You know that feeling as you descend into Frankton. Those dramatic peaks of the Remarkables greet you, followed by the almost unreal turquoise waters of Lake Wakatipu. After a long flight, you’re ready to hit the road and get going!
Unfortunately, what usually comes next isn’t quite so glamourous. An off-airport rental depot, a bus trip through industrial Frankton, an insufferable wait and a chat about insurance you don’t want, ending with an aging hatchback with tires that barely make you feel comfortable on an alpine road.
Let’s face it, the roads around Queenstown are stunning, but they’re also mountain roads. And if you’re able tobridge that gap between an incredible view and a tired hatchback, you’re in for a whole lot more as part of your trip, not as just another hassle at the airport.
This is the niche Queenstown Luxury Chauffeurs is looking to fill: high-end self-drive vehicle hire when you want the keys, and a private chauffeur for when you’d rather just relax in the backseat.
Alpine weather waits for no-one’s schedule
Driving towards Glenorchy on a clear summer day is a very different experience from driving the Crown Range in July.
Queenstown is sits pretty at 310m. Its mountain neighbor, the Crown Range, reaches 1,121m. This difference in elevation means that if it’s dry as a bone in Queenstown one moment, it could be a treacherous sheet of ice and grit before the next section of the road tells you carry-chains are compulsory.
If you’re thinking about getting behind the wheel in these conditions, there are few important questions to ask yourself:
* Will the vehicle actually handle being on an icy alpine pass, or just look good parked on Shotover Street?
* Can you guarantee you’ll be picked up at the terminal if your flight is rerouted or delayed?
Are you really* up for the drive after a day of wine tasting in Gibbston, or after skiing all day with the sun beginning to set?
The luxury to you of an all-wheel-drive SUV, or a sleek electric car with instantaneous acceleration and torque, is significantly different to the inconvenience of a basic city car. As is opting out of the whole rental line in the first place!
Drive, be driven, or mix and match
How do you want to experience Queenstown? The choice is yours and it could be the key decision in shaping your vacation.
Many travellers find it beneficial to blend the two. You may want your chauffeur to whisk you away from the airport, use one of their self-drive options for a couple of days exploring the area, and then let a private driver handle your return wine afternoon. No need to nominate a despo at dinner!
Luxury self-drive car hire
Perfect for: When you have your own schedule to keep! This is the best choice for couples on weekend getaways, dedicated photography days, or trips to the ski fields where you want the freedom to set your own pace.
You’ll get: Keys to a current model luxury or executive vehicle and the freedom to stop any time a breathtaking vista pulls you in. When you’re stopped at the jaw-dropping Bennett’s Bluff on your drive towards Glenorchy, you’ll no longer be dependent on someone else’s defined schedule.
Private chauffeur service
Ideal for: Wine country explorations, airport pick-ups/drop-offs, business groups, shuttle trips to and from ski fields, special events or any occasion when you’d much rather soak up the views than stare at the center line.
You’ll get: A local driver and car at your disposal, without the stress of finding parking or navigating. Prefer a female chauffeur? Just let them know.
On your day out in Gibbston Valley’s finest vineyards, let your driver chauffeur you from one winery to the next, so no-one misses a single wine tasting, and all are able to partake. Alternatively, you could enjoy those crisp summer mornings driving towards Wanaka or the Matukituki Valley all by yourself, and pull over whenever you capture just the right angle for that perfect shot – rather than conforming to another’s travel plans.
They offer an eclectic fleet to choose from: a stylish, emission-free Mercedes-Benz EQC for whisper-quiet journeys, a powerful BMW X5 when you need to travel in style, a less predictable yet incredibly comfortable Cadillac CTS and even efficient and eco-friendly hybrids like the Toyota Camry and Prius for when you’re focused on getting to and fro.
Each itinerary demands different vehicles and your preferences are important.
