About 50km from Queenstown is the scenic town of Glenorchy. The drive to get there is one of the best in NZ!
The mountainous surroundings, road hugging the cliffs and shoreline of Lake Wakatipu provide for great photo opportunities.
There are a few designated scenic overlooks which should not be passed. In the town of Glenorchy, there is a great park right along the waterfront that has some sunken trees, which are becoming a trademark of the area.
Other than a few small shops and takeaways, there is not much else in town but the area is incredibly beautiful. Numerous daywalks and hikes are available in the area and maintained by the Department of Conservation (DOC). There is a DOC office in Queenstown that has extensive information on all these hiking opportunities, along with providing advice and weather alerts. We had a great day just lounging by the waterfront, watching the changing light transform the mountains in the distance.
The Freedom camping zone starts around 8km out of Queenstown and ends about the same distance out of Glenorchy. There are signs on the main road posted. There is a great parking area with toilets right around where freedom camping is allowed, but unfortunately does not include this parking lot, so you will have to find somewhere else to park up for the night. All of the reserves and official parks in between Queenstown and Glenorchy specifically say overnight camping is not allowed and it’s definitely banned in either of the town centers.
There is a large park near the waterfront you can hang out at during the day, but no overnight camping is allowed (you just have to drive a few kms out of town to be legal.)
I would say the trip to Glenorchy is well worth the visit if heading to Queenstown. If going by campervan, this provides a good opportunity to head where freedom camping is allowed, while experiencing the amazing views of the area. If you are heading out by car and staying in Queenstown, it’s an easy day trip. There are a few tours running out of Queenstown for those without transportation. Parts of Lord of the Rings were filmed in Glenorchy, so some of the tours having that theme. There is also a walking trail part of the way from Queenstown to Glenorchy for those wanting to take it slow.
We did a helicopter ride over the area and well worth the effort for the views!
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