Skyline Gondola and Restaurant, Queenstown

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The Skyline Gondola in Queenstown offers magnificent views of Lake Wakatipu and the mountain ranges. They have a buffet dinner which we didn't try, and offer rides on a mountain luge which seemed like a lot of fun. I'd take the trip up just for the views.

Unfortunately, they weren't offering the tandem paraglides while we were up there, but I've heard those are a tremendous amount of fun to watch, even if you choose not to participate.

One thing that doesn't seem to be mentioned a lot are the hikes from the top of the Gondola. They offer even more unusual views, and an exposure to some of the beauty of New Zealand. You can find out more information here:
Walking from the Gondola

Wow! What a view you get!
I think this is a must do when in Queenstown!

A spectacular 220 degree panorama overlooking Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu, Cecil & Walter Peaks and the beautiful Remarkable Mountain Ranges, is what we saw, what more could we ask for, it is breathtaking! The large viewing decks give plenty of chances to view the magnificent scenery from many different angles.

The Gondola ride is reputed to be the steepest lift in the Southern Hemisphere, taking you to the Skyline complex located on Bob's Peak.

WANT MORE?

Perhaps if you took the slow ride up, you may want to take the fast ride down, I certainly didn't do it, was quite happy to go by Gondola both ways!
The Luge will allow you to hurtle down the 800metres in very fast time!

WALKS....
Make sure you get your free Skyline trail map at the Information desk. There are a few 30min walks, then some longer ones that you can do.

FOOD & SOUVENIRS

Snack food, drinks and a proper Restaurant was located here. Of course, there is a Souvenir shop!

PRICES UNTIL 30 Sept 2010
Gondola only...Adult... $23.00 ..child$12.00 ... Family.. $59.00

Gondola operates 365 days a year from 9.00am to late.

THE LUGE

Gondola & 1 Luge ride $30.00 ADULT $20.00 CHILD $79.00 FAMILY

Gondola & 2 Luge rides $35.00 & $25.00

Gondola & Buffet Lunch* $47.00... $22.00.... $115.00

Gondola & Buffet Dinner* $72.00 ....$32.00..... $175.00

Gondola, Buffet Dinner* & Kiwi Haka...... $104.00

Do go, you won't be disappointed!

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The Queenstown gondola is reputed to be the steepest lift in the Southern Hemisphere and is located a five minute walk from the CBD.

It's also the final part of the 'Shotover High Five Combo' and finishes up in Queenstown.

Gondola Quick Stats -
•Bottom Terminal Elevation: 340m
•Top Terminal: 790m
•Vertical Rise: 450m
•Total Length: 730m
•Incline Angle: average of 37.1 degrees
•Average Speed: Variable to 3.5m/sec
•Capacity: 700 people/hour in twenty six 4 person cabins
•Operating Hours: Open daily from 9.00am until late

Departure Times: 8:15am , 1:45pm
Duration: 2.5 hours
Price: NZ$255.00 (Adult), NZ$195.00 (Child)

Up on Bobs Peak is a stunning lookout point accessed either by walking or the less energetic and more sensible gondola ride.

There are stunning views over Queenstown, the Remarkable mountains, down Lake Wakatipu and over the Wakatipu basin area.

There is a cafe / restaurant and you can watch people leaping off a bungy, parapenting or taking a trip down the exciting luge, which has a mini ski lift to take you to the starting line.

Great entertainment and scenic views from this premier attraction in the heart of Queenstown.

Going up the Skyline Luge gives you some great views of the QT below! This is a must do for any tourist really!15,000 years ago during the last ice age, a huge glacier moving from the north west carved out what is now Lake Wakatipu. The lake is relatively thin, but the mountains run straight into the lake, forming a deep canyon, 399m at its deepest point.

Lake Wakatipu is the second largest lake in the Southern Lakes District, covering 290 square km. At its widest point Lake Wakatipu is five kilometers wide, and the total length is 84km.

If you walk up the hill or take the Skyline Gondola - the view from the deck of the Gondola on Bob's Peak is a must for every Queenstown visitor. It offers such a spectacular 220° view of Lake Wakatipu and the mountain ranges, especially Cecil and Walter Peaks on the opposite side of the lake, and to the Remarkables - breathtaking!

Apart from enjoying the views or having a coffee in the restaurant you can start various walks from the Gondola station, and there is also the possibility to race down the slopes in a luge on wheels, or do the AJ Hackett's Ledge Bungy or Swing, or take off on a tandem parapente flight.

The first Gondola travelled up Bob's Peak on 3 November 1967. In 1987 the multi-coloured bubble cars were replaced with a new lift from Austria. In 1994 a massive upgrade took place, and a wall of 30 tonnes of plate glass was installed. This expanded the views to Coronet Peak and the valley towards Arrowtown.

The Skyline is the steepest gondola in NZ - but this is the only superlative if you are into superlatives. The Christchurch Gondola is longer and has a bigger elevation.

The facts (and facts of Chch Gondola):

Bottom Terminal Elevation: 340m (78)
Top Terminal: 790m (445)
Vertical Rise: 450m (367)
Total Length: 730m (861)
Incline Angle: average of 37.1 degrees (23.1)
View: 220° (360)

Operating Hours: Open daily from 9am until late

Price (valid until Sept. 2009): $ 22, children $ 10.

Combo (Gondola plus 1 Luge Ride): $ 29/19 (and it gets cheaper the more luge rides you buy...)

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If you are feeling energetic, and it's a nice day, why not walk up the hill to the top Gondola terminal. Along Lake Esplanade, towards Glenorchy, you will find the beginning of the track, near the roundabout that branches off to Fernhill. There are various routes to take, but the trek to the Gondola takes approximately 1 hour. Of course this is a bit of a climb up a hill, but you can pace yourself depending on your fitness, and you don't exactly need to be an athlete to do this. It's a nice walk through the trees, and is a relatively good track. You will need, however, to wear flat shoes. You do cross a few other tracks, so take note at the bottom, of the route you should be taking. I took this photo of the map on the day I did the walk, so I could zoom in on the picture to check my route as I went.
Once up at the top gondola terminal, you can go to the Souvenir shop to buy a gondola ticket down, for $10.

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This is one of the premier tourist attractions to Queenstown, and in my opinion needs to be experienced. The three main elements of this attraction are the gondola, the restaurant, and the Luge. As a person who is scared of heights, I would highly recommend looking directly into the mountain while taking the gondola up the hill, but if you are slightly more adventurous, turn around for one of the most breathtaking views you will ever experience in your life. This is by far one of the most picturesque rides you will ever take as you scale the side of the mountain.

Once you are up at the top of the hill, you will enter into the area which contains the restaurant. As we went to this adventure early in the morning, I can only verify that there is in fact a restaurant, but we did not try the food, and therefore I can not give you my opinion on it.

The third option in this trifecta of fun is the Luge.... wow, this was fun. There is an advanced and a beginner course for you to try and you can also ride double if you want to bring a child along or a less advanced rider.