Queenstown itinerary: 1 to 3 days
Plans for one to three days in Queenstown, day by day: Arrowtown's gold-rush main street, the Shotover River, Queenstown Gardens, Kiwi Park, the Skyline Gondola and Luge and dinner at Fergburger first, then the TSS Earnslaw cruise to Walter Peak, Arrowtown's Chinese Settlement and museum, the Gibbston Valley wineries and the Kawarau bungy bridge, and a full day on its own to Milford Sound as you add days. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 3 days
Queenstown in 1 day
Day 1
Arrowtown historic main street (Buckingham Street)
The main street of an 1860s gold-mining town, with restored wooden shopfronts, cafés and tree-lined avenues that glow gold in autumn.
Patagonia Chocolates
Chocolate and ice cream shop on Arrowtown's main street, a popular stop for a hot chocolate or a cone.
Shotover River at Edith Cavell Bridge
The 1919 bridge over the Shotover River's narrow canyon at Arthurs Point, where the Shotover Jet boats speed through the gorge.
Queenstown Gardens
Gardens on a peninsula next to the town centre, with lakeside paths, old trees, a rose garden and a frisbee golf course.
Kiwi Park
Wildlife park at the foot of the gondola with kiwi in a nocturnal house and other native birds and conservation shows.
Skyline Gondola and Luge (Bob's Peak)
Gondola from the town up Bob's Peak for the view over Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables, with luge tracks at the top.
Fergburger
Queenstown's famous burger shop in the town centre, open from early morning until late, known for big burgers and long queues.
Queenstown in 2 days
Day 1
Skyline Gondola and Luge (Bob's Peak)
Gondola from the town up Bob's Peak for the view over Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables, with luge tracks at the top.
TSS Earnslaw cruise to Walter Peak (Steamer Wharf)
Cruise across Lake Wakatipu on a coal-fired steamer of 1912 to the Walter Peak high country farm for farm tours and a meal.
Queenstown Gardens
Gardens on a peninsula next to the town centre, with lakeside paths, old trees, a rose garden and a frisbee golf course.
Fergburger
Queenstown's famous burger shop in the town centre, open from early morning until late, known for big burgers and long queues.
Day 2
Shotover River at Edith Cavell Bridge
The 1919 bridge over the Shotover River's narrow canyon at Arthurs Point, where the Shotover Jet boats speed through the gorge.
Arrowtown Chinese Settlement
Restored huts and stores of the Chinese gold miners who lived by the Arrow River, with signs telling their story.
Lakes District Museum
Arrowtown's museum on the gold rush and the region's settlers, with a gold-panning experience and a historic bank building.
Patagonia Chocolates
Chocolate and ice cream shop on Arrowtown's main street, a popular stop for a hot chocolate or a cone.
Arrowtown historic main street (Buckingham Street)
The main street of an 1860s gold-mining town, with restored wooden shopfronts, cafés and tree-lined avenues that glow gold in autumn.
Gibbston Valley wineries
Wine valley along the Kawarau Gorge, known for Pinot Noir, with cellar doors for tastings and lunch among the vines.
Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge
Historic suspension bridge over the Kawarau River, the world's first commercial bungy site; watching from the viewing decks is free.
Queenstown in 3 days
Day 1
Milford Sound
Fiord in Fiordland National Park with sheer cliffs, waterfalls and Mitre Peak, seen on a boat cruise at the end of a long scenic road.
Day 2
Shotover River at Edith Cavell Bridge
The 1919 bridge over the Shotover River's narrow canyon at Arthurs Point, where the Shotover Jet boats speed through the gorge.
Arrowtown Chinese Settlement
Restored huts and stores of the Chinese gold miners who lived by the Arrow River, with signs telling their story.
Lakes District Museum
Arrowtown's museum on the gold rush and the region's settlers, with a gold-panning experience and a historic bank building.
Patagonia Chocolates
Chocolate and ice cream shop on Arrowtown's main street, a popular stop for a hot chocolate or a cone.
Arrowtown historic main street (Buckingham Street)
The main street of an 1860s gold-mining town, with restored wooden shopfronts, cafés and tree-lined avenues that glow gold in autumn.
Gibbston Valley wineries
Wine valley along the Kawarau Gorge, known for Pinot Noir, with cellar doors for tastings and lunch among the vines.
Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge
Historic suspension bridge over the Kawarau River, the world's first commercial bungy site; watching from the viewing decks is free.
Day 3
Queenstown Gardens
Gardens on a peninsula next to the town centre, with lakeside paths, old trees, a rose garden and a frisbee golf course.
TSS Earnslaw cruise to Walter Peak (Steamer Wharf)
Cruise across Lake Wakatipu on a coal-fired steamer of 1912 to the Walter Peak high country farm for farm tours and a meal.
Fergburger
Queenstown's famous burger shop in the town centre, open from early morning until late, known for big burgers and long queues.
Kiwi Park
Wildlife park at the foot of the gondola with kiwi in a nocturnal house and other native birds and conservation shows.
Skyline Gondola and Luge (Bob's Peak)
Gondola from the town up Bob's Peak for the view over Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables, with luge tracks at the top.
When to go to Queenstown
Summer, from December to February, brings long days for walking, cruising and wine touring, and is the busiest time. Autumn, March to May, is cool and colourful, especially in Arrowtown. Winter, June to August, is the ski season, with the Queenstown Winter Festival in late June, and roads to Milford Sound can close for snow.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Queenstown on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Queenstown on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Queenstown on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for New Zealand from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Queenstown
- A car makes the day out to Arrowtown, the Shotover River, Gibbston and the Kawarau bridge easy; local buses also run to Arrowtown and Arthurs Point.
- Milford Sound is a long full day by road through Te Anau, about four hours each way; book a coach and cruise, or a scenic flight, and expect weather to change plans.
- Book the TSS Earnslaw, the Shotover Jet and bungy jumps ahead in summer and in the school holidays.
- Fergburger often has a long queue; order ahead by phone or go at an off-peak hour.
- Weather in the mountains changes quickly; bring layers and a rain jacket even in summer.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Arrowtown Chinese Settlement: Rob Young from United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0
- Arrowtown historic main street (Buckingham Street): Bgabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gibbston Valley wineries: Marek Ślusarczyk (Tupungato) Photo portfolio, CC BY 3.0
- Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge: Steve & Jem Copley, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Kiwi Park: rheins, CC BY 3.0
- Milford Sound: Maros M r a z (Maros), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Queenstown Gardens: fr:Utilisateur:FRED The original uploader was FRED at French Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Shotover River at Edith Cavell Bridge: dusile48, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Skyline Gondola and Luge (Bob's Peak): Bob Linsdell, CC BY 3.0
- TSS Earnslaw cruise to Walter Peak (Steamer Wharf): trakesht (talk), Attribution
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
