you dare, with a range of adventures for all ages from mild to wild, confident in the knowledge our exceptional facilities and experienced operators ensure your safety.

These adventures can be enjoyed year-round. So, stay in Queenstown longer, immerse yourself in nature, and experience more of these memorable experiences created by visionary locals who combine their love for this special place with a commitment to having serious fun. Let planning your big adventure holiday begin.

Day 1: Mountain Biking and Rock Climbing

Start your day by elevating your stoke levels on Queenstown’s world-famous mountain bike trails. Then try your hand at rock climbing in the afternoon.

Mountain Biking

Queenstown is home to one of the most epic mountain bike networks in New Zealand. Whether you’re new to mountain biking or an advanced rider looking to get gnarly, there’s a trail to suit every level. Start your day on the Ben Lomond Trails (formerly the Queenstown Mountain Bike Park). Access this downhill park in the heart of town using the Skyline Gondola, then explore 30km of awesome trails of all grades.

Further afield, the Coronet Peak Loop is a 50km circuit (intermediate to advanced) that begins in Arrowtown and takes you into backcountry, past old goldmining sites. The new Shotover Gorge Trail (opening soon), will take you into the Lower Shotover Gorge via a historic mining tunnel. The advanced trail zigzags up out of the gorge and heads downstream via the new Kimiakau suspension bridge, to Tucker Beach Recreation Reserve.

If you’d like a guide to show you locals’ favourite trails or have a mountain biking experience tailored to your skills, the Ride Guide offers private mountain biking trips. For more ideas, check out this guide to Queenstown’s best mountain bike adventures. If you’re new to mountain biking, this guide for beginners is a great place to start.

Rock Climbing

Queenstown has some of the most accessible alpine climbing experiences in New Zealand. Try mountaineering, rock climbing, or ice climbing in the Remarkables, with stunning vistas out over the Whakatipu Basin. If you’re new to mountaineering, take a course and learn climbing techniques and rope skills. If you’re a more experienced climber, challenge yourself with a guided mountaineering trip. Queenstown Mountain Guides and Climbing Queenstown both have experienced local guides; keen climbers and mountaineers who know the terrain.

Queenstown also has two indoor climbing walls. The Rockatipu Climbing Wall offers 12 metres of varies climbs. The Indoor Climbing Centre has bouldering and Clip n Climb.

Day 2: Hiking and Paragliding

Queenstown is a truly awe-inspiring destination. Escape urban stress and connect with nature by hiking one of our spectacular trails. Then enjoy a bird’s eye view of the mountains by paragliding above it all.

Hiking

Hiking trails run through Queenstown’s breath-taking alpine scenery, taking you past towering peaks, ancient forests, and wild glacial torrents. Queenstown has a stunning section of short walks and day walks. You can also try a taster of one of the famous multi-day hikes in the region. Three of New Zealand’s Great Walks can be accessed from Queenstown

One of the most impressive walks in the area starts from the Gondola base station in the heart of town. Don’t be fooled by the proximity to the centre of Queenstown. This 11km return hike to the summit of Ben Lomond takes 8 hours and is for advanced hikers. The track is steep and rough, but you’re rewarded with increasingly spectacular views. At the summit an interpretation panel helps you identify the surrounding peaks.

If you’d like something a little shorter, catch the bus to Arrowtown and try one of the beautiful walks in the area. Local favourite, Tobin’s Track climbs up to Crown Terrace and has stunning views across the Whakatipu Basin and the surrounding mountains.

Paragliding

Skytrek Tandem paraglide off Coronet Peak, New Zealand’s highest commercial launch site. Qualified tandem pilots do a great job making you feel comfortable and explaining the take-off process. Before you know it, you’ll be running off the side of the mountain and enjoying panoramic views. The pilots will tailor the experience to your appetite for adrenaline. If you like a thrill, they can swoop down towards the valley floor and do aerial acrobatics. If you prefer a calm flight, simply enjoy soaring above one of the most scenic places in the world.

Skytrek fly folks aged from 4-90, although if you’re under 18, you require parental permission. Maximum weight is 120 kg (including your clothes), reduced to 110 kg during April and May. Dress warm and wear sturdy shoes.

Day 3: Whitewater Rafting and Canyoning

Queenstown is surrounded by mighty high-country rivers fed by glacial meltwater. These alpine waterways alternate between raging whitewater and mirror-like stretches of pristine water flowing below canyon walls. Immerse yourself in the river wild.

Whitewater Rafting

People have been rafting the grade 3-5 whitewater rapids on the Shotover River since 1974. RealNZ’s expert guides steer you through canyons, navigate rapids named Aftershock, Squeeze, and Toilet, and take you through the famous 170m Oxenbridge tunnel. You need to be confident in water and fairly fit. The minimum age is 13. Children under 18 must be accompanied. RealNZ are genuine good sorts, passionate custodians of the local environment who support a number of regeneration projects.

