Queenstown, New Zealand is a city synonymous with the word adventure. The early Maori set the trend by coming into Queenstown in search of pounamu a highly valued greenstone, later followed by European settlers who came in search of fertile grazing land and was rewarded with not only fertile land but also – gold. Even after the gold rush of the 1860s died down the city has remained a magnet for adventures.
The spectacular outdoor terrain of Queenstown offers its visitors such a wide range of extreme sports such as skiing, snowboarding, bungee jumping, paragliding, jet boarding, sky diving and of course, its specialty, white water rafting!
To experience some serious white water rafting, one should head over to the Shotover River. The very ride on the winding road to Skippers canyon, famous for its many twists and turns, cliff edges and tight corners will leave you exhilarated. But the fun is just about to begin. From the deep creek over peaceful waters to the rapids of the lower canyon, rafting through the 170 m Oxenbridge Tunnel and to finally shooting through the Cascade rapid, Skippers canyon surely is the place to give your adrenaline a rush!
If you are intimidated by the sport but still want to give it a try don’t back out! The rafting at Kawarau and Landsborough rivers is especially for first time rafters as it provides a high level of safety standards, guide groups and school rates. Here one could enjoy plenty of action while having enough time to sit back, relax and enjoy some of Mother Nature’s most magnificent views.
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The trip through Landsborough River will give you incredible views of hanging glaciers, dense rainforests, bush and mountain scenery as it runs parallel to the Southern Alps meeting the sea at Haast in South Westland- a world heritage site. Paddling your way down the beautiful Kawarau River you will not be surprised to know that it starred as river Anduin in the Lord of the rings movie. At the Kawarau River enjoy the unforgettable Long Dog Leg rapid, at 400m it is New Zealand’s longest commercially rafted rapid.
To make this experience even more exciting add a few more sports to your days activities! As all other sports, apart for the winter sports, do operate throughout the year you could add them to your list of today things for the day.Queenstown rafting can be your ultimate holiday experience. The town itself offers more family activities festivals and of course spas. If you are looking for Queenstown Hotel accommodation, try the Copthorn Hotel and Apartments, Queenstown Lakevieew. All the rooms and apartments at this New Zealand Queenstown hotel offer stunning views of Lake Wakatipu or of the mountain ranges. The hotel is very conveniently located. it is close to Queenstown Garden, Queenstown harbor and is only minutes away from the town centre.
