Sarah WallockOne of the best parts of Queenstown is its proximity to such interesting locales for weekend trips!
Queenstown has plenty of stellar weekend trips and things to do. Unfortunately, all of the well-known backpacking huts are booked well in advance for the summer season. Therefore, we looked elsewhere for outdoors adventures. Ultimately, my friends and I made the most of the other incredible outdoors activities and trails around town. Below, I’ll outline how I’ve spent two weekends outdoors around Queenstown.
Weekend One: Hiking Above the Clouds & Skiing in a Glacial Lake
All in one weekend, I hiked Diamond Lake in Wanaka, tried a Nepalese place, rented a boat on Lake Wakatipu and went waterskiing. On Saturday, we were meant to hike Roy’s Peak, but because it was so crowded we shot across the road to Diamond Lake instead. Roy’s Peak is one of the most popular hikes in NZ.
The Diamond Lake trail only had about 10 other people while, Roy’s Peak surely had a number of people doing Instagram photoshoots positioned across the top. I’m thankful we chose Diamond Lake because we got an epic view, a shorter hike and beat the crowds (score!). The trail from Diamond Lake to Lake Wanaka lookout was only 5 km and took about 1.5 hours roundtrip. We also had time to spend the day in Wanaka and enjoy a nice home-cooked dinner in Queenstown.
As far as weekend trips from Queenstown go, Wanaka has plenty to offer on its own and is always worth the windy drive over the Crown Range.
On Sunday, we rented a boat out and waterskied. I’ve had some major waterski envy over the past few months when I’ve watched skiers glide across the lake from the Frankton Track, wishing it were me. I absolutely love waterskiing and have been making an effort to improve. I even looked into getting a job at the boat rental place so I could do it more often.
Used to skiing in a warm, mad-made lake in California, skiing in the glacial lake was much more difficult for me! As Lake Wakatipu is fed by glacier streams, it barely warms up in summer. I wore a wetsuit and lifejacket on top of it. This totally weighed me down and pretty much submerged me deeper into the lake.
Our little stabicraft aluminum powered boat was not much help either. It barely accelerated, but we eventually got the hang of skiing behind it. I spent 2 hours skiing, trying to get up on the skis, and being tossed into the water by the jerky movements of the stabicraft. All-in-all it was an awesome day, but next time I may ditch the wetsuit for more ease. I especially enjoyed venturing into secluded parts of Lake Wakatipu that we couldn’t have seen without the boat.
This face indicates the temp of glacier water 
Weekend Two: Trekking & Stargazing in Mount Cook & Swimming in Lake Tekapo
The following weekend, I finally made it to Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, hiked Hooker Valley Track, went stargazing, and swam in Lake Tekapo. We loved Mount Cook. Mount Cook was a bit crowded and it was overwhelming to be surrounded by so many people on the track while trying to enjoy the scenery. Yet, compared to a U.S. National Park, Mount Cook was virtually empty. On Saturday, we hiked the Hooker Valley Track, which was stunning. I would love to go back to the park, do a few more short walks and backpack to Mueller Hut.
We stayed at YHA Mount Cook and found it to have the perfect level of comfort for the night. We made a home cooked dinner together after a long drive and hike, and watched Lord of the Rings before staring up at the stars. Looking at the stars was absolutely incredible as there was no light pollution or distracting background noises. For the first time, I tried star and night sky photography and it turned out pretty well! On Sunday, we ended the trip with a dip in Lake Tekapo and laid out enjoying the sun.
I found these two weekends trips from Queenstown incredibly well spent! We got to enjoy the outdoors and be active. In addition, everything was relatively cheap for a weekend away.
