New Zealand
Things to do in Queenstown
Zipline tours, wine tours and helicopter tours and more, with the best month for each. Queenstown is most comfortable for sightseeing in October to April.
Photo: Lawrence Murray from Perth, Australia, CC BY 2.0
Popular tours in Queenstown
Queenstown Wine TourFrom $69View 
Queenstown Segway TourFrom $58View 
Milford Sound Flight and Cruise Tour from QueenstownFrom $520View 
Award Winning Premium Wine Tour Queenstown Tasting at 4 WineriesFrom $162View 
Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from QueenstownFrom $214View 
Milford Sound Coach and Cruise tour from QueenstownFrom $160View
Tours from Viator. Good Outing may earn a commission when you book, at no cost to you.
What to book in Queenstown
Queenstown month by month
Queenstown weather by month
Averages for Queenstown Airport, 1991–2020. Highlighted months are the most comfortable for sightseeing.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F (°C) | 72 (22) | 71 (22) | 66 (19) | 59 (15) | 53 (12) | 47 (9) | 47 (8) | 50 (10) | 55 (13) | 60 (15) | 64 (18) | 68 (20) |
| Low °F (°C) | 50 (10) | 49 (10) | 45 (7) | 40 (5) | 36 (2) | 31 (0) | 29 (-1) | 32 (0) | 36 (2) | 40 (4) | 43 (6) | 47 (9) |
| Rainy days | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| Sunset (15th) | 9:31 pm | 8:56 pm | 8:07 pm | 6:11 pm | 5:27 pm | 5:09 pm | 5:24 pm | 5:57 pm | 6:33 pm | 8:11 pm | 8:53 pm | 9:28 pm |
Day trips from Queenstown
- Arrowtown 10 mi
- A gold-rush village with autumn colours.
- Glenorchy 19 mi
- A tiny lakeside village at the start of epic hikes.
- Kingston 21 mi
- Southern end of Lake Wakatipu with a vintage steam train.
- Cromwell 26 mi
- Stone-fruit orchards and wineries.
- Wanaka 33 mi
- A lake town with the famous 'Wanaka tree'.
- Te Anau 53 mi
- Gateway to Fiordland and the glow-worm caves.
- Milford Sound 43 mi
- A fiord of sheer cliffs and waterfalls, by coach and boat or scenic flight.
Questions
When is the best time to visit Queenstown?
For walking around and sightseeing, October to April. January is the warmest month at about 72°F (22°C), and July the coolest at about 47°F (8°C).
What is the rainiest month in Queenstown?
May, with about 10 rainy days. Book outdoor tours early in your stay that month, so there's room to move them.