Extreme Adventure in QUEENSTOWN, New Zealand

Ohhh, I'm in trouble. Queenstown is SO beautiful, so visual, we did SO MUCH and took so many photos and videos that I don't know how am I going to select just a few for this post.

Once again, I didn’t do any research on Queenstown before arriving so I had no idea what to expect (I realise I kind of like travelling like this. Having zero expectations, makes it easier for me to be pleasantly surprised). My big advantage is that I can totally rely on my husband's ability to plan and organise everything such as flights, car rentals, activities, hotels, restaurants, sports, etc. (Thanks amor).

My contribution was finding a house to rent with the most beautiful view, perfectly located walking distance to town, and with an outdoor jacuzzi overlooking Lake Wakatipu. I am very proud of my part of the job! It was quite cold outside even if we were in November, when it is supposed to start being warm, so we spent a lot of time in this house when we were not doing some crazy activity like the Shotover river jet boat, indoor skydiving, or flying in a little plane to the Fiords.

Queenstown is all about outdoor activities. If you are a couch potato or are looking for museums and cultural experiences, this is the wrong place for you. If you are an adrenaline junkie, you will never want to leave. Many of these activities are not suitable for one and two year olds so we had to settle for the more tranquil ones or take turns. For instance, I had my hair done while Clemente and Edouard went indoor sky diving. A fair trade off as far as I’m concerned.

Amazing views from our living room to the Lake Wakatipu.

Shotover River extreme Jet Boat Ride

The staging area for the jet boat ride is only a 10 minutes drive from the centre of Queenstown (there is a complimentary shuttle bus in case you don't have a car). The river cuts through a majestic gorge in a series of rapids and small falls. We had the best boat driver, who made sure we had a great experience. It is a super fun (and scared) ride where basically you go down the river on these jet boats at super high speed, combining the scenic views with 360 degress spins and fishtails. I don’t know how they manage to get so close to the sides of the gorge that you feel the rocks breezing inches from your head, without crashing. The ride only lasts for about 30 minutes but it feels much longer. Great fun. Highly recommended.

Walter Peak Farm and Cruise from Queenstown.

This was one of the highlights of our trip to Queenstown.

A fantastic, easy tour, starting with an incredibly scenic journey across Lake Wakatipu from the middle of Queenstown Wharf on the historic 105 year old coal powered steamer called The SS ‘Earnslaw'. The children loved this boat. They were playing hide and seek, running up and down the 3 different levels, peering through the round lower windows. The coal fired steam engine room is opened for people to see so Clemente spent a big part of the trip learning about steam power, pistons, crankshafts, compression chambers and release valves (his father was clearly the one doing the teaching). We were very lucky with the weather, because even if it was cold, it was a bright blue sky day.

Once on the other side of the lake (an hour boat ride) we arrived at the Walter Peak High Country Farm where we had a very educational sheep shearing demonstration and an excellent shepherd dog demo (ideal for children).

We had a BBQ lunch there with only home grown produce. The meal was one of the best we have had on our trip with easily the best meat we have had thus far. Recommended.

Glenorchy and the Lord of the Rings

Many of the most spectacular scenes of the Lord of the Rings trilogy were filmed close to Queenstown. We set out by car one day to find some of the most beautiful locations at the far end of the lake near a small town called Glenorchy. The drive takes around 45 minutes but there are also tours from Queenstown by jet boat or helicopter for those less patient. There is not much to the town of Glenorchy but the rolling green hills, snow covered peaks and clear mountain rivers are one of a kind. Apparently, in winter the skiing in this area is very good, or at least that is what we were told by the locals. The film locations are not marked on the ground so one has to follow a special map and use quite a bit of imagination. This was a very pleasant day for us and a recommended break from all of the Queenstown adventures and activities.

The children were literally expecting Frodo or Sam to show up anytime.

I Fly Indoor Skydiving

I didn’t participate but Clemente and Edouard had some real father / son bonding in what they said was an incredible experience. The flight centre is built around a large glass silo with very powerful forced air coming out of the bottom. After a quick class, each individual gets into the silo with an instructor and flies in the air as if they were skydiving.

We loved Queenstown. The scenery is breathtaking. It is one of this places I know I would come back many times in my life for more adventure, if it would be a little bit closer to home. Maybe when the kids grow up, in a few more years, we will all come back for some bungy jumping, or some alpine heliskiing. Thanks Queenstown !