This is a great hike while you're in Queenstown to see a gorgeous view of the area if you have a few hours to kill. Late lunch at lodge. From the top stunning 360 degrees view, amazing hike!! The hike is very well marked with lots of information boards on the area. Make sure you do this hike! Moonlight from Ben Lomond Saddle On my most recent trip up Ben Lomond (when many of these photos were taken), I was wearing a singlet and shorts as I set off from the gondola at a leisurely 10am (if you’re starting from Queenstown itself and taking the Tiki Trail then you don’t really want to leave it any later than that – I was cheating with taking the gondola up and down). *More info on the other tracks can be found here: http://www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/otago/wakatipu-walks-brochure.pdf. Fitness Level: Moderate to High. See this Tour and others like it, or plan your own with komoot! Both exposure and steepness increase during the final 400 meters to the summit. After the saddle when the track deviates from the ridge line (at Pt. My wife and I were only travelling through Queenstown for a few days, but summiting Ben Lomond was the first thing on our agenda and the highlight of our trip! The Ben Lomond track can be broken down into two distinct parts – the trail to the saddle followed by the ascent to the summit. Near the saddle is the intersection with the Moonlight Track, and a bench that provides a convenient resting point and chance to assess conditions. If you're feeling tired you can stop at the saddle and still get great views. Before you begin your ascent up to the saddle of Ben Lomond, you’ll encounter a hub of activity. The start of the Tiki Trail is at 345 meters above sea level, the top of the gondola at 770 meters, the Ben Lomond Saddle sits at at 1326 meters and Ben Lomond’s Summit stands at 1748 meters, so you’ll climb a total elevation of 1403 meters if you start from the bottom! The road features incredible views of Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu, Shotover Canyon and the Southern Alps. The Ben Lomond track also connects to the Moonlight Track at the saddle, so you can take that track down to Arthur's Point if you want to avoid and out-and-back, but you would have to arrange a car drop because it would make the adventure a point-to-point. Should you want to continue on, be sure to assess the conditions on the summit. © 2021 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy. The Cutler Basin trail is used less often than the Ben Lomond trail from North Fork Park because it is steeper and more strenuous. Discover everything you need to know about Ben Lomond summit—a hiking attraction recommended by 16 people on komoot—and browse 29 photos & 1 insider tips. The great thing about the Ben Lomond Trail is that there are actually two different ways to hike to the saddle or summit. Breakfast at hotel and Pack bags (Bags will be Shuttled to Ben Lomond Station) From Queenstown we will climb to Ben Lomond Saddle (and the summit of Ben Lomond for those who are keen) before dropping into the Moonlight and making our way to the Lodge. This can be a full day walk so take extra clothing, drinks and food. Once you reach the saddle between Ben Lomond and Bowen Peak the track climbs the northeast ridge until it loops around and gains the summit from western side. For about half an hour your views are limited to the surrounding hills. The views of Queenstown, The Remarkables, and Lake Wakatipu at the top are jaw-dropping and rewarding. The Ben Lomond summit starts to the left of the skyline gondola in Queenstown. Hike to the Ben Lomond SADDLE. In the winter, the hike gets a complete makeover by the soft blankets of snow, especially closer to the peak. Queenstown is famous for being surrounded by some spectacular mountains. Moke Lake Loop Track and Lake Dispute – Queenstown, A Weekend around Westhaven (Whanganui Inlet). The track now swings to the west as it goes up a steeper ridge to the Ben Lomond summit – which is still free of cloud Climb to the 1,326 m Ben Lomond Saddle. The trail's top section – from the 1326m saddle to the summit – runs through Ben Lomond Station, and farmer Hamish Foster has had a gutsful. Advertisement Advertise with NZME. Ben Lomond Track – Gondola to Saddle Few of them are as easily accessible as Ben Lomond. There are chances of Keas on the summit. Just below the saddle is the turn-off to Arthurs Point on the Moonlight track. Evening stretch and yoga. Time roundtrip: 6-7 hours with plenty of stops. Ben Lomond Summit. I had in fact hiked Roy’s Peak, ... the effort fitness level gondola station average fitness hour walk tree line take your time stunning views cable car south island saddle summit peak. Even in the height of summer the elevation and exposure to cold winds can lower the temperature drastically, so be prepared to throw on a warm layer and a windproof jacket. After about two hours of hiking you’ll