Four essential Queenstown drives worth the journey
If you decide having the keys in your hands is the way forward, these are four journeys you simply must do justice to with the right transport.
1. Queenstown to Glenorchy – approximately 46km
This 45-minute journey (without stops, and why would you rush such beauty?) unfolds with the ever-present expanse of Lake Wakatipu clinging to your right hand side as imposing mountainscapes dominate the landscape on your left. Stop and breathe in the epic panoramas at Bennett’s Bluff, and don’t shy away from calling into Bob’s Cove if you have an extra moment.
Glenorchy is your gateway to spectacular locations such as Dart River and Paradise.
The paved journey ends once you arrive in the village. From here on out, your adventure escalates to a completely new level of off-road discovery.
2. The Crown Range to Wanaka – approximately 68km
Your drive up the Queenstown side of the Crown Range will have you twisting along impossibly tight hairpins before opening out into a sweeping vista down across the Cardrona Valley, towards Wanaka. In the winter, it’s imperative to check the current road conditions before setting off and, by law, carry snow chains whenever required. Summer, with its clear conditions, presents you with perhaps the most exhilarating hour you’ll spend driving anywhere on the South Island.
3. The Gibbston Valley wine route – approximately 25-30km
Driving yourself from Queenstown along the Kawarau Gorge towards Gibbston puts you in the center of Cellar Door Country. Wine growers, artisan food producers and the ghostly past of New Zealand’s Gold Rush era combine to offer you a relaxing afternoon away from the bustle of Queenstown. The drive itself isn’t exactly onerous, it’s convenient to access but perhaps the day’s wine tasting itinerary might not be entirely conducive with finding the way safely back on the road after leaving all the tempting temptations of the vineyard behind.
4. Day trip to Aoraki / Mount Cook
This takes you on a full-day drive into the heart of the South Island. Through the lunar landscape of the Lindis Pass and past the strikingly turquoise hues of Lake Pukaki, arriving to witness the magnificent grandeur of the Southern Alps. It is an incredibly long and rewarding journey.
Your rental car’s shortcomings and discomfort will become quickly evident.
A luxuriously smooth and all-wheel-drive SUV is a welcome feature for days like these, where, chauffeured, you can fully focus on soaking in every element of the spectacular 300km trek, rather than tallying up every kilometer.
What’s this operator really offering you?
Queenstown Luxury Chauffeurs is based just outside of town (Lower Shotover) and operates entirely differently to the global rental behemoths with their sterile depot sites in Frankton. Their proposition is deceptively simple, offering a high-quality fleet of recent vehicles combined with significantly more flexible hire options. This range extends to Self- Drive vehicle hire, Private Chauffeur Services, Airport transfers, Hour-by-hour bookings, and custom multi-day itineraries. They even offer flight tracking for those pesky pick-ups where you’re not entirely sure when your plane will touch down, especially given Queenstown’s sometimes volatile weather.
And they’re incredibly mindful of catering to every individual – offering experienced female chauffeurs upon request!
None of the luxury service can fully replace checking your chosen vehicle’s capabilities and insurance policies thoroughly, and keeping an eye on road conditions prior to departing the safety of town and heading up the mountains. That being said, their service can eradicate one of those increasingly irritating airport inconveniences and free you up to explore what Queenstown is truly all about from minute one.
How do you want to plan your Queenstown road trip?
It all begins by asking yourself how you want to get around.
If self-determination is paramount and you fancy making those unplanned stopoffs when that perfect mountain vista demands a photo opportunity – take the keys and set yourself a course! And if your ultimate desire on your getaway is to experience New Zealand wine country, a relaxing and safe arrival and departure from your flight, or any special occasion – why not let a private chauffeur tailor your entire journey for you?
And if you want both, there is no reason you cannot mix the two.
You can explore the fleet and options at qtchauffeursandrentals.co.nz, then build the road trip around the way you actually want to experience Queenstown.
The landscape will do the rest.
