I did the 15,000 feet skydive with my friends. We called before setting off in the morning to…read moreverify the weather was a go. We had terrific weather and we could even see Mt Cook aboard the plane. We were provided jumpsuits, goggles, headgear, gloves and oxygen mask. There isn't a secure locker to deposit your items (lockers are available but can't be locked) so you may prefer to keep your valuables in the vehicle. As I had purchased the total package, I had to wait about 20 minutes for my footage. Do remember to check thoroughly as my video was mixed midway with my friend's footage. Thankfully we managed to have that corrected before we left. I would have rated this an excellent if they provided more instructions on what to expect aboard the plane. There was no briefing prior.

Absolutely amazing! Can't visit the adventure capital and not take part in some extreme activity!…read more There are several skydiving companies in the Queenstown area but I chose Skydive Wanaka since I was only in town for a couple of days and Wanaka was known for consistent days of good weather. Unfortunately, the day that I was scheduled to jump, the winds picked up right before our group was ready to take flight - such a bummer! But we were immediately rescheduled and had a perfect day for flying the following day. 15,000 ft. jump - go big or go home! I was in contact with the company via email before my trip and they were very responsive and detailed in their responses. Wanaka is about an hour outside of Queenstown but there was complimentary shuttle service that also transported spectators as space allowed. I was delighted that my parents were able to come to the jump site with me. The shuttle runs twice a day, in the morning and in the afternoon. They advise that you call half an hour prior to scheduled shuttle pick up to make sure the weather is OK - the pick up location is right outside the NZone office. Halfway through the scenic ride, the driver checks in with the drop zone to make sure weather conditions were still a go - this is helpful so that if there were any extreme changes, you wouldn't waste the drive time all the way to Wanaka to turn back around. Our drivers for the two days were super friendly and entertaining. While you're on your way, you have the opportunity to soak in the beauty that is NZ and also register so that you won't have to spend time doing so when you got to the site. Here is also when you choose your photo/video package. I chose the full package that included the camera flyer photos and video, as well as the handy cam (strapped to your tandem master) video and a t-shirt. Looking back, I would have been happy with just the camera flyer photos as I didn't think the handy cam video portion added much value. Once you get to the drop zone, you get weighed in and wait around for your turn. You don't pay until right before your jump. If you don't end up going, like us, they will refund you the money and get charged again when you come back. It's a bit of a hassle but it makes sense for them to do so to avoid owing refunds if someone can't make it back later on. Once they're ready for you, you'll don your lovely orange jumpsuit, headgear and goggles. You also get gloves, which you can opt out of wearing. They also provide oxygen masks in case you need them. I loved, loved, loved my camera flyer, my tandem master, not so much. Barely caught his name as he didn't identify himself until we were heading off to the plane - minor details, as long as he keeps me alive, right? And then you're off! The ride up is breathtaking, and then the fall, even more so! Falling from 15k, you have a free fall of about 60 secs. where you can take in the lakes and snow capped mountains. On such a clear day, we were also able to see Mt. Cook. Once the chute opens, you're in the air for another few minutes before you land. I was so ready to go again, if only it wasn't so expensive. After the jump, you go back in to wait for your photos and videos and you will have the opportunity to check to make sure everything is correct. Once the group is all done, you hop back on the shuttle and are back in Queenstown in no time.

Nzone Skydive is one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had in my lifetime! First of all,…read moreI would like to thank the manager Alex for being so accommodating with the circumstances that we had in regards to our flight and the cancellations, and without him we wouldn't have been to even do the skydive in the first place. Additionally, I would like to thank my tandem, Lima! He was an amazing instructor and was hyping me up the whole way! This is a must do in Queenstown and a once in a lifetime experience! Thank you NZone!

Very nice staff and instructors, very enjoyable experience, all in all one of the best things I've…read moreever done, would recommend!

