Overview
Availability: mid December – early March, Thursdays to Mondays
Duration: From 2 Days/1 night
Difficulty: Beginner to Advanced options
The hike to Ben Lomond Lodge can begin from either downtown Queenstown, Arthurs Point or Moke Lake – offering levels of challenge suited to families with young children right through to fit and experienced trampers. Overnight accommodation in our rustic and functional Ben Lomond Lodge provides the ideal base from which to further explore the spectacular high country, which feels both remote and wild while still being nestled right beside Queenstown. Our fully equipped kitchen and optional linen upgrade will minimise your load, or leave you with extra space for all the snacks.
Guests can plan their hike to Ben Lomond Lodge via three distinct routes as per the itineraries below, and can plan their logistics to create an alternate route home.
For those wishing to explore further, a multi night stay creates the opportunity to explore a range of day walks of varying length and difficulty – including ridge lines, beech forest, and an undulating network of easy trails on historic water races. As well as spectacular views and waterfalls, there are a number of ruins of gold mining huts, historic dams and gold mining tailings.
Guests may also choose to climb and hike along The Point, the defined ridge line that runs between the Moonlight and Shotover Rivers at 1000m elevation, or the iconic rugged ‘Death Ridge’ both of which feature in the Shotover Moonlight Mountain Marathon.
Access by 4WD or helicopter is possible (weather dependent and by arrangement).
Itinerary
From Downtown Queenstown – via the Ben Lomond Saddle, Advanced, 5-8 hours
Difficulty: Advanced
Distance: 15km
Elevation Gain: 1600m.
The track begins among Douglas fir on Skyline Access Road or the Tiki Trail. The demanding climb on the Ben Lomond Track to the saddle rewards trampers with spectacular panoramic views North over Ben Lomond Station, and to the South over Queenstown, Lake Whakatipu and the surrounding mountain ranges. At about 800m altitude you leave the tree line behind to enter alpine tussocks and shrubs. Climb to the 1,326 m Ben Lomond Saddle. From here, a side trip to ascend Ben Lomond is a challenging and rewarding option, or continue North on the poled track to reach the farm road high above the Moonlight River. From here, the route crosses the Moonlight River on the stock bridge which is used to bring the merino wethers to Moke Lake to be shorn each summer. Another 5km along The Point Track takes you to Ben Lomond Lodge, with continual expansive views of Mt Gilbert, Silverhorn and Mt Aurum – named due to the richness of the Shotover River in the 1860’s gold rush.
Access to this area beyond the stock bridge is exclusively for lodge guests only, and beyond here leads only further into New Zealand’s Backcountry
Moonlight Track and The Point Track. Easy to Intermediate, 3.5-6 hours
Distance – 10km
Elevation: 550m
Access from Arthurs Point (7km from Queenstown)
This hike departs from Arthurs Point, with the start of the Moonlight Track being only 7km from Queenstown. This route has the first 5km on technical and engaging single track, traversing above the Shotover and Moonlight Rivers. After reaching the farm road, hikers descend to the stock bridge which is used to cross the merino wethers over the Moonlight River when they walk to Moke Lake to be shorn each summer. The second half of the hike is on rough farm road, heading north into expansive views of Mt Gilbert, Silverhorn and Mt Aurum – named due to the richness of the Shotover River in the 1860’s gold rush.
Moke Lake, Moke Creek and The Point Track. Easy to Intermediate, 4-7 hours
Distance: 15km
Elevation: 600m
Access from Moke Lake DOC camping area – 14km from Queenstown.
This route heads north from Moke Lake on an initially well maintained farm road above Moke Creek, passing the historic gold mining settlement of Sefferstown. An option to follow a marked water race for a few kilometers keeps this hike engaging for younger adventurers. From high above the junction of Moke Creek and the Moonlight River, the route leads you on a steep descent to cross Moonlight River on the stock bridge which is used to bring the merino wethers to Moke Lake to be shorn each summer. The second half of the hike is on rough farm road, heading north into expansive views of Mt Gilbert, Silverhorn and Mt Aurum – named due to the richness of the Shotover River in the 1860’s gold rush.
Access to this area beyond the stock bridge is exclusively for lodge guests only, and beyond here leads only further into New Zealand’s Backcountry
Highlights
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