Insider tip

As Kiwis, exploring our own backyard doesn’t often make it to the top of our travel wish lists – but it should.

Put Queenstown on your list for 2019 and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

I finally made it to the ‘‘adventure capital’’ of New Zealand earlier this year, and was quick to discover why it’s often voted one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Yes, there are the well-trodden circuits that everyone does. But there are lesser-known adventures that will awe even the well-travelled.

A keen active traveller, a highlight of my trip was the station-to-station cycle trail between Mt Nicolas and Walters Peak Station. A half-day independent cycling trip, you start with a cruise across Lake Wakatipu, before cycling between the highcountry farms.

I can’t tell you how refreshing it was to breathe in the fresh mountain air and watch the landscape unfold. You can bring your own bike or hire one locally.

If you’d rather explore the hills on two feet than two wheels, and are an experienced climber, then the Ben Lomond track is a must. It’s a demanding, full-day hike but from the top you’ll be rewarded with 360-degree views of Lake Wakatipu, The Remarkables, Cecil Peak, and Walters Peak.