Queenstown
New Zealand
About Queenstown
New Zealand's self-declared adventure capital: birthplace of commercial bungee jumping (Kawarau Bridge), site of the world's second-highest bungee jump (Nevis), and home to jet boating, skydiving, and paragliding, all launched from a small town on the shore of Lake Wakatipu. A genuinely dual-season destination — December-February (Southern Hemisphere summer) draws hikers and adventure-sports travelers, June-August (winter) draws skiers to The Remarkables — with largely different sets of activities on offer depending on when you visit, the same pattern as Zermatt in Switzerland. Milford Sound is reachable as a long day-cruise from here, and the nearby village of Glenorchy sits amid landscapes used in filming Lord of the Rings.