About | Mount Victoria
Mount Victoria (196m) offers the best 360-degree views of the city and is a must-do while you’re in the city. You can either walk or drive to the top.
Walking will take anywhere from 90 minutes to two hours. There are several tracks to chose from, from gentle to demanding. Find the swing with an epic view of city in the background or if you’re a Lord of the Rings fan, go looking for film locations from the first film. Follow the signs up or go for an explore and take a sidetrack – if you’re heading up, you’re heading in the right direction. Tracks are well maintained. BEWARE: of cyclists speeding down the mount, the tracks are shared. Walking tracks start from Oriental Parade and Majoribanks Street.
Otherwise, if you’re driving, take Alexandra Road to the summit.
When you reach the top you’ll notice a very striking and reflective memorial which was dedicated to the American polar explorer and aviator Richard Byrd. It points out towards Antarctica, 4000 kilometres away. Walking up the steps, you’ll find a cannon that used to be fired at noon every day from 1877 to 1900 and used as a time signal.
From the lookout see the city’s big buildings, the surrounding hills, the harbour and ocean below. If you’ve been exploring Wellington for a while, see if you can spot them from there. On a clear day, look out further to see the South Island, or look north and pinpoint the Tararua Range. Read the information signs about Wellington’s history, Wellington winds and the American polar explorer and aviator Richard Byrd.
Best time to go: on a clear day to fully take in those views! But expect a good crowd as well. Go in the early morning when it’s quieter.
Facilities: toilets and water fountain near the top carpark, beside Alexandra Road.
Bring: good shoes and water (if you’re walking), camera.
Download: a map of Wellington’s walks.
Parking: large carpark at the top and another smaller one by the toilets just before the summit.
Dogs: on leads.
Nearby
Wellington Botanic Garden
Freyberg Pool and Fitness Centre
Oriental Bay
Space Place at Carter Observatory
Wellington Cable Car
Location
Photos
Activities done for the day, as we were heading home we stopped in just as the sun was setting to take in those amazing views of the city and harbour. We chose to drive up since we had such little time before the sun set, but saw how nice the walk would have been. A beautiful way to end a day in Wellington.
