Queenstown, New Zealand

Queenstown 10-day itinerary

10 days in Queenstown on foot. The plan moves through City, City, City, starting with Skyline Gondola, Queenstown Gardens, Kiwi Park Queenstown. No car.
Best for
First-time visitors who want a full Queenstown trip with day trips.
Pace
Seven walking days, two day trips, and one slower day.
Base
City
Estimated budget
$800–$2,800

Day-by-day plan

Follow the stops in order. Walk times are estimates between nearby places.

  1. Day 1

    City

    Walk City in Queenstown. Start at Skyline Gondola, then Queenstown Gardens and Kiwi Park Queenstown. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      Skyline Gondola

      One of the best views is from the top of Bob's Peak reached by the Skyline Gondola. Breathtaking views of Coronet Peak, the Remarkables mountain range and across Lake Wakatipu to Cecil and Walter Peaks. It's truly magnificent and awe-inspiring! If you're fit, you can save money by hiking up the Tiki Trail, a very steep 1-2 hr hike from town.

    2. Stop 2 · 14 min walk

      Queenstown Gardens

      Jutting out into Lake Wakatipu, these botanical gardens contain a variety of exotic and native trees and plants as well as a large pond and a range of facilities.

    3. Stop 3 · 14 min walk

      Kiwi Park Queenstown

      Wildlife attraction featuring native New Zealand birds.

    Eat · Fergburger: Legendary, large burgers, insanely busy most of the day.

    Browse Queenstown tours
  2. Day 2

    City

    Walk City in Queenstown. Start at Queenstown Arts Centre, then Ivan Clarke Gallery and Robert Scott Memorial. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      Queenstown Arts Centre

      Contemporary art exhibitions and artists studios. Has some paintings for sale.

    2. Stop 2 · 4 min walk

      Ivan Clarke Gallery

      Commercial art gallery selling the very large oil paintings by local artist, Ivan Clarke. As the prices start around $5,000, most visitors come away empty handed. The paintings are a mixture of local landscapes and a quirky set of dogs dressed as humans (The Lonely Dog).

    3. Stop 3 · 12 min walk

      Robert Scott Memorial

      Historic: memorial.

    Eat · Night n' Day: Hot food and groceries, also at 48 Shotover St.

  3. Day 3

    City

    Walk City in Queenstown. Start at Patricia Anne (Paddy) Burton, then Carin Stacks and Queenstown Hill Viewpoint. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      Patricia Anne (Paddy) Burton

      Historic: memorial.

    2. Stop 2 · 12 min walk

      Carin Stacks

      Tourism: attraction.

    3. Stop 3 · 12 min walk

      Queenstown Hill Viewpoint

      Tourism: viewpoint.

    Eat · Devil Burger: Devil Burger is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

  4. Day 4

    City

    Walk City in Queenstown. Start at The Ledge Bungy & Swing, then Porter Gray Art Gallery and Queenstown Ice Arena. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      The Ledge Bungy & Swing

      Tourism: attraction.

    2. Stop 2 · 12 min walk

      Porter Gray Art Gallery

      Tourism: gallery.

    3. Stop 3 · 8 min walk

      Queenstown Ice Arena

      The Queenstown Ice Arena is an ice sports and public skate centre, opened originally in 1966 as an outdoor ice rink it was later rebuilt as an indoor arena in 1996 and is located at Queenstown Gardens, next to the town of Queenstown, Otago, New Zealand. It is the current home venue of the Skycity Stampede in the New Zealand Ice Hockey League (NZIHL) and Wakatipu Wild in the New Zealand Women's Ice Hockey League (NZWIHL).

    Eat · Erik's Fish and Chips: Erik's Fish and Chips is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

  5. Day 5

    City

    Walk City in Queenstown. Start at Service Above Self, then Fear Factory and William Gilbert Rees. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      Service Above Self

      Historic: memorial.

    2. Stop 2 · 4 min walk

      Fear Factory

      Tourism: attraction.

    3. Stop 3 · 4 min walk

      William Gilbert Rees

      William Gilbert Rees was an explorer, surveyor, and early settler in Central Otago, New Zealand. He and fellow explorer Nicholas von Tunzelmann were the first Europeans to settle the Wakatipu basin. Rees is regarded as the founder of Queenstown.

    Eat · Hell Pizza: Hell Pizza is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

  6. Day 6

    City

    Walk City in Queenstown. Start at Sunshine bay, then Old power house and Rosarium. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      Sunshine bay

      Tourism: attraction.

    2. Stop 2 · 29 min walk

      Old power house

      Tourism: attraction.

    3. Stop 3 · 15 min walk

      Rosarium

      Tourism: attraction.

    Eat · At Thai: Thai cuisine

  7. Day 7

    Day trip toward Arrowtown

    Leave Queenstown for the day. Come back to the same bed.

    1. Stop 1

      Arrowtown

      Listed as a next stop from Queenstown. Check the regional train or bus the night before.

    2. Stop 2

      Glenorchy

      Listed as a next stop from Queenstown. Check the regional train or bus the night before.

    3. Stop 3

      Kingston (New Zealand)

      Listed as a next stop from Queenstown. Check the regional train or bus the night before.

    Eat · Pack snacks from town. Do not count on a full menu at a small station.

    Browse Arrowtown day trips
  8. Day 8

    Day trip toward Glenorchy

    A second day outside Queenstown. Keep the same hotel base.

    1. Stop 1

      Glenorchy

      Listed as a next stop from Queenstown. Book the earliest practical train or bus.

    2. Stop 2

      Kingston (New Zealand)

      Listed as a next stop from Queenstown. Book the earliest practical train or bus.

    3. Stop 3

      Cromwell (New Zealand)

      Listed as a next stop from Queenstown. Book the earliest practical train or bus.

    Eat · Eat near the station before you leave. Plan dinner back in Queenstown.

    Browse Glenorchy day trips
  9. Day 9

    Do one thing slowly

    No new neighborhood. Use the spare day on a single activity.

    1. Stop 1

      Kawarau Bridge Bungy

      The 43-metre (141 ft) bungy jump off the Kawarau Suspension Bridge is the world's oldest commercial bungy jump, and the only bungy jump in Queenstown offering tandem jumps.

    2. Stop 2

      The Ledge Bungy

      47-m drop. Bungy or swing.

    3. Stop 3

      Nevis Bungy

      New Zealand's highest bungy at 134 m. The bungy is 45 min east of Queenstown; shuttles depart are from the AJ Hackett office on the corner of Shotover St and Camp St in central Queenstown.

    4. Stop 4

      Nevis Catapult

      Described as "bungy jumping on steroids". Opened in August 2018.

    Eat · Go back to a place that already worked.

  10. Day 10

    City

    Keep Queenstown on foot. No new tickets required.

    1. Stop 1

      The Ledge Bungy & Swing

      Tourism: attraction.

    Eat · Eat near the hotel.

Where to stay

Sleep near the walking base. Pick an area, then search hotels by neighborhood.

  • City

    First stay

    Central location, free WiFi, view rooms available, on-site restaurant & bar.

  • Budget

    First stay

    Open fire in lounge area, a sauna and ski storage available. SkyTV cinema, TV lounge, modern kitchen, wheelchair friendly, travel services, girls only dorms, high speed Wi-Fi. Free tea and coffee, light breakfast.

  • Mid-range

    First stay

    A motel with modern-style decoration.

Full where-to-stay guide →

Things to book

Tours and tickets that match this plan. Book anything that needs timed entry.

Budget

Rough mid-range spend for 10 days in Queenstown, excluding long-haul flights. Hotel nights drive most of the range.

  • Budget: about $800 (hostel/budget hotel, transit, street food)
  • Mid-range: about $1,400 (3★ hotel, sit-down meals, a tour or two)
  • Comfort: about $2,800 (nicer hotel, taxis, paid attractions)

Trip budget calculator →

Transportation

Get in

* | url=http://www.queenstownairport.co.nz/ | email= | address= | lat=-45.021111 | long=168.739167 | directions= | phone=+64 3 450 9031 | tollfree= | hours= | price= | wikidata=Q1204970 | lastedit=2023-05-31 | content=The country's 4th busiest airport by passenger numbers. It is served by Air New Zealand, Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia. There are direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Gold Coast in Australia, and from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch in New Zealand. The frequency of flights varies seasonally, with the biggest number during the winter ski season.

Get around

The Queenstown town centre is small enough to walk around. Parking is at a premium and can be hard to find during the day. For further distances a bus or car is necessary. There are a number of tour operators to be found in the CBD of Queenstown.

Where to eat

Simple meal ideas near the day’s walking route.

  • Fergburger

    Legendary, large burgers, insanely busy most of the day.

  • Night n' Day

    Hot food and groceries, also at 48 Shotover St.

  • Devil Burger

    Devil Burger is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

  • Erik's Fish and Chips

    Erik's Fish and Chips is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

  • Hell Pizza

    Hell Pizza is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

  • At Thai

    Thai cuisine

  • The Cow Restaurant

    Pizza & spaghetti house

  • The Lone Star

    Tex-mex, casual dining

Optional alternatives

Add one if a walking day finishes early. Don’t stack them onto the same afternoon.

  • Shotover Jet

    The original Shotover Jet is billed as "The World's Most Exciting Jetboat Ride".

  • Luge

    A fun-filled gravity ride for all ages and abilities. You control your own gravity-propelled vehicle down the track. Choose from two tracks, one scenic and gentle, the other advanced and adventurous. Children must be at least 6 years old and 110 cm (3ft 7in) tall to ride alone; those younger or shorter can ride in tandem with an adult.

  • Mad Dog Riverboarding

    An action-packed and personally challenging white water activity.

  • NZONE Skydive

    First commercial tandem skydive company in New Zealand, operating since 1990.

  • Cruise on the TSS Earnslaw

    Lake cruises on Lake Wakatipu offer great views of the town, surrounding mountains, etc. The TSS Earnslaw is a popular historic (1911) steamship which offers daily tours. There are also private charter providers.

  • Cycling

    Hire a bike or e-bike for the day and use your legs. There is a cycle path which runs around the edge of the lake from the centre of town to the golf course opposite. For an all-day experience, consider riding over the Old Shotover Bridge and along the beautiful Kawarau River to Arrowtown.

Before you go

Questions

Do I need a car in Queenstown?
No for this plan. The days stay inside walking range, then local transit to ZQN. The Queenstown town centre is small enough to walk around. Parking is at a premium and can be hard to find during the day. For further distances a bus or car is necessary. There are a number of tour operators to be found in the CBD of Queenstown.
Is 10 days enough?
Yes if you want Queenstown plus day trips. Use the 5-day plan if you will stay in town.
Where should I stay?
Base near City so the first walking day starts at the hotel. Heartland Hotel Queenstown is a listed option, not a ranking.
Where do I eat?
Each day names one sit-down stop. Fergburger is on the list. Keep the rest as bakeries and market counters.

Other Queenstown trip lengths

Daily stops compiled from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA), Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, and OpenTripMap. Updated 2026-08-25. Edited by Lina Varela.