Most months throughout the year, the highlight of a trip to Queenstown is centered around hiking Great Walks like the Routeburn track, jumping off bridges, out of planes or barreling down rivers in New Zealand-invented jet boats.
Come winter when the White Gold arrives, Queenstown goes from being a bustling summer resort to an alpine ski village.
Kind of.
See, the thing with Queenstown – as compared with most Northern Hemisphere ski towns – is that it very, very rarely snows in town.
Queenstown, New Zealand
The village sits on the shores of Lake Wakatipu at just about 340 meters above sea level. All but two or three times throughout the winter, this isn’t high enough for precipitation to fall as snow.
Skiing & Snowboarding in New Zealand…
The New Zealand skiing and snowboarding experience is characterized by trips from town ‘up the hill’ to the ski fields. Forget ski-in ski-out like you’d find in a Colorado mountain town. At the very best, a trip to one of the ski fields near Queenstown will take you 30 minutes – this is assuming:
A) You have your own transportation and aren’t relying on NZSki’s unreliable bus services
B) It isn’t snowing as this often results in the ski field access road becoming a big traffic jam (as NZSki bus drivers very often can’t drive in the snow), and
C) You don’t stop along the way to take in the epic views
While the 30 minute trip to the mountain is tough to get used at first, the trip up from Queenstown to one of the ski fields is a pretty epic experience. Twisting mountain roads, steep drop-offs and stunning views back over Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown are on offer all the way up to The Remarkables or Coronet Peak. And surprisingly … the snowboarding is pretty bloody good.
Later on in the winter, I’ll put together a post with some practical tips for your experience snowboarding on New Zealand’s South Island – for the time being, enjoy these photos from The Remarkables and Coronoet Peak just outside of beautiful Queenstown.
Sunrise at Coronet Peak
Sun Rising Over the Wakatipu Basin
This photo was taken early one morning as the sun was just rising at Coronet Peak. The clouds cleared to reveal a Wakatipu Basin completely covered in snow – a once or twice a year event in Queenstown.
The Remarkables
The Remarkables
After a solid week of snow, a high pressure system rolled across the South Island and we’ve been granted bluebird clear days.
Above the Clouds
When the clouds do roll in, you’re very very often above them – a surreal experience. Driving up The Remarks recently, it looked as if it was going to be a cloudy day – until we broke through the clouds and were greeted with clear blue skies.
Fresh Powder
On Top of the World…
On Top of the World…
Absolute Paradise
This might possibly be the most spectacular view I’ve seen anywhere in New Zealand … or for that matter the world.
After riding the Shadow Basin chair at The Remarkables ski field, a thirty minute hike up to the ridgeline of The Remarkables moutain range leaves you with this this view.
On the right day, clear blue skies, some low clouds over Lake Wakatipu and snow capped mountains remind you that New Zealand might possibly be the most beautiful place in the world.
Lake Wakatipu
Have you been skiing or snowboarding in Queenstown? Leave your experiences in the comments section below.
Sorry, I’m a bit late to the party. Things have been slightly crazy down here in Queenstown.
Sometimes I forget that while I’m tucked away on the bottom of New Zealand’s South Island on the bottom of the world enjoying the start of winter, chances are it’s pretty warm where you are.
Not in Queenstown. See that. No, not up there. Down there.
Sun Rising Over the Wakatipu Basin
That was my view early Sunday morning as I was heading up Coronet Peak – one of the ski hills just outside of Queenstown. It had been dumping powder for about three straight days.
And then, as I was taking the first lift of the morning, the clouds parted and revealed a beautiful sunrise and a Wakatipu Basin covered with a blanket of white snow.
The White Gold has arrived in Queenstown. So, you’ll have to excuse my tardiness to the party. What party?
The My 7 Links Party…
In a brilliant effort to gain backlinks to their website, the folks over at TripBase.com have put together a campaign where bloggers delve through their archives to find some of their gems that might have gotten lost along the way – and then tag five fellow bloggers and ask them to do the same. Steph over at Twenty-SomethingTravel.com, Dylan from TheTravellingEditor.com, and Kate from AdventurousKate.com all tagged me. What can I say? I’m a popular guy.
One of the biggest downsides to the traditional travel blog is posts in the archives often get missed unless A) A devoted reader digs through the archives and wipes the dust away from old and forgotten posts B) They’re featured in something like the Featured Posts slider on the main page C) Google likes you or D) You tweet them manually.
So, I’m quite excited to dig through the archives and present to you – My 7 Links.
Over the previous 18 months or so, I’ve moved away from writing posts in the first-person, narrative format and tend to write posts that provide practical advice for backpackers or budget travelers; however, some experiences aren’t best described in the way – as was the case with this post. As any writers or bloggers know, sometimes you’re just not ‘with it.’ Regardless of how hard you try, the inevitable writers block just stands in the way.
