Hiking Mount Victoria, we were immediately rewarded with 360-degree views of Wellington’s eastern harbour bays, Wellington airport, the Hutt Valley, local Island, and the Miramar Peninsula. The views are well worth the effort to get here.
In reality, “hiking” Mount Victoria is probably a bit of an exaggeration. It’s more of a moderate uphill 2-kilometre walk, sometimes through on a dirt path, other times on the public road. It’s one of the top things to do in Wellington, one of my favourite New Zealand cities. At 196 metres, the Mount Victoria lookout is taller than any natural point in Auckland.
There are several paths to get to the top, some quicker, while others are longer but with better views. We were later told we had selected the most difficult path for hiking Mount Victoria. According to my Fitbit, we climbed the equivalent of 107 flights of stairs (some of it was actual stairs).
Why did we do it? For the views:
Getting to Mount Victoria Lookout
Walk, stroll, hike, jog, drive, or take the bus. The choice is yours, but do get to the Mount Victoria Lookout if you are in Wellington New Zealand. We opted to hike to the top.
- Walking is easy, and the main path is signposted. Just when you think you are exhausted, and can’t take another step, a jogger will breeze by as if it were flat.
- From Oriental Parade it took us about 90 minutes to reach the summit. We must have been walking shockingly slow, as most walkers can do it in an hour (about a 30-minute walk from the city to the base of the hill, and another 30 to the top).
- There is plenty of free parking at the top, should you be in Wellington with a car. Unless we have driven down from Auckland, we rarely have a car when we visit Wellington. It’s an easy city to get around on foot, and parking is expensive in most places, albeit free at Mount Victoria Lookout. If, however, you do want a car, we use and recommend RentalCars.com. To date, we have had only positive experiences with them.
- If you don’t want to drive or walk, the number 20 bus will take you to the top.
- Or, if you want to include it in a bigger day, Mount Victoria lookout is a stop on the Wellington Hop-on-Hop-off bus.
⇒ See details on the Wellington Hop-on-Hop-off bus
Practical Tips on Hiking Mount Victoria in Wellington
- It can be quite windy at the top. There is a reason for the city’s nickname, Windy Wellington.
- A moderate level of fitness is recommended if you are going to walk.
- The summit is a great place to see sunrise or sunset.
- The Lord of the Rings fans will want to know that part of Mount Victoria served as the outskirts of the Shire during filming.
- There is also a Mount Victoria in Devonport. If in a hurry, Auckland is an all day drive from Wellington.
Click here for more free Wellington activities.
Does hiking Mount Victoria appeal to you, or would you take the bus? Have you been to Wellington?
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Jen
I miss hiking! Here in south Mississippi, we don’t really have a lot of hills. When I lived in Louisville, KY, I was hiking several times a week. Loved it! Thanks for sharing with us at Photo Friday!
Rhonda Albom
You can always go on long walks 🙂
Kathy Marris
What a wonderful family activity and I would definitely say well worth the 107 flights of stairs! The view from Mount Wellington are sensational. My daughter always makes we hike up Mount Coolum on the Sunshine Coast, where she lives each time I visit her. It almost kills me!!
Rhonda Albom
It was the equivalent of 107 flights, not actual stairs. We almost moved to Mooloolaba a few years ago. If we ever get back, Mount Coolum will be on our list.
Lyn (aka) The Travelling Lindfields
I wish your daughter the very best in Argentina. David and I love Argentina, not just Buenos Aires, which is magical but Cordoba, San Miguel de Tucuman and Salta. It is a beautiful country with beautiful people. Will your daughter be studying in Buenos Aires? If she is, tell her to make sure she takes the ferry across to Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay for a day or a weekend. It is a magical place. I have done a post on it which I am sure you can find on my blog. If not, message me and I will send you the link. We also did a road trip from Cordoba to Tucuman a few years ago. I ‘m quite envious. If Buenos Aires wasn’t so far D and I would pop across for lunch every second weekend.
Rhonda Albom
She is heading to Santa Fe, and I am not sure how much traveling she will get to do. It is a cultural exchange. She will live with a family as a member of the family, and will go to school. We (hubby and I) will tour at some point however, and will find your post very useful. I have added it here for Sarah and my readers: http://www.thetravellinglindfields.com/p/argentina.html
Allyse
WoW! Sounds like it was good exercise and the view was great!
Rhonda Albom
Yes to both.
Travelera
Great exercise and you get the gift at the top that is the fantastic view!
Great photos
Rhonda Albom
It was a wonderful gift
Paula McInerney
You are a real little fitness junkie now. You have done so well. Lovely family shot.
