Skyline Queenstown
Skyline Queenstown
4.5
About
Take a ride in Queenstown’s iconic Gondola and immerse yourself in spectacular panoramic views of Queenstown and the surrounding mountains. But there’s more! When you get to the top, discover a host of family-friendly activities on offer. Get your fix of downhill fun with the Skyline Luge, settle in for a relaxing evening with the best of New Zealand and international cuisine at Stratosfare Restaurant & Bar, or journey into the hidden world of the night sky with Skyline’s guided Stargazing experience. Located an easy five minute walk from the centre of town, a visit to Skyline Queenstown is a must do!
Duration: More than 3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Top ways to experience Skyline Queenstown
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
186 within 3 miles
Attractions
61 within 6 miles
See what travellers are saying
- TR82232 contributionsGreat but hard goingGreat experience, the views are phenomenal! Gondola ride is quiet and beautiful, maybe a little too quick as you want to take it all in. Luge rides are great fun although some people really struggle navigating corners so be careful. It is really steep and lots of steps particularly as on scaffolding as it appears all areas under construction be mindful for elderly or young kids. Advice- buy ticket online, you may as well buy more luge tix than you think you need as they are not much more extra, we got there at 9:30 and then luge at 10am when it opened, avoided the crowds and out by midday!!Visited October 2023Travelled with familyWritten 4 October 2023
- 72shanksWadalba, Australia63 contributionsBrilliant funThe gondola ride is great; certainly one of the steeper ones I've been on. The views are spectacular. The Luge, a sort of gravity powered go-kart, is hugely enjoyable and popular. Be prepared for long lines, but it's worth it. We bought the 3 ride ticket, which I think is the minimum for a really good experience.Visited September 2023Travelled with familyWritten 17 October 2023
- mdh969Canberra, Australia1,039 contributionsSmooth ride on GondolaWe went on the gondola today. It was $52.00 per head. The ride up and down was very smooth. The top had a cafe, viewing deck and the more adventurous could get on a luge or parasail 🪂 off the cliff face. I would recommend the gondola 🚠Visited November 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 2 November 2023
- petermack2011Bungay, United Kingdom409 contributionsUp in the airWe took a trip to the Skyline early pm. The weather was fantastic after a cloudy start in the morning. It was a great experience, the views were tremendous. However, there is a lot of building/clearance work going on all around the viewing area and the land below which is a spoiler. Had the viewing platform been bigger (it only ran for about 150 metres) it would have been an even better experience. At peak times I would imagine it gets very crowded. We then went for a drink on the bar which is glass walled so great views over the lake and mountains. The gondolas were modern and comfortable. Hop on, hop off.Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 7 November 2023
- Pippa HLondon, United Kingdom87 contributionsLuge all dayCould have luged all day! So much fun! The system was very smooth, for the tickets, chairlift and scanning helmets for photos. The photos are a bit pricey but worth checking because we got a good one. Great for kids and adult kids. You're in control of the speed so you can go slow if you don't like speed, but it's really tonnes of fun and not scary at all.Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 15 November 2023
- jamieclowerSilverado, California75 contributionsSo fun!! Prepare for stairsThis was such a fun way to get to know Queenstown - we enjoyed the gondola up (SOOOO steep!) to get to incredible views. We did the luge three times which was plenty - laughing and enjoying each time. Beware some with language barriers had a hard time understanding the braking system and can cause a pile up. We loved this visit, and only feedback is that the hike up stairs and hills to return (maybe due to construction?) was a bit challenging.Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 25 November 2023
- timjstarkShorewood, Wisconsin687 contributionsA short but quite beautiful look at Queenstown.We received free tickets to the Skyline as part of our Nat Geo tour and went up with relatively low expectations as it simply seemed a slightly different view of beautiful Queenstown...the Skyline exceeded our expectations. As soon as we cleared the trees, the view over the town and the water was stunning! While at the top, we lingered a bit in the cool sunshine, took multiple photos (that didn't do justice to the view), and headed back down as the crowds began to build. The other options (toboggan run and mountain biking) were not on our plate, but it seemed many others were doing them. All in all, a great hour or so experience!Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 29 November 2023
- Sightseer069890424662 contributionsA beautiful viewI was very impressed with the beautiful views from the ovservation deck. There was some construction obscuring my views from where I was sitting in the Cafe and it was too crowded to sit elsewhere. I also couldn't take the hiking trail back down as it was closed. But it was a good day.Visited September 2023Travelled soloWritten 8 December 2023
