Soft adventure in Queenstown: hike the Tiki Trail, race the Skyline Luge (NZD $89 for three rides), or cruise Lake Wakatipu on the historic TSS Earnslaw (NZD $115).
Given that the plan was to enjoy Queenstown without indulging in extreme sports, the Tiki Trail isn’t half setting the heart racing.
From the centre of Queenstown, the trail is an hour-long, uphill slog through the woodland. It would, of course, be a lot easier to take the gondola up. But that feels a bit like cheating.
Hiking the Tiki Trail in Queenstown
Coming down the other way are mountain bikers, nimbly leaping the jumps on tracks that range from toe-in-the-water to frankly terrifying. They don’t stop to admire the wheezing hikers coming up the other way.
At the top of the hill, there is the Skyline Luge. To the uninitiated, it’s essentially a very basic go kart which can be steered down a hill along one of two twisting, turning tracks. The simpler, less speedy track is for first timers – but once you’ve shown you can handle that it’s all about taking racing lines, hurtling over steep dips and accelerating through corners.
Skyline Luge: Queenstown’s fun alternative to extreme sports
In a city best known for hair-raising skydives and bungy jumps, the Skyline Luge is a slice of hugely entertaining fun that doesn’t ramp the fear factor up too high.
Queenstown built its reputation on the skifields and high-octane thrills, but these can overshadow an extraordinary setting and a wealth of activity options that are far less petrifying.
Exploring Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables
It’s easy to overlook Lake Wakatipu, the cartoon thunderbolt-shaped glacial lake that Queenstown sits on the edge of. The mountains rise up from it on all sides, and a walk or cycle along its shore in any direction is generally time well spent.
But heading out onto the lake in a boat allows a different perspective, with the town dwarfed by the Remarkables mountain range.
Cruising Lake Wakatipu on the TSS Earnslaw
Boats don’t get too much more storied than the TSS Earnslaw, which has been connecting settlements on the fringes of the lake since 1912. It is now used purely for tourism purposes, but is still powered the old way. Down below, unlucky crew members still put their backs into it, shovelling coal to power the steamship.
The cruise across the lake docks in the shadow of Walter Peak, a 1,800m imposing rock wall named after the son of Queenstown’s first European settler, William Rees. In its heyday, the Walter Peak Station had 170,000 acres, 40,000 sheep and 50 full-time staff. Since then it has been subdivided, and the farming comes a distant second to entertaining tourists. That means sheep shearing shows, hand-feeding animals and masterful performances from the sheepdogs – as well as a few tall stories.
Lord of the Rings filming tours with Nomad Safaris
The stories these parts are most associated with, however, come courtesy of JRR Tolkien and Peter Jackson. Nomad Safaris runs “Safari of the Scenes” trips to some of the key filming locations from Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, heading north along the lake to Glenorchy and the Dart River Valley.
This may sound utterly tedious to any orc-phobic fantasy fiction haters, but it quickly turns out that you don’t need to have seen the films to appreciate the scenery. While the guide is pointing out Dimrill Dale, where the Fellowship escapes Moria, there are still fabulous mountains to look at. Similarly, when talking about the spot where Boromir dies, you’re surrounded by glorious, lush forest.
Behind the scenes stories from Queenstown film locations
The little filming insider titbits help bring places to life too. For example, while in the Dart Valley, Mt Earnslaw is pointed out. Sean Bean (who played Boromir) has a fear of helicopters, so refused to get in one to film his scenes on the side of the mountain. So every day he had to hike up for hours in full costume.
That makes tackling the Tiki Trail in shorts and a T-shirt feel somewhat tame. But taking the time to explore Queenstown and its surrounds rather than plummeting through at breakneck speed shows a different side. And it’s that natural beauty that drew the thrill-seekers in the first place.
Queenstown attraction ticket prices and opening hours
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How much does the Skyline Luge cost in Queenstown? | As of 2025, the Skyline Luge costs NZD $89 for three rides or $96 for five rides. This includes transport on the Skyline Gondola. More details at Skyline Queenstown. |
| What are the Skyline Queenstown opening hours? | The gondola and luge generally operate from 10am to 8pm daily, but times vary seasonally. Check the Skyline Queenstown website before visiting. |
| What are the TSS Earnslaw cruise ticket prices? | TSS Earnslaw Lake Wakatipu cruises cost approximately NZD $115 per adult. |
| How much does the Lord of the Rings Safari of the Scenes tour cost? | The half-day Safari of the Scenes tour with Nomad Safaris costs around NZD $175 per person. |
| Is there parking at Skyline Queenstown? | Yes, limited paid parking is available at the base of the Skyline Gondola, with additional spaces nearby on Brecon Street. |
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More New Zealand South Island travel
Other New Zealand South Island travel stories on Planet Whitley include:
- Why you shouldn’t do a day trip to Milford Sound from Queenstown.
- Six reasons to include Queenstown in your New Zealand travel itinerary.
- Guide to white-water rafting on the Shotover River from Queenstown.
- A wine-tasting tour through Central Otago.
- Practical guide to visiting Puzzling World in Wanaka.
