Description
The clear night skies of Rotorua are the perfect location for Stargazing at the top of the Skyline Gondola. Mount Ngongotaha, the site of the stargazing tour, is one of New Zealand's top 8 locations for stargazing with clear, dark skies covering Rotorua for the perfect experience.
You will be taken to a specially constructed area above the gondola where there is no light to obstruct your experience. With your highly qualified guide you will explore the night skies constellations, looking out for shooting stars and discovering distant planets, visible to the naked eye. The top of the range telescopes will give you the chance to see an array of sights including the Southern Cross, Milky Way, planets and other galaxies.
For the perfect evening why not combine the Stargazing tour with dinner at the Stratosfare Restaurant and enjoy a delicious evening meal?
Cableway Restaurant – Best of NZ Buffet
The Cableway Restaurant was designed with sensational style and a stunning atmosphere in mind. This setting heightens your senses, ensuring you enjoy all the qualities of the outstanding New Zealand cuisine. The spectacular seafood on offer includes seafood chowder, delicious NZ prawns and shrimp, freshly steamed mussels and perfectly grilled salmon. If you prefer your meals to contain a bit of red, the Bay of Plenty lamb cutlets will have you drooling, or try the grilled sirloin steak, grilled chicken, roast kumara with cashews... the list goes on! For desert, there’s marinated berries, native pavlova, gateaux, ice creams and an assortment of pastries. Yum!
Trip Includes
- Return gondola ride
- Stargazing through telescopes
- Chinese & Japanese tours available on request
- Optional buffet dinner
Duration
- Stargazing - allow 2 hours
- Stargazing & Dinner - allow 4 hours
Departures
- Stargazing - 8pm in winter (April-Sep) or 9.30pm in summer (Oct-March)
- Stargazing & Dinner - 6pm in winter or 7:30pm in summer
- Skyline Gondola Terminal, Rotorua
- Operates all year
Other Information
- Child rates apply (5-14yrs). Kids under 5 years old travel free
- Meet at the base of the gondola building at least 30 minutes before your stargazing tour. You can go up as early as you like to enjoy the views, grab a drink before your tour or have a go on the luge
- There is free parking at the Gondola base
- Chinese & Japanese tours available on request
- Please come dressed for a light walk & for being outside. Warm clothing & comfortable walking shoes are advised. We provide complimentary use of Canada goose down jackets for the duration of the tour
- Session times vary depending on the sunset
- Check out our other activities available at the Skyline Gondola Rotorua
- Advanced bookings advised as the restaurant is very popular
