How to Spend One Adventurous Day in Queenstown NZ

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Only have one day to explore Queenstown, on New Zealand’s South Island? Don’t stress because you can still fit in a full day of epic scenery, adventure, and unforgettable photo moments.

Dave and I know the struggle. We spent two days in Queenstown, but one of those didn’t count as we were recovering from a week of van life and it was pouring with rain. So we discovered how much you can do in just 24 hours.

Get ready for stunning hikes, adrenaline-pumping adventures, and lakeside spots perfect for photography (seriously, bring your camera). If you’re like us, I highly recommend the Half-Day Queenstown Photography Tour – it’s a game-changer.

This 1 day itinerary is designed to help you make the most of your time, no matter the season. I’ll guide you through the best activities, restaurants, and accommodations, plus throw in a few bonus stops in case you have extra time. By the end of the day, you’ll have experienced the very best of Queenstown, without feeling rushed.

Quick Tips for Visiting Queenstown

Where to Stay (my choices):
Autoline Queenstown Motel
Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa

Best time of the year to visit: In my opinion, Autumn or Summer but Winter is amazing there too!

My favourite thing to do: Hike Ben Lomond and get stunning photos!

A worthwhile Queenstown Tour: Queenstown Photography Tour
Do you need a car for Queenstown: You do not need a car to explore Queenstown, however renting a car will be useful if you decide to venture further away.

1 Day Queenstown NZ Itinerary

How to Get from the Airport to Queenstown

Queenstown has its own international airport which is only about a 15 minute drive from the town centre.

Public Transport

To get to and from the airport from the centre of Queenstown, you can get bus #1 which takes about 25 minutes. It goes all of the way to the airport and you can purchase bus tickets on the bus or you can buy a Bee Card in the main airport terminal. The fare works out to be cheaper with a Bee Card. Note: Every passenger needs their own Bee Card.

The Bee Cards are $5 each and you then need to top them up with a minimum of $5. With a Bee Card, the Airport bus is $2.50 for adults and without a Bee Card it is $10 (bring cash). You can find more on the fare pricing on the NZ Gov website here.

Shuttle

Alternatively to the bus, you could get a shuttle transfer, however the bus is pretty easy so I recommend it over the shuttle if you want to save some money.

Rent a car

If you are travelling around New Zealand, you might want to rent a car from Queenstown airport. You don’t really need a car for Queenstown itself unless you are planning on travelling further outside of Queenstown.

Queenstown 1 Day Itinerary

This 1 day Queenstown Itinerary has a bit of everything from outdoor adventure, good food and shopping and sight-seeing. If you don’t like the look of everything in the itinerary, I have also included some alternative activities at the end.

Use the map below to locate all of the things to do and see from this itinerary.

Click here to open the map in Google Maps!

Morning (6 hours)

You’ll need to wake up nice and early for this adventure packed day!

You’ll want to start by having a good breakfast to keep you going until lunchtime and then it’s straight to the Queenstown Gondola to do one of the best hikes in Queenstown. I can recommend Odd Saint, which is located downtown on Earl Street and has some really yummy and kind of unusual hot breakfasts.

Alternatively, you could go to The Exchange which is also located in Queenstown on Ballarat Street so just a short walk from any Queenstown Hotel. At The Exchange, you will find breakfast options such as Eggs on Sourdough, Avo Toast, Acai Bowls and more.

Ben Lomond Track

Distance: 10.8km / 6.7 miles | Elevation Gain: 1,010m / 3,313 ft | Time: 5-6 hours | Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Ben Lomond is one of the best hikes in Queenstown with absolutely incredible views of the surrounding mountains!

You can actually hike it all the way from the centre of town instead of taking the gondola, making it a free thing to do in Queenstown, however this adds on a lot of distance, time and elevation to your hike. With only one day in Queenstown, I recommend taking the gondola.

You will need to take the gondola up to Bob’s Peak which is about 480m above Queenstown. The gondola costs about NZ$66 per adult and there are a range of different packages to choose from.

😲 Fun Fact: The Queenstown Gondola is the steepest cable car lift in the Southern Hemisphere!

At the top of the gondola, there is a restaurant, toilets, water station so you can fill up your water and use the facilities before starting your hike. Make sure you pack enough water and food because it is a big hike with lots of elevation so you will get hungry. I recommend packing some snack bars and a sandwich to eat at the top.

The trail starts in the pine forest so there won’t be any views at first. Breathe in that beautiful pine needle aroma as you hike. I’m obsessed with the smell of pine trees as we don’t have them in Australia and they remind me of a Christmas movie.

