Ben Lomond Track Queenstown: Complete guide to the Ben Lomond walk

Ben Lomond Track Queenstown: Complete guide to the Ben Lomond walk

The Ben Lomond Track is one of the most popular alpine hikes near Queenstown on New Zealand's South Island. Here's a complete guide to the Ben Lomond Track for those wanting to climb Ben Lomond for arguably the best mountain views in Queenstown!

I'm sure most hikers would agree when I say that the Ben Lomond hike in Queenstown is by far the best day hike in New Zealand's adventure capital.

Queenstown certainly has no shortage of adrenaline-pumping activities such as white water rafting, bungee jumping, paragliding and canyoning. But those looking for a cheaper thrill can still get a vertigo by hitting the Ben Lomond track above the gondola for a quick but epic mountain summit!

In this hiking guide I will detail how to reach the summit of Ben Lomond from one of the most popular hiking trails: The Tiki Trail to Skyline Gondolda and then on to the Ben Lomond Track to the summit.

Everything you need to know about the Ben Lomond walk in Queenstown

Walking the Ben Lomond Track is not only voted one of the best hikes, but also one of the best things to do in Queenstown. The mountain itself is named after the famous mountain Ben Lomond in Scotland. The native Maori name is Te-taumata-o-Hakitekura.

Ben Lomond Peak is blocked by Skyline Hill in the city, so you can't see it from the main road. Rest assured, it is one of the highest trekking peaks in the area and you have a great viewpoint of the summit behind the Skyline Gondola or from Queenstown Hill.

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• alt=“NEBEL AUF DEM WANDERWEG BEN LOMOND QUEENSTOWN“>
• alt=“BEN LOMOND GIPFEL AUSSICHTSPUNKT“>

How high is Ben Lomond Queenstown?

The summit of Ben Lomond is 1748 m above sea level. Hikers start at the base of the gondola at around 340m altitude, meaning you'll have to cover over 1400m of elevation gain in a single hike.

Route length and difficulty

From the city to the peak you have to walk about 18 km for the return journey. Normally this takes between 5-7 hours.

The Ben Lomond hike is considered to be quite a strenuous hike, not because of the distance but because of the amount of elevation gain in a single day. In saying this, there is no such thing as technical climbing or even rock climbing. As long as you are fit and prepared for a long climb, the Ben Lomond route should not be a problem for you.
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Ben Lomond New Zealand route map

Below is a route map for the Ben Lomond Queenstown walk shared by the official DOC website. Please note that access to the Ben Lomond Track is closed from the One Mile Creek Track.

This means that your best bet is to follow the Tiki Trail to the Skyline Gondola and from there onto the Ben Lomond Track. (Full details below).
alt=“BEN LOMOND QUEENSTOWN WALKING TRAIL MAP”>

Ben Lomond GPX map and route

Here is a GPX file that I recorded on my Garmin watch during my climb up Ben Lomond. You can download the GPX file and upload it to your watch or phone by clicking the link below the map. However, this is not strictly necessary as navigation is quite easy. Instead, this map could serve better to better understand what to expect on the hike.

GPX file: Download

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Hiking and trail guides

As access to the Ben Lomond Track has been closed from the One Mile Creek Track, you have two options for reaching the summit of Ben Lomond:

Option 1: Tiki Trail to Skyline Gondola to Ben Lomond TrackThis option is the best if you want to do a full day hike directly from the city. This is the full Ben Lomond walk from Queenstown.

Option 2 (lazy option): Take the gondola to Skyline and start at the Ben Lomond Track. This is the lazier option. You'll save about 1 hour and about 400 meters of elevation gain if you take the gondola up to Skyline for $39. From here you continue and meet at the Ben Lomond Track.

