Things to do in

Arrowtown

Head out on a scenic 25-minute drive to Arrowtown. Get set up with your bike, receive trail tips, a map, and a safety briefing and then depart on your independent adventure ride. Explore Arrowtown and grab a coffee before setting off to ride at your leisure along the Arrow River Bridges Trail toward Morven Ferry Intersection. From here, either take a diversion to the Kawarau Bungy or follow the Twin Rivers Trail along the Kawarau and Shotover Rivers to the shores of Lake Wakatipu and onward to Queenstown Bay, where you can return your bike. If you are unsure if you can handle the distance, upgrade to an electric bike for only $50 more and keep the good times rolling.

Become your own tour guide for a day and enjoy having the freedom to explore the best parts of Queenstown, Arrowtown, and Gibbston Valley without being rushed or constricted by any pres-set schedules. Enjoy the fun and soak up the amazing sites of Queenstown. No need to make an itinerary and drive yourself, your friendly drivers will look after you and provide you with information on each location. Hop on and off as you please, visit as many destinations as you like, and choose how long you stay at each spot. Stop options include: • Shotover Jet boat ride • Canyon Food & Brew Co • Strike Bowl bowling and entertainment center • Cargo at Gantley’s taproom • Arrowtown historical gold mining town • Gibbston Valley Cheese • Akarua Wines & Kitchen by Artisan • Amisfield Bistro & Cellar Door • (November to April) Wet Jacket Wines • AJ Hackett Bungy • Waitiri Creek & Cargo Brewery • Brennan Wines • Mt Rosa Wines • Kinross Cellar Door & Bistro • Gibbston Tavern and Rockburn Cellar Door • Gibbston Valley Winery • Altitude Brewing • Quartz Reef Wines at The Rees Hotel

Enjoy having the team collect you from your accommodation before you cycle from Arrowtown to Gibbston Valley yourselves or get dropped off at Gibbston and explore the area by bike. All staff are locals and will have some top local tips for you. Once you have been fitted to a bike  and are all ready to go, jump on a Hardtail Cruiser bike or Premium E-bike to start the trip at your own pace.  You will be given maps that have all the information you will need to make the most of the trip back to Queenstown. The ride is between 2-20 kilometers: you can choose to be dropped off at Arrowtown for a 20-kilometer ride or at Gibbston Valley for a 2 kilometer ride.  Once in Gibbston Valley, you can stop by a range of award-winning wineries. These include Gibbston Valley, Chard Farm, Peregrine, Mt Rosa, Waitiri Creek/Cargo Brewery, Peregrine, Gibbston Tavern, and Gibbston Valley Cheese experience, to name a few.

There’s no better place to try paragliding than from Coronet peak, the highest of all the flying sites in Queenstown. This take-off gives you the opportunity to give flying a paraglider yourself a go (conditions apply). The friendly and highly qualified team is led by Angus Tapper, a 4-time New Zealand Paragliding Champion and runner-up in the 2010 National Hang Gliding championships. He has over 30 years of aviation experience. After a short drive up to the ski field, you’ll be teamed up with your highly experienced pilot. He’ll do a safety briefing with you followed by a short practice. Soon, you and your pilot will be flying away. Once up in the air, you’ll have amazing views of the whole Wakatipu area. There’s nothing better than seeing the spectacular Queenstown region from the air. Try your hand at flying a glider yourself while under the safe supervision of your instructor (conditions apply). Once you’re done, a courtesy van will pick you up from the purpose-built landing site, which has a café that offers hot food and drinks.

Enjoy a thrilling day out with the most experienced paragliding team in New Zealand.  At 1,100 vertical meters, it is the highest of the flying sites in New Zealand, more than twice the height of the Gondola in Queenstown. This flight option, the instructional paraglide, is for those that want to learn more about paragliding and actually want to have a go at steering a glider under the guidance of a highly experienced pilot (conditions permitting).  If you choose the option to meet the team at Coronet Peak, an optional free transfer will be provided from downtown Queenstown up to the Coronet Peak ski field. Your pilot will lead a safety briefing with you and then after a short practice, you will be away flying with your highly qualified pilot. Enjoy amazing views of the whole Wakatipu area.