Once you leave the pine forest, the views begin. After 1.5 hours into the hike, you should reach the Ben Lomond Saddle, where you will find a seat. This is a good spot to stop for a snack. For those of you who are beginners or not all that into hiking, you can stop here. The views are still absolutely epic from here.

In fact, this is where Dave and I stopped. This was well before our backpacking days and we were taking SO long to hike because we kept stopping to take photos so we kind of ran out of time to hike all of the way to the summit.

The rest of the way up to the summit is a steep climb and the trail becomes a bit less maintained.

Late Lunch (0.5 hours)

Once you arrive back to the top of the gondola, you are bound to have worked up an appetite after hiking Ben Lomond. Luckily for you, there is a restaurant (Stratosfare) and a café (Market Kitchen) to choose from at the top of the Gondola.

If you want to eat at the Stratosfare Restaurant, you can book lunch at the same time that you purchase your gondola ticket in a package. The food here is pretty fancy so if you are looking for something a bit more basic like pizza or fish and chips, then the Market Kitchen Café is probably for you!

Ride the Luge (1 hour)

You cannot visit Queenstown without having a go on the Luge! The Luge is one of the best things to do in Queenstown and you will probably want to go more than once.

What the heck is the Luge, you might ask? Think outdoor Summer toboggan without the long silver slide that toboggans are attached to. It’s almost like a downhill go-kart and so much fun! Dave actually made me have a go and I had so much fun that I went more than once.

If you are wondering if it is just for kids, no it is not. The Luge is for everyone, however, kids need to be over 85cm tall and 2+ years of age.

You can book your Luge ticket as part of your gondola package.

Afternoon – Relax and Wander around the Shops / Go for a Cocktail

You’ve had the absolute best day in Queenstown so far and you are probably exhausted from all of the fun and hiking!

It’s time to slow down a little and wander around the shops. One thing I remember about Queenstown, is that there was some really great shopping!

Once you are all shopped out, you could go for a beer or a cocktail at Birdy.

Dinner

For dinner, you absolutely have to try Fergburger. It’s the most famous burger place in New Zealand and gets super busy. You probably won’t get a seat and you will probably have to wait a while to get your order, but the burgers are delicious and there are loads of fun burger types. We were lucky enough to get a table for a little bit to scoff down our burgers.

Got more time?

Here are some extra activities for those of you who are super fast hikers and have time to spare in the afternoon, or have 2 days in Queenstown.

Queenstown Bungy or Swing

The Queenstown Bungy and Nevis Swing are world famous and whenever we tell anyone that we have been to Queenstown, we are asked if we did the bungee. I haven’t but Dave has and he says it was absolutely terrifying. He would do it again though so I guess that’s a sign that it was fun?

You can book the Queenstown Bungy and Swing here. It’s only a 10 minute walk from the centre of Queenstown to the bungy.

Shotover River Extreme Jet Boat Ride

Take an adrenaline pumping jet boat ride on the Shotover River. This is one way to wake you up if you are exhausted after hiking to Ben Lomond!

Your captain will be driving FAST and doing 360-degree spins as well as manoeuvring through tight canyons and over rapids.

There are multiple tours throughout the day so you can easily find one that fits your schedule. The tours go for about 25 minutes.

Small-Group Zipline Adventure

This Zipline Adventure is a great alternative to the Bungy and Swing if they sound like a bit too much adrenaline for you.

You will zipline down the mountain with incredible views surrounding you. The Zipline Adventure is located at the top of the Skyline Gondola so you could do this right after you are finished at the Luge.

Mountain Biking

If you are into mountain biking, there are some great trails in Queenstown! Hire a bike from ALTA Snow/Bike Shop and use Trailforks to search for trails!

Join a Queenstown Wine Tour

Are you in need of a bit of a chill day after all that adventure? What better way to relax than to join a wine tour. This tour goes to 3 different wineries and a wine cave, provides you with afternoon tea and includes some sightseeing at Lord of the Rings film sites.

Where to Stay

We stayed slightly outside of Queenstown at an affordable but nice motel called the Autoline Queenstown Motel which I recommend if you want a super comfy bed and a lovely bathroom with heated floors.

If you would prefer to stay in the centre of Queenstown, I would stay at either:

• Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa – oh my gosh what I would give to stay here! It looks divine!

• Mi-pad Queenstown – Mi-pad Queenstown is 4 star accommodation, with a rooftop terrace with fantastic views of the mountains and the city.

Planning a trip to New Zealand? You might also enjoy these guides!

• How to Hike Roys Peak at Sunrise and Sunset
• Best Day Hikes in Mount Cook National Park
• New Zealand South Island 8 Day Campervan Trip
• Reasons Lake Tekapo is Worth Visiting
• Best Wine Tours From Christchurch NZ

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