Skip the line and book the gondola in advance: Queenstown Skyline Gondola Ticket

Ben Lomond Trailhead: The Tiki Trail

Whether you walk up the Tiki Trail or take the gondola up, you still need to make your way to the Queenstown Skyline Gondola, located at the end of Brecon Street. The Tiki Trail marks the starting point for the Ben Lomond hike and is located right next to the gondola.

I have pinned the exact starting point of the Tiki Trail below. You can reach this on foot from the main street in less than 5 minutes!

Tiki Trail

Duration: 1 – 1.5 hours

The Tiki Trail is one of my favorite trails in Queenstown. The path is quite steep as it winds up the mountain. You'll hike through dense beech and fir forest and see several wooden "Tiki" wood carvings and signs

The trail is well maintained and marked. Even though the tracks are maintained, the Queenstown Lake District does an excellent job of keeping them open all year round.

Some of the best views of the Ben Lomond hike are accessed in small clearings at the start of the Tiki Trail. Here you can get some epic views and photo opportunities of Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu.

Tip: Stay away from the bike paths. There are several downhill mountain bike trails that often intersect with the Tiki Trail. Along the way you need to keep an eye out for downhill riders.
alt=“TIKI TRAIL HIKE FROM QUEENSTOWN”>Tiki Trail from Queenstown
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DON'T MISS: GUIDE TO THE 8 BEST HIKES IN QUEENSTOWN

Optional: Skyline Loop and Bob’s Peak

Duration: 20 minutes

Once you reach the top of Skyline Hill, you will come out at the gondola. From here you need to turn right, go around the gondola station and follow the signs for the Ben Lomond Track.

An optional detour is to follow signs for the Skyline Loop instead. This is just a quick 20 minute detour.

At the start of the climb I went straight past it onto the Ben Lomond Track. Instead, I decided to do the Skyline Loop on the descent and then took another detour to the paragliding launch site and on to Bob's Peak behind the Skyline Gondola Hill.
alt=“PARAGLIDERING BEHIND THE QUEENSTOWN GONDOLA”>
Klook.com

Ben Lomond trail to the saddle

Duration: 1 hour

Follow the signs from the gondola station and the Luge and climb the concrete path until you reach a dense pine forest. This is the beginning of the Ben Lomond track.

Soon you break out of the forest again and start along the exposed grass and bush hill to the saddle. This section of the Ben Lomond hike in Queenstown is less steep than the Tiki Trail, but you get much better views of Lake Wakatipu and of course Ben Lomond itself.
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Once you reach the saddle, you'll have 360-degree views of the mountains inland and the famous Remarkables on the other side.
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The Ben Lomond Summit

Duration: 30 minutes – 1 hour

After reaching the saddle, you can rest your legs on a wooden bench and prepare for the summit or continue straight ahead.

The summit push is the steepest and most difficult part of the Ben Lomond hike. However, it is not technical and can be achieved by anyone with a decent level of fitness. We made it to the summit from the saddle in about 30 minutes.
alt=“BEN LOMOND QUEENSTOWN HIKE”>
alt=“BEN LOMOND SUMMIT AND LAKE WAKATIPU DRONE PHOTO”>Entire summit route from Ben Lomond saddle.

Summit views

Once at the top of Ben Lomond, the summit offers some of the best views in Queenstown.

On a clear day you'll have uninterrupted views of Queenstown, the Remarkables and the incredible Lake Wakatipu. The towering Cecil and Walter Peaks can also be seen across the lake.

On the other side, you can even see Mounts Earnslaw and Aspiring far in the distance. However, this depends on how lucky you are with the clouds!

• alt=“BEN LOMOND WANDERUNG QUEENSTOWN AUSSICHTSPUNKT“>Ben Lomond-Gipfelansichten über See Wakatipu
• alt=“BEN LOMOND GIPFELKAMM“>Blick über das Hinterland
• alt=“KEA-VOGEL IN QUEENSTOWN“>Frecher Kea-Vogel auf dem Gipfel

Return to Queenstown

After enjoying arguably the best views in Queenstown, you're ready to descend back into the city. This walk is an out and back route, meaning you have to follow the same route from Ben Lomond back to Queenstown.

