Our New Zealand trip was based on the idea that we wanted to go on a snowboarding trip. After crunching the numbers we worked out that it would cost roughly the same amount to go to New Zealand as it would to go to Falls Creek or Mt Hotham in Victoria, Australia. Plus, we had both never been to New Zealand, so what better opportunity to cross that off our bucket list. If you're thinking of going to New Zealand for snowboarding (or just in general), hopefully this post can give you some useful tips.
accommodation
First, we stayed at Nomad's in the CBD for 3 nights. A cool hostel with great staff and vibe! We had a private room with balcony, which was awesome to take in the view of Lake Wakatipu. Close to everything and highly recommend staying with Nomad's when you get the chance. They also gave amazing prices on adventure tours and activities. But, the major tipping point in our decision to go to NZ was the awesome "7-night powder pack" that we found at OzSnow.com, which included:
7-nights accommodation at Reavers Lodge in a self-contained loft (breakfast and 1 x group dinner included)
3-day Queenstown Super Pass (for Coronet Peak and Remarkables)
2-day Cardrona Lift Pass
7-day car hire (including snow chains)
Total Cost (including clothing and equipment hire) $1,144pp
For more info - http://ozsnowadventures.com.au/new-zealand-2/queenstown-powder-pack-7-nights/lodge-and-self-contained-loft-rooms/
Our general rule of thumb is if you give the photos from the website an 8/10 it's probably a 6/10 in real life. Reavers Lodge was not really an exception, as the rooms were very basic and sort of old, but we were happy because we got what we paid for. It was pretty noisy at night, but only because our room was right next to the stairwell, so every time someone went up/down the stairs, we heard it. It was more of a hostel than a lodge, but if that is your kind of scene then this place is pretty cool (even though the WiFi only worked about 3% of the time). It's in a decent location, really close to bus stops (located just at the end of the road) and only a 15-minute walk into the heart of town. They also offer really good deals on clothing and equipment hire just across from reception.
Nomad's Queenstown
Comfort: 7/10
Staff: 8/10
Restaurant/Bar: 7/10 (hostel kitchen, cinema, sauna and common areas)
Vibe: 7/10
Overall: 7/10
Reavers Lodge
Comfort: 5/10
Staff: 6/10
Restaurant/Bar: 8/10
Vibe: 6/10
Overall: 6/10
snowboarding
Now for the fun stuff (rubs hands together). We are both very much rookie snowboarders, but we love it! This was our first snowboarding trip together and both of us had only been once before. We hired all our clothing and equipment through OzSnow (Reavers Lodge) - boots, boards, jackets, pants and gloves. It was super convenient and cheap! We did a bit of shopping around before this trip and we couldn't find anything cheaper anywhere, and it was actually decent gear. The guy who served us in the board room was really helpful with fitting us out and answering any questions we had (as rookies). We highly recommend going through OzSnow if you're planning your first snowboarding trip to Queenstown. Their ski packages, with the inclusion of car hire, are very hard to beat and they give you a daily snow report in reception, which is awesome.
We had to collect our lift passes from the Snow Center in town, where you can also catch the buses to get to Coronet Peak and The Remarkables (and Mt Hutt - but we didn't go there). Amazingly friendly staff who are willing to help with anything and everything. Probably some of the nicest people we met on this trip. For the first day we chose to go to Coronet Peak, as we only had a half day and it was the closest. We didn't get to the Snow Centre until about midday and our day lift pass would only let us use the lifts until 4pm. The girl serving us gave us a complimentary upgrade to a night ski pass, which allowed us to stay past sunset and go night skiing (snowboarding). Night boarding was one of the best experiences we had in Queenstown - highly recommend it if you get the chance! After a long first day, we went home covered in bruises, and later found out that Coronet Peak is actually nicknamed Concrete Peak, which made sense because some of the slopes were super icy, so beware. Coronet Peak was awesome though, their ski centre is such a cool setup with heaps of outdoor fire pits and a massive indoor area with bars and restaurants. They also had a few DJs and heaps of entertainment for everyone during the night skiing session.
