Queenstown

Queenstown is New Zealand's self-styled "adventure capital of the world", and for once the marketing is earned. Set on the shore of Lake Wakatipu beneath the jagged wall of the Remarkables, it is a compact, lively resort town where you can ski, hike, bungy, raft, jet-boat and skydive, sometimes all in the same day. The Southern Alps rise straight from the lake, and the scenery — sharp peaks, deep-blue water, golden tussock — is world-class.

The seasons flip from the Northern Hemisphere, which is part of the appeal. New Zealand's winter (June to September) brings skiing at the Remarkables, Coronet Peak and nearby Cardrona and Treble Cone. The southern summer (December to March) opens superb hiking, including access to some of NZ's Great Walks such as the Routeburn, plus every adrenaline sport imaginable. Nearby Wānaka offers a quieter alternative base with the same mountains.

Queenstown is remote from Europe but surprisingly easy once you are in New Zealand, with its own airport minutes from town. It is not cheap, but it packs more genuine adventure per square kilometre than almost anywhere, and it makes a bucket-list basecamp for a Southern Hemisphere mountain trip.

New Zealand's winter (June to September) for skiing and snow. The southern summer (December to March) for hiking, the Great Walks and warm-weather adventure. Spring and autumn (the shoulders) are quieter with fewer crowds and changeable weather. Remember the seasons are reversed from the UK — Queenstown is a superb escape during the northern summer if you want winter, or vice versa.

Queenstown has its own international airport about fifteen minutes from the centre, with connections across New Zealand and to Australia. From the UK it is a long-haul journey via a hub such as Auckland, Singapore or a Middle Eastern gateway. Once there, a car helps for reaching the ski fields and trailheads, though shuttles serve the main resorts and walks.