Hop on board to enjoy a day out and discover Queenstown's up and coming craft beer scene. Your tour includes 3 stops, 12 tastings, and a delicious lunch - a great way to spend an afternoon in Queenstown. You will be picked up at your hotel and then venture outside the center of Queenstown to try award-winning local beers. You will head through the historic Arrowtown and to the gorgeous Gibbston Valley, before returning to Queenstown, passing by the beautiful shores of Lake Wakatipu. Interact with local brewers and sample the best brews they have to offer. You will be dropped back to your accommodation or to Queenstown’s favorite, Smith’s Craft Beer House, where you can continue to test your palette!

Join a gin tasting tour from Queensland in the company of a passionate local guide. A delight for your taste buds, this tour will lead you to the Cardrona Distillery, The Winery - Arrowtown, and the Gin Garden by the award-winning Broken Heart Spirits. Begin the tour with a pickup from your accommodation in Queenstown and head to the historic Cardrona Valley. Go on a guided tour of the Cardrona Distillery and their facilities followed by a tasting of their products. With your newly-gained knowledge from Cardrona Distillery, move on to your second stop at The Winery in Arrowtown. Choose from an array of gin paddles curated for your drinking pleasure and snack on a shared grazing board. To conclude, enjoy a boutique tasting at the Gin Garden by Broken Heart in Arthurs Point. Sample locally-distilled spirits made from NZ Southern Alps water and handpicked Kiwi botanicals. Then, head back to your hotel or stick around and have some cocktails (at your own expense).

Embark on an adventure safari packed with breathtaking scenery, thrilling 4WD action, and LOTR filming locations. Visit the filming locations of Minas Tirith, Misty Mountains, the Pillars of the Kings (Argonath), Gladden Fields, the Ford of Bruinen, and more.  After pick-up from your hotel, journey around the Wakatipu Basin to see The Remarkables, which were used as various mountains throughout the three movies. Travel part way up Queenstown Hill for a bird's-eye view onto Deer Park Heights, which was used for the refugees of Rohan and the Battle of the Wargs scenes. From the viewpoint, head to Kawarau Gorge where the filming took place for the Argonath - 'Pillars of the Kings'. After Kawarau Gorge, travel to Arrowtown where the loss of The One Ring scene at Gladden Fields was shot. Near Arrowtown, you will experience a true off-road adventure. Following a historic gold mining road up the Arrow River, cross the river many times to get to the Ford of Bruinen. Here you can indulge in a refreshing afternoon tea and try your hand at a spot of gold panning. From Arrowtown, travel to the entrance of Skippers Canyon for spectacular panoramic views of the Wakatipu Basin and into the Canyon.

This half-day adventure begins from the town center and transfers you to Arrowtown. From there you will set off with a local guide and a fully kitted ebike for a one-of-a-kind ride through the Wakatipu Basin. This gentle track winds its way through quiet river valleys, down quaint country lanes, and over impressive suspension bridges. As you enter the Gibbston Valley, enjoy a break at the historic Kawarau Bridge and visit the World Home of Bungy. The ride continues along the strikingly blue Kawarau River and through lush vineyards. The reward comes at the Kinross Cellar door where you will end the day sipping boutique Gibbston wines. The trail is easy and hard-packed, perfect to explore on an ebike. Unique in Queenstown, these bikes are built to keep the trip scenic, comfortable, and fun. The ebikes are “Dutch Style”; upright with a taller frame and a riding position that gives greater comfort and visibility. They are easy to ride, simple to operate, and allow for as much or as little effort as the rider wants to exert. They are also fitted with panniers for gear and any purchases along the way. Mudguards to keep the rider clean and fresh. This guided tour covers all the bases: a fully kitted ebike with panniers, water, snacks, wine tasting, guide, and vehicle support at designated points along the trail. This tour is perfect for those who want to get out and get active (but not too active) and finish the day tasting some delicious regional wines.

Experience the very best of Queenstown’s renowned wineries and restaurants by night on the region’s first progressive dinner tour. Start your evening with a scenic drive out to wine country for your stunning wine tasting and entree overlooking the vines. Take a drive through the historic gold rush town of Arrowtown and experience a delicious main paired with a perfect wine to match. Wrap up your night with a decadent dessert in the heart of Queenstown and enjoy an after-dinner digestif by a roaring log fire.