Snow Farm primarily offers show shoeing, cross country skiing and dogsledding. But we came here…read morefor the Snow Fun Zone for our 7 year old twins. The Fun Zone has tubing and toboggans down a small hill, as well as areas to play in the snow. This was a great way to gently introduce our Hawaii girls to snow and winter activities. They loved the tubing and trudged their little bodies up the hill countless times while daddy pulled the tubes (!!!) They also had a go at making a snowman, snowballs, snow angels and loved simply rolling around in the fluffy stuff. Price $15/person for a 2 hour session. There's a restaurant/cafe on site. Kitchen closes 3:00 - something to keep in mind if you're there in the late afternoon. Book ahead and come when it's not crowded. We did and pretty much had the place to ourselves - no waiting in line for the tubes, etc. Great alternative to alpine skiing at Cardrona Alpine Resort (on the opposite mountain). The road up to the facility is much less treacherous, also. Update: We went back for a cross country ski lesson for the family. For $150 NZD, we had a one hour private lesson for a family of four and equipment rental (boots, skis and poles). The girls had a really patient instructor who made their lesson so fun and engaging they didn't even notice the blizzard swirling around them. Great experience and totally worth it!

Heli Tours is probably one of the greatest ways to see Milford Sound, beautiful Queenstown, and…read moreglaciers so quickly! It is a bit pricey, but definitely worth the $$$$! We booked our tour through Happy Travels in downtown Queenstown for the fly+cruise+fly package! Our tour details: 9am - We called ahead to make sure the weather was good to fly and our trip was not going to get canceled. There was a Heli Tours van that picked us up from our hotel in Queenstown! 9:15am - We got to the Heli Tours office and waited for 2 more people to arrive. 9:30am - Our tour was suppose to start at 9:30am sharp, but the other folks never showed up. 9:45am - Only 4 of us, including the pilot (Ben)! It was so awesome!! There was a quick safety briefing. We got on the heli and we were all super excited to be in a heli for the very first time! Ben did some commentary, but it was honestly difficult to hear everything he was saying. Also the window had our reflections so it was a bit difficult to take pictures through the window clearly. We flew over many beautiful rivers and mountains. 10:25am - When we landed in Milford, Ben escorted us onto the bus that took us to where the boats were. We hopped onto a small boat for our 10:45am departure with about 20 other people and they had a sectioned off area for the Heli Tours group inside the boat!! There was free tea/coffee and chocolate cookies. I really enjoyed the cruise through Milford Sound and because we were on a smaller boat, we got to go up close to the waterfalls!! Got a free shower too! LOL! 11:45am - After the cruise, Ben escorted us back onto the bus heading back towards the helipads! 12:30pm - Landed on a glacier! Took a bunch of photos! It was quite the experience! The fluffiest powder of snow I've ever felt and stepped in! It was so fresh!!! Unbelievable! 1:00pm - Headed back and flew over towards Queenstown 1:30pm - Arrived back at the Heli Tours office by the airport 1:45pm - Got a van ride back to our hotels 2:00pm - Arrived at our hotel It was definitely one of the greatest experiences ever. If you can afford a helicopter ride to see Queenstown/Milford, it's by far the best way to see so much in a short amount of time! This tour was really great because we got escorted throughout our tour and we were well taken care of! Ben was a great pilot and he made everyone get a chance to sit up front! I only wished they somehow had a Milford/Doubtful Sound tour! That would be so worth it since I haven't seen any tour group have both in one day! TIPS: - If you do book this tour, I recommend booking it thru Happy Travels. - Wear sunscreen and apply frequently (I got sunburned) and bring sunglasses! Wear appropriate shoes for the wet boat ride and the snowy glacier. Layer because it gets hot inside the helicopter and then it's quite cold outside the boat and on the glacier!

WOW! Fantastic helicopter ride to land on a glacier! Pilot was informative, friendly, and very…read morenice. The helicopter takes 6 people and we had a turn sitting in the front on the way back. The views even from the back, were spectacular. I would thoroughly recommend this company. They do pickups from hotels, or there are a few parking spaces right outside their building. It was a wonderful experience, lasted about an hour, and I'm so glad we did it!

