Queenstown Trail

The Wakatipu Basin's magnificent mountains, roaring rivers and the dazzling deep blue of its lake provide the constant backdrop of day-to-day life in Queenstown. Snapping photos of this scenery is one way of absorbing it but jumping on a bike and hitting some of its 120km of cycle tracks, known collectively as the Queenstown Trail, elevates that experience to a whole other level. Seeing it from a bike engages all the senses; the smells of the changing seasons, the sounds of flowing waters, the tastes of the wines that have their roots in this land when relaxing at one of the many vineyards along the way – even the feel of the burn in the calves is part of it.

The Queenstown Trail is made up of a series of interlinking tracks, meaning there's plenty of room for flexibility to choose whatever distance appeals on the day. Many of the tracks start in the centre of Queenstown so there's no excuse to not get those pedals rotating, but it's worth knowing that the trails are all uphill from Queenstown so, for an easier ride, start from Arrowtown or Gibbston and finish back in town.

As one of The New Zealand Cycle Trail Great Rides, these local tracks have exploded in popularity over the last few years for both tourists and locals, and it's easy to see why. There is an incredible variety packed into a small area, from the shores of Lake Wakatipu and Lake Hayes, to historic Arrowtown and the wine country of the Gibbston Valley, the series of what locals call ‘hub and spoke' tracks cover a whole lot of territory. It's now commonplace to find happy locals on their bikes as much as tourists, as increasing numbers are leaving their cars at home and using the tracks instead for both commuting and recreation.