I had my chest puffed up when I booked the swing and zip-line. I was brave enough to flip and do…read moredaring stunts- no big deal. What I found out, is that with age I have become more of a giant baby! You really don't realize how high up you are until you're strapped in! The Fox is higher than the swing, I was setup to run and jump (because suddenly the flip seemed to wild for me). I sadly wimped out and did the seated start. Had I bought one more go around, I would've jumped. It was a freaking BLAST though! There is nothing like it! Such an adrenaline rush! Is signed my husband up without asking him and he loved it! The Canyon Swing is another beast. What was I thinking!? I knew I would regret it if I didn't do it, but when it was my turn and I was a solo swinger (unlike the others), everything changed so suddenly. I couldn't even commit to the handstand. Luckily, I was told that taking 9 minutes to jump wasn't the worst, but it also wasn't brag-worthy. Hey! I did it, and wasn't pushed. That's brag-worthy! Haha! It reminded me of bungee jumping all over again- awful! On the fall I just remember tensing up, ad holding my breath preparing for the splat. The human body isn't supposed to enjoy this! Once the slack caught me, I could breathe and realized how exhilarating (in a bad way hah) it was. Not sure if I would do it again...well maybe with a friend. Utterly terrifying and exciting at the same time. I immediately had a large beer afterwards to calm my nerves and adrenaline. Only thing I don't like is that they don't have video of the Fox. I wore my GoPro but it's been having issues and of course didn't record it. I totally would've paid for a video of that like I did my swing. I do like how they had great places for observers to watch so they could see (and hear) you. My husband enjoyed making fun of my stiff jump. One tip- once you are at the bottom of the swing- don't forget to take in the stunning beauty of the Shotover River and Canyon. So peaceful, too (after all of that screaming).

This place and the staff has given me one of the top moments of my life! We booked a tandem canyon…read moreswing the day before, promptly arrived at our pickup time in the central queenstown office. We were greeted and weighed, and check in. The staff member drew funny figures on the back of our palms, I got an ice cream and my husband got a spiderman. We were then picked up in a van, and driven to the location of the jump. The van had videos of folks jumping in different styles for inspiration. Mostly there were couples in my group, and they were doing the tandem jump too. Once we reached there, we were greeted by 2 staff members who were really friendly and asking questions about us and what style of jumps we wanted to do. My husband and I went for the forward jump for our tandem jump and it was an amazing experience! Words cant describe that feeling, it was an out of body liberating experience. As soon as we were getting pulled up from the swing, both of us already wanted to do our second jumps, for $50 more, which is a great deal! My husband did the hand stand and I did the chair! Both of us had a great time, bought videos of our experiences and walked away with memories of a lifetime!

This was such a great experience!…read more I'm not a daredevil by any means, but this was just adventurous enough to be fun without making me sick. Booking was easy - I went through Viator - and pickup was quick and easy to find. Once we got up to the peak, we quickly got set up and were flying in no time. The instructor was great and put in a few light acrobatics once I was comfortable. I even got to steer a bit! I will likely never sky dive or bungy jump (too scared of heights and falling) but this was a great option for me, since I was more of an active participant. This was a great way to see New Zealand from the air without either jumping from a plane or hiring a helicopter. The instructor/guide will take photos and video with a go pro while you're flying, and you have the option to buy a USB of the trip after you're back on the ground. I thought it was reasonably priced. I suggest you bring some cash in case the credit card machine doesn't work (it was fine for me, but hey, things happen, and an ATM isn't exactly handy.) Now get out there and enjoy!

We very much enjoyed our paragliding experience. The staff and guides were very friendly, helpful…read moreand informative. The only negative was the price. It is a little expensive considering the small amount of actual flight time. Also, to purchase their videos and/or pictures, it is very expensive! However, if you have a chest strap, you can wear your own GoPro. It can not be on your wrist or attached in any other manner other than the chest strap.

The Skyline Gondola offers a quick way to reach Bob's peak where along the way up, you'll see…read morestunning panoramic views of the town and lake below. Once at the top, everything is clearly signposted, with access to the Ben Lomond Track trailhead as well as the luge. We opted for the 3 luge ride package, which was the minimum number of rides that you have to do. The process is well organized, with separate lines for first-timers and returning riders. On our first run, we received a quick safety briefing and after that, we were off! There were two tracks you can choose from for the ride down. Overall, it was a really fun experience, and we had a great time!

The skyline gondola and luge at Queenstown was a great experience. The gondola is the steepest…read moregondola I've ever seen and gives beautiful views of the lake at city below. They do a gondola and 3+ luge pass that was so much fun. One thing I'll caveat though is the clientele and safety is much more reckless and lax than the Rotorua location. There were a few times when customers stopped completely on the track or rear-ended other customers, which was really concerning. My mother-in-law got rear ended pretty hard at the finish by a reckless customer, which was really scary. There's only 2 tracks currently open and you can get some air on the dart track. They're doing a lot of construction on the tracks, so hopefully they add more tracks soon. If I were to do the luge again, I'd do the Rotorua location since the tracks are longer and more scenic and seems safer.