The opposite of this – the times when the words, the experiences, the tastes, and the smells flow endlessly out of your head and onto the paper or the computer – are absolutely fantastic.
This was one of those times; I was back on the road for the first time in months and this post documents my experience arriving in Kuala Lumpur.
The most viewed post on Backpackingmatt.com outlines 7 ways (a popular number in the archives) you can travel longer, farther and more comfortably – all while on a budget. I find the key is making sure that while you may be living out of a backpack, you ensure you keep some normalcy in your day-to-day life.
I expected this post to raise some eyebrows, however not to the level it ultimately did. While it was controversial, the comments that resulted from the post (92 and counting) are full of fantastic counter-arguments that offer completely opposite advice of what I put forward. Gary from Everything-Everywhere.com disagreed very strongly with everything I had to say and went as far as challenging me to a ‘blog mentor competition’ of sorts that I ultimately turned down. Gary put together a follow up Webinar where he provides some traffic building tips of his own. It’s well worth a watch.
While the tips I outline work well for me, this clearly isn’t the end all and ultimately you have to find what works well for you.
I’ve been based in New Zealand off and on for the past 18 months. I’ve traveled from the North of the North Island to the South of the South Island – from Cape Reinga to Bluff. I’ve jumped off bridges, been on multi-day hikes, flown over glaciers, looked for jobs, climbed mountains and drank some of the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world.
This post presents 15 tips that will make your arrival to New Zealand easier, your trip planning more effective and will allow you to have the best possible experience in the Land of the Long White Cloud.
Can you believe it’s aleady July of 2011? Crazy. Time flies, eh? Way back at the end of 2010, I was looking back at the previous year of travel and put together this post.
It focuses on the unexpected – it’s this aspect of travel, the unplanned and unanticipated events, that often make for the best memories, the most challenging situations and the defining moments of life’s journey. 2010 had its ups and its downs, and it was great to see feedback in the comments from those of you who also travel for the unexpected.
Whilst backpacking in New Zealand last year in my campervan named Max, two good mates, my ex-girlfriend and I randomly came across the small little village of Te Kuiti. Most days of the year, you’d carry right on through TK (as we learned the locals called it) to your next destination. Not us.
We were lucky enough to be passing through this small New Zealand town during their annual “Running of the Sheep” festival.
Yes, you read that correctly. Pamplona has the running of the bulls. Te Kuiti has the running of the sheep. This post examines this ‘only in New Zealand’ type festival and features some photos of the woolly beasts.
If I look back on the last two years of my life, one of the best decisions I’ve ever made has been launching this travel blog. How is that for a statement?
This space has allowed me to document my travels, share my journey with you, and meet so many like-minded individuals; it’s landed me jobs, provides a bit of income and has most importantly has given me the chance in one way or another to connect with people that are considering escaping their comfort zones and also traveling the world.
If you’re planning a trip around the world, I think you should be writing a travel blog, and this post explains why.
So there you have it.
The Best of the Journey.
Thanks for coming along. Now, it’s my turn to share the love – head on over to the party with…
It seems everything Queenstown has to offer will simultaneously tempt fate, defy gravity, and break the bank.
While these activities (and more) are on offer in the Adventure Capital of the World, the shining light in Queenstown is the huge variety of hiking, biking and simply stunning scenery that sits literally on little Queenie’s doorstep. While you’ll get a taste of what this area of the world has to offer when you hop on the cramped bus to Milford Sound (and you should), to really understand Queenstowns natural beauty, you’ve got to check out some of the exceptional nearby hikes (and bike rides) which are begging to be explored.
Experiencing the beauty of the South Island on your own will blow most guided tours out of the water.
In the past six months, I’ve developed a passion for taking in and really experiencing everything the Southern Lakes of New Zealand has to offer.
It really is the New Zealand way.
There are a couple of fantastic hikes which leave from Queenstowns central Shotover Street. Head up through the Ben Lomond forest, past the AJ Hackett Ledge Bungy site, and head back to towering Ben Lomond. For something less strenuous, check out the hike up to the Queenstown Hill; both afford priceless views of Lake Wakatipu, Cecil Peak and the aptly named Remarkables.
The opportunities for exploration are opened wider if you have your own transportation. If you’ll be in Aotearoa for awhile, consider buying a campervan when you arrive; otherwise, one of the best ways to travel around New Zealand is with your own transportation so hire a car. When you get to Queenstown, head down towards Glenorchy and climb Mount Alfred.
Climbing Mount Alfred
Creative Commons: Tobybear
This 1,375 metre peak juts out between the Dart and Rees River valleys and simply begs to be climbed. Natureshop.co.nz recently offered me some hiking gear to sample and I tackled Mount Alfred for the second time with my flatmate Jo, a pair of Keen hiking boots, and a Merino Icebreaker midlayer. Excellent gear for what might just be one of the best day hikes in the greater Queenstown area.
