Along Lake Esplanade, Queenstown

One of my favourite places in Queenstown is along this street called Lake Esplanade. Each time I am in Queenstown, without fail, I would spend time strolling along this stretch of road. Lake Esplanade is very central and leads to/from Queenstown CBD near the Steamers’ Wharf where the steamship TSS Earnslaw docks. I guess many tourists/visitors have strolled along this street without knowing its name.

On one side of the road are the hotels and apartments, and on the other side is a park/reserve that fronts Lake Wakatipu and this park/reserve offers a picturesque view of the mountains and lake. Many of my best memories and best photos of New Zealand were along this street.

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The hotels and apartments along Lake Esplanade
Queenstown, Aug 2006

If you are looking for accommodation in Queenstown, especially with views of the mountains and lake, you may wish to consider the hotels and apartments along Lake Esplanade. In above photo, you will find the Rydges Hotel (white building from the left), Outrigger, The Beacon (centre) and Lakefront Apartments (right, with blue signposts).

Opposite these hotels and apartments is the park/reserve where I shot the following photos:

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From the left, The Remarkables, Cecil Peak and Walter Peak on a beautiful winter evening
Queenstown, Aug 2006


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Another beautiful winter scene
On the extreme left, the headlights of a car on Lake Esplanade
Queenstown, Aug 2006


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.... and yet another beautfiul winter scene
The Remarkables run in a North-South direction
and the rays of the setting sun lit up its face "on fire"
Queenstown, Aug 2006

STOP at Queenstown, New Zealand

Surrounding Queenstown, there are 3 easily recognizable mountain ranges. They are The Remarkables with its Double Cone Peak at 2,343m, Cecil Peak at 1,974m and Walter Peak at 1,815m. They are shown in below photos as from left to right.

I have been in Queenstown across all four seasons and every time I have enjoyed its spectacular scenery. The weather, sunlight, clouds, water in the lake and even the trees, they all make this place very beautiful across the seasons. Do you see the red road sign in the middle of below photo? It shows “STOP” and that was what I did to enjoy the view and to capture it!

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This view was taken on a rather steep road in early winter
Steamer Wharf, where TSS Earnslaw docks, is behind the brown building on the left
Queenstown, Jun 2005
Queenstown is especially popular with tourists in summer and winter. There is no better season than summer to enjoy the activities that this Adventure Capital offers. If you are tramping into the national parks, kayaking, jetboating, bungee jumping, horse riding …. or joining the numerous tours, the fine weather in summer is best for these outdoor activities.

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View from the bay in early spring
Steamer Wharf is at the building on the extreme right
Queenstown, Sep 2005
If you visit Queenstown in summer for its spectacular scenery, then you may be a little disappointed as the mountains will be bare of snow as shown in bottom photo. It is still a scenic place but in my opinion, without the snow on the mountains, Queenstown lacks the wow(!) factor.

My favourite seasons to visit are mid-autumn (April), mid-late winter (Jul-Aug) and early-mid spring (Sep-Oct).

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View from the bay (near Steamer Wharf) in early spring
Queenstown, Sep 2005
Queenstown Gardens is the area of the trees in these photos. In autumn, the smaller trees along the lakefront are golden yellow and make a spectacular sight. I don’t have the digital photos (only in prints) but you can imagine the golden yellow colours against the bigger trees which are still dark green, against blue skies, blue Lake Wakatipu, and against the dark golden brown mountain range of The Remarkables, Cecil Peak and Walter Peak. A beautiful sight and that first trip in autumn made me fall in love with Queenstown!

If you are planning a vacation in New Zealand, do STOP and spend a few days in Queenstown to take in the beautiful scenery. Life just may not be the same again for you!

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View from Steamer Wharf in early summer
Queenstown, Dec 2005

Beautiful Queenstown, New Zealand

Of all the many places I have visited (and re-visited) in New Zealand, Queenstown remains my favourite destination. I have been there at least 10 times, nevertheless this place continues to excite me. It is the Adventure Capital of the World but it is not the adrenalin pumping activities that makes me return but the natural beauty of this place.

Being a city dweller, the type of mountains I have known for most part of my life are skyscrapers and highrise buildings. So seeing the majestic mountain ranges of New Zealand and getting on top of one by helicopter, have done wonders for my soul!

I have many photos of the beautiful scenery of Queenstown. Sorting and selecting them to form panoramas have been quite a task! The next couple of postings will feature these scenery and through the photos you will catch a glimpse of the beautiful memories that I have of Queenstown. So here goes:

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Early morning in winter
Queenstown, May 2005
Queenstown is located on the shore of Lake Wakatipu and surrounded by majestic mountain ranges. Queenstown Central/CBD (Central Business District) is on the left side in these photos. Across the lake, Cecil Peak is the mountain on the left and Walter Peak is the pyramidal mountain in the centre of these photos.

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Early morning in winter
Queenstown, Aug 2006
For a leisurely walk in Queenstown Gardens, head towards the trees on the left side of the lake. On the extreme right, the Skyline Gondola takes you to the top of Bob's Peak (the peak without snow) where you get a bird's eye view of the surrounding region!

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Late morning in winter
Queenstown, Aug 2006
Talking about birds, you will find them along the lakefront. In these photos, you can spot the seagulls and ducks (on the lake). For several years, there was a lone goose that made its home on the Queenstown bay too. Then came another one and they became geese. Last year (2006), I spotted only one of them and I guess the missing one has "flown away to bird heaven".

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Dusk in winter
Queenstown, Aug 2006

Along the lakefront, the white vessel is the vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw (it looks quite small in these photos). Everyday, the TSS Earnslaw ferries tourists on a leisurely cruise across the lake from Queenstown bay to the Walter Peak High Country Farm. For an adrenaline pumping ride, then the yellow Kawaura jet boats in these photos will provide your water adventure.