Driving SH6 from Kingston to Queenstown next to Lake Wakatipu | Otago | New Zealand | 4K

Categories: Otago Region

Tags: driving, lake wakatipu, new zealand, otago, queenstown, sh6

Added: 2 years ago

Driving SH6 from Kingston to Queenstown next to Lake Wakatipu, in the Otago region, on the East Coast of New Zealand's South Island.

This scenic drive from Kingston to Queenstown follows State Highway 6 and is approximately 46 km. A large part of this section of SH6 runs along the eastern edge of Lake Wakatipu.

In this video you'll get scenic views of the Remarkable Mountains on one side, and the shores of the lake on the other. There are a few picnic spots along the way, I drive through at least two of them.

Kingston itself is at the foot of Lake Wakatipu and is probably most famous for being home to the Kingston Flyer, a 14km long railway service that connected the town with Gore, near Invercargill, from 1886 to 1937, with intermittent services in the 1950-1970s, and a restored service in the 1980s.

Queenstown is a famous holiday resort town at any time of the year. The town is renowned for its four distinct seasons. Winter brings cold, blue-sky days; then spring keeps the snow with longer, warmer days. Finally, summer offers sunshine with long twilights, and autumn is a brilliant red and gold surge.

The spectacle of the Central Otago landscape unfolds before you as you drive out of Queenstown. You'll recognize many Middle-earth locations here if you're a Lord of the Rings fan. Nearby in Arrowtown, explore gold mining history, visit the Lakes District Museum, or go gold panning. At the northern tip of Lake Wakatipu are rural Glenorchy and Paradise Valley. Also, from here, it's a short drive into Mt Aspiring National Park, where some of New Zealand's great walks start.

Queenstown offers skiing from winter through spring. Other activities include sky diving, bungy jumping, canyon swinging, horse trekking, jet boating, and river rafting all year round. Queenstown is also a renowned cycling destination. The town provides easy scenic tracks, backcountry trails, road rides, heli-biking, and the Southern Hemisphere's only gondola-accessed downhill mountain biking.

If adventure isn't your thing, plenty of mellow options exist. Experience one of the many walking or hiking trails and sightseeing tours, or treat yourself to a spa treatment, boutique shopping, and excellent food and wine.