The hike begins from the western side of Mount Alfred in the Dart River valley; follow signposts to the start of the Routeburn Track and you’ll see the carpark where the track begins about 20 kms from quaint Glenorchy.
Mount Alfred Track Start
As usual, DOC (the Department of Conservation) overshoots the realistic time it would take for someone of a reasonable fitness to hike the track; while my flatmate and I managed to do the hike in under four hours, this included a fair bit of running on the decent. Basic hiking should have you to Alfred’s nearly 1,400 metre summit and back in a cool 5 – 6 hours.
This hike is unique to many in New Zealand in that it contains a fantastic mix of hiking through the dense bush, with some scrambling near the top along with panoramic views from the summit.
Even those with a minor affliction to vertigo should be able to handle the scrambling that is a welcomed break-up to the half day adventure.
The first two hours is spent climbing through ancient, moss covered, silver beech forest which is prevalent throughout this area of New Zealand. New Zealand’s largest remaining indigenous forest will keep you company as you climb 600 or 700 metres above the valley on a well defined trail.
Climbing Through the Beech Forest
As you climb, you’ll cross a number of streams, moss covered felled trees, native New Zealand ferns and roots which have grown over the trail.
Looking Out Through the Forest
I tackled Mount Alfred with these Keen Targhee Mid II hiking boots. They were excellent for the hike with a 4mm sole that provided a solid bit of traction over the slippery roots, rocks and leaf covered trail. While a more rigid boot might have been beneficial, I enjoyed the flexibility that these boots provided. Solid enough to provide some ankle support going up; yet flexible enough to do a bit of a trail running coming down.
Keen Targhee Mid II
About two hours into the climb, you eventually reach the bush line where the beech forest ends and the tussock begins.
Here, the climb really gets interesting.
End of the Forest
While the trail isn’t marked from this point on, there are a couple obvious routes that will take you the the plateaued summit. Vere slightly left and an easy scramble will take about 30 minutes to find the top.
Don’t forget to look back and take in the views…
View of Lake Wakatipu
The final scramble to the top is an absolute rush; especially with the cold wind whipping off the valley – it’s a fantastic feeling to finally pull yourself up onto the summit. The 360 degree views are quite simply stunning.
Summit
While there was a bitterly cold gale at the summit, the Icebreaker mid layer (made from New Zealand wool) provided a great insulation from the bone-chilling cold.
After popping up to the plateaued summit, you can spend time wandering around and taking the views of Lake Wakatipu, the Dart & Rees Valleys, the Humbolts (if the weather is clear!) and majestic Mt Earnslaw.
Dart Valley
Be aware the weather patterns can change very quickly in the alpine environment. Looking towards Lake Wakatipu, it was essentially clear blue skies; towards Fiordland, a storm was brewing.
Brewing Storm
Looking back on Lake Wakatipu.
Lake Wakatipu
So when you’re backpacking in Queenstown, don’t make the mistake that many do: check out the bars, yes – jump off a bridge, you bet – just make sure you get out and get into the great outdoors.
Have you been to Queenstown? Add your favorite nearby hikes in the comments section below.
Considering hiking Mount Alfred? Feel free to contact me with questions.
The Natureshop provided me with complimentary gear for this hike but the opinions here are entirely my own; for ‘nature’ inspired products that are friendly to your body and the environment, check out Natureshop.co.nz.
I know of few people that share the same level of appreciation I have for Aotearoa – yet Amanda is one of them. I was lucky enough to meet her last month while she was backpacking in New Zealand as a guest of Blog4NZ (a campaign to tell the world that New Zealand is in fact open for business despite the recent earthquakes in Christchurch). It was fantastic to meet a fellow American, travel blogger and lover of New Zealand as she was reunited with the Land of the Long White Cloud.
Follow her journey and get more New Zealand backpacking advice on her travel blog, Dangerous-Business.com.
New Zealand travel tip — never underestimate the beauty of an impending storm.
NZ is known for its many climates and its ever-changing weather.
I love this country because, one minute you can be wearing your sunglasses, taking photos of beautiful Lake Hawea. The next, you may see a rainbow plunging into the depths of the dark water.
Lake Hawea New Zealand – South Island
And then the next you could be caught in an all-out downpour that comes out of nowhere, leaving everything rain-kissed and beautiful.
Do you have a photo(s) and travel tips you’d like featured on Backpackingmatt.com? Email me at matt (at) backpackingmatt (dot) com.
Kia Ora - I'm Matt. Adventurer, Instagrammer and New Zealand travel planning expert living in Queenstown, NZ. Founder of Planit NZ - New Zealand's largest travel planning & booking website.
Hello! I’m Matt. Thanks for checking out my blog. Be sure to follow me on Instagram for loads more New Zealand travel inspiration. Comment on one of my photos so I know you came from here!
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Backpacking Matt 
