Sky Waka Gondola — Attraction in North Island

Visited 8/8/2020 after debating if we should spend $50 each to take the ride - we thought lets do it, possibly a once in a life time activity. After about 45 minutes in the queue we got our tickets and headed off to the next queue at SkyWaka entrance the person looking after the queue was just walking away and we noticed the gates closed. People were milling around - not doing anything. We enquired from others what was the story why no one moving - "we think it is closed - but don't know why". Turns out the Gondala was just closed due to high winds - great at least they are looking after our safety. But there was no info as to this or anyone to question what / when was anything happening - and what could we do with our $50 tickets. After a while my partner decided she wanted answers so when past the barrier to find the "person" who was originally at the gate. When she found her in her nice warm office - she enquired about the closure and what we could do about our worthless tickets. Answer was: "Closed due to winds - and as I'm only a ticket collector I don't know anything else" Asked why was she not at the gate informing people or putting up a sign to indicate it was closed so people wouldn't hang around. Answer was: "As I said I am only the ticket collector - don't know" She then accompanied my partner back to the gate to info people in the queue that it was closed - don't know how long she stayed there. We headed back to get refunds for our tickets which had only just been bought, and found they were still selling tickets - why sell tickets if it is closed? We finially got our money back - not that easy. Point is our experience has been totally stained by the attitude of one person, who clearly shouldn't be in the job. We go to the mountain every year - will we consider buying tickets again? Also I wonder how many others bought tickets which they were not able use and didn't know or try to get a refund. Suggestion - get staff who can do the job and pay them a worth while wage. If you think you are only missing out on two tickets - think harder we've now relayed this story to at least four other couples, who don't seem to keen now. O we did find out later "closure" is notified on the web site - how many people who check the website - 50+ people in the queue didn't. Better ways to...

Updated* They no longer run lunch buffet. Instead, 2 combo options i.e. Gondola + high tea or burger. We relished the world’s highest high tea at 2020 m above sea level. Just as expected, never disappoint us. Booking required for high tea option.

On Waitangi weekend my hubby and I had a memorable time here. Our whole experience from A to Z was flawless. We booked combo tickets online in advance and paid at the site $59 p/p for gondola + lunch buffet at the Pinnacle. Super value for money and a great opportunity to go sightseeing up there. All-day free parking in summer. All staff at the ticket office, gondola station and the Pinnacle were so amazing. At lunch, we were spoiled with many delicious choices from soup to dessert and loved their seasonal vegetable soup most. Please note that all drinks including coffee are available at extra cost. Literally, we enjoyed their coffee in the clouds as we were 2020m high above sea level. There are three short walks. The shortest one called Meads Wall is a short 30-minute return walk. As it is near the base area, we did it before taking the gondola. The steepest and longest one, Skyline is a 2-3 hours return walk. We hiked to the Skyline Ridge (2300m), then challenged to climb further to the very top where we were amazed at with unreal scenery. The Waterfall Descent walk is an alternative option to Sky Waka gondola when going back down to the base area. Since we got tired we didn't do it. Probably, on our next visit, we will try. Can’t recommend Sky Waka, Pinnacle, and Walks highly...

I want to express my deep disappointment regarding the sudden and unannounced closure of the Sky Waka service yesterday.

This trip was planned well in advance, and my parents had travelled all the way from overseas, excited to experience the natural beauty of New Zealand. Unfortunately, without any prior notice or real-time communication, the closure completely disrupted our plans and left us with a very negative experience.

While we did receive a refund for the tickets, we also suffered a direct financial loss of around $300 for shuttle transport — which became pointless due to the cancellation. More than the money, however, it’s the emotional disappointment that hurt the most. My parents had limited time and high expectations for this experience, and it’s extremely disheartening that their visit was affected in this way.

This incident raises an important question: Who takes responsibility for this loss? Is it your organisation, or the New Zealand Tourism Board? As international visitors, we expected better reliability and professionalism from a service promoted as one of the country’s key attractions.

We urge your team to seriously improve communication and take more accountability for the overall visitor experience. New Zealand's reputation as a world-class travel destination...