Queenstown New Zealand: the best attractions for 2018
Have you been hearing great things about Queenstown, New Zealand? How it’s an exciting hub for backpackers or that its nearby slopes will thrill all ski lovers? Put it in your agenda this year.
While it is a great base to visit New Zealand in the summer, there is a lot going on in the winter as well. If you’re trying to figure out when is the best time to visit, check out our favorite ultimate attractions happening in Queenstown in 2018:
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MACPAC MOTATAPU
Queenstown will surely provoke your inner athlete, challenging you to beat your own physical limitations at the annual sporting event Macpac Motatapu. Whether you’re thrilled by the competition or the stunning surroundings, you can pick from five different activities. Explore the Maori hunting tracks on an off-road marathon or cross rivers and mountains on your bike. The event takes place across private trails, which are exclusively open on March 10th this year, so hurry up to enter the competition!
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BIOPHILIA FESTIVAL
If you are a part of the Mindfulness movement, you will love the Biophilia Festival which offers 3-days in March in the pristine countryside of Queenstown. Connect with like-minded people during workshops, yoga, dance and many more activities to celebrate human potential. Pack your camping gear and join a community that promotes a deeper connection with yourself and the surrounding nature.
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LUMA
Queenstown’s darkest month of the year lights up with LUMA – Southern Light Project. During the first four days of June, explore the Queenstown Gardens in the evening and interact with exciting installations for free. From peculiar glowing artwork to the latest technology in light, there you will find that winter in New Zealand can also be bright.
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QUEENSTOWN WINTER FESTIVAL
Shake your winter blues at the city’s Winter Festival, from the 21st to 24th of June. Visitors from all over New Zealand join in the atmosphere of fun and celebration, there are comedy and music shows, an ice skating rink and goofy competitions such as the Dog Barking Competition. The whole family can take part in local traditions, exploring food stalls and watching the fireworks that mark the beginning of the cold season.
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GAY SKI WEEK
Party and Ski? Yes, please! Queenstown is just fabulous and a bit crazy on the first week of September, as everyone gets together to celebrate diversity. You can finish off first in a ski drag race and then hit the dancefloor on a cabaret night. There are themed-dressing days, gala evenings, karaoke, boat and wild west parties, for an exciting après-ski at the sound of New Zealand’s hottest DJ’s. Join in and discover the surprises that Gay Ski Week has prepared this year!
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NEW YEAR’S EVE
Kick off the new year at the party capital of New Zealand! Head to the Rhythm and Vines or Rhythm and Alps for a fantastic line-up of live music with mountains, lakes and vineyards as backdrops. If you’re in a budget, there is always the free and awesome option of joining the crowd at Earnslaw Park for music and fireworks right by the city’s lakefront. You can also book a table at Skyline Gondola’s Stratosfare Restaurant, for a more sophisticated place from where to admire the sky lightning up at midnight.
It is hard to choose only one right? Whatever you decide this time, you will keep Queenstown on your bucket list for many more holidays!
Queenstown New Zealand
