All activities / Paragliding / Queenstown
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Paragliding in Queenstown
New Zealand's adventure sports capital, set on the shores of Lake Wakatipu with the Remarkables mountain range as backdrop. The staging point for bungee, heli-skiing, rafting, and some of the country's most scenic skydiving.
Why here
The Remarkables provide the backdrop and the thermals. Queenstown is an adventure-sport hub where the infrastructure for paragliding is excellent: landing zones are well-managed, operators are professional, and experienced pilots can rent certified gear and fly independently. Coronet Peak and the Skyline Gondola sites offer genuine cross-country flying above Lake Wakatipu. The scenery is among the best in the sport anywhere. It is premium, it is busy in summer, and the combination of mountains, lake, and southern light makes the cost feel justified.
Best months
Flying is possible year-round but the southern hemisphere summer (October to March) is the most reliable window. The Canterbury Northwester can create rotor and turbulence on the lee side of the ranges; local briefings before flying are not optional. Morning windows before 11am are often the calmest. Weather off the Tasman Sea can change within an hour, so reading the forecast and knowing your out-landings is important.
Getting there & around
Queenstown Airport (ZQN) has direct connections from Auckland, Sydney, and Melbourne. The Skyline Gondola reduces access to launch to minutes. All major operators manage transport from town. Queenstown is compact and walkable; gear rental for certified pilots is available through several operators. Certified pilots should carry their license and wing certification paperwork.
Skill levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced
Schools & guides (2)
Infinity Paragliding
SchoolInfinity Paragliding is listed by the New Zealand Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association as the school for the Queenstown area, run by Chris Connolly. The NZHGPA record describes it as teaching beginner PG1 through solo-rated PG2 and advanced PG3 courses, along with tandem pilot training. The school operates from the Flightpark near Queenstown, a site given over to paragliding and hang-gliding with roughly a 700-metre height difference between take-off and landing. It flies year-round but mainly between November and April, and runs no block courses, scheduling instead around each student.
Skytrek
OutfitterSkytrek pioneered tandem hang gliding in New Zealand and has operated tandem paragliding and hang gliding from Coronet Peak above Queenstown for over 30 years, with more than 75,000 flights completed. Launches from the highest commercial tandem take-off in New Zealand at 1,676m (5,500 feet). Co-owner Shai Lanuel is the country's most experienced paragliding instructor; co-owner Ian Clark is the 2021 NZ Hang Gliding National Champion.
Also good for paragliding in October:
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