Top tips for a first-rate cycling holiday in Queenstown

Elevator Pitch

Queenstown does not pull any punches in terms of self-promotion, claiming to be „New Zealand’s final mountain biking and biking vacation spot“.

Aotearoa’s journey capital has certain received the surroundings. It is also received the paths, heaps of them, starting from laidback and horizontal to hilly and hardcore.

Its advertising and marketing messaging leaves little question as to its renown. Queenstown’s mountain bike trails are „world-famous“, its biking facilities „world-class“, and the leap park „one of the legendary on the planet“.

These claims are echoed by Mark Williams, Chair of the Queenstown Trails Belief, who says the broader area has „drawn curiosity from all all over the world as a plethora of world-class trails have been developed“.

Williams says the advantages are unfold extensive. „We’re getting some actually good conservation outcomes across the trails, similar to wilding pine management, predator administration and native reforestation.“

Decarbonising native transport can also be a precedence. „New path builds are centered round integrating the community in order that each locals and guests can trip from house and depart the automobile behind.

„Queenstown is upping its recreation, and is ready to grow to be one of many world’s premier bike locations.“

All nice information for these of us who’ll by no means make it to Whistler.

The lay of the land

The Wakatipu Basin is liberally sprinkled with sights and points of interest. Fortunately, many might be reached on the Queenstown Path community, 130km of comparatively straightforward biking byways connecting Queenstown, Frankton, Arrowtown and Gibbston taking in eye-popping vistas alongside the way in which.

When you’re useful on a mountain bike you are spoilt rotten. Queenstown MTB Park, Wynyard Bounce Park and the Fernhill trails are all on the sting of city, with 7 Mile Scenic Reserve simply half an hour’s trip away. Then there’s Moke Lake, Macetown, Coronet Peak, and Impolite Rock which is „a downhill single-track masterpiece now well-known the world over“. And that is under no circumstances all of it.

Getting your bearings

The Queenstown Path web site gives ample element together with advised rides and interactive maps, and their printed map might be picked up round city. The Nice Rides App is an effective go-to, as all the time.

Queenstown MTB Membership produces a printed map ($5) however their freely out there app is finest for present intel.

The entire shebang is effectively serviced by quite a few corporations providing trip recommendation, bike rent and shuttles.

A city tour

The Queenstown traditional is the return to Frankton, a Wakatipu lakefront cruise backdropped by the Remarkables. Beginning on the Queens Gardens, it follows a flat pathway to the Frankton marina space the place the Boat Shed Cafe and Altitude brewery bar are each extremely really helpful.

Flip tail for a two-hour trip, or double down by following the lake edge to Kawarau Falls bridge and on to the Kelvin Peninsula Path, which passes by salubrious surrounds to the Queenstown Golf Membership the place there is a welcoming cafe.

Lengthen the trip even additional through Jack’s Level Monitor, which will get gruntier because it goes. It ends on the fancypants Jack’s Level golf clubhouse restaurant, open to the general public. From Queenstown, the total, one-way trip is 27km taking 4–6 hours, with public bus or shuttle choices for getting again to city.

Additional afield

The Arrow River Bridges Trip is a very superb stretch of Queenstown Path. A simple two-hour, 14km meander alongside the picturesque Arrow River, it crosses 5 bridges and diddles down nation lanes, ending at historic Kawarau Bridge the place the unique AJ Hackett bungy leap gives an opportunity to knock the massive bounce off your bucket record.

An irresistible add-on is the Gibbston River Wine Path, 9km of noodling pathway by the ruggedly good-looking „Valley of the Vines“ the place there are quite a few tasting rooms and cellar door eating places. By the point you’ve got made it this far you will wish to park up for a protracted alfresco lunch and look ahead to shuttle rescue.

Getting excessive

No go to to Queenstown could be full and not using a swoosh up the Skyline Gondola for epic views, the must-do luge, and maybe a spot of lunch.

Fortunately, from September to Could mountain bikers can hitch a gondola uplift to blast the „world-class downhill trails“ of Queenstown Mountain Bike Park. A few of it is a bit gnarly, however I will vouch for Hammy’s and Thundergoat as completely superior choices for these with respectable singletrack abilities.

Chowing down

The place to begin? With a vineyard? Why not! Our decide is Kinross in Gibbston, which takes a collective method by proffering drops from a number of the area’s finest producers together with Wild Irishman and Valli. With wine-tasting ticked off, head outdoors to the ravishingly rustic backyard for appropriate, convivial delicacies. There’s room to let the youngsters roam free too.

One other notable lunch-stop is the venerable Gibbston Valley Vineyard, which has a extra upmarket vibe, wine cave excursions, and bike rent conveniently on-site.

For a post-ride pint on the town, our decide is Atlas Beer Cafe for its sizeable choice of craft brews and respectable burgers. There’s bike parking outdoors and the bonus of Lake Wakatipu views.

Do not miss

Hair-raising historical past. Between the moa hunters and gold diggers, you’ve got received sufficient drama to half-fill the brand new historical past curriculum. The motherlode is situated on the Lakes District Museum in Arrowtown, a terrific treasure trove of native tales with loads of hands-on stuff and a significantly good little bookshop. Try the heritage-listed Chinese language Settlement village alongside the banks of the Arrow River when you’re at it.

Hazards and cautions

Be cautious of people that let you know that Queenstown is over-rated, overpriced, or has usually jumped the shark. They’re in all probability simply jealous or have succumbed to disinformation illness having not truly visited lately. Or perhaps ever.

Positive, pre-Covid, Queenstown was grappling with some fairly critical rising pains. However it hasn’t earned its international status for nothing.

The great things’s nonetheless there, together with the native individuals who make this place tick. Take the prospect to go to a world-famous journey resort on house turf, glad within the data that you just’re serving to paddle the financial waka. Simply be able to jostle amongst backpacks and jandals slightly than Louis Vuitton purses and Jimmy Choos.

Bike city ranking:

World-class.

Begin planning

Vacation spot Queenstown queenstownnz.co.nz

Queenstown Trails queenstowntrail.org.nz

Queenstown Mountain Bike Membership queenstownmtb.co.nz

Bennett & Slater thank Vacation spot Queenstown for help.

Verify alert degree restrictions, vaccine necessities and Ministry of Well being recommendation earlier than journey. covid19.govt.nz