Draped alongside lightning bolt–shaped Lake Wakatipu and ringed by jagged mountains, Queenstown offers the kind of scenery that expectant visitors to New Zealand fantasize about. If your appetite for the country was whetted by the Lord of the Rings/Hobbit movies, you’ll find things strangely familiar – a lot of it was filmed around the top of the lake.

While the vibrant town center and beautiful setting is enough of an attraction in itself, it’s as the base for a breathtaking array of outdoor pursuits on which the town has built its reputation as the ‘adventure capital of the world’. Commercial bungy jumping was born here, and it’s now just one of a multitude of adrenaline-pumping activities on offer. If the mood takes you, you can fling yourself off bridges, mountains and across canyons. You can jet-boat up rivers, raft down rapids and mountain-bike along double-black runs. You can luge, quad bike, paraglide, parasail, riverboard or skydive to your palpitating heart’s content. But sometimes you just can’t beat the more traditional thrills – and Queenstown offers access to some of the most picturesque skiing and hiking routes on the planet.

If it’s a slower pace you’re after, tour the vineyards of the nearby Gibbston valley and visit cutesy Arrowtown – a well preserved remnant of the Central Otago goldrush. At the end of the day, indulge yourself with a soak in a hot pool, pamper yourself with a spa treatment, and delve into one of New Zealand’s most cosmopolitan dining and drinking scenes.

Please note that due to current restrictions some operators may be temporarily closed. Check their websites for the most up-to-date information.