Away from the wall: climb the queenstown climbing climbing dough

Away from the wall: climb the queenstown climbing climbing dough

The Queenstown via ferrata enables climbers to climb and climb otherwise impassable cliffs that rise high above the "adventure capital of the world".

It is rare that a visitor leaves queenstown in New Zealand without having tried anything that makes his pulse beat faster. We visited the "Adventure Capital of the World" as part of a tour of G Adventures on the South Island and absolutely wanted to try the city's encyclopedia with adrenaling activities.

New Zealand described Lonely Planet one of the best countries for a visit to 2018 and offers almost endless opportunities for adventurous, including bungy jumping, canyon swinging, skydiving and shotover jetbooting (yes, we also had no idea).

While Kia pulled off to jump the 134 m high Nevis bungy, I preferred to try something that was not about free fall - quite the contrary. I decided on the Queenstown climbing dough, a number of climbing routes, the hundreds of meters climb the cliffs over Queenstown on New Zealand's first via ferrata.

What is via ferrata?

Via Ferrata, Latin for "Eisenweg", is a bridge between scrambling and climbing. It is more exposed than climbing with better, unhindered views. In contrast to rock climbing, however, it requires very little equipment or complicated rope work.

Since the route is also marked, a large part of the stress is avoided that goes hand in hand with the problem solving when bouldering. Via ferratas enable people with restricted or no climbing experience to access and summit to otherwise unattainable heights.

Via ferratas are completely and permanently equipped with climbing aids to facilitate the climb and increase security. A number of iron sprouts (stamps) are attached to the rock wall and offer conductor -like access to climbing.

old = "queenstown via ferrata iron sprouts"Dream timeA number of iron sprouts are attached to the rock wall

In addition to the route, there is also a steel rope that is periodically (every few meters) attached to the rock. Sometimes additional climbing aids such as herrings, carved steps and even ladders or bridges can be used.

Via Ferrata goes back to the 19th century when farmers in the European Alps used this technology to combine villages with higher pastures. It was then used to support the growth of alpine research and tourism, which developed from the middle of the century.

Later, during the First World War, the Dolomites in northern Italy were the scene of bitter battles and via ferrata. Via ferrata aids were used to obtain control over the summit, to build observation items and field guns and to support troops that moved through the large heights under dangerous alpine conditions.

Queenstown via ferrata

Fortunately, via ferratas are only used for recreational purposes worldwide. The Queenstown via ferrata comprises 12 routes with over 300 meters of altitude and is only a short drive from the center of Queenstown.

The cliffs include a number of routes with different levels of difficulty, depending on how safe they are. Starting at the foot of a grass -covered hill, over 1,000 rungs and 500 m of cables work up the eight rock walls.

Alt = "Queenstown via ferrata queenstown"Dream timeThe cliffs offer an excellent view of Queenstown

It was late in the season when we were there, so there were only four other guests on my ascent. Since we all felt pretty safe (despite the non -perfect weather), we decided on the more demanding routes and technical facets of the eight cliff sections.

We started at the base and were immediately surprised by a challenging climbing. It didn't take long for the city to silence the sounds of the city among them.

Surprisingly, the first cliffs, which are called "lower", were more difficult to climb than the "upper". The route contained some dizzying overhangs where we were forced to trust the safety equipment and to lean from the rock face.

A member of our group - a long -time dizziness - decided that he had enough and turned with a guide who accompanied him back to the city. It is worth noting that via ferrata may not be for you if you suffer from dizziness or are afraid of heights!

The second group of cliffs, the upper, were not physically challenging, but felt more exposed - especially at the larger heights. I felt more than vulnerable, especially with two truss sections! However, the best views were found in these segments, and I knew that I was never less safe.

Similar to climbing and bouldering, the pulsating feeling of exposure and the physical challenge of climbing is still available. When climbing and bouldering, however, you are usually deepened into the process of climbing that there is hardly any time to enjoy the view or to exchange ideas with other climbers.

During the Queenstown via ferrata, you can pause at any time, lean back into your climbing strap and enjoy the moment: talk with your fellow climbers, let the beauty of the surroundings take effect and even make a selfie!

Alt = “Queenstown via ferrata Peter”Atlas & BootsYou can sit back in your climbing belt at any time and make a selfie!

Climbing has always been fun, but I don't have the technology or skills to master the cliffs that we took that morning. Usually I would take much longer to climb the demanding cliffs and I would need a lot more equipment.

The Queenstown via ferrata enabled us to normally climb incapable cliffs while we had fun at the same time and enjoyed the landscape.

Everything in a morning work in the adventure capital of the world!

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Queenstown via Ferrata: The essentials

What: Climb the Queenstown via ferrata as part of a 15-day South Island Tour of G Adventures.

Where: Accommodation on the tour comprises 14 nights in simple hotels and hostels, including a farmstay and one night in a former prison. Some accommodations had joint baths and bunk beds. If you are a couple, lift this out when booking so that you have a double bed if possible.

When: The best time to travel for New Zealand is SEP-APR. Summer (December to February) offers excellent hiking weather and a variety of festivals and events. The secondary seasons autumn (March-Apr) and Spring (SEP-Nov) have nice weather, fewer crowds and lower prices.

Like: You can use your CEO from G Adventures or directly from the company via its website, by email to info@canyonexplorers.nz, by phone at +64 3 441 3003 or by a visit to the office in the center of Queenstown at Buchen 39 Lagerstraße.

Queenstown via Ferrata tours start on October 1, 2018 and run until autumn (April/May). The meetings start twice a day at 9:15 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. for 69 NZD (129 USD) per adult and 109 NZD (75 USD) per child, including transport and all equipment.

We explored the South Island of New Zealand on a 15-day South Island tour of G Adventures, and costs the 15-day trip from Wellington to Wellington at a price of $ 2,149 GBP or $ 2,792 per person (depending on the date).

The travel route leads, among other things, through the Abel Tasman National Park, Franz Josef and Queenstown. The price includes a continuous chief experience officer (CEO), a simple breakfast and several meals as well as numerous activities such as hiking, kayaking and cycling. For more information or bookings, call 0344 272 2040 or visit Gadvures.com.

We flew from Great Britain via Singapore and Australia to New Zealand. For longer stays at the Changi Airport in Singapore, we recommend the Plaza Premium Aerotel Transit Hotel for those who need sleep and the Plaza Premium Lounge to relax away from the fray. We used both during our 19-hour stay, as well as the free city tour!

Book flights at the best prices via Skyscanner.

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Lonely Planet New Zealand is a comprehensive travel guide for New Zealand, ideal for those who want to explore the most important sights and choose lesser roads.

Disclosure: We traveled to New Zealand with the support of Lonely Planet and G Adventures. All publications say that, but we really don't guarantee positive reporting. We say what we think - good and bad - so that you can make well -founded decisions with honest advice.

Main picture: Dreamstime

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