A short, challenging and rewarding 500-metre climb up Queenstown Hill is an ideal free activity when in this beautiful South Island city. The Queenstown Hill Time Walk begins at Belfast Street in Queenstown and climbs to the top of the hill on a path stretching 1.5 kilometres. The trail journeys through pine forest before coming out on top to sweeping views of the city below. Some of the highlighting views include The Remarkables, Cecil Peak, the Kawarau River and Lake Wakatipu. Along the track, there are a number of information tiles explaining the history of Lake Wakatipu , the gold rush, Maori settlements and how Queenstown rose to become the 'Adventure Capital of the World'. These information plates are a great way to learn about this famous region but also the perfect excuse to take a much needed break from the climb. Climbers should allow at least 2 to 3 hours to complete the trail which returns back down the same way you went up.