Canyoning

Canyoning is another way to explore Queenstown’s rivers. Canyon Explorers offer a canyoning experience near Queenstown and a longer, more challenging trip in the Routeburn Valley UNESCO World Heritage area. Suit up in wetsuit, lifejacket and helmet before exploring the canyon by zipline and abseil. Navigate waterfalls, and water slides, plunge into pools, and float down narrow passages in beautiful surroundings.

The half-day trip doesn’t need you to have canyoning experience but you should be confident in moving water and have a reasonable level of fitness. The Routeburn trip has higher jumps and abseils, so it’s suited for people with a high level of fitness and water confidence. The minimum age is 15 and children under 18 must be with an adult. The most experienced operators in the region, Canyon Explorers support environmental education, and conservation activities around Queenstown and Glenorchy.

Day 4: Ziplining and Jetboating

Ziplining and jetboating are both remarkable ways to explore Queenstown’s stunning landscapes. Heighten your experience with the adrenaline buzz of height and speed , while learning more about the land.

Ziplining 

Exhilarating zipline eco-adventure Ziptrek Ecotours is Queenstown’s first net zero carbon tour operator. Glide through the forest above Queenstown on ziplines with views across Lake Whakatipu, while your guides tell stories about local ecology and conservation. Then try the world’s steepest zipline, where you descend 30 storeys at speeds of up to 70kph. You need to be over 6 and weigh between 30-125kg.The Ziptrek team do their best to make their adventure super accessible, so ask the team if you have any accessibility needs.

Paradise Ziplines is set in Paradise near Glenorchy (it’s a real place). You’ll launch off a cliff  fly through beech forest with stunning mountain views and cross a fast-flowing alpine stream. A favourite is the Orc Chasm where you zip through a narrow slot canyon over a waterfall. You need to be over 10, with good mobility, and able to walk up trails.

Jetboating

Jetboating first began as an adventure activity right here in Queenstown. Shotover Jet takes you through the Shotover canyons, combining speed and excitement with stunning scenery as you rocket down the glacial river. Owned by South Island Māori iwi, Ngāi Tahu, Shotover Jet are currently trialling their first electric jet boat. Passionate custodians of the land, they take an intergenerational view, working for their great grandchildren.

Children over 5 can ride, and there is no weight limit, although you do need to be able to fit into a lifejacket. Jetboating isn’t advised if you’re pregnant. Shotover Jet work with Making Trax to make their experience as inclusive and accessible as possible.

Day 5: Bungy Jumping and River Surfing

Queenstown has been a hub for adventure since the 1800s. But it wasn’t until the first commercial bungy jump in the world opened at the Kawarau Bridge in 1988 that this started to be referred to as the home of adventure. That milestone saw a proliferation of adrenaline activities. Today you can bungy jump into the Kawarau River or riversurf the rapids below.

Bungy Jumping

Take the leap of faith from the OG bungy jump where the whole phenomenon began. Or head to the Nevis, the highest bungy in New Zealand, 134 metres above the valley floor, where you’ll freefall for 8.5 seconds (although it may feel like 8.5 years). Weight restrictions vary by bungy, so check out their FAQs. Bungy jumpers must by at least 10 at Kawarau, and 13 at the Nevis, and you can jump for free if you’re over 75.

AJ Hackett Bungy NZ aim to be carbon neutral by 2030, and they’re working on energy efficiency and emission reductions while switching to renewable energy. They minimise waste, support predator trapping, and run a range of youth programmes.

River Surfing

Riversurf grade 3 rapids on the Kawarau River, before gliding down gentle stretches of the river, and trying a cliff jump. Or try whitewater sledging, or riverboarding, where you ride fast flowing rapids, spin on whirlpools and jump off rocks. You must be able to swim, be confident in water and reasonably fit. The minimum age is 8 for riversurfing and 12 for sledging, but kids under 12 must have a private guide, so book that in advance.

Serious Fun Riverboarding follow the principles of kaitiakitanga, acting as guardians to protect the river and the surrounding area. They keep their environmental impact as low as possible, educate riversurfers on the local environment, history, and heritage, and work to improve social and environmental wellbeing.

Plan your Adventure Holiday

Queenstown is on a journey to become a carbon zero destination by 2030. We’re also committed to becoming a regenerative tourism destination, which means tourism delivers benefits environmentally, socially, culturally and economically, enriching the lives of the people who live here and the people who visit. It’s about preserving the things that make this place special, the natural beauty, pristine alpine environment, and warm community.

Our local pioneers are rising to the challenge, creating a new generation of unique low-carbon adventures. We invite you to try new things, push your personal boundaries, connect with nature, and feel alive, all while minimising your environmental impact.

We also encourage you to stay longer. Extending your stay allows for a more relaxed pace and gives you time to fully enjoy every experience and create deeper connections. Check out the many low-impact accommodation options, as well as our guides to getting around by bus, and exploring by EV. While you’re here, bring your reusable cup, and support cafes that are single-use-cup free. You can learn more about our regenerative journey here.