In six-months time the world’s best winter athletes will line up for the Winter Olympics.  This month sees the biggest event in the lead-up to these Olympics in the deep south “down-under” in New Zealand.  The inaugural New Zealand winter games are shaping up to be the biggest winter sports event outside the Winter Olympics with over 800 of the world’s top athletes competing in 26 winter sports including ski racing, snowboarding and freestyle skiing, curling, snowboarding and ice-skating.

For the tourist regions of Queenstown and Wanaka this is set to be the biggest event ever staged.  Television coverage is expected to a viewing audience of 350 million and most of the world’s top athletes are expected.

The ten-day long Games themselves are going to be spectacle for winter sports enthusiasts but for anyone what makes them even more exciting is their venue in some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet.  Queenstown alone is regularly voted in the top three destinations in the world on sites such as Trip Advisor and Lonely Planet.   It is a must visit place for any traveller.  If my experiences in Queenstown are anything to go by these New Zealand Winter Games will be two weeks of serious fun and partying.  Apparently there is a plethora of off-snow activities for spectators and athletes with live music and entertainment.

The two main towns of Queenstown and Wanaka are less than 40 minutes apart and both are nestled below mountainous snow laden peaks on the edge of large crisp blue lakes.  Home to much of the scenery of the Lord of The Rings films there is a real overwhelming sense of enormity in this wild land.  While Wanaka is the sleepy hamlet, Queenstown is the chic international party town - known for it’s late night bars of excess and revelry.

Both towns had an abundance of accommodation from 5 star hotels to backpackers and self catering apartments.  For the budget traveller looking to get to this event check out places like the Purple Cow in Wanaka, Base Backpackers in both Wanaka and Queenstown or the brand new “flashpackers” Nomads Hotel in Queenstown - almost hotel standards at reasonable prices.  Getting to the venues will be easy with buses organised.  The curling and ice skating are in Naesby and Dunedin respectively which are about 2 hours drive from Queenstown.  Just be aware that many of the roads are alpine and the likelihood of snow being around will be high.

In two weeks time the South Island of New Zealand is set to erupt with what is being called the Greatest Show on Snow - and I can’t wait to be there for what is guaranteed to be a massive carnival atmosphere in some of the most beautiful places in the world.

For more information check out: http://www.wintergamesnz.com

Main image and snowboarder care of NZSki.com: Miles Holden