Introducing
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ART & NATURE OF QUEENSTOWNMeet your local guide bright and early outside the Station Building on Camp Street at 9am to begin this Queenstown walking tour.
Start with an introduction to the Queenstown Art Society. Chat freely with some of the town’s renowned artists and enjoy time wandering around the artist’s studios located in the former Queenstown High School buildings. Visit the Society’s ‘Cloakroom Gallery’, where local artists are showcased and often hold their own exhibitions. Next up is Queenstown’s Botanical Gardens where your guide will introduce you to some of New Zealand’s native medicinal and edible plants. Many of these plants uses may have been forgotten through time if not for the local Maori people. While soaking up the lush surrounds of the Botanical Gardens be sure to also take time to appreciate the stunning views looking out through the trees and over the water to the mountains beyond. During the walk your guide will point out many historical sites and buildings that have played an important role in the development of this town. On our way to the waterfront there will be time to visit a few more galleries that have 'artists in residence'. Enjoy viewing original and indigenous art that will be sure to stimulate your imagination and enrich your senses. The final leg of the walk will take us to our lunch spot at Steamer Wharf, one of Queenstown’s premier entertainment destinations. Here you can enjoy a hearty lunch of your own choice at a local watering hole (pub). On Saturdays and some Sundays the local Crafts Market will also be in full swing here.
| ALLEYWAYS OF QUEENSTOWNMeet your guide outside the Skyline Gondola entrance on Brecon Street at 1:30pm to begin your Queenstown walking tour. Set off towards the old cemetery. As you walk past the tombstones and monuments hear stories of how the men and women of this region survived in times gone by. Discover how they endured unforgiving winters, dire living conditions and diseases which wiped-out entire families.
Continue the walk, past the old cribs (holiday cabins), before heading into the centre of Queenstown. Along the way your guide will point out buildings and areas of note. Arrive at the old magistrate’s buildings and learn why the courthouse here has two giant trees outside its front door. By now you‘ll have built up a thirst and what better way to quench it then with a refreshing beer in this unique watering hole. Sit back and relax as you enjoy a beer in a ‘bar within a bar’. Walk on past the Village Green and through the backstreets of Queenstown. Along the way your guide will point out popular local hangouts including the ‘Cow’, a Queenstown institution. Stop off at the Dux de Lux to try a brew made right here in Queenstown. Take this opportunity to chat with the locals and maybe chance on some off-duty guides who are often found here and usually have an entertaining story to share. After your Queenstown walking tour has finished why not stay on to try one of the local eateries for dinner? Perhaps head to Aggie’s Shack on the waterfront to sample the classic kiwi dish of fish and chips. Or alternatively, walk back to the ‘Cow’ to tuck into some of their famous tasty pizza. Either way it’ll be a great way to cap off a relaxing afternoon spent walking around Queenstown.
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