Finally I have found it. An alternative home. This matchless place on the edge of the Southern Alps of  New Zealand. As I sit here in the UK, I am dreaming of Lake Wakatipu; dining on fresh seafood in funky little Queenstown; the splendid drive north through the mountains to the long Routeburn Track; sipping sweet Noble Rot Riesling at a Central Otago Vineyard; watching dolphins swim alongside us at Milford Sound; and waking up to the stunning view from our villa at the Azur Lodge.

Azur Lodge

A short drive from Queenstown village, in the middle of the Fernhill residential district, is the narrow entrance to the Azur Lodge. Driving up to the main building, one of our hosts was already waiting outside for us with a warm greeting. We were escorted inside to experience, for the first time, the breathtaking views over Lake Wakatipu. A steep path down the hill took us to the villa, where we spent four glorious nights.

The four nights were too short. In some imaginary alternative life, I would take up permanent residence in one of these large villas: waking up every morning in the clear Otago air; stepping onto the terrace for a long breakfast against the backdrop of Wakatipu and its mountains; spending even longer in the spa bath; returning in the evening for dinner by the fire, with a bottle straight from the Central Otago vineyards. Would paradise be boring after a while? Not when there are all the wonders of the Queenstown Bay area (and beyond) to explore.

On the way to Milford Sound

Squeezing into a tiny (and I mean TINY) helicopter on a cloudy, partially windy day is not my idea of total fun. But the view from Queenstown airport to Milford Sound - over the peaks of the Southern Alps - was so stunning that anxiety was suspended. The scenes are instantly recognisable to Lord of the Rings fans, as many aerial shots of the Alps were used in the Trilogy. 

Milford Sound

Milford Sound itself is magnificently gloomy. It is reportedly the wettest place in New Zealand (that’s some going), and the weather seems always to be on the verge of some violent and sudden change. The slow journey out from the landing bay to the narrow inlet which leads to the Tasman Sea is crowded in from all sides by steep, dark rock. Small groups of dolphins join in the fun, twisting and turning alongside the boat, diving underneath it and disappearing into the black water. Milford Sound is said to be the most popular tourist destination in New Zealand, despite its inaccessibility. If you are really adventurous, it can be reached after a walk lasting several days along the famous Milford Track, often quoted as ‘the best walk in the world’.

Landing on top of the world

After experiencing the full wonder of Milford Sound, it was time to head back in the helicopter. Our imperturbable young pilot must have thought we were ready for a more daring ride, as he swooped and dived through the mountains. For his true act of magic, he landed with incredible skill on top of a glacier - nudging his way closer and closer to the rock before leaping up onto the snow bed (above). I was far too much in awe of his talents to be nervous at all.

The Shotover Jet

Less than half an hour from Queenstown are the Shotover River Canyons, where yet more fearless young Kiwis take visitors on a hair-raising ride in a purpose-built jet that can zigzag at very high speeds, skirting jagged rock with very little margin for error (above). Again, it’s the skill of the jet pilot that makes this a fun experience rather than a terrifying one.   

Otago vineyards

Queenstown and the Central Otago region has one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing wine industries. Here, the dominant grape is Pinot Noir, confounding standard expectations about Kiwi wines and their world famous Sauvignons that smell of grass and gooseberries. We went to Amisfield (above), which has won awards for its Pinot Noir. What made a bigger impression on us was the Noble Riesling, one of those wines made so deliciously sweet by the Botrytis cinerea fungus.

Wai Restaurant, Queenstown

To accompany these fine local wines, Queenstown has a handful of very good restaurants which specialise in seafood. The best has to be Wai (above), which sits right on the Queenstown harbour. Wai is a tiny place which requires advance booking, but it’s a must for serious foodies who visit this region. The best idea I can give you of the fine seafood dining is to reproduce part of the menu:

Freshly Shucked Premium New Zealand Oysters

Arriving daily for your enjoyment.

Classic Kilpatrick or Tempura Batter

Wai Speciality Plate of Freshly Shucked Oysters served with

white balsamic jelly, lemon caviar and ginger lime sorbet

Scallops in Almond Milk

Pan seared North Atlantic scallops served with broad beans,

snow pea tendrils and smoked mussel and scallop tortellini

finished with almond milk

Tempura Soft Shell Crab

New Zealand soft shell crab in a light tempura batter,

with avocado puree, passionfruit jelly, tomato orbs

highlighted by coconut foam and ginger salt

The trek to Routeburn

My favourite part of this trip was the day we spent travelling to the beginning of the Routeburn Track in Mount Aspiring National Park. It was raining hard as we set off from Azur Lodge and headed north through the mountains which run alongside Lake Wakatipu. The rain was actually a huge blessing, as we had this rocky road virtually to ourselves and could enjoy it in splendid isolation. Eventually the path levels out and you are driving across the flatlands around Glenorchy, which - like so many places on South Island - was named after a place in Scotland. Then it’s another twenty minutes off road before you reach the National Park itself. On the way, with the rain hammering down, we stopped for a trek through Lake Sylvan Track, a dense and immense forest which has (bizarrely) a 1920s tramline loop that takes you to the edge of the lake itself and back again. Only a series of flimsy orange markers offer direction through this slightly scary place (think Blair Witch Project) to Lake Sylvan, where there are a few remote camping spots. We almost got lost on the way back.

Routeburn Track

Then it was on to the Routeburn Track itself, the rain still hammering down and the visitor centre deserted, aside from a couple of stranded backpackers sleeping on the floor. We walked for about about 90 minutes through one of the most sense-stimulating places I have ever visited on this planet. Its gently rising paths lead to waterfalls (above), where you can stand on a narrow bridge as the water crashes down the side of the mountain into the lakes below. 

The Routeburn Track goes on in this spectacular fashion for 32 km. This will be top of my list on returning to the Queenstown region.

  

The Verdict

Queenstown and Otago is truly the destination which has everything: some of the most spectacular natural scenery in the world; outstanding local cuisine and wines; adventures of every kind from extreme sports (Queenstown is the home of bungee jumping) to amazing wilderness treks. Having the opportunity to stay in world class accommodation like the Azur Lodge make this travel experience very close to unbeatable. This is right up with Patagonia as my favourite place on the planet.

How we got there

We flew on on Air New Zealand from Heathrow to Auckland and to Queenstown. We have posted a separate Air New Zealand report here.

Our ratings for Queenstown

1-5 stars

Azur Lodge

*****

Location

*****

For pictures from Queenstown and Otago, click here and here.