As the plane descended on Queenstown, which is dramatically set against the Southern Alps, I was nothing but springing out of my seat. Like a child excited by snow, I too was awestruck with the views outside. My partner and I visited the tourist capital of New Zealand in later part of May 2016. This gorgeous town sits on the shores of South Island’s photogenic Lake Waikatipu.
The weather while landing was drab and uninviting, since it was almost winter. Once we landed and alighted the flight however the view outside just had me stop in my tracks. The small yet quaint airport was nestled in the foothills of The Remarkables and; trust me when I say “they stand true to their name.” The view took my breath away not only for what I saw in front of me but also because it was too cold to stand and gawk at the site. The cold had me wondering if I would ever make it out of the warmth of the hotel over the next couple of days. We had a car pick-up scheduled, one of those hire a car in Queenstown. If you have a valid license and are a safe driver I don’t see why you cannot hire a car from one of the many companies there. It is cost effective and the plus point is that you can up and leave in a moments notice to drive around quaint villages near Queenstown. So after having picked our car we drove to our hotel which wasn’t that far away from the airport maybe a 20mins drive. It was in close proximity to the town center and well placed.
The drive towards the hotel had me gaping in awe at the sights of Lake Waikatipu. The sun had decided to break through the clouds and rain, giving me a lasting impression of the reason why it was known as the most photogenic area. It was definitely magic, as the grey cleared and gave way enhancing nature’s beauty. The golden sunshine on azure blue waters with a backdrop of the austere mountains all of a sudden looked warm and welcoming. I for one couldn’t contain my excitement on what the days ahead had in store for me since the welcome itself was something out of this world. We quickly checked in, put our stuff away and made a bee-line to the Gondolas as we were told to make the most of the sun. In this case it is true when they say make “hay while the sun shines.”
Having the weather in our favour we boarded the gondola (you can have the privacy of enjoying the spectacular views with your partner without having to pay extra). So here we were steadily making our way up to the summit spell bound at the views that unfolded before us for as far as the eye could see. I might have clicked like a zillion pics for that 15-20 min ride. Once we got off, we made our way to the luge tracks. Going for a luge ride is a must do here, I would recommend it, it is a lot of fun especially if it is your first time (it was my first time and I went back for more). There are cameras at certain points on the tracks that take your photos so you can have a memento without buying different souvenirs (it is not a compulsion). Wear warm clothing as the wind kind of just hits you leaving you numb, carry gloves as while luging your hands could go numb. There is a lovely café on top with a nice fire burning to keep you warm, if you want you could enjoy a lovely coffee or a hot chocolate while taking in the views around. After having our hearts fill of the café and the luge we made our way back down and strolled the streets. It was a lively place with shops being open till late unlike other towns. There are lovely cafes and restaurants in the town center offering a wide variety of foods to satisfy the multi-cultural palette. I loved how the streets crisscrossed and wove their way adding a charm of its own to this beautiful town. It was time to call it a day; and we headed back to our hotel.
Over the next few days we had lovely weather and planned to make the most of it. We decided to go for the Alpine landing- which is a snow landing with a helicopter ride from Cromwell. It also gave us the chance to enjoy a scenic drive from Queenstown to Cromwell. On the way we passed alongside the charming Lake Hayes, and got along a dizzying drive on Kawarau Gorge Road. We also decided to drive to the enchanting fairy-tale village of Arrowtown. The road winds through Gibbston Valley which is traditionally and historically famous as the Valley of Vines (which is a wine making region). Here we strolled around and had a lovely brunch at one of the many quaint restaurants. We also took our time in visiting the little museum and checked out a few shops (which are difficult to miss). The Kawaru Gorge Road also has two bungy jumping sites the Nevis and the Kawarau Bridge Bungy site for the adrenaline junky. Even if jumping off a bridge is not your cup of tea you can still go down and have a look at others jumping off.
We also took a 45 min Jet boating ride at Goldfields rapids on the Kawarau River, which is nearer to Cromwell. It was a lovely experience but beware you are bound to get wet during the 360 degree turns. If u have the time you can dry off at the fireplace at the café in the reception, if not then I’d suggest you carry a change of clothes just in case. You can also take a moment to stop by the Roaring Meg waterfall just to take in the sites of this ancient gold mining area.
As we reached our destination, we were literally bouncing off our seats as the helicopter experience was a new experience for both of us. We were briefed and we dressed up for the snow landing that we brought along (proper shoes, clothing can be hired at Queenstown on a daily basis) to avoid the wind chill. The experience was mind blowing, the snow landing was an out-of-the-world experience for me. There was snow all around us, and the view around us of the “Remarkables” was simply remarkable!! The raw beauty was simply dizzying, with the clear blue skies, white capped mountains and the soft golden sunshine of the setting sun. It was a memory that will be etched in mind’s eye forever. It was a pity that the day had to come to an end and we had to drive back to our hotel in Queenstown.
Since our previous day was action packed, the next day we decided to take it slow also because we were flying out that evening to come back to Auckland. We decided to take a charming Million Dollar Lake Cruise on Lake Wakatipu. It cruises over pure crystal clear waters to the Kawarau Falls Station and Willow Islands at the end of the Lake. It was a fantastic 90 min informative journey which also had live commentary. When we were back at our hotel, we had a heavy heart as it was time to pack up and leave. We had a lovely outing and were sad that it was over so soon. We will definitely get back here to do the things that we missed in our first visit. 
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