Parking
The primary trailhead is at the end of Cemetery Road, off Brecon Street, beside the Skyline Gondola building. Walk from central Queenstown or use the Skyline Queenstown Multi-Storey Car Park; buses also serve the town area.
Overview
About Tiki Trail
The Tiki Trail is Queenstown’s short, steep climb from the end of Cemetery Road to the Skyline Queenstown complex on Bob’s Peak. The official route is about 2.1 km one way (roughly 4.2 km / 2.6 miles return) with approximately 480 m of climbing. Allow about 2 hours for the hiking round trip—around 1 hour up and roughly 45–60 minutes down—longer if you spend time at the Skyline facilities. It is an out-and-back with panoramic views over Queenstown and Lake Whakatipu from the top.
Why go
- One‑way gondola option makes a steep day easy on the descent.
- Direct link to the Ben Lomond Track if you want to extend into a summit day.
- Shaded forest keeps the climb cooler on hot days.
Heads up
- Trailhead signage can be confusing during redevelopment and near the bottom.
- Rooty, slippery footing after rain with no water available on the route.
- Very busy at midday; narrow singletrack can make passing awkward.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Queenstown-Lakes District map
Full mapElevation400–822 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
1 active Queenstown-Lakes District alert
- ClosureSkippers Bridge closed to all trafficSkippers Bridge is closed to all vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians; do not cross.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Queenstown-Lakes District Tour Guide
Your drive to Tiki Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Queenstown-Lakes District, New Zealand. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Queenstown-Lakes District audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Skyline Gondola and Bob's PeakListen
“The steep cableway you see heading up the mountain is the Skyline Gondola, which takes you 450 metres up to Bob's Peak. From the top, the views over Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu, and the surrounding ranges are incredible.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Queenstown-Lakes District Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Ivan Clarke's Lonely Dog Gallery
- Queenstown Waterfront: Steamships, Jet Boats, and an Underwater View
- St Omer Park: Quiet Lawns and Lake Views
- Queenstown Bay Beach and Historic Landmarks
- 164 audio storiesacross Queenstown-Lakes District’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Kea, Kākā, Kererū, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 37 trails, 111 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Tiki Trail
What the trail is likeThe track climbs through forest on steep, rocky and uneven terrain, with roots, steps and…
The track climbs through forest on steep, rocky and uneven terrain, with roots, steps and switchbacks. It crosses or passes beside the Ben Lomond Hammy’s Return mountain-bike trail near the lower section, so follow the signs and give riders priority. The route finishes at the Skyline complex on Bob’s Peak, where the views and facilities are the payoff.
Start, parking, and accessThe primary trailhead is at the end of Cemetery Road, off Brecon Street, on the left side of…
The primary trailhead is at the end of Cemetery Road, off Brecon Street, on the left side of the Skyline Gondola building. It is walkable from central Queenstown; the Skyline Queenstown Multi-Storey Car Park is the closest major parking option, and buses also serve the town area.
Gear and add-onsCarry water because there is no reliable water on the track.
Carry water because there is no reliable water on the track. A hiking pole can help on the steep, rocky descent. You can hike back down or take a one-way gondola ride from the Skyline top complex, subject to gondola operating hours. The top complex offers food, drinks and activities, and the trail also connects into the longer Ben Lomond route.
Heads-upThis is a short but demanding climb rather than an easy stroll.
This is a short but demanding climb rather than an easy stroll. Stay alert at the mountain-bike crossing, use grippy footwear after rain or in winter, and plan for the 480 m descent if walking back down. Dogs may use the trail but are not allowed inside the Skyline building.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Queenstown-Lakes District
189 sightingsKeaMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
18 sightingsKākāMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
195 sightingsKererūMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
48 sightingsWekaMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
239 sightingsTūīMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
97 sightingsBellbirdMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Queenstown-Lakes District. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
