New Zealand (South Island) - Queenstown, Te Anau, Milford Sound

Nestled in the heart of South Island lies a picturesque small town. Here are my top activity recommendations from the plethora of options available.

Traveling from Mt. Cook to Queenstown offers a final glimpse of Lake Pukaki:

Tasman Delta Cafe: The food is decent, but the unique view of Lake Pukaki truly stands out.
Twizel
Clay Cliffs: Just a 20-minute detour. Situated on private land, there’s a donation box at the entrance.
Lindis Pass

Accommodation:

I recommend booking your accommodation downtown. We stayed at Earnslaw Lodge, which was excellent – spacious, clean, and had a very friendly owner. However, if you’re traveling with elderly family members, be aware that the location requires walking down a steep slope to reach the city center and then back up again to your lodging. Parking downtown is nearly impossible due to the heavy tourist presence; Queenstown is much more crowded than Christchurch. We ended up using Uber for our back-and-forth travels.

Te Anau day trip:

Jack’s Point
Devil’s Staircase
Garston Hunny Shop
South West New Zealand World Heritage Area
Miles Better Pies: I believe NZ has the best pies in the Commonwealth!
Te Anau
- Glowworm Caves Tour (https://www.realnz.com/en/experiences/glowworm-caves/te-anau-glowworm-caves/): The tour comprises a lake cruise across Lake Te Anau and a brief forest walk leading to the entrance. The duration spent inside the cave is under 30 minutes, as far as I recall. Cameras are prohibited within the cave. The peak glowworm season spans from December to March, which might explain why the glowworm lights appeared rather dim during our visit. This was a stark contrast to the images displayed on the website.
- Fiordland by Seaplane (https://www.wingsandwater.co.nz/): This was an impromptu decision made after the rainy weather cleared up following the Caves Tour. We opted for the 15-minute Lakes Explorer, and it was amazing. Highly recommended.
Dinner back in Queenstown: Fergburger of course (https://fergburger.com/)

Milford Sound day trip:

Truth South Flights (https://www.truesouthflights.co.nz/): The location pinned on Google Maps does not mark the actual meeting point, at least as of April 2023; I’m not sure if this has been corrected yet. It was slightly confusing, and we nearly missed our flight! However, the flight itself was indescribably amazing!
Ice Bars: It’s not walk-in bars like regular bars! Need to book in advance! So we were unable to get in one during our stay in Queenstown.
Queenstown Gondola (https://www.skyline.co.nz/en/queenstown/plan-your-visit/skyline-queenstown-prices/)
- Stratosfare Restaurant (Lunch or Dinner)
- Luge Rides
- Stargazing
- Guided walk
- There are many combo tickets to choose from. My choice was a bit complex, so let me explain:
  - I wanted a Premium dinner, which includes a guaranteed window seat, and one gondola ride. However, I needed another ride up for the paragliding activity the following day.
  - A ticket for just the gondola costs NZD $52 per adult. However, with any existing standard ticket, you can upgrade to a “3 Day Unlimited Gondola Pass” for just NZD $23. This upgrade can only be done at the counter. Therefore, before your first ride, you need to check in at the counter to request the upgrade. By using this strategy, you can save NZD $29 per person!

Queenstown:

Tandem paraglide (https://www.nzgforce.com/): The only paragliding company in Queenstown
Bob’s Cove track: 30-minute walk
Glenorchy Walkway: 90-minute walk
Queenstown Gardens