Completely agree with the previous reviews from Tas & Timothy, Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters…read morewas a once in a lifetime experience that I highly recommend to anyone visiting Queenstown. We arranged a roundtrip helicopter flight to Milford Sound with a two hour cruise ($945.00 NZ) in early January 2017. There high reviews, perfect safety record, and updated helicopter fleet were some of the main reasons we decided to go with them. Our initial flight was canceled, however, Glacier Southern was able to have us rebooked for the following afternoon flight with the caveat that it was unlikely we would do a glacier landing, but instead do some sort of alpine landing. Upon checking in, we were introduced to our "special" pilot, Alfie Speight, who was the filming pilot for several Hollywood movies - The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings. Flight over the mountains from Queenstown was beautiful, and the views over Lake Wakatipu and Glenorchy were amazing. Alfie pointed out various sights/trails along the way, and was more than happy to answer any questions regarding the helicopter, terrain, landmarks, or films he had been involved in. The highlight of the flight was landing on a glacier, where we spent 15-20 minutes enjoying the views and snow. We continued our journey towards Milford Sound with an amazing approach to the airfield with what seemed like just a few feet over the tree tops. We spent the next two hours on a two hour cruise that heads out to the Tasman Sea. Views were amazing on the cruise. Do bring a jacket as it was a little chilly going out with the wind coming towards us. The return had us stopping to see New Zealand Fur Seals and a large waterfall. After the cruise we all hopped back into the helicopter for the return journey to Queenstown. The helicopter trip to Milford Sound with Alfie and Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters is not to be missed. These guys were truly professional the entire way!

My girlfriend and I had an awesome morning with Erwan (the guide) and his mountain shredders! In 5…read moreminutes on the training area, we were already trying wheelies and drifting it! He then took us to an amazing track in between a wineyard. The sun was shining, the air was pure, the landscapes amazing and the FUN was real! I recommend it to anyone looking for an adrenaline rush or even for a family cruise as the speed is easily controlled.. Thanks Erwan, and see you next time!!

Although we stayed at a condo within the resort, we had no direct dealings with the management. So…read morethis review is about our experience with the owners and the condo located at Benbrae Resort. The condo we stayed in was absolutely fantastic. To quote my youngest when we first walked in: "NOW THIS IS A CONDO!" 2 bedrooms / 2 baths Full and modern kitchen. Even has a dishwasher - hell, I don't even have one of those at home. Didn't use it, however. Forgot how to after 13 years without one. Gas fireplace . . . excellent, my family loved this. Quiet neighborhood. Lower units have parking spaces/stalls. Upper unit parking is right in front of each unit, along the driveway/roadway. Rubbish/recycling containers on premises, just a bit inside the entrance/exit. There's a pool and hot tub. We didn't use the pool since it was winter when we visited, but I did witness a few adventurers dipping in. Braver than me - I fear the ice water might stop something I'd rather it didn't . . . like my heart . . . not to mention the "shrink" factor implications. The hot tub, on the other hand, was FANTASTIC!!! My girls LOVED it. Oh, this ISN'T a jacuzzi, it's a simply a hot tub/hot pool. NOTES: There are NO food stores of note nearby. Buy food in Queenstown or Wanaka. There is, however, a restaurant/bar at the Cordrona Hotel. Queenstown is a 45-60 minute drive depending on road quality (snow, ice etc). over the Crowne Pass. Almost 2 hours drive if it's closed. Wanaka is a 20-25 minute drive. Cardrona Alpine resort (alpine skiing) and Snow Farm (cross country skiing) are both 20 minuets away, but on opposite mountains. Rent a 4WD and carry chains AT ALL TIMES. These drives can be challenging if you're not accustomed to driving mountain roads in winter conditions. This is a GREAT base if you aren't committed to any specific activity. Both ski resorts offer lodging if you just want to either alpine or cross country ski exclusively. Staying there would save the treacherous and, at times, terrifying daily commute.

This resort is about 50 minutes away from Queenstown and its out of nowhere! There's nothing to do…read morehere besides snowboarding or skiing. Even if you want to do that you would have to drive an additional about 30 minutes up to Cardrona Alpine Resort. After checking out Cardrona Alpine Resort, we decided to check in and drop off our luggage before driving back to the party life in Queenstown. As we were settling in there was a knock at the door. It was the manager and she was asking us how many people were in the room and we stated four. We explained to the manager that the other two people will be heading back to Queenstown while we stay here. She had the nerve to say "ok I don't like people sneaking other people in. I'll be back to check up on you guys!" Really? Unbelievable!! The manager was basically accusing us of sneaking additional people into our room. Really? Since when we can't have guests? How dare her of accusing us of doing such thing. That kind of ruined our trip. Worse customer service ever! I would recommend staying in Queenstown and just drive to Cardrona. There are more things to do in Queenstown and no one from the hotels would bother you like this one. Again there's nothing to do in Cardrona besides snowboarding or skiing and you can't be doing this all day long.

As I was planning activities to do while in Queenstown, I stumbled upon this place that offers bike…read moretours that had really positive reviews. However, since I have never really done long distance biking before, I was hesitant to sign up for one of the tours that takes you further in and you bike back to the shop in downtown Queenstown. I decided to just rent an e-bike for half a day which would allow me to go at my own pace and return when I wanted to. Honestly, it was one of the best days of my life-the breathtaking scenery of Queenstown and the comfort of my own solitude exploring the bike paths overlooking Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown trail, Shotover bridge/river, Kawarau River... The person helping me at the shop was really friendly-helped walked me through how to use an e-bike (it was my first time using an e-bike but thought it would be the safest option in case I tired myself out later) and helped to adjust the seat as well when I had some trouble. The e-bike had different levels of support (eco, medium, and high)-I used eco mode for most of the time but used medium and high on my way back and it hardly used any of the battery life at all (there is a level usage on the screen). They provide you with a map which I used along with my phone to ensure I was on the right path but there are also many signs along the way, so I would say it would be hard to get lost. I would totally recommend this bike shop if you want a little adventure during your stay in Queenstown -something not as crazy as bungee jumping but will give you a thrill and some amazing views.

