A few eyes rolled when I suggested hiking Mount Victoria during our recent visit to Wellington, one of my favourite New Zealand cities. At 196 metres, it is taller than any natural point in Auckland, and the 360-degree views from the top are well worth the effort.
And effort it was. We were later told we had selected the most difficult path for hiking Mount Victoria. According to my , we climbed the equivalent of 107 flights of stairs.
Our trip to Wellington was fraught with emotion. We had to go as Sarah needed an interview to get her visa. She leaves in less than 2 weeks for her year-long AFS student exchange in Argentina. With our other daughter heading off to University at the end of the week, this was it – our last family holiday together. Things will never be the same again. And we made the best of it; hiking Mount Victoria was just a small part of our adventure. More photos coming soon.
Our first amazing view on the way to the top.
Part of our walking trail.
View from the top including the airport.
A family photo after hiking Mount Victoria. If you look at my hair you can get an idea as why the city is nicknamed “Windy Wellington”.
Another view from the top – by now, hiking Mount Victoria seems like a great idea – although, we still have to go back down.
The streets at the foothill were pretty steep too.
Practical Information:
- If you don’t want to walk, the number 20 bus will take you to the top.
- There is plenty of free parking at the top, should you be in Wellington with a car.
- Just when you think you are exhausted, and can’t take another step, a jogger will breeze by as if it were flat.
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, Auckland)
Does hiking Mount Victoria appeal to you, or would you take the bus? Have you been to Wellington?
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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!
You can always go on long walks 🙂
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!!
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.
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.
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