- Jen DBrisbane, Australia115 contributionsSuperb views, thrills & food at Skyline.This was our third time visiting Skyline in the last 11 years, and once again, it didn’t disappoint. We decided on the gondola, 3x luge and premium dinner package. With the pre-purchased tickets we were able to bypass the queue and head straight up in a gondola. With only 45 minutes until the luge closed for the day (7pm in summer), we quickly made our way to the chairlift for the luge. Note: there’s lots of building work going on so it was via a few steps and gantries. One of the luge tracks was also undergoing renovations, but we had a great time anyway, and managed to squeeze in our 3 rides before they closed. Then it was about a 45 minute wait for dinner but with our first drink part of the premium package, we were able to get these at the bar, including the choice of a few cocktails. Our premium table right next to the window, had a superb view of Queenstown and the surrounding mountains. The buffet dinner was excellent - great range to keep meat-eaters & vegetarians happy, and sublime desserts. Would definitely recommend Skyline for its views, thrills & food, and getting a premium package if your budget allows.Visited November 2023Travelled with familyWritten 27 December 2023
- TMM818Bunbury, Australia829 contributionsLuge is amazing!This is the best thing to do in town! The gondola has recently been refurbished, and the view was amazing during the day and coming back down at night. There is a lot of construction still going on, so watch your step on the scaffolding to the luge if it's still up. Our friends ending up changing their luge booking to the same time so we could go together as a group, so much fun and competitive! But why did we only pick 3 goes at the luge, it was amazing! I wanted to do it all day but we had a dinner reservation. The viewing platform is also great, past the gift shop to take in the sights and calm down before dinnerVisited September 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 27 December 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
13,199 reviews
Excellent
8,181
Very good
3,968
Average
782
Poor
189
Terrible
79
Sammy&Stuey
North Yorkshire, UK36 contributions
Mar 2020
We bought the gondola and 2 luge ride combo for $61 each and it didn't disappoint. The ride up was great with wonderful views over Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu. The luge ride was thrilling and certainly once is never enough. Great friendly staff who make sure you know what your doing with the carts when on the tracks. We then had a drink and a bite to eat in the cafe. Reasonably priced and good amount of hot and cold food/drinks. Loads of seating areas around the cafe, inside and out. We then had a good wander around, did a couple of walks on the designated tracks. There are good mountain bike tracks to be found here as you can bring your bike up on the side of the Gondolas. I would say considering whats on offer at Skyline you certainly need all day to appreciate whats on offer to you. We went in March and it was a bit cloudy at 9am but an hour or so later it was sunny and we were in T-shirts! Will deffo be going again when in the South Island
Written 8 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Emersons
Adelaide, Australia56 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
We took the Gondola up the hillside and I survived despite being terrified of heights! The view is spectacular once I looked!!
My husband and I booked for luge rides and had lunch at the cafe. The cafe had adequate options for food and set us back about $35 for the two of us. The rest of the family chose to have the buffet lunch which set them back about $100 for two. They said they had good options for food and it was all you could eat. Whether it was worth that much for lunch they couldnt really say.
The luge rides were great fun and you need about 5 to really feel like you gave it a crack.
Overall we spent nearly all of the day up there and would recommend the activites for anyone visiting Queenstown.
My husband and I booked for luge rides and had lunch at the cafe. The cafe had adequate options for food and set us back about $35 for the two of us. The rest of the family chose to have the buffet lunch which set them back about $100 for two. They said they had good options for food and it was all you could eat. Whether it was worth that much for lunch they couldnt really say.
The luge rides were great fun and you need about 5 to really feel like you gave it a crack.
Overall we spent nearly all of the day up there and would recommend the activites for anyone visiting Queenstown.
Written 5 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SueB
Honiton, UK415 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Had a great time going up and down in the gondola. It is quite a steep ascent/descent but the views are stunning particularly on a sunny, clear day. You can add luge trips into your price and those doing this all looked like they were having a ball. It really was suited to all ages. Some people were also taking up their mountain bikes and having a great spin back down before catching the chairlift back up. There are 2 restaurants and a couple of shops selling all the usual tourist paraphernalia.
There are great paths between the gondola drop off, the restaurant, the luge and mountain bike sections where the views are just stunning over the lake, the is also a great viewing platform outside the main cafe/restaurant.
If you just want a trip in the gondola, quick look around and return, then an hour or so is probably enough, if you want to take part in the other activities then a longer visit is perfect. There are also paragliding packages and other fun activities at extra cost. Yes, for an adult it is quite expensive $44 adult, but is a really good experience and is the best place for the brilliant views.
