CAR HIRE IN QUEENSTOWN AT THE BEST PRICES

Queenstown is becoming known widely, as one of the most popular wine and food destinations to visit. Between the fast paced adventures such as quad biking, off road tours, bungee jumping, paragliding and jet boating. Right down to the relaxing boat cruises, luxury spa facilities or simply a round of golf. Queenstown has plenty to enjoy and to attract all kinds of visitors. Queenstown also makes a great starting point for road trips to places such as Dunedin and Christchurch.

Why not discover a new adventure in this wonderful city? Explore everything there is to offer with a car hire in Queenstown. International car hire company Auto Europe has you covered. Providing services in 135 countries, thanks to partnerships with both local and international suppliers you can expect competitively low prices and great service. Choose your car in Queenstown through Auto Europe fast and easy booking service or feel free to call seven days a week on +441233225114 for a fast and helpful service.

HOW IS THE TRAFFIC IN QUEENSTOWN?

As in any tourist city, there is a high volume of traffic, but this doesn’t seem to cause large amounts of problems other than in rush hour traffic. One of the issues with traffic in Queenstown, is that a lot of the streets in Queenstown Centre do not have traffic light crossings. This means that there are often a lot of pedestrians crossing in many different places; this can cause delays in traffic around the centre. Also, the roads are not illuminated at night with street lights, this may cause delays because of cautious drivers. Be sure that car lights are working correctly when driving at night. Please find information on driving in New Zealand here.

WHERE CAN I PARK MY CAR HIRE IN QUEENSTOWN?

Queenstown has numerous pay and display parking areas and also some free ones. Therefore when you rent a car in Queenstown be sure to check the signs as to whether payment is required so that you aren’t caught with a fine. Pay and display parking areas range between $1 and $4 an hour.

QUEENSTOWN AIRPORT

Queenstown airport is situated on the south island of New Zealand and is only a ten minute drive away from Queenstown’s Centre. Operating with a single terminal, since 1990 the terminal has been upgraded so as to handle the increase in passengers coming through the airport.

Queenstown Airport
Address: Sir Henry Wigley Drive, Queenstown
Phone: +64 3 450 9031
Fax: +64 3 442 3515
Email: infodesk@queenstownairport.co.nz
Website: www.queenstownairport.co.nz

WHAT TO DO IN QUEENSTOWN

• Te Anau Glowworm Caves - An underground network of caves, hidden below the mountains of Lake Te Anau. These caves are 12,000 years old. They are lit by hundreds of glow worms and are still being carved by the force of the river, resulting in passages full of whirlpools and an underground waterfall. You will then be able to travel through to the glowworm grotto, which is truly a magical sight.


• Milford Fly Cruise - The Milford fly cruise is a beautifully scenic flight, which takes you over some of the most stunning views in the world. You will fly over the Southern Alps, Wakatipu Basin, Fjorland National Park and Glenorchy. Concluding this you will then be able to cruise along Fjord onto the Tasman Sea where you will see the beautiful waterfalls and maybe even the dolphin pods.


• Mount Earnslaw - Mount Earnslaw is found within the Mount Aspiring National Park and is 25km North of Glenorchy. Taking a helicopter up to the spectacular Mount Earnslaw you will be able to view the Earnslaw glacier and have stunning views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. This is also a route you can hike through taking in the beautiful views of the vast wall of waterfalls and scenic area.


• Skyline Luge - The skyline luge is a must do activity while in Queenstown. Taking a luge cart down the hill, for a thrilling experience and also the breathtaking views of the entire landscape as you travel down. With two tracks, one for the more cautious who are more interested in the views or one for the steeper fast paced thrill seekers.

BEST DAY TRIPS WITH MY CAR RENTAL IN QUEENSTOWN

Kawarau Gorge

Kawarau Gorge is around a 30 minute journey from the centre using you car rental in Queenstown. The river Kawarau flows through this natural beauty and can be visited for scenic walks and hiking. It is also available for bungee jumping from the Kawarau Suspension Bridge, into the river below or visiting the remains of Goldfield mining centre and miners cottages.