Our second day boarding at Remarkables was like a powdery heaven compared to Concrete Peak! The weather was not great but we were so happy to be stacking it onto a bed of fresh powder. We also thought Remarkables had the best runs, especially for us rookies. Perfect place to build confidence and try some blue/intermediate runs. We decided to drive our hire car up this day, picking up a couple of Aussie snowboarders along the way. Karma repaid us halfway up the mountain as these guys helped us put the snow chains on the tires in pretty windy conditions. There are plenty of signs and staff along the way to let you know when to put your snow chains on, however don't expect too much hands on work from them. They can't help everyone coming up the mountain, so don't get your knickers in a knot if they don't help you put your chains on. Most chains come with instruction manuals anyway and are fairly easy to understand. We then had to drive up to the car park, grab our gear out of the car and catch the shuttle bus up to the top of the mountain. We spent two days snowboarding here doing the green and eventually the blue runs, which we loved! So much fun and definitely recommend two days here. Awesome venue, awesome runs, awesome views, can't wait to go back!
Our last two days snowboarding we travelled to Cardrona. It is about a 1 hour drive, if the road conditions are good. Otherwise, definitely allow 2 hours travel time, as we got stopped behind a snow plow on our first day. A good chance to take in the views though, or even build a snowman. Also, check that the lifts are open before you leave your hotel room! We got told the mountain was open, so we drove all the way out there one day only to find that it was too windy so they shut all the lifts. Just give them a quick call or check their website before you go. Cardrona is another awesome place for rookies (and pros) to go snowboarding. They have some really long sweeping runs for beginners which gives you heaps of time to build your confidence. We found that most green runs we have been on (on other mountains) are really short and by the time you've stacked it a couple of times you need to get back on the ski lift to go again. These runs gives you all the time in the world. By the end of the second day we were both full steam ahead down the blue runs! The venue is pretty old but the staff are lovely and there is a really good vibe around the place!
For more lift pass options and info - https://www.skiqueenstown.com/ and https://www.cardrona.com/
car hire
We definitely recommend hiring a car in Queenstown! It was so handy to get around and see the sights. There may be cheaper ways to do it (public transport or hitchhiking), but it is a little expense with massive convenience. We were able to drive to Wanaka for the day, which is an awesome little town which is about a 1 hour drive from Queenstown and well worth it. Car hire is another reason to go through OzSnow, as it is included in the package. You have the choice to either get airport transfers, or for an extra $100pp you can get yourself a hire car for 7 days. It doesn't add up I know, but don't ask questions, just go with it! We also paid a little bit extra (about $60) for an upgraded car - we went from an dodgy old Nissan Sunny to a 2015 Toyota Corolla. Between two (or more) people it was an awesome deal. It also meant we could fold the back seats down and fit all our gear inside the car, rather than having to pay extra for roof racks and putting the boards on the roof. Highly, highly recommend.
food and drink
There are so many choices of restaurants, bars, cafes and bakeries in Queenstown that it's almost overwhelming. But, we did our best to grab a sample from as many places as we could! We are by means foodies, but we do love eating! These are the places we tried:
Brekky/lunch:
Yonder - by far our favourite spot in Queenstown. We went there everyday we weren't snowboarding, even though breakfast was included in our accommodation. The food was too good to resist and there were heaps of veggie/vegan options, which suited us. Friendly staff, awesome food and welcoming vibe.
Bespoke Kitchen - we only found this place on our last day, when we wanted to treat ourselves before we said goodbye to Queenstown. We wish we found it earlier! The food was something straight out of a magazine and tasted as good as it looked. It was really busy, but we can only take that as a good sign. You won't be disappointed, even if you swing by and grab a coffee.
Lunch/dinner:
Fergbaker - even if you aren't vegetarian/vegan, you should try the veggie pie from here. Amazing. I think we had about 10 between us while we were in Queenstown. I'm sure all their other pastries and sweets are just as good, but we couldn't stay away from them. We think Fergbaker is just as good as Fergburger, if not better, and near non-existent compared to Fergburger.
Fergburger - ahhh Fergbuger. The hype was crazy about these burgers, so our expectations were sky high. We had to wait about 15 mins to get to the counter, then another 15 for our burger. Which is nothing compared to some people who have to wait up to an hour during peak time. So our tip is to go around 4pm when the line is about half the length as a late lunch or an early dinner. As far as burgers go they are pretty good, but they are just burgers at the end of the day. We ordered the tofu burger, which was lovely, but nothing to write home about. Our favorite part was the mulled apple and cinnamon cider we drank while we waited for our food.
