Albert Town to Fiordland National Park
- Heidi Hewett
- Mar 5
- 2 min read
After spending two nights at a vacation rental in Albert Town, near Wanaka, we continued our journey south toward Fiordland National Park. Our drive took us through Queenstown, where we spent most of the day, before stopping in Kingston for gas and Te Anau for groceries.
Visiting Queenstown
Queenstown was already a flurry of activity by the time we arrived at 10am. We watched several paragliders fly over our heads and land in the nearby park as we walked from our car to the boardwalk. Our first priority was coffee and cheese scones, which we found at the Beach Street Cafe. Sitting on the boardwalk, we enjoyed fresh air, fresh scones and beautiful views of Lake Wakatipu.
After our light breakfast on the boardwalk, we slowly made our way toward the Skyline gondola, perusing through shops along the way. Riding the gondola up Bob's Peak, we had spectacular views of Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu. The views alone were well worth the Skyline tickets, but we weren't done yet! After exiting the gondola, we jumped on a chairlift that took us farther up the mountain to the start of the Luge track.
The Luge is a gravity-powered go-kart with handlebars to steer and break. We weren't sure what to expect during our first time down the Luge track. But, by the second time, we were ready to race! We had a blast on the winding track with several steep hills that send you air-born if you take them too fast. Trust me, I know! Mary Kay and I showed our respective kids that we're not afraid to pass on the inside curves... or the outside! Our ticket included three runs on the Luge, which we all agreed wasn't enough! But, it was getting late and we still hadn't ate lunch. After a failed attempt to eat at Fat Badgers Pizza Bar (the service was terrible), we ended up at Caribe Latin Kitchen, which was fantastic! And, as it turned out, very fortunate for me. As we sat at a table waiting for our food, I ran over to a nearby Merino Wool vendor to buy a hat and gloves. They came in VERY useful that night when we were camping in Fiordland National Park!
You can view the Wheels Up for New Zealand 2026 trip page to see all my blog posts, photos, and Wanderlog info.
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