The Skyline, Queenstown, New Zealand
If you have read any of my stories, you know I love getting high. I mean high above the earth of course, looking down on everything below. I love being at the top of mountains, in planes, in tall buildings or anywhere I can get a birds’ eye view. Riding the Skyline gondola to see the skyline of Queenstown NZ was something I was greatly looking forward to.
The Skyline Queenstown NZ
The views over Lake Wakatipu from the top of Bob’s Peak are glorious. You can see Coronet Peak, The Remarkables mountain range, Walter Peak, Cecil Peak and Queenstown. When you are down in town walking or driving by the lake, you can’t really tell how massive Wakatipu is. On our drive to Milford Sound, we drove for a long time along the lakeshore. I could tell it was big, but viewing it from the Skyline Gondola gave me a whole different perspective. The lake wraps all the way around the mountains. It is almost as if an entire mountain is sitting in the lake.
Once you are at the top at Bob’s Peak, there are a few different places to eat. Advanced reservations at the Stratosfare Restaurant are required, if fine dining with a spectacular view is your preference. They do have a bar however, if you just want a drink. If you prefer to simply hang out and have a bite to eat in a more casual indoor setting, the Market Kitchen Cafe is a great option. They have a wide assortment of food and drinks to go along with the panoramic views. Most people seem to spend a good amount of time outside on the main viewing deck, when the weather is nice.
Best View in Queenstown NZ
It was pretty windy when we were there, so my wife and I chose to relax in the Market Cafe. I did not want to leave, but we had a flight to catch. On the way out, we stopped briefly to watch a group of kids race down the luge track. Then we headed for the gondola line.
Numerous teenagers and people of all ages were unloading their mountain bikes, as we waited for our turn to head back down. One of the primary functions of the Skyline is to transport mountain bikers to Queenstown’s Bike Park. It has 30 downhill trails, and you can buy anything from a 6 ride package to a full seasons pass. Judging by the high quality bikes many of the riders had, some of the trails must be pretty crazy.
There’s a lot to do at the skyline. For us, simply riding up to enjoy the amazing views then going back down was well worth squeezing this in before flying back to Auckland. Find out more about the Skyline on the website – https://www.skyline.co.nz/
CLICK HERE for additional articles about New Zealand; ETG also encourages you to visit New Zealand’s official tourism website – https://www.newzealand.com
