Mountains, Lake &
The Audacity
to Do Anything

AJ Hackett Bungy invented the commercial bungy jump at the Kawarau Bridge in 1988 — a 43m jump over the Kawarau River Gorge (the iconic shot of bungy that has been in every marketing image since). It is now the mildest of three Queenstown bungy sites. The Ledge Bungy (400m above town, accessible via the Skyline gondola, 47m drop) adds the lake and mountain backdrop to the fall. The Nevis Bungy — 134m drop over the Nevis River gorge in a cable car pod 8km east of Queenstown — is the highest bungy jump in New Zealand and a 3-second freefall that takes most people several minutes to step off the platform. All three are operated by AJ Hackett, include professional photography, and have been running for decades with an extraordinary safety record.

Skydiving over Queenstown — with Lake Wakatipu, the Remarkables, the Shotover River gorge, and on clear days Milford Sound 150km away all visible during the 60-second freefall — is consistently ranked among the world’s finest skydiving settings. NZONE Skydive (the original, operating since 1990) and Skydive Queenstown both operate tandem dives from 9,000ft (35 seconds freefall), 12,000ft (50 seconds), and 15,000ft (60 seconds) — the 15,000ft option is the one that delivers the full panorama and is worth the premium. Both operators include a 5–8 minute parachute flight with the instructor available to point out landmarks. Tandem only — no solo jumps offered to non-licensed skydivers. Minimum age 12 (with guardian consent); minimum weight for safety 120kg maximum.

The Shotover Jet — operating since 1965 in the Shotover River Canyon — is the original commercial jet boat experience and still the most dramatic: a 360-degree spin in a canyon with rock walls 1–2 metres from the boat at speeds of 85km/h. The Shotover River Gorge (schist rock walls, the remnants of abandoned gold dredging operations) is the setting; the boat spins and turns with theatrical precision. The Dart River Jet Boat (at the head of Lake Wakatipu near Glenorchy) is a quieter, more scenic option through the beech forests of the Dart River with mountain views and the Lord of the Rings landscape — less adrenaline, more beauty. Both are 25–40 minutes duration; both are weather-independent.

Queenstown’s ski season runs June–October — the core of the Australian and New Zealand winter — and the town functions as a ski resort of genuine international quality. Two mountains: Coronet Peak (1,649m peak, 22km of trails, 20 minutes from town, NZ’s first ski field 1947 — the best choice for intermediates, with night skiing Friday–Saturday in winter) and The Remarkables (1,943m summit, 35 trails, 30 minutes from town, more beginner terrain and the iconic mountain-backed-by-lake setting). Both are part of the Mountain Collective/Ikon Pass. Lift passes NZD $140–180 per day; hire packages NZD $50–100. A third option, Cardrona (45 min from Queenstown over the Crown Range — excellent intermediate terrain, linked to Wanaka), rounds out the regional ski area.

The Queenstown Bike Park — accessed via the Skyline gondola — has 30+ trails from the summit of Bob’s Peak (790m) down to the town. Beginner and intermediate trails (wide, flowing, graded) sit alongside expert lines (narrow, technical, drop-heavy). Trail conditions are maintained and signposted to international mountain bike trail standards. Bike hire available at the base; gondola-and-bike day pass NZD $75–99. The cross-country trail network around Queenstown (particularly the Lake Hayes loop, the Arrow River trail, and the Gibbston Back Road) is excellent for confident riders who prefer gentler terrain. E-bike hire (available from multiple operators in town) opens the surrounding trails to all fitness levels.

Harris Mountains Heli-Ski — operating since 1977, the original New Zealand heli-ski operation — drops guests onto remote off-piste terrain in the Harris Mountains, Buchanan Ranges, and Richardson Mountains (within 90 minutes of Queenstown by helicopter). A day of heli-skiing in Queenstown’s surrounding ranges: 5–10 runs of 600–1,200m vertical on untracked powder, with the helicopter serving as lift. Skill requirement: confident intermediate to expert (the terrain is serious). Operating season June–September. NZD $1,200–1,600 per person for a standard day (5–6 runs); additional runs available. For non-skiers, helicopter scenic flights over Milford Sound, the Dart River, and the Southern Alps offer the same aerial access to the landscape at a lower cost (from NZD $250).

The Shotover River canyon provides Grade III–V white water rafting through the same gorge as the Shotover Jet — but at river level, in an inflatable raft, over a period of 3–4 hours including transport and wetsuit briefing. The Oxenbridge Tunnel (an 170-metre-long hand-hewn historic gold-mining tunnel through which the river and the raft pass in complete darkness) is the standout moment of the Shotover rafting experience — a genuinely unique passage found nowhere else on earth. Suitable for beginners (guides are expert and the equipment handles the most technical sections). Operates September–April (water levels too low in winter); NZD $199–239 depending on operator. Queenstown Rafting and Challenge Rafting are the two main operators.

Tandem paragliding from Coronet Peak — launched from the ski field car park at 1,200m with a qualified pilot, a 20–30 minute soaring flight over the Wakatipu basin, views of the lake and the Remarkables — is the activity that most people describe as the most unexpectedly beautiful thing they did in Queenstown. Unlike skydiving (a rush of freefall) or bungy (a single intense moment), paragliding is sustained and serene: you have enough time to actually look at the landscape below, to identify landmarks, to feel the thermal lift. GForce Paragliding and Queenstown Paragliding are the two main operators. NZD $259–299 for a tandem flight; minimum age typically 10; no upper weight limit for most operators.