reach the Ben Lomond Saddle with views opening up into Skippers and Shotover Canyons. Take your pick - walk to Ben Lomond Saddle (3-4 hours return) or to Ben Lomond Summit (6-8 hours return). There is one in Scotland, which the New Zealand one was named after. I had in fact hiked Roy’s Peak, ... the effort fitness level gondola station average fitness hour walk tree line take your time stunning views cable car south island saddle summit peak. Ben Lomond track is a challenging track with a 1438m elevation gain of the walk. Length: between 6-7 miles. From here the trail is pure joy, though steady work to climb uphill toward Ben Lomond Saddle. Ben Lomond is a mountain. From the Skyline Gondola to the Ben Lomond Saddle and back is … The mountain is composed of a central massif with an extensive plateau above 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) and high outlier peaks projecting from the mountain. Beyond the saddle is Ben Lomond Station where the track becomes a marked route. Ben Lomond Track is a 8.1 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Queenstown, Otago, New Zealand that offers the chance to see wildlife and is rated as difficult. About 3/4 of the way up you reach a bench at the Ben Lomond Saddle and get your first glimpse of the Southern Alps on the backside of Ben Lomond. Ben Lomond Summit. - See 686 traveller reviews, 489 candid photos, and great deals for Queenstown, New Zealand, ... We were 'older and slower' (50s/60s) than most on the track and fair to say we found the track from the saddle to the summit reasonably arduous as it … There are so many amazing views on the Ben Lomond Track, but the hike isn’t without its difficulties, especially in winter. Views both over QT and the mountains behind. Ben Lomond Track Summit, Queenstown NZ Trail Running trail in Queenstown, Otago (New Zealand). The tiki Trail was steep some times. The walk to the saddle is easy, and from there it gets much steeper to the summit. I walked it relatively quickly. The view from Arthur’s saddle, on the way to Ben Lomond’s summit How to Get There The path from the top of the gondola to the saddle is longer but less steep while the path from the saddle to summit in shorter but much steeper and technical. I shamelessly hugged the longer side of that time estimate thanks to plentiful photo, snack, and water breaks. Many people call it a day once they get there, but climbing the final stretch to the summit is incredibly worthwhile since you get 360-degree views of the Lake Wakatipu Basin and Southern Alps. We're committed to building a better, more inclusive home for the modern outdoors. It's supposedly a 6-8 hour hike to the summit, but it's possible to get to the summit and down again in under 4 hours if you're speedy. In the summer, Ben Lomond is an easy rated track flooded with tourists. As a 30-year old, reasonably fit female who had hiked Ben Lomond seven years previous, I actually found this hike to be reasonably ok for the most part. We noted the DOC estimated walk times to the saddle and the summit, using them as a marker to gauge how fast we were walking. If you want a bit of challenge and avoid the crowds for a spell on the way down you can take the less used ridge route. After about two hours of hiking you’ll reach the Ben Lomond Saddle with views opening up into Skippers and Shotover Canyons. Climb to the 1,326 m Ben Lomond Saddle. Tiki Trail (1 hour walk) Starting at the base of the Gondola, the Tiki Trail is an alternative route to get … Both exposure and steepness increase during the final 400 meters to the summit. From here, the terrain becomes steeper and rougher as it approaches Ben Lomond’s 1,748m summit. We tackle the super famous Ben Lomond Summit track! Beyond the saddle is Ben Lomond Station where the track becomes a marked route. How to Get There The track to Ben Lomond begins in Queenstown itself, making this an exceptionally … Apart from the amazing views the best thing is that you can start this hike straight from Queenstown town center and finish it off with a nice cold pint back in town. If you decide to go all the way to the Ben Lomond Summit, expect the total hike to take 6-8 hours (according to the DOC). As a 30-year old, reasonably fit female who had hiked Ben Lomond seven years previous, I actually found this hike to be reasonably ok for the most part. Ben Lomond Peak (9,712') Utah via Cutler Ridge and North Skyline Trails, 8/25/20. Many people call it a day once they get there, but climbing the final stretch to the summit is incredibly worthwhile since you get 360-degree views of the Lake Wakatipu Basin and Southern Alps. Distance today is about 20km. Unreal! Once you reach the saddle between Ben Lomond and Bowen Peak the track climbs the northeast ridge until it loops around and gains the summit from western side. Many people call it a day once they get there, but climbing the final stretch to the summit is incredibly worthwhile since