We chose to settle in Queenstown because of the nearby ski fields, but the town also has a reputation for being the adventure capital of New Zealand. Although the majority of the activities were well out of our price range (even with working five jobs between us) we still managed to do a few crazy things over our six months in town.
When we first arrived in Queenstown we took a job with Ziptrek EcoTours, guiding guests on 4 or 6 ziplines on top of Bob's Peak overlooking Queenstown. It was a bit different than the zipline we worked on in Alaska... there were no flips or tricks allowed and our tour was scripted right down to the jokes we were supposed to tell. I wouldn't exactly consider it an adventure activity, but the views were beautiful and as guides we were given the opportunity to do a few of the other tours in town for free. We spent as much time as we could in the winter trying to get our money's worth out of our ski passes, and between zipline guiding, go-kart supervising, babysitting, and working at the airport we didn't have many days off together to do anything else. Luckily we had a much lighter schedule for our last two weeks in New Zealand with only one job each, so we were able to cram in quite a few adventures.
When we first arrived in Queenstown we took a job with Ziptrek EcoTours, guiding guests on 4 or 6 ziplines on top of Bob's Peak overlooking Queenstown. It was a bit different than the zipline we worked on in Alaska... there were no flips or tricks allowed and our tour was scripted right down to the jokes we were supposed to tell. I wouldn't exactly consider it an adventure activity, but the views were beautiful and as guides we were given the opportunity to do a few of the other tours in town for free. We spent as much time as we could in the winter trying to get our money's worth out of our ski passes, and between zipline guiding, go-kart supervising, babysitting, and working at the airport we didn't have many days off together to do anything else. Luckily we had a much lighter schedule for our last two weeks in New Zealand with only one job each, so we were able to cram in quite a few adventures.
The zipline was located at the top of the Skyline Gondola along with quite a few other activities, such as mountain biking trails, tandem paragliding, a street luge track and a bungy jump. Queenstown is the home of the worlds first bungy jump, off of the Kawarau Bridge, and the same company operates this shorter but more scenic jump overlooking Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu as well. Although the drop is only 154 feet, its location on the side of the mountain makes it feel much higher. We had both been bungy jumping before in Washington, but we couldn't pass up an opportunity to do a free jump in the town where it all got started. Unlike a traditional jump where the cord is attached at the ankles, we were given a full body harness and attached by the waist which gave us the ability to do different jump styles. I opted for a running front flip and Steve did a handstand into a forward dive.
Another activity we got the opportunity to experience through our jobs at Zip Trek was the Shotover Canyon Swing, billed as the worlds highest cliff jump. From a platform 357 feet over the Shotover river we got to experience a 196 foot free fall, but instead of bouncing back up like a bungee jump we swung out in a 656 foot arc over the canyon below. The rope was connected to the harness at the waist, giving us the opportunity to plunge to possible death in whatever manner seemed best. I chose my signature front flip, and Steve decided to step off sideways while staring straight down to get the full effect of the free fall. After our first solo jumps they gave us the opportunity to go a second time for free, so we decided to do a tandem jump, strapped together at the hip. This time we swung out slowly over the canyon and hung upside down to stare down at the river before our jumpmaster released us. You know what they say, the couple that plummets towards the ground together stays together... or something like that.
After enjoying the Shotover river from above, we decided to get a closer look with a ride on a Jetboat. Shotover Jet has been around since 1965, and was one of the first adventure activities in Queenstown. The jetboat is a very iconic New Zealand activity, and we didn't want to leave the country without experiencing a ride in one. Rather than having a propeller at the back of the boat, jetboats draw water through a pump inside the boat, and eject it out the back allowing them to operate at speed in water only 3 inches deep. Our driver was able to skim across the surface of the shallow river at 60mph, barely dodging the canyon walls as he expertly maneuvered past giant boulders and executed 360 degree spins. The ride lasted over 25 minutes, and we had such a good time that when we got back we decided to pay $20 for a second ride. At $150 for nearly an hour of jetboating, we felt like it was the best value for our money activity that we did in our entire stay in New Zealand.
Check out the Movie page for videos from our adventures in Queenstown and see more photos here.
Check out the Movie page for videos from our adventures in Queenstown and see more photos here.
RSS Feed