How to Get to the Ziptrek Treehouse on the Skyline Gondola

Ziptrek’s three zipline tours start at the Ziptrek Treehouse on Bob’s Peak, about 100 metres to the left of the top Skyline Gondola station, and you buy the gondola ticket yourself. Ziptrek asks you to allow at least 40 minutes from the gondola base to the treehouse, and up to an hour at Christmas, New Year, Chinese New Year and in school holidays.

The gondola ride

The Skyline Gondola base station is on Brecon Street, a short walk uphill from the town centre. Skyline’s price page lists a gondola ticket at NZ$69 for an adult and NZ$48 for a child aged 6 to 14, with family tickets available. Skyline’s age bands are 15 and over for adults and 6 to 14 for children. At the top, follow the path to the left of the terminal to the treehouse and check in.

Why the 40 minutes matters

The gondola queues at busy times, and the zipline tours leave on schedule. The operator also confirms your exact tour time by email after booking, and it may differ from the time you requested, so check that email before you plan the rest of the day. If the time moves by more than 30 minutes and you do not accept it, you can be refunded.

Where each tour ends

• The one-hour tour ends on the forest floor after a 21-metre drop, and you walk 10 minutes back up the Tiki Trail.
• The two-hour, four-line tour is described by Ziptrek as starting and finishing at the treehouse.
• The three-hour, six-line tour walks 20 minutes downhill through beech forest to its last line, and Ziptrek’s site says it finishes back in town.

The Kawarau Zipride is elsewhere

The Kawarau Zipride is not on Bob’s Peak. It is at the Kawarau Bungy Centre, and free transport leaves from the Queenstown Bungy Centre inside The Station building, on the corner of Shotover Street and Camp Street.

Before you go

Wear closed shoes and bring a warm layer; the top of Bob’s Peak is cooler than the lakefront. For what the whole trip costs with the gondola, see Queenstown zipline prices.