Surreal Bar & Restaurant - we stumbled across this place on our own mulled cider pub crawl, and it ended up being one of our favorite spots for dinner and a few drinks. Simple but delicious menu and some cool locals behind the bar to chat to. Don't expect anything extravagant, it is more of a pub feed than anything else, but we don't think you'll be disappointed. Also, we loved that it had a lounge area with board games and cards!
Drinks:
Anywhere along the wharf - we started our mulled cider pub crawl at these bars, all of which served up a fine glass of mulled cider. If you haven't guessed yet, we love mulled cider and suggest you try at least one (or twelve).
Loco Cantina - if you want a fun night out where you can eat, play some pool, listen to music, get cheap drinks and dance all night. We spent a whole night here and it was so much fun.
The World Bar - a cool place to star the night. We recommend trying one of their famous "teapots" to kick the night off.
Rhino's Ski Shack - if you want a good night out, drinking and dancing.
Vinyl - grungy underground nightclub with alternate music, a good spot to end the night.
Note: do not forget your passport when you go out otherwise you'll be trekking back to your hotel room to get it. A driver's license won't get you into most places. We found they were pretty strict on this at bars or bottle shops.
hiking
We did three hikes while we were here and we recommend them all! We love hiking wherever we go, but we usually just wear our runners, however for Queenstown, we bought some cheap lace-up boots and bought some waterproof spray for them. Worked a treat and we could wear these boots casually as well.
Bob's Peak
If you're planning on a sunset hike for some cool pics, check the sunset times before you go. Then plan how you're gonna get back down the mountain, otherwise you may find yourself hiking back down in complete darkness, with only your iPhone torch to lead the way like we did. Spooky and pretty dangerous. Although, we did save about $40 on this occasion by not catching the Gondola back down. You can take the Gondola if you like, but it might cost you about $20 each way. This hike only takes about 1-hour each way, and we think it is well worth it, as you see some interesting stuff that you would otherwise miss from the Gondola. There is a restaurant and souvenir shop at the top, which is pretty nice, and an awesome lookout to take some breathtaking sunset pics.
Tip: make sure you check prices for attractions before you go!
Queenstown Hill
Amazing panoramic views of Queenstown. Put this first on your hiking bucket list. It is approximately 4 hours round-trip, depending on how long you decide to soak in the views of course, and we recommend taking a pack with some food and snacks to find a nice spot to sit on top of the mountain and take it all in.
Sunshine Bay Walk
Okay, not technically a hike, but this walk couldn't not make this blog post. Some beautiful views of Lake Wakatipu and it is much easier on the legs than Bob's Peak and Queenstown Hill. So, for those of you that aren't keen hikers, this may be perfect. It is a long walk, with some small hills and some scenery that you just have to see with your own eyes. It is approximately 2 hours round-trip.
activities
Queenstown is renowned for it's adventure, adrenaline and extreme sports. One of the things that was near the top of our bucket list, probably a close second behind snowboarding, was bungy jumping. We were lucky enough to be staying at Nomad's and we booked it at their tour desk, where they gave us an awesome discount. We did look around first to compare prices from other companies, as there are a lot of competitive prices out there, but trusty old Nomad's provided the goods once again. We ended up getting the 134m Nevis Bungy for about $250 each. We definitely recommend you go all in and do the 134m jump. The other, smaller jumps will be a waste of time once you free fall for 30 seconds off the edge of the Nevis platform. If you're gonna do it - do it properly (if that's your cup of tea of course)! You feel like you've accomplished something pretty special afterwards. Something to be proud of. Also, once you are there you can pay extra to buy video/photos. It may seem expensive at the time, but we bought the video, and it was well worth it. You'll watch it one hundred times over. We still get sweaty palms from watching ours and it makes us want to go again! You can take your GoPro, at your own risk, but the video you buy will give you better quality footage and from a few different angles, which you wouldn't get from your GoPro.
Sneaky insider tip: if you're super keen, they will offer you to jump a second time for about $90 once they pull you back up.
Check out our YouTube channel for our Queenstown videos. It's our first vlog, so go easy! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzukjfMdg2R0IJ2Yu7JDBVA
Show us some love, ask any questions or leave a comment below!
jorgiandkate
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