There are great paths between the gondola drop off, the restaurant, the luge and mountain bike sections where the views are just stunning over the lake, the is also a great viewing platform outside the main cafe/restaurant.
If you just want a trip in the gondola, quick look around and return, then an hour or so is probably enough, if you want to take part in the other activities then a longer visit is perfect. There are also paragliding packages and other fun activities at extra cost. Yes, for an adult it is quite expensive $44 adult, but is a really good experience and is the best place for the brilliant views.
Written 15 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paul Hill
Wroughton, UK336 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
My wife and I see the gondola when parking up and decided to take the the steep walk up to the ticket office. The queue was long but it was very thoughtful of this place to come and offer sun lotion to everyone waiting.
The gondola was a great ride to the top and we also purchased 2x luge rides each. At a reasonable price for Queenstown. In hind sight I wish we’d brought a few more luge rides l, I was scared off by the queue when booking but when your up there the queues move rather fast, but it was great fun.
The view where spectacular and worth every penny so I’d highly recommend but allow 2-4hrs up there. There’s a very plush restaurant (which is expensive) but there also a cafe that does good food so isn’t worry about finding somewhere to eat.
Have a great time!
The gondola was a great ride to the top and we also purchased 2x luge rides each. At a reasonable price for Queenstown. In hind sight I wish we’d brought a few more luge rides l, I was scared off by the queue when booking but when your up there the queues move rather fast, but it was great fun.
The view where spectacular and worth every penny so I’d highly recommend but allow 2-4hrs up there. There’s a very plush restaurant (which is expensive) but there also a cafe that does good food so isn’t worry about finding somewhere to eat.
Have a great time!
Written 6 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jgold10529
Portland, OR406 contributions
Mar 2020
If you like gondola rides, this will make you happy and gives great views of the city. There is a lot to do up there at the top but each thing can get a bit pricey. The Luge rides at the top are quite fun however, so if you are going to pay for the gondola, add something else on to make it worth it
Written 12 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jenny M
Wellington, New Zealand35 contributions
Sept 2020 • Family
We took a gondola ride up 2 days after the snow here at the end of September. It was an amazing experience. The luge was cold to get up to on the chair lift but the luge experience was incredible fun and the views were stunning. We did 4 of our 5 rides. 2-3 would have been enough in the cold. We had drinks afterwards in the bar - it was quite expensive as you expect as these places but again sitting watching the view was worth it. Overall $300 for 3 of us for gondola, 5 luge rides each and drinks after so an expensive outing but loads of fun.
Written 3 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Jenny,
Thanks for your time to write a review. We are very pleased that you enjoyed the experience at Skyline.
Look forward to welcome you all again.
Kind regards,
Skyline Queenstown
Written 8 October 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
gemiow
Isle of Wight, UK245 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
We brought the gondala and 3 rides in the luge package, we had a great afternoon, as first we did the ben lomond track after going up on the gondola, once we finsihed the track we went in the cafe and had tea and cake which we thought was really reasonably priced and the cakes were really good. We did our rides on the luge which was great fun acting like big kids. We brought the photos unfortunately i would say they were not worth the money with the way the quality of them turned out. We then decided to have a drink in the bar before heading down, again was reasonbly priced considering where you are and it had a great atmosphere. A very enjoyable afternoon. The views up here are beautiful too, we got some great snaps
Written 1 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dr. Quinton L.
Canberra, Australia616 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
One of the must visit place in Queenstown
There are plenty of packages you could choose, based on your group members and what they want to do up there. I booked the lift+lunch+luge5 for my kid and I, and just the lift+lunch for the elders. The view up there is fantastic, especially in this beautiful sunny day in Jan. I would highly recommended people to pick up their ticket first or order it online to get the bar code, otherwise you will need to wait for a long queue to buy tickets. The buffet lunch in the restaurant is very good, plenty to choose from, and they are very delicious. Especially the desserts, one of the best from the buffet menu! The luge is very fun, good for kids who already knew how ride a bike. Not hard to learn, my kid took one round and then beat me on racing! Overall, a must visit place in Queenstown!