VISIT: end of February 2020 TOUR: Bike the Bridges -…read moreArrowtown to Gibbston Supported Tour VIEWS: 5 stars HELP FROM TOUR GUIDE: 5 stars SUITABLE FOR ALL ENDURANCE LEVELS: 4 stars DEALS: I found them through Chase Ultimate Rewards and several other sites MEETING SPOT: close to Fergburger and Fergbaker This tour was an honest pleasant surprise for us. The videos online looked cool, but mostly we got to experience so much that I don't think we would have seen. I would have never made a special trip to Arrowtown or Gibbston just based on the research I did, but what a beautiful way to view this amazing country! You meet at their meeting spot where the tour guide will drive you to your starting point. The tour guide stayed with everyone until they were comfortable on which path they were following and made sure that bikes and helmets were all sized appropriately. Our tour guide even gave special care to someone in our group that didn't speak English. You can leave items in the van, if you'd like, but my husband and I just had everything in our backpacks as the van is only there during certain check points. After that you are pretty much on your own with the bike tour, which was refreshing that you could go at your own pace. You see your tour guide at regular intervals along your track and that's always refreshing, in case you get tired you can always hop in the van. Along the way, you ride by the AJ Hackett bungee jumpers which was a nice stop to watch and use the restrooms and grab snacks, if you need. Then our tour ended at the Gibbston Winery which was just a nice treat after a good workout. ACTIVITY LEVEL: one of my biggest tenets is that the company dubs the Bike the Bridges tour a relatively easy ride and although it was, I was personally surprised at how much of a workout was. There was a good amount of inclines/declines and I workout regularly and have an active job, so I was relatively surprised. However, I realized after being in New Zealand that many of their residents are so active that I'm sure this would be an easy ride. For those on the fence, they do have electric bikes for rent, so that might be the way to go. NAVIGATION: the navigation is very easy and the trails are clearly marked. As mentioned above, your tour guide also makes sure he's waiting at regular intervals along your trail, so I wouldn't let that deter you I WOULD 100% DO THIS AGAIN: I am not a typical tourist that would return to do things again, but I cannot begin to explain how magical this was. Plus the tour was a half day, so we actually booked this the afternoon of our first full day in New Zealand to give us time to adjust to jet lag and the long tour the day before

We spent 2 days with Lee, the owner of Alpine, as our tour guide around Queenstown. First of all,…read morehis personality is great and we really enjoyed our time with him. Second, our first day with him was rainy and he had already decided and planned swapping activities for the day. He is very knowledgable about the area as he grew up there, and this was evident at some of the wineries we went to with him since the owners spent extra time with us and made the experience that much more fun! If you are looking for someone to plan your time in Queenstown you should definitely contact Alpine! There is so much to do in this area that it can be overwhelming to narrow it down and Lee can help steer you to the activities that would work best for your age, activity and interest levels.

What an adventure (Heli Biking)! We do not have a lot of mountain biking experience, so we…read moreappreciated the pointers and encouragement that our guide Dave provided. Our group included a person who had more skill than the rest of us, so Dave allowed him to go ahead for short distances. The track down took us through some beautiful areas with great views. The track varied between dirt ruts, grass, and gravel. With my lack of experience, it was somewhat intimidating in a few sections but I made it with no issues. I'm so glad we did this - an accomplishment! After the tour we stopped at a small café and enjoyed lunch while Dave picked up a truck to transport us back.

Beautiful scenery and very friendly staff. Still, I am giving only two stars because we were told…read moreit was a nice leisurely ride from Lake Hawea to Lake Wanaka. We are four from 50s to 60s in relatively good shape but this ride was much more strenuous and difficult than we were told to believe / sold to believe. Part of the journey (first half) was pretty enjoyable but the second 15 km was very difficult, better for an experienced mountain bike rider than we four. I think the staff should have surmised that and suggested a different course or even suggested it would be best to select an alternate activity for the day. As it was, we struggled to get back by the 6 pm return time which seemed no problem at the 1 pm start time. One of us even called for a pickup after about 20 of the 30 km and that was a difficult negotiation but the company did come out and take her back. All in all, quite a memorable day but one that could have been better if we weeks properly prepared from the start by the company. I should have thought the company would have offered something like a refund or even a partial refund but that didn't happen. Perhaps even a text message to inquire about one of us injured in the to ride.