Multi-Day Rides
5 of the best things to do on the Queenstown Trails
Exploring Queenstown by Bike
5 of the Best Things to Do on the Queenstown Trails
Queenstown has set an ambitious goal to have a carbon zero visitor economy by 2030.
One of the ways you can help support this mission is by becoming a temporary local when visiting Queenstown. This means slowing down and taking your time to appreciate the community and the landscape.
So, what better way to reduce your impact than by riding a bike to discover the very best of this remarkable region. With a 140km network of purpose-built cycle trails, it’s easy to connect with Queenstown’s iconic activities and attractions whilst minimising your carbon footprint.
Here’s how…
The Queenstown Trails network covers over 140kms, through epic scenery.
The trails are generally suitable for beginner - intermediate riders and are part of NZ's Great Rides.
1. Adventure
Queenstown’s landscape is an incredible natural playground, and it has always been associated with adventure. Queenstown’s cycle trails can connect you directly with two of NZ’s most iconic adventure activities – bungy jumping and jetboating.
Arthur’s Point on the new Wharehuanui Trail is home to perhaps the most famous little red boat in the world. The Shotover Jet.
Designed by Kiwi engineer Bill Hamilton in the 1950s, the Hamilton Jet was invented as a means to navigate rivers that were too shallow for propeller driven boats. Jetboating was an ideal way to explore Queenstown’s shallow fast flowing rivers and in 1965 the Shotover Jet began operating as one of New Zealand’s first commercial adventure activities.
Today, numerous jetboat companies operate throughout the Queenstown Lakes District, offering everything from short thrill rides to longer scenic tours to explore Mt Aspiring National Park. Find out more here.
The historic Kawarau Suspension Bridge connects the Arrow River Bridges Trail with the Gibbston River Trail. Built in 1880, the bridge pushed the limits of engineering design due to the powerful winds that funnelled through the canyon. A century later it became the birthplace of bungy jumping when AJ Hackett famously opened the world’s first commercial bungy operation in 1988….
To this day, Queenstown continues to invent new ways for adrenaline junkies to jump, swing and zip to adventure…. Find out more here.
TOP TIP: For those that prefer to keep their feet on terra firma, the Queenstown Bungy Centre at the Kawarau Bridge is an ideal rest stop for a coffee or an ice cream.
Perhaps the most famous little red boat in the world? Queenstown's Shotover Jet.
The Kawarau Suspension Bridge - birthplace of bungy jumping.
2. Golf
If your idea of a perfect Queenstown holiday doesn’t involve leaping of bridges and something a little more sedate is your cup of tea, then how about 18-holes at one of Queenstown’s eight golf venues?
Queenstown is New Zealand's premier golfing destination and four of its courses are situated right on the Queenstown Trail cycle network, including Millbrook Resort which is also an idyllic stop for lunch or a coffee.
Sensational views accompany a round at Queenstown Golf Course.
The cycle trail passes through Millbrook Resort - which is a great coffee or lunch stop.
3. Vineyards and Wineries
Affectionately known as the ‘Valley of the Vines’, the Gibbston Valley is the world’s most southerly wine growing region and home so some of Central Otago’s finest pinot noir. Conveniently, the Gibbston River Wine Trail flows right through the heart of wine country, providing cyclists with ample opportunities to taste the different local vintages or to have lunch at one of the many restaurants and cafes situated amongst the vines.
Most bike tour companies offer bike rental and a return shuttle from the end of the trail, so you can enjoy a glass or two of wine over lunch at the end of your ride.
Find out more about Queenstown’s wineries here - with a little something for lovers of craft beer too…
Exploring the Gibbston Valley Wine Trail.
4. History & Heritage
Queenstown has long been the domain for pioneers and adventurers, but before Hamilton and Hackett were the European and Chinese goldminers, and before them the South Island Māori tribes that visited the Whakatipu Basin in search of mahinga kai (food resources) and precious pounamu (greenstone).
All these pioneers have left behind a fascinating history and helped define Queenstown’s modern culture. Find out more here.
For an insight into the history of the Queenstown Lakes District, follow the cycle trails around Arrowtown where the legacy of goldmining is still evident in both the architecture and landscape. You can even try your hand at gold panning and try to strike it rich! Whilst in Arrowtown, be sure to visit the Lakes District Museum with its a globally recognised collection.
If you’re interested to learn more about New Zealand’s heritage and culture, then check out the Tohu Whenua website. Tohu Whenua is a visitor programme that connects people with NZ’s heritage and enhances a sense of national identity by promoting significant historical and cultural sites.
In Queenstown, the cycle trail network takes you past two of region’s three Tohu Whenua sites – Arrowtown with its rich goldmining heritage and the historic Kawarau Suspension Bridge (bungy jumping optional)!
5. Mountain Biking
The Queenstown Trails are generally designed for beginner or intermediate riders with the majority of trails graded either an easy 2 or intermediate 3. However, if more technical or exhilarating mountain biking is more your thing, then look no further! Queenstown has three lift-assisted bike parks for gravity-fed downhill biking as well as a myriad of trails and single track that link into the wider Queenstown Trails Great Ride network.
Epic flow trails like Rude Rock and Hot Rod are icons of the Queenstown MTB scene, or gondola-assisted uplift options in the Ben Lomond Bike Park and at Coronet Peak offer radical downhill riding. There are also plenty of opportunities for beginners to progress with more forgiving flow trails. Or, for an incredible backcountry adventure, check out the challenging Coronet Loop for 50kms of wilderness riding which you’ll never forget!
Queenstown is a mecca for mountain bikers, with epic trails like Rude Rock.
The Coronet Loop is one of NZ's best backcountry day rides, but at 50km long it's not for the faint hearted!
Of course, no matter your choice of activity, Queenstown has a world-class après-adventure scene too, with a cosmopolitan choice of over 150 bars, cafes, and restaurants!
So, what are you waiting for? Rent a bike today and hit the trails!
As well as adventure, Queenstown is home to some world-class après-adventure! Altitude Brewing on the Queenstown Trail.
Queenstown has over 150 cafes, restaurants and bars! Steamer Wharf in central Queenstown.