The Catlin’s

The Catlin’s is a beautifully scenic area around 3.5 hour’s drive to the southeastern area of the island. Although it is a long drive, it is a must see spot which is filled with marine wildlife. You can stand at nugget point and view the old lighthouse as well as the beautiful coastline. It is also home to the Purakaunui Falls and the rare yellow eyed penguins! There is plenty to see on this journey and makes for a great experience.

Arrowtown

Arrowtown is what is left of the old gold mining town. The town was located on the edge of the beautiful Arrow River in the 1860’s following the first discovery of gold. Located 20 minutes from central Queenstown it is a great day out with its enchanting heritage which is engrained in history. Around 70 of the buildings are still standing from the gold rush era. It includes the Arrowtown trails which are a stunning set of walking and cycling trails, where you can see the beauty of Arrowtown’s nature.

Glenorchy

Glenorchy is just north of Queenstown which is home to iconic landscapes and sightseeing areas. Glenorchy is also where the lord of the rings was filmed for the interested film junkies. The area is perfect for nature enthusiasts and you can hike or even go horse trekking along places such as, the dart river or mount aspiring national park. The trip also involves the stunning Lake Wakatipu where you can go kayaking or jet boating.

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION & HISTORY

Queenstown is 285 km north-west of Dunedin and 187 km north of Invercargill, it is based in the southern lakes along the shoreline of Lake Wakatipu, it is a beautiful destination in all seasons and the perfect resort for both leisure and thrill seekers. Home to Mount Aspiring National Park which at its largest is 3,030 meter’s. Glenorchy, Milford sound and Fjordland are also top sightseeing areas in Queenstown. Over the past 30 years it has gone from a quiet lakeside town into a tourist resort with plenty of hustle and bustle and no shortage of activities.

The Wakatipu basin was created around 15,000 years ago by a glacial movement which carved out the lakebed. Evidence of Maori has been found dating back to as far as around 700 years ago, but it is not believed they settled on the ground. It was more believed that they came to Queenstown to search for food and fibre and then used the area for hunting and gathering greenstone.

In around 1860 it is believed that the first two settlers came to land, named William Rees and Nicholas von Tunzelmann, who were married to sisters, Frances and Gertrude Gilbert. They had stayed here for around 2 years before gold was found in the Arrow River and the Shotover River in 1862. Forcing Rees to cancel his pastoral lease in favour of a hotel named the Queens Arms instead. The gold rush brought around 1,500 miners to the area which then developed into a town. As the gold started to become less, the miners vacated the area and around 5,000 Chinese miners were brought in to work in the town, towards the end of the 1800s.

Eventually the gold was gone and the Chinese miners left or returned to China, making a town of around 5,000 decline to less than 200. The land became mostly farmland and the mining town was left vacant. Arrowtown has since been restored as a historical attraction. Much of the history is shown in the town and is still alive today, which also stands in the lakes district museum. When AJ Hackett came and installed the bungee from Kawarau Suspension Bridge the town started to attract tourists looking for adventure and since then it has thrived and become a faster paced place to visit. Find out more about Queenstown here.

HOW TO GET AROUND QUEENSTOWN

Car Hire

Using your car hire in Queenstown you can get around fast and easily at your own leisure, not having to rely on public transport or extra costs.

Buses

Queenstown has several bus services running through the wider areas to allow you to travel either to your own destination or allow you to go on coach trips to a particular destination. These run from early mornings to late in the evenings so you’re not restricted in regards to time.

Taxis

You can call for several taxi services in Queenstown. Your local hotels or information centre’s will be able to guide you to the appropriate one.

Ferries

You can contact Go Orange water ferries on +64 3 441 1124. They provide a fast timetabled service across Lake Wakatipu.

USEFUL LINKS

Tourism in Queesntown

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