you get 360-degree views of the Lake Wakatipu Basin and Southern Alps. On the top of Bob’s Peak (Cemetery Hill) sits the Skyline Complex. But easy too. From Queenstown we will climb to Ben Lomond Saddle (and the summit of Ben Lomond for those who are keen) before dropping into the Moonlight and making our way to the Lodge. Should you want to continue on, be sure to assess the conditions on the summit. Even in the height of summer the elevation and exposure to cold winds can lower the temperature drastically, so be prepared to throw on a warm layer and a windproof jacket. Powered by: Powered by WordPress.com.Contact Me. If you wish to take the gondola to the Skyline overlook, you can pick up the Ben Lomond trail behind the building. Adventuring up to Ben Lomond's summit is an out-and-back day hike with views that are arguably more rewarding than some of those you get on New Zealand's Great Walks. Ben Lomond Track: Difficult but well worth it! And if you're really ambitious, rather than taking the Moonlight Track out to Arthur's Point, you could take it to Moke Lake. The Ben Lomond Saddle is also a critical point on the hike to reassess the weather conditions, which could have easily changed in the time its taken to journey here. After a short section of bush we got our first glimpse of the Ben Lomond peak. Then once you walk out of the woods you get out in the open and this is where the track starts to go up through grassland. We did this walk on the last day of winter (August 31 st) and before long we encountered some shady parts of track full of ice, snow and mud.It was slow going but we could see the impressive face of Ben Lomond ahead which distracted us. Lake Wakatipu from Above Higher… Lake Wakatipu and The Remarks …and higher. 1049) just keep on the ridge and it will take you all the way down to the gondola. Ben Lomond Track: This the walk up to the Ben Lomond Saddle - See 686 traveller reviews, 489 candid photos, and great deals for Queenstown, New Zealand, at Tripadvisor. The first part to the top of the gondola is pretty steep, then to the Ben Lomond saddle the slope is going up gently and the last part to the summit is very steep, if you scared of height don’t do the last part. Advertisement Advertise with NZME. Buffet Dinner at Lodge. Queenstown is famous for being surrounded by some spectacular mountains. We noted the DOC estimated walk times to the saddle and the summit, using them as a marker to gauge how fast we were walking. Ben Lomond (45°00'24.06" south 168°36'54.76" east) is an attractive mountain that looms up behind Queenstown, reaching an altitude of 1748 metres (5735 feet). The trail morphs into a steep uphill climb from saddle to summit. ... Adventuring up to Ben Lomond's summit is an out-and-back day hike with views that are arguably more rewarding than … These photos are somewhat deceiving as the ridgeline was essentially snowless all the way to the summit. To as low as 3 hours if you jog it. The hike itself will take around 3 hours to reach the saddle with the summit being another 45 minutes from there. My brother wanted to tag the summit. 2. The Hike to Ben Lomond Saddle. It is usually accessed from town via the Tiki Trail, or by taking the gondola and walking the rest of the way – firstly to the saddle, then an hour to the … It is a very popular hike so expect crowds on any but rainy days (I did have the summit all to myself once but then again it was snowing up there). There, you’ll find a café/restaurant, luge track and a paragliding, bungy jump and ziplining base – plenty of … About 3/4 of the way up you reach a bench at the Ben Lomond Saddle and get your first glimpse of the Southern Alps on the backside of Ben Lomond. 5. Made it to the Ben Lomond Saddle in time for a much needed lunch after leaving Arthur’s Point four hours earlier. It follows the Tiki trail and the Skyline access road for about the first hour of the journey. From the Skyline Gondola to the Ben Lomond Saddle and back is about 3 to 3.5 hours. If you do this hike, you will be walking up a mountain (or at least part of it). The track now swings to the west as it goes up a steeper ridge to the Ben Lomond summit – … Plan for an additional 30- to 60-minute ascent to bag the peak. From here, the terrain becomes steeper and rougher as it approaches Ben Lomond's 1,748m summit. Distance today is about 20km. About 3/4 of the way up you reach a bench at the Ben Lomond Saddle and get your first glimpse of the Southern Alps on the backside of Ben Lomond. The Outbound works best with JavaScript enabled. The Ben Lomond saddle, at 1,346 meters, marks a wonderful stopping point if you are crunched for time. Had the time and beautiful weather to attempt Ben Lomond summit, a strenuous walk in the summer, a pretty sketchy and dangerous one in winter. Ben Lomond Saddle is one of the most stunning views in all of New Zealand. It was pretty fun. 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