Rhonda Albom
LOL – not quite a fitness junkie, but I do make better choices.
jesh StG
Didn’t know you had a travel link:) True, it will never be the same, but once you get used to it you will see your relationship with her will stay the same:)
Love the pic with the stairs and the hiking trail. Some hiking you did!
Rhonda Albom
I have been with Weekend Travel Inspiration for about a year (I think). I know it will all be good, it’s just the transition right now, both girls at once that seems a bit overwhelming.
Jean Marie
To be perfectly honest, I would take the bus to the top. It’s just a bit much for me. I can hike a bit on level ground but 107 flights of stairs? Not with my heart. I’m willing but the flesh is weak. That is a very memorable activity for you to share before your nest empties out.
Rhonda Albom
LOL – I am pretty sure one of our girls would have joined you. It was hiking trails, equivalent to 107 flights.
Aditi
Looks like a perfect hike! Fabulous views from the top!
And all the best to your daughter for her exchange study. Hope she has a great time. 🙂
Rhonda Albom
Surprisingly stunning views – although I don’t know why I was so surprised.
Dorothy
Sign me up! What a great way to spend your last week before the girls set off on some amazing adventures on their own!
Rhonda Albom
I agree, it was a perfect last family holiday together.
Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor
Looks like a great walk. I’ve never hiked up there when I’ve been to Welly. Looking at your pics makes me wish I had.
Rhonda Albom
I hadn’t been up there at all before, but now it will be on my itinerary for every visit.
Hilary
Hi Rhonda – I can imagine what’s happening to you all right now – lots of emotions … but lots of opportunity for the family … such fun to be around with you all – good luck with the preparations as those count downs come around.
That hike looks just stunning and I’d love to do it – had better get myself exercised … I need to do more – but those views are extraordinary .. congratulations …
Happy week ahead … and good luck to one and all – cheers Hilary
Rhonda Albom
Yes, we are an emotional roller coaster family right now.
Corinne
Looks like a great hike. Congrats to both your girls! I hope Sarah keeps those photos coming from Argentina!
Rhonda Albom
Sarah promises to post on some of the Sundays. Hopefully she will.
Lexa Cain
Holy cow! I couldn’t climb 107 stairs let alone 107 *FLIGHTS* of stairs. I once went to the Valley of the Kings to see the different crypts and had to trudge up about 5 flights of stairs and then trudge 3 flights down to see the sarcophagi — EACH crypt is like that and there are like 30 to visit! My calf muscles were screaming at me the next day. Argh. I understand the bittersweet excitement of your babies going off into the world. I’m sure they’ll do great and be back home before you know it. 🙂
Rhonda Albom
I didn’t walk 107 flights, but rather the uphill elevation equivalent of that. The volcanos are like that. However, if you visited 30 crypts each with 5 up and 3 down, then return, you did way more steps than I did.
Joyce
Why the eye rolling. I’d hike with you.
Rhonda Albom
The short answer: Teens. (Well just one of them would rather take the bus). And I hope we get to hiking together soon.
Rhonda Albom
Agreed, I had no idea it was going to be this amazing, or I would have done it on an earlier visit.
Danial
Looks like a perfect hike after a wholesome weekend brunch!
Rhonda Albom
I think we skipped the wholesome brunch, but the hike was great.
Brooke
Hiking Mount Victoria sounds great to me! With such phenomenal views at the top, I wouldn’t want to miss it.
Rhonda Albom
It really is worth the effort.
L. Diane Wolfe
Hiking and a million stairs – LOL! But what a grand time for your last family outing for a while. We used to hike a lot around the Sandias outside of Albuquerque, NM when we lived there.
Rhonda Albom
Not quite a million – lol. The fitbit counts the elevation change (uphill only). I don’t think we walked on any actual stairs. – I love New Mexico.
Alex J. Cavanaugh
Glad your family got to have one last adventure together before the girls take off. And since I’ve followed you for several years, I can now see how much both of your daughters have grown.
Rhonda Albom
It seems like just yesterday they were babies, now they are going out in the world – hopefully well prepared for whatever lies ahead.
Anda
Ah, this is stunningly beautiful, Rhonda. Hiking in a place like this is my ideal way of seeing it. I’d rather do that than take the bus. What a glorious view you had from up there!
Rhonda Albom
So true, it was the journey as much as the destination, although parts were a bit steeper than I prefer.
Comedy Plus
I’d do the hike rather than taking the bus. What views.
Have a fabulous day Rhonda. 🙂
Rhonda Albom
I didn’t think about the bus for too long, before we decided to hike it.
Jill
Beautiful photos! And good luck to your girls on their upcoming adventures. My 3, all grown, live all over the US and now one is moving to Korea – and while it’s so difficult to be far away from them it has made for some fun travels to see them!
Rhonda Albom
Thanks. They sure have big adventures lurking.