It took me about two and a half hours to reach the bottom, including a detour around the Skyline Loop.

Conveniently, if you follow Brecon Street back into the city center at the base of the Tiki Trail, you'll come out right in front of Ferg Burger. So if you haven't tied one yet, this is your excuse. Go ahead, you deserve it.
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Best time of year to hike Ben Lomond

I have climbed Ben Lomond twice on my trips to Queenstown, once in winter and more recently in summer.

The summit is accessible all year round. However, ice and snow are to be expected, especially when climbing the summit in winter.

As the summit ridge is steep and narrow, you need to take extra care and monitor conditions when reaching the summit of Ben Lomond in the colder months of May to September. The official DOC website recommends alpine equipment such as crampons and ice axes during this time.
alt=“Views of hiking Ben Lomond”>Ben Lomond summit view in winter
alt=“VIEW OF QUEENSTOWN FROM THE BEN LOMOND HIKE”>Summit view in summer

Where to stay in Queenstown

I've written a separate, comprehensive accommodation guide with the best places to stay in Queenstown - be sure to check it out to get a great deal! Otherwise, you can find a quick summary of my top picks below.

Best Luxury Accommodation: Shotover Penthouse & SpaShotover Penthouse & Spa is an incredible apartment that features an outdoor terrace with a grill and a hot tub. It is 200 meters from Skyline Gondola and Luge and 1.3 km from Shotover River.

Best Value Lodge: Melbourne LodgeMelbourne Lodge is a five-minute walk from central Queenstown. It offers scenic views of the Remarkable Mountains and has a large shared outdoor sun terrace.This is a great choice for a budget stay in Queenstown. This lodge is suitable for families or solo travelers on a budget.

Where I Stayed: Spaceship CarDuring my recent visit to New Zealand, I cruised around in style in a Spaceship rental car. These are ideal for budget-conscious adventure travelers as they tick off your accommodation and transport in one neat package.

Cheapest Hostel in Queenstown: Base BackpackersQueenstown is known for many things; Adrenaline sports, epic day hikes and fantastic nightlife. What it isn't known for has anything to do with the word cheap. If you book in advance, you can still get a dorm bed for under $25 NZD at Base Backpackers.

Lakefront Hostel with Atmosphere: YHA Queenstown LakefrontYHA, opposite the incredible Lake Wakatipu, is one of the best and highest rated hostels in Queenstown. If you want to meet other adventure travelers, be close to the action, and have a comfortable dorm bed, don't look past YHA Lakefront

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WANT TO GO TO MILFORD SOUND? READ THE FULL TRAVEL GUIDE

MY CAMERA AND PHOTO EQUIPMENT

• Spiegellose Kamera: Canon R5
• Drohne: DJI Mavic Pro 2
• 360-Grad-Action-Kamera: Insta360 One X2
• Landschaftsobjektiv: Canon RF 15-35 mm f/2.8L
• Allround-Objektiv: Canon RF 24–105 mm f/4L
• Teleobjektiv: Canon RF 100–500 mm f/f/4,5–7,1 L
• Lange Aktionsstange: Insta360 Invisible Pole (BulletTime)
• Landschaftslinsenfilter: Hoya Circular Polarizer
• Kamerarucksack: F-Stop Tilopa
• Lieblingsfotozubehör: Peak Design Capture Clip

For a list of my recommended photography gear (including what I use and why), check out my Travel Camera Gear Guide.

If you would like to use any of the photos on this website, please visit my licensing page to find out how. I also sell professional art prints, visit my Print Store or contact me directly for customs deductions of images on We Seek Travel.

I hope you enjoyed this guide to the Ben Lomond Queenstown walk. If you have any questions or would like to learn more, feel free to leave me a comment or email. Enjoy!

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