Chapter VII - Queenstown

After two great days of skiing in Cardrona, it's time to leave the valley and head down to the shores of Lake Wakatipu, where Queenstown is located. Right from the start, it becomes clear that this place is buzzing. Since arriving in New Zealand, I haven't experienced a single traffic jam, but here we find ourselves in several, and the chaos on the streets is intense. The first tourist buses start rolling into the city at 6 a.m., either to unload their guests or to continue towards Milford Sound from there.

Queenstown truly has everything to get the heart of an adrenaline junkie pumping. From bungee jumping and jet boating to the canyon swing, it's all here. The only problem is that your wallet will feel a little lighter afterwards. I decided to skip it this time, but on my next visit to Queenstown, it's definitely a must-do.

After our arrival, we head straight to the center of Queenstown, where countless pubs and bars are already busy even in the early afternoon. In the evening, we plan to go on a small hike up a hill behind Queenstown. At the highest point, you'll find the Skyline Gondola station, which goes up the mountain almost from the center of Queenstown. However, we opt for the sporty option instead of paying $25 for a round trip (you can feel the prices in Queenstown there). When we reach the top just in time for the sunset, there are already over a hundred tourists with cameras bigger than the others, ready to take a photo of the sunset over Lake Wakatipu in the background and Queenstown in the foreground. The hike was definitely worth it, and the view and atmosphere were impressive.

The next day, we embark on one of the few outstanding Great Walks of New Zealand - the Ben Lomond Track. We start from the Skyline Gondola station around 10 a.m. The path takes us through the forest until we reach the treeline. From there, we continue along a long ridge to the beginning of the summit ascent. From there, you already have an incredible view of the remaining Southern Alps to the west. Helicopters pass by every 10 minutes, inviting you to scenic flights. After about 2 hours, we reach the summit. The final meters to the summit are steep and feature some climbing passages, especially in snowy conditions. In the end, we are glad to have made it to the top and enjoy the breathtaking view, which can be imagined as a 360° panorama. The first 180° in the east showcase Lake Wakatipu and its immense size, making it the largest lake in New Zealand. But even from up there, it's hard to see its end hidden behind the mountains. The other 180° feature the Southern Alps, from the Cardrona ski resort to the glaciers on the West Coast. The city of Queenstown itself is hidden behind a small hill right on the shores of Lake Wakatipu.

The descent through the saddle is impressive and a lot of fun. You always have the beautiful lake in view, offering great photo opportunities. Halfway down, we take a break and enjoy the sunset, far away from all the tourist hustle and bustle. A few meters below us, paragliders take off one after another, provided with runways and wind measuring devices like an airport. After a short ascent in the dark, we arrive back in Queenstown.

Last but not least, we have another day of skiing on the agenda, this time in the Remarkables, as Coronet Peak is already closed. In this ski area, Mareijn and Annemiek from Holland work, whom Kinga met during their time in Japan. We already spent a day together in Cardrona, and now they want to show us their ski resort where they are working this season.

The Remarkables are really cool to ski, with a great park like Cardrona and the latest lifts that New Zealand has to offer. However, like most ski resorts on the South Island, it's definitely more fun on a powder day during the deep winter when you can ride all the off-piste options. But unfortunately, we are too late for that. Nonetheless, we make the most of the day and enjoy some excellent runs together with our Dutch friends, who give us a great tour of the ski area. At the end of the day, we spend some time in the park before heading back to Queenstown, which is about 20 minutes away. In the evening, we have plans to meet up with Annemiek and Mareijn, as well as Victor and Johana from our Lyford team, who have just arrived in Queenstown from Wanaka. We have a fun evening at an idyllic bar in Arrowtown, a suburb of Queenstown.

The next day, we chill out in the city before heading further south to Fiordland in the afternoon.