The 6 Winter Days in Queenstown That Are Worth a Whole Day

1.Ice Bar Entry with Warm Winter Gear and Drink

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 162 reviews · 1 hour · from $35Our pick

Spend an hour inside Queenstown Ice Bar, built from nearly 30 tonnes of hand-carved ice. Your ticket includes warm winter gear and a drink option, with cocktails, mocktails, ice glasses, photo spots, music, and helpful hosts near the Skyline Gondola.

“It's absolutely awesome. Great range of cocktails and mocktails, my pregnant daughter inlaw loved. Sculptures were awesome and the atmosphere was great.”

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2.Helicopter Tour with Alpine Snow Landing from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 46 reviews · from $570Top rated

Take a 40 to 45 minute helicopter flight from Queenstown Airport, with pickup from select hotels, live pilot commentary, and a snow landing high above town. Walk on the snow, take photos, build a snowman, or enjoy the silence before flying back.

“Best part of the trip. Superb professionalism and safety. Fun to the supreme. A must do while in Queenstown. See sights that you can only imagine.”

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3.Queenstown Helicopter Flight with Snow Landing | 30 mins

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 31 reviews · 30 min · from $269

Fly from Heliworks Queenstown over the Whakatipu Basin, Lake Whakatipu, mountains, and valleys, then land in the alpine snow for photos and snow play. English-speaking pilots such as Craig, Eddie, and James have earned praise for smooth flying and useful commentary. Snow landings depend on winter conditions.

“from booking to check-in to flying, the entire experience was incredible. this is a must do when visiting queenstown. the staff are amazing and so friendly and our pilot eddie was fantastic. couldn't have asked for anything better, highly recommend!”

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4.Tandem Paraglide – Winter – Coronet Peak 5400ft

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 16 reviews · from $216

Meet Skytrek in central Queenstown, ride to Coronet Peak, take a chairlift to 5,400 feet, and launch with an English-speaking pilot. You will fly 15 to 20 minutes over the ski field, then land gently in the valley. Tai is one pilot praised for letting a passenger help control the glider.

“amazing!!! It was a sight I'll never forget. The guide was super kind and fun, and always kept me entertained. I can feel at ease knowing that they're taking good care of my safety. It was really fun! Thanks a lot! It was a view I'll never forget. The guide was super kind and fun, and always kept me entertained. I can rest assured that you take good care of your safety. It was really fun Thanks a lot!”

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5.Coronet Peak Snow Play Experience from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 14 reviews · from $45

Ride a small-group shuttle from central Queenstown to Coronet Peak, where you get 1.5 hours for snowballs, snow angels, snowmen, or sledding. Optional sled hire costs NZD $20, and ski lift passes cost NZD $39. A driver-guide handles the return trip.

“We had such a great time sledding. The snow was perfect—soft and just enough to make every slide super fun. The hills weren’t too big, so it was safe for the kids but still exciting for the adults. It was honestly one of the best spots for our first Read more”

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6.25-30 Minute Snow Landing Helicopter Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 25 min · from $215

Take a shared helicopter flight from 35 Mull Street over Glenorchy and Lake Wakatipu, then land on a snowy alpine peak for 10 minutes. Your pilot chooses the landing site and may explain local geology and history. Seats are assigned by aircraft balance.

“Amazing , Matt was great, very knowledgable, in terms of geology and local history. Very smooth flying and landing . Thank you Matt 🤲🏾”

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