Things to Do in Queenstown: Jet Boats, Skydives and Milford Sound

What the big Queenstown activities are actually like

The Shotover River jet boat is the famous one, running since 1965. Twin V8s with 700 combined horsepower take you through the narrow Shotover Canyons at up to 90km/h, then snap into full 360-degree spins that soak everyone equally. About 25 minutes of it.

The Queenstown Tandem Skydive - 15,000ft is the full-height jump: up to 60 seconds of freefall at around 200km/h, strapped to a tandem master. Allow around three and a half hours all up.

Dart River Jet Boat & Funyaks does fast and slow. A jet boat runs you from Glenorchy deep into Mount Aspiring National Park, then you float back down the Dart in an inflatable Funyak, ducking into side-streams and the Rockburn chasm where jet boats can't go, with a gourmet picnic in beech forest.

The Milford Sound Experience solves Milford's one problem: it sits at the end of a very long road. You travel the Milford Road in a group of 16 at most, take a two-hour nature cruise on the fjord, then fly 40 minutes back to Queenstown instead of sitting through the return drive.

Arrowtown to Queenstown Mountain Bike Day is the quiet one. A shuttle takes you up to gold-rush Arrowtown and you ride 34 to 36 kilometres home on the Arrow River Bridges and Twin Rivers trails: swing bridges and river gorges on compacted gravel.

How to choose: budget, nerves and time

Arrowtown to Queenstown Mountain Bike Day, from $77. Half a day on the trails at your own pace. Hardtail or e-bike, helmet, route map and on-call mechanical support included; riding time is around 3.5 to 4 hours but you have up to six. Scenery without the adrenaline tax.

Shotover River Canyon Jet Boat Ride. Twenty-five minutes, zero skill required, maximum grin per minute. Life jackets and lockers included. The one if you only do one thing.

Queenstown Tandem Skydive - 15,000ft, from $466. The biggest adrenaline hit in a town famous for them. Suits anyone who can say yes at the door, which is the entire entry requirement.

Dart River Jet Boat & Funyaks, from $479. Six and a half hours with Queenstown return transport, wetsuits, life jackets and dry bags included. For a full day in big scenery rather than a short thrill.

Milford Sound Experience - 7:30am Coach, Cruise & Fly, from $789. The big day out, for when Milford is non-negotiable. Nine and a half hours, guide throughout. Sort your own lunch or book the lunch-inclusive version.

Practical tips for Queenstown activities

Weather runs the show. The Milford flight is weather dependent and low cloud can cancel a skydive, so book the big-ticket items early in your stay and leave a spare day to reschedule.

What to bring: on the jet boat you will get wet from the spins, so leave anything precious in the locker. Funyaks supplies the wetsuit, but bring swimmers for underneath and a change of clothes. For the bike day, your own snacks and water. For Milford, a reusable water bottle.

Safety: listen to the briefing, say so if you're nervous, and don't book a 15,000ft jump on a hangover.