There are plenty of packages you could choose, based on your group members and what they want to do up there. I booked the lift+lunch+luge5 for my kid and I, and just the lift+lunch for the elders. The view up there is fantastic, especially in this beautiful sunny day in Jan. I would highly recommended people to pick up their ticket first or order it online to get the bar code, otherwise you will need to wait for a long queue to buy tickets. The buffet lunch in the restaurant is very good, plenty to choose from, and they are very delicious. Especially the desserts, one of the best from the buffet menu! The luge is very fun, good for kids who already knew how ride a bike. Not hard to learn, my kid took one round and then beat me on racing! Overall, a must visit place in Queenstown!
Written 28 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marie123122
Auckland, New Zealand3 contributions
Jul 2021
Food quality & variety was very poor, we left feeling hungry. This meal cost us $424 for 2x adults & 2x teenagers incl 2x glasses of white wine. We were very disappointed in the meal and felt like we were pushed through the restaurant, had no real service. I had to ask staff if the used plates could be taken away from our table and was told "I suppose so". Venison was overcooked, not much variety of hot meats - most of them had gone & we arrived at 5.45pm! Vege's were cold & dry, burnt carrots & pumpkin that was basically mashed & dry corn on cob. Pasta was overcooked & dry, there was a separate dish of cheese sauce, my kids could not eat this they said it was terrible. Dessert was minimal & not much left. We went to 3 restaurants during the week in the main part of town, the most expensive cost $250 including dessert & drinks & this was cooked by a chef and of a high standard. We will not be back & do not recommend. We have been to Skyline Rotorua in the past and this was of a lot higher standard so we thought this would be the same.
Written 25 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Marie, we’re disappointed to hear your recent visit to Skyline Queenstown didn’t meet your expectations. We would love the opportunity to discuss your experience further. If you wish to do that, please send your contact details to SQguestservice@skyline.co.nz and we will get back to you soon. Kind Regards, Skyline Queenstown
Written 29 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Maria Teresita C
Huntly, New Zealand26 contributions
Oct 2020
I was not really meant to go as I already know the luge (having done it in Rotorua many times already), but I don't regret getting there with my husband. The scenery was a great buy-in! I could stay there for a whole day just admiring the view of the Wakatipu Lake. I recommend that if you go there even if you don't buy the ride for the luge, just go up the luge area and then walk down from there to the building. This was where I get to see the great scenery of Queenstown.
Written 16 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Maria,
Thank you so much for your kind review. We are so glad you had such a great time at Skyline.
Look forward to see you and your husband next time.
Kind regards,
Skyline Queenstown
Written 1 December 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hi we are going in October and is it wise to book tickets in advance or go on the day and buy a ticket?
thanks
Written 6 September 2024
Hi, if I purchase a 3 day upgrade, does it start from the time of purchase? For example, if I bought it at 3pm on a monday, will I have the pass until 3pm on Thursday, or just Mon through to 11.59 on Wednesday?
Written 6 September 2024
What time is the first gondola in mid-September?
Written 13 May 2022
The gondola currently opens around 10am on limited days due to restricted numbers- you would need to keep checking their website closer to your visit
Written 15 May 2022
Kristy
Takanini, New Zealand
How long are you in the chairlift for from riding the luge to get back up?
Written 3 June 2020
Hi,
It takes approximately 2 - 4 mins to go from the Luge bottom station to the Luge top station with the chairlift.
Written 4 June 2020
Do you have to pre book the luge ? And if so is it a set time ?
Thank you :)
Written 4 January 2020
No, when we purchased our tickets upon arrival the luge was an option. It seem overly crowded waiting and there are several options on runs you can get.
Written 5 January 2020
It takes you a couple of minutes to complete the luge track
Written 17 August 2019
How long should we allow for gondola and 5 luge rides ?
Written 8 April 2019
Allow at least 90 minutes - the trip up is only 5 minutes or so, and the luge rides are probably 15 minutes each, by the time you take the chair lift to the top, wait your turn, complete the luge and start again. And don’t forget to allow time to just enjoy the view - it’s stunning
Written 9 April 2019
Hi. Can I buy only luge rides ticket without gondola?
Because I already bought a package voucher (dinner + gondola) and I don't want to pay for the thing twice. If it is possible, could you tell me where I get these luge tickets?
Written 13 March 2019
Hi - any tips on whether it’s better to do the gondola trip during the day or at night (in terms of the view)?
Written 29 December 2018
Morning, the Gondola ride takes only a few minutes. Taking in the scenic views (weather depending), can take at least 20 minutes. As we arrived quite early we were able to be on the Luge run within 5 minutes of arriving. I would allow at least an hour for the Luge, just so you can enjoy the experience.
Written 27 April 2019
…
Showing results 1-10 of 63
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing