Queenstown, New Zealand

Queenstown 5-day itinerary

5 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
A first visit to Queenstown with room for one extra neighborhood.
Pace
Four walking days and one day trip.
Base
City
Estimated budget
$400–$1,400

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.

    4. Stop 4 · 7 min walk

      Queenstown Arts Centre

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

    5. Stop 5 · 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).

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

    Browse Queenstown tours
  2. Day 2

    City

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

    1. Stop 1

      Robert Scott Memorial

      Historic: memorial.

    2. Stop 2 · 13 min walk

      Patricia Anne (Paddy) Burton

      Historic: memorial.

    3. Stop 3 · 12 min walk

      Carin Stacks

      Tourism: attraction.

    4. Stop 4 · 12 min walk

      Queenstown Hill Viewpoint

      Tourism: viewpoint.

    5. Stop 5 · 31 min walk

      The Ledge Bungy & Swing

      Tourism: attraction.

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

  3. Day 3

    City

    Walk City in Queenstown. Start at Porter Gray Art Gallery, then Queenstown Ice Arena and Service Above Self. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      Porter Gray Art Gallery

      Tourism: gallery.

    2. Stop 2 · 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).

    3. Stop 3 · 6 min walk

      Service Above Self

      Historic: memorial.

    4. Stop 4 · 4 min walk

      Fear Factory

      Tourism: attraction.

    5. Stop 5 · 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 · Devil Burger: Devil Burger is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

  4. Day 4

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

  5. Day 5

    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

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 5 days in Queenstown, excluding long-haul flights. Hotel nights drive most of the range.

  • Budget: about $400 (hostel/budget hotel, transit, street food)
  • Mid-range: about $700 (3★ hotel, sit-down meals, a tour or two)
  • Comfort: about $1,400 (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.

  • 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.

  • The Ledge Bungy

    47-m drop. Bungy or swing.

  • 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.

  • Nevis Catapult

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

  • 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.

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 5 days enough?
Yes if you want Queenstown plus one nearby trip. Use the 3-day plan if you will not leave 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.