The Solo Scale:

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Queenstown in New Zealand is an adventurer’s paradise. It’s also a wine-lovers’ paradise, a nature-lovers’ paradise, and in my opinion, simply paradise in general. If you’re here, though, you’re here because you want to spark some adrenaline and have a few days in Queenstown.

There’s truly no shortage of options, and so I’m going to highlight just a few (and a few that I would have loved to do if time hadn’t run short on me). No matter what you choose, it’ll leave your adrenaline pumping, but luckily, there’s lots of ways to decompress in Queenstown after that (from a great dinner near the water to all-day winery tours). Right now, though, it’s all about the action.

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Take the Gondola and Luge The Day Away

You can ascend the gondola to get spectacular views of The Remarkables. You might even get to share your gondola cabin with one of the paragliding partners who are on their way back to the top to take someone else airborne (it could be you, even!)

Once you arrive at the top, there are lookouts and restaurants, but when you’re ready for the excitement to rev up, you’ll head to the chairlift, grab a helmet and a luge, and head to the top where the gravity-powered luge course awaits you — two of them, in fact, one that’s simpler and one for adults or those who are chasing a bit more of a challenge. They’re very safe, but still very fun, and the line moves quickly!

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Get Wet in a Shotover Jet

Take warning! If you want to stay dry, are easily spooked by tight spaces, or get motion sick, maybe give this one a pass. If none of those apply to you, then the Shotover Jet is going to be a hell of a ride.

You’ll get a life jacket and then be buckled in for your excursion. The seat will be wet — a promise of things to come. The excursion will bring you harrowingly close to some rock shelves, will spin you around in circles, and will ascend to high speeds (up to 90km/h!) on the shallow water. The unique motor is an engineering highlight, which uses waterjet propulsion unlike most boats.

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Get Bumpy With Offroading

Maybe you’re the kind of adrenaline junkie who needs a little rev in the engine on dry land. There’s plenty for you as well. You can hop in a Jeep and explore the off-road trails, panning for gold, stopping for coffee & tea, and seeing sights from the Lord of the Rings along the way. You could get bruised up with this one if you sit the wrong way, but you’ll also ford through rivers, see incredible vistas, and reach parts of Queenstown and the outer parts that you might not get to otherwise.

There’s also the options for even bigger thrills (that I ran out of time for, not to mention the budget for). Below is a list of just some of those activities you can try:

• Bungee jumping
• Paragliding
• Skydiving
• Skiing in the winter

So, are you in? Check out the websites below for more information on a few of these experiences:

• Queenstown Gondola & Luge
• Shotover Jet
• Nomad Safaris

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