Located in the central crown range amongst the Southern Alps of magical south New Zealand lies the small serene town of Cardrona Valley. Although it may seem small and sleepy the Cardrona Valley is situated amongst some of the worlds most extreme sport locations and placed in the heart of some of New Zealand's most magical settings.
Only 40minutes drive either side of Queenstown and Wanaka, this quiet valley encompasses a prime position of being half way between two major holiday tourist towns and four popular ski resorts. Popular by name these resorts are Cardrona Alpine, Treble Cone, Snowpark NZ and Snowfarm NZ. This sleepy town could be easily missed but for those who are enlightened they will find it is worth stopping in at simply for its sleepy charm and peaceful surroundings.
This small village was originally a hustle and bustle of horse draw carts, gold mining activities, small Chinese stores, hotels and the center of trade for the butchery industry within the Central Otago area. Inhabited by settlers in the early 1860's the small town began to grow as gold was found in the meandering fresh water streams and extracted from within the hills. The town's population remained stable through five key gold mining phases eventually subsiding to a few local residents once the mining era was over. A lot of the town's buildings were collapsed leaving only a few original buildings remaining.
Cardrona Valley is now currently home to one of New Zealand's oldest pubs providing a historical focus for the valley and its people. The Cardrona Hotel is an iconic hotel that entails a rustic charm offering a warm open fire place and hearty cuisine. After going through extensive refurbishment in 2002 the Cardrona Hotel stands as a historical après destination offering modern facilities and traditional hospitality with quality and affordable accommodation. Accommodation prices ranges from between $135.00 - $185.00 depending on the time of the season. Popular throughout winter and summer the Cardrona Hotel is also a surreal and idyllic venue for wedding functions and events.
Situated behind New Zealand's highest highway via the Crown Range, it is the location of this valley that truly makes it a unique experience. Not only are you tucked into a winter wonderland during the snow season but you are also exposed to the tracks and trails that inhibit Cardrona's dry rural mountain range. This tussock and rock country is what gives Southern New Zealand its true rugged experience. To take you there are a number of options including tramping, 4wheel driving, hunting, gaming, mountain biking and horse trekking. A popular choice for families is the Back Country Saddle Expeditions located at the far end of the Cardrona Valley. The trail combines high alpine country views, fascinating small gorges and canyons and the ruins of mining huts, gold panning races and sluices and costs NZ $175.00 per person including lunch.
Cardrona Valley is not only surrounded with the ambience of the Central Otago Region but is also surrounded by wine country that entertains extravagant award winning vineyards and quality retreats and lodges. For those who wish to taste the local wines Queenstown Wine Trails offer relaxed daily wine tours for around NZ $120.00 per person leaving from central Queenstown.
For those who wish to wonder abroad there is the opportunity to experience the tranquil and breathtaking sights of New Zealand wetlands in Milford Sound. Scenic flight tours are a spectacular way to view the Milford Sound and Fiordland areas. Flight packages range from between NZ $350.00 to NZ $800.00 per person. If you wish to get out on foot and walk around you can take a day tour out to the West Coast to visit the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers. The Glaciers offer a stunning and magnificent display of active ice that grows approximately 30 meters every year flowing into temperate New Zealand rainforests. The West Coast takes approximately 2.5 hours to reach by car or bus where as the Milford Sounds take approximately 5 hours.
For those who want to get involved the local area invites you to participate in a variety of activities for both the adrenaline seekers and the relaxed. Activities range from golf, fishing, camping, mountain biking, hiking, horse riding, snowmobiling, four wheel driving, paragliding, skiing and much, much more. The best part about participating in these activities is that you get to do all this whilst surrounded by magnificent mountain ranges and crystal blue glacier lakes.
The Cardrona Valley includes not only a destination but a place where you can create a magical experience from the time you arrive until the time you depart. There are a few ways of getting to Cardrona Valley and one of those is the beautiful scenic flight into Queenstown International Airport landing adjacent to the famous Remarkable Mountain Range. From there it is easy to catch an airport shuttle up into the valley climbing over 400m of rugged rural landscape via the mountainous Crown Range. The airport shuttle costs the average visitor around NZ $25.00 including luggage. Surrounded by snow and beautiful mountain scenery it is then time to settle into Cardrona for the night and plan the exciting and paramount activities for the days ahead. For entertainment head to the Cardrona Pub, the only original Cardrona Restaurant and Bar from the gold mining era. Here you can relax and enjoy the extensive wide range of local and imported beer and wine along with the innovative and tasty range of meals
Due to the popularity of the Hotel and its central location the Cardrona Valley is growing in demand and numbers. To cope with this demand it is currently on the path to re-designing itself towards an international ski village complete with accommodation, shopping, dinning and entertainment. Plans and visions are being put together by the local ratepayers association along with local investors and entrepreneurs.
The most recent edition to the Cardrona Valley and in harmony with the Cardrona vision is the luxurious Benbrae Cardrona Valley Resort. Complete in 2006 these modern studios and villas are architecturally designed for quality comfort with amenities that allow for a total retreat in comfort. Nestled amongst the stunning landscape is a beautiful outdoor pool and Jacuzzi with adjacent BBQ, fire brazier and bar. Accommodation prices range from NZ $150.00 to NZ $400.00 per night depending on the size of the unit.
