Queenstown
Travel Advice For Seniors: Queenstown
Our final destination on our New Zealand 4-week tour was Queenstown. We traveled by bus to Queenstown on a five-hour journey. That may seem like a long ride, but in New Zealand riding by bus is a lot different than riding on a bus in the States. They stop frequently for restroom breaks and the restrooms are usually clean.
There are also frequently coffee and gift shops near the stops, and they give you enough time to use the restroom and get a cup of coffee. The buses also make photo stops for you to get out and stretch your legs. I was thinking it was going to be an unpleasant experience being on a bus for that long between cities, but actually it was very pleasant and enjoyable. We still took our own waters and snacks though. And emergency restroom stops were incorporated if it became necessary.
Queenstown is on Lake Wakatipu, among the majestic Southern Alps. It’s a base for adventure sports, culinary experiences and wine country. Our interest in the area was in visiting the Fjordlands.
A note on the bus depot in Queenstown. Queenstown is very hilly, so make sure you know where your hotel is in advance. Our hotel happened to be very close by, but on top of a steep hill, so we called a cab. It was easy to get a cab, just something to prepare for.
Our bus was running a bit late getting into town, so we quickly checked in to our hotel and left our luggage at the reception and then called another cab to go to the Sky Gondola Ride at Bob’s Peak. Again, it may be a short walk to the gondola from the hotel but watch the hills! Also, our reservations were at a specific time which was quickly approaching.
The Sky ride is a “must-do” at Queenstown. The gondola is only about fifteen minutes up with a lovely view of the city and the Lake. But the buffet dinner is absolutely outstanding and the views stunning while you dine! I think the buffet had about one of everything on the buffet and it was very nicely done. It was also delicious. We were stuffed when we ventured back down the hill on the gondola and took a taxi back to the hotel. They do offer hot chocolate and a stargazing experience, but we were tired from the long bus ride, so passed.
Next day was a full-day cruise tour to Doubtful Sound in the Fjordlands. Milford Sound tours are also very popular, but we chose Doubtful Sound, thinking it may be a little less crowded, which it seemed to be. Doubtful Sound is also the deepest of the fjords and is larger than Milford Sound.
We boarded our flight to Manapouri and arrived for a cruise on Lake Manapouri to begin our day. The lake is one of the most scenic in the area. We then proceeded to the 2000-foot-high Wilmot pass by bus to Doubtful Sound.
Our cruise out of Doubtful Sound was three hours of awe-inspiring beauty and a picnic lunch on board was provided. The guide was very good and pointed out all the landmarks including towering fiord cliffs, rainforests, waterfalls, and local wildlife such as fur seals and some hard to spot penguins. Though we weren’t really supposed to, we did go out into the ocean for a quick minute because there happened to be some whales passing by! It was a beautiful sunny day with smooth waters, and our cruise tour ended much too soon.
We really enjoyed our four-week trip to New Zealand. The people are so laid back and friendly. The sights are phenomenal and even the cities don’t seem to be too crowded or overrun with tourists. There is so much culture to learn and appreciate. Would highly recommend it.
Where we stayed: Heartland Hotel. Two story, nice hotel. Comfortable rooms. Breakfast was included, but it was chilly in the restaurant.
How we got there: InterCity bus from Franz Joseph. 5 hours. This was part of a four-week private tour through New Zealand. We began in Auckland and ended in Queenstown.
General Accessibility Information: Major tourist sights, hotels and transportation in most major cities are accessible. Further, some parks or parts of parks are accessible. Call in advance to verify and make specialty arrangements.See our sections on specialty apps and accessible travel for more on accessibility assistance.
