NZ’s Southern Lakes named one of the world’s must-visit destinations for 2012
SOUTHERN LAKES, New Zealand (31 October, 2011) - Influential travel authority, Lonely Planet, has chosen New Zealand’s Southern Lakes region as one of the world’s Top 10 Regions to visit in 2012.
The Southern Lakes region of Queenstown, Lake Wanaka and Fiordland is the only New Zealand region to feature in the new book, Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2012 – the best trends, destinations, journeys and experiences for the upcoming year.
Queenstown and Southern Lakes is ranked eighth in the book’s list of Top 10 Regions for its year-round activities and spectacular scenery. An excerpt from the book reads, “There isn’t a bad time to turn up in the world’s top adventure playground. There’re nonstop outdoor activities year-round in the resort towns of Queenstown, Wanaka and Te Anau, as well as the surrounding mountains, lakes and parks… Where else can you ski in the morning and golf or water ski in the afternoon? Add excellent wineries and superb restaurants and what more is there to say?”
The Southern Lakes region is renowned as one of the most diverse and spectacular regions in the world, encompassing the tranquil beauty of Lake Wanaka, the international four-season resort of Queenstown and Fiordland’s dramatic landscapes, all surrounded by the breathtaking scenery of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area.
Lonely Planet New Zealand spokesperson Sarah Bennett said, “This news is hardly the shock of the century. Anyone who lives in or has visited the Queenstown region will back up this accolade. Words like breathtaking, jaw-dropping, exhilarating and stunning are grossly overused in the tourism industry but the Southern Lakes region has a right to them all.”
Tony Everitt, CEO of Destination Queenstown, said featuring in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2012would bring significant benefits for the region’s profile.
“To receive this kind of endorsement by Lonely Planet is priceless for Queenstown and the Southern Lakes as well as New Zealand,” he said. “Lonely Planet is a giant of the travel industry so making it onto their Top 10 must-visit regions for 2012 will give our region global recognition and provide inspiration for their readers to visit.”
Lisa Sadler, manager of Destination Fiordland, said the power of Lonely Planet could not be underestimated, “We are aware of the power of Lonely Planet in influencing the travelling community about where the best experiences are to be found, so the news that Fiordland has been acknowledged, along with our Southern Lakes neighbours as amongst the world’s top 10 leading regions is superb.”
Lake Wanaka Tourism general manager James Helmore said Lonely Planet communicates to a core audience that enjoys what the region has to offer. “With its diversity of activities, striking landforms and freedom to do your own thing in the ultimate alpine playground, Wanaka and the Southern Lakes is the perfect fit for the Lonely Planet reader. Appearing in Best in Travel 2012 will considerably enhance our profile and allow more international travellers to discover what everyone who lives here is so passionate about.”
Queenstown and the Southern Lakes shares the Top 10 Regions list with destinations such as Borneo, Sicily, Northern Kenya and Coastal Wales which tops the 2012 list.
Best in Travel’s recommendations are drawn from hundreds of ideas submitted by Lonely Planet’s staff, authors and community of travellers, bloggers and tweeters. Their suggestions are then refined by a panel of in-house travel experts, based on topicality, excitement, value and that special X-factor.

Here's a great article about Queenstown by Sue White published in ABC's Life etc Magazine
Life etc Magazine

Tripadvisor Feedback“WILD & WONDERFUL DAY WITH PETER OF GUIDED NATURE WALKS”
Waiting in the lobby of our hotel at 8AM, we were a bit apprehensive about a full day hike with a stranger. No worries, as they say. We had a most extraordinary day with a most interesting and knowledgeable man hiking the Routeburn Trail in the mountains outside Queenstown. Just the scenery itself in the area where “Lord of the Rings,” and many other movies were filmed, was enough to make the day well worthwhile. However, Peter was a natural wonder unto himself. His knowledge of the flora and fauna of the area, as well as the natural history of this part of New Zealand, was unsurpassed. He has a great sense of humor and, if you weren’t sufficiently entertained by the scenery, then Peter did the rest. He also provided a delicious, gourmet picnic in a beautiful meadow at the turn around point of our hike. It was a day that we will consider one of our most interesting of our entire new Zealand trip. We highly recommend Peter and his company, Guided Nature Walks, if you’re ever in the Queenstown area. Thank you Peter for an unforgettable day in your beautiful country. Roger & Lenny had a private tour with Peter of Guided Nature Walks on December 9th, 2011.

• Visited December 2011

Rodger & Lenny came with us on our Famous Routeburn Track day walk

  What better way was there to recharge your batteries when you are normally busy drilling teeth all day than to go on a guided walk along the Routeburn Track with Peter Hitchman - owner and his assistant the lovely Emily?  Planning to take your wife, nine and ten year old boy and girl with you to walk 16 km in the rain? … My friends back home laughed at first…..but we were last to smile after they saw the photos…I think they are secretly making plans themselves to go with us when we come back for another trek with New Zealand Guided Nature Walks - Queenstown.
  - Guido  Darmago, from Perth AU
September 2010
Guido & Family came with us on our Famous Routeburn Track day walk

One of the highlights of my NZ trip was learning about the nature and environmental history of NZ. Peter, our guide, was knowledgeable and presented the information in an interesting, understandable and fun way. I hiked the Miner's Hike and enjoyed that so much that the next day I scheduled a guided Lakeshore hike. The views, the birds, the food were all superb. I would recommend this company highly and hope to come back with our kids and hike some more.
– Elizabeth Earhart - Miners Retreat, 27th May 2009

We had a wonderful time thank you for everything you are an amazing guide and run an incredible business. best of luck in the future to you,
all the best,
– Bruce and Ashton Kienke, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, by email, Jan 2009
Father & Daughter, Bruce and Ashton, joined Pete for our Famous Routeburn Track & Rob Roy Glacier walks

Fred and I are now back home and before we got bogged down in chores wanted to tell you how much Fred and I enjoyed our day with you. It was second only to our cruise on the Milford Sound as the highlight of our APT tour and [I]shall be writing to APT to tell them so.
I wish you and your husband every success in your business.
– Linda & Fred, England
Linda & Fred went on our Famous Routeburn Track

We recently received some positive feedback on Dr Dale Atkins website.– Dr. Dale V. Atkins, March 2008 -Sanity SaversTM  'Changing your Edge"
Dr Dale Atkins & her husband Rob came on our Rob Roy Glacier walk
www.drdaleatkins.com

...our Queenstown accommodation was a wonderful choice. We loved our room with a view. We did our Routeburn day walk with Peter, the owner of Guided Nature Walks and we can't say enough good things about him and the day we spent with him.
– R & J Steele, February 2008