Queenstown is New Zealand's adventure capital, and its sporting calendar follows the seasons: trail races and golf in summer, snow sports in winter and one of the world's most scenic marathons in spring.
Check dates with each organiser before booking.
Summer and autumn
Shotover Moonlight Mountain Marathon (February)
A tough off-road marathon on Ben Lomond Station with a finish at Moke Lake.
Challenge Wānaka (February)
A triathlon festival on Lake Wānaka, moving to a 100 km format in 2027.
New Zealand Open (late February)
The national golf open at Millbrook Resort, with a pro-am format that brings in big crowds.
Motatapu (March)
Mountain bike, trail marathon and ultra events through high-country stations between Wānaka and Arrowtown.
Winter
Coronet Peak, The Remarkables and Cardrona usually open in mid June and run into late September or early October. In event years, Winter Games NZ brings international ski and snowboard competition to the region in late August and September.
Spring
Queenstown Marathon (November)
Starts at Millbrook Resort and finishes in central Queenstown, with half marathon, 10 km and kids' races. Entries often sell out.
Getting your team or supporters there
Whether you are taking a team to compete, a supporters' club to a big game or a corporate group to a hospitality box, a booked minibus or coach removes the parking hunt and gets everyone home together.
- For race events, book an early drop-off at the start and a pick-up at the finish, which is often in a different place.
- Stadium events have set coach drop-off zones, so we plan around the road closures.
- Carry gear? Tell us about bikes, kayaks or kit bags so we send the right vehicle or a trailer.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take spectators to the NZ Open?
Yes. Millbrook is about 20 minutes from Queenstown, and we can run shuttles for groups and corporate hospitality guests.
Do you offer airport transfers for teams?
Yes. We can meet teams at Queenstown Airport and take them to accommodation and race venues.
Bus hire for Queenstown sport
Bus Hire NZ arranges minibuses and coaches for groups of all sizes, from 11-seat minibuses to 53-seat coaches, with professional drivers who know the venues, the drop-off points and the event traffic plans.
Tell us your event, date and group size through our quick quote form and our Queenstown bus hire page, and we will come back with options.