Zip trek ecotours did an excellent job helping us zip line down the mountain in Queenstown…read more Initially, I was very scared as I have never zip lined in my life and harbor a fear of heights. However, I truly had nothing to fear as the adrenaline and awesomeness of zip lining down a mountain quickly overwhelms your senses. Zip lining is fairly safe as the guides equip you with a helmet and harness. One guide zips to the bottom of the run to make sure they are ready to brake you when you reach the bottom. The guides check your harness and straps before sending you down the stairs. And yes, you do initiate the zipping by walking yourself off the steps to no where. The guide also shows you some neat tricks for the more adventurous, such as zipping backwards or upside down. I wasn't quite brave enough to try the upside down trick but the group seemed to have lot of fun doing it. Ziptrek also gives you tidbits of information on increasing conservation efforts of natural resources in between each zip line. Although nothing truly new is learned, it's admirable that the company is trying to be ecologically sound with their business. The six line tour is the best, since your last line is the steepest zip line in the world. You do take a small hike down the mountain inbetween the 5th and 6th lines. This can be a bit hard on your knees. There are also no railings so if you are the cautious type, move to the back of the group. A truly fun and awesome experience that made me realize I am no longer scared of heights. Take a chance and try this sport. You won't regret it!

Well HELLO QUEENSTOWN! Definitely a pretty amazing introduction to this quaint little ski town!…read more The second my friend and I got off the plane, we taxied over to Queenstown and went straight for an information desk (I would review the bitch of a lady at the desk but this isn't the right yelp page for that). We signed up for Zip trek zip linning immediately, but seriously, immediately, we signed up for the 11am trek (4 zips, as opposed to 6) and it was 10:30! Up the gondola (which costs $30- you can get discounted rates if you buy luge tickets too) and to the left in the dense trees (down a little hill, we got lost ha ha) there you'll find the check in for Ziplining! We were harnessed and placed in a group of 5 other people and then we were off! We had two guides taking care of everything, they tightened our harnesses, latched us on the ropes and told us exactly what to do when we were ready to ZIP! I have never been zip lining before in my life... And if you're the type to get a stomach knot when riding a Rollercoaster or a water flume at an amusement park like me, be warned, you'll experience that knot the first 2 or 3 zips! Oh and if you're scared of heights, yaaaaaa just don't go to Queenstown since the biggest tourist attractions in this town are sky diving, bungee jumping, paragliding and ziplining! While I experienced some stomach knots and can remember myself thinking WTF AM I DOING during the first zip, my fears subsided a little bit as we carried on. At each tree house the guides would talk to us a bit about sustainability (you've been warned, if you don't like that kind of stuff) and at the last tree house, we were told that some of our admission $ would be donated to a charity. Zipping through the trees and donating to charity? Can't say that's a bad thing!!! When we were done with our 4 zips, we had to hike back up, not a terrible hike but if you're not In shape.... You may wish that Ziptrek offered mules to ride up on! Whether you do the 4 or 6 zips, you'll get stunning views of Queenstown, a little history, a little sustainability information and loads of funny memories.... They take your picture at some lines and let's just say, my first picture involved a SPREAD EAGLE.... The guides will probably keep that photo and post it on the wall of embarrassing fame, if they have one.... Ha Ha Ha, but I could care less! ;)

I had an amazing time (I thought this was more fun than skydiving)! There is a free shuttle that…read morecan take you to the river from Queenstown. Our jet boat driver Maddie (not sure if spelled correctly) was so much fun and also taught us a little bit about the history and mechanics of jet boating. These guys are the only people allowed in this part of the river so you don't have to share space with anyone else. The scenery is beautiful and the boat ride is thrilling. A must do in Queenstown!

Absolutely loved our Shotover Jet ride! Even more fun and exciting than I expected, with awesome…read more360 spins and zipping past rocks and the sides of the canyon. Scenery was beautiful. I don't remember our driver's name but she was an awesome Japanese lady who was an amazing driver and kept up a comedic dialogue with us the entire time. Highly recommend doing this!

10/10 would do it again! Booked the experience at the dock which they have a map showing you the…read moreexact route with some key landmarks you'll get to see. They run trips every hour, on the hour so you'll very likely to get on at the top of the hour or that day, for sure. The guide (Charles), was fun and had a great sense of humor! You'll get spun around at high speeds so be prepared. They stop about 3-4 times for you to stand up and take pics, learn fun facts or for the path to clear since some of the route is tight. You can take pics but be aware that it is water that is underneath the boat lol! They offer a video and picture service as well where you can order memories of your experience. Overall I'd give this 10 stars if I could!

My husband and I had our Fijorland trip cancelled due to weird weather and we didn't have a backup…read moreplan. We decided to give this a try. It was fun and a nice way to learn some things about the area (like the houses that get more sunlight in the winter cost over 1 million dollars due to more time to air dry their clothes), as well as get a little closer to the Remarkables. They will notify you when they are about to pull a hard 360 turn, so you can hang on (the metal hand rails are heated- mmm). I can see young (not too young) kids and even grandparents enjoying this. If you aren't someone who like too big of adrenaline rushes- try this one out.