Tours & tickets

Wellington Cable Car

Follow the Cable Car signpost around Lambton Quay to find the hidden Cable Car Lane in the heart of the city centre.  Wellington's iconic Cable Car travels through three historic tunnels and over three bridges. There are three intermediate stations; the residential areas of Clifton, Talavera and Salamanca. Victoria University of Wellington and Kelburn Park Fountain can be accessed from the Salamanca Station. Enjoy the panoramic views of Wellington city and the harbor from the top of the Cable Car. To get back down into the city, there are several walks through the hillsides of the Botanic Garden, including a beautiful 40-minute stroll back down to the city centre via the historic Bolton Street Cemetery and the Beehive. Or if you prefer an easier route back down, choose the return journey option. This allows you plenty of time to enjoy the views and explore the surrounding attractions at the summit before heading back.

Join us on this 3hr journey to Wellington’s main highlights and some hidden gems. A perfect overview of our wonderful city that includes 4 photo stops and a Cable Car ticket. This tour is perfect for those who want an overview of Wellington life and insights on what else to do during your stay. Following pickup from the cruise terminal or Wellington City, you’ll hear about Te Papa Tongarewa, the National Museum of New Zealand, before seeing the golden sands or Oriental Bay en route to our first photo stop at the famous Wellington sign. Learn about how the film industry took up residence in the suburb of Miramar and how the peninsula is at the forefront of conservation efforts to restore native bird species in this city, before stopping for another photo opportunity on the South Coast with stunning views of the entrance to the harbour, Cape Palliser, and the South Island [when the weather allows!]. We now journey around the coast and underneath the airport runway on our way to the spectacular Mt Victoria Lookout, where we stop for photos with a great view of the City and harbour, before driving through the heart of the entertainment area – Courtenay Place and Cuba Street. Hear of our café, coffee, and craft beer culture and maybe even pick up a few recommendations from your local driver/guide. We’ll then drop you at Wellington’s Cable Car [included in the tour price] before meeting you at the top. Hear you can take another picture of the view, pick up a souvenir, or learn more at the mini-museum. This then proceeds a drive past the unique Beehive, Parliament Buildings, and the Gothic Old St Paul’s Cathedral.

Discover the best of Wellington on a guided tour of the city. Admire picturesque views of the city and harbor from Mount Victoria, visit the Weta Cave, and take a ride on the iconic Wellington Cable Car. Start your tour with a pick-up from your meeting point and head downtown past Te Papa and the QT hotel. See St Gerard’s Church and Monastery before driving up to the top of Mount Victoria to see spectacular views of Wellington’s city and harbor. Drive to Lyall Bay beach, pass Wellington airport, and see some of the rugged coastline. On a clear day, you may see some spectacular views of the South Island. Pass Barrett’s Reef, where on April 10, 1968, the roll-on/roll-off ferry Wahine hit the reef and capsized near Seatoun during a hurricane resulting in 52 lives being lost. Drive to the Wellington sign on your way to Weta Studios on the Miramar Peninsula for your Lord of the Rings experience with a short visit to Weta Cave where you will have a chance to purchase Lord of the Rings memorabilia and more photo opportunities. Continue around the coastline, passing popular Oriental Bay before venturing through the different parts of the inner city ending up at the bottom of the iconic Wellington Cable Car which first carried passengers in 1902. After you have traveled to the top in the cable car and visited the quaint museum at that end, you will have more breathtaking panoramic views of the harbor and city. Drive past the lovely Botanic Gardens and drive through the Lady Norwood Rose Garden, before seeing the Parliament Buildings and its grounds and finally Old St Paul’s Cathedral – one of the world’s best examples of Gothic Revival architecture. Be dropped off wherever you wish within the city center to take with you lasting fond memories of your visit to Wellington.

Ride at your own pace by hiring an e-bike to explore Wellington city and the surrounding bays. These high-quality electric bikes are easy to use and suitable for any level of fitness. Ride the bays to take in the best viewpoints or use your e-bike as your transport between the must-see attractions of Wellington such as the Weta Workshop, Zealandia Sanctuary, Te Papa Museum, or the Wellington Cable Car located only 5-minutes away. Whether you're traveling solo, as a couple, or in a group, these top-quality electric bikes make your mode of transport an experience in itself. The local partner can recommend a great day route that takes you from their store on the Wellington Waterfront, around the bays to the Miramar Peninsula and back via a lookout of the harbor entrance and the Mount Victoria lookout.

Explore the best of Wellington on this fully guided 5-hour tour. After being picked up from your hotel or designated meeting point, you’ll travel along the vibrant Wellington Waterfront and up to the Mt. Victoria Lookout, where you can take in stunning 360-degree views of the city and its picturesque harbour. Journey along the scenic coastal drive around Oriental Bay and Evans Bay, with a brief stop at the iconic Windy Wellington sign. Then, arrive at the famous Weta Cave Shop – the hub of Weta Studio Tours. More than just a retail store, it’s a cavern of creativity where you can snap selfies with life-sized sculptures, wander through the mini-museum, and watch an exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary. Continue on to scenic Shelly Bay and around the Miramar Peninsula, before enjoying lunch at a seaside café or restaurant. Pause for a moment of remembrance at the Wahine Memorial Park, then explore the dramatic south Wellington coast, including Taputeranga Marine Reserve and Te Kopahou Reserve Visitor Centre. As the tour returns to the city, you’ll have the option to stop at central Wellington highlights such as the Cable Car, National War Memorial, Brooklyn Wind Turbine, or Old St Paul’s Cathedral, before your final drop-off.

Experience Wellington in comfort with a customisable private tour with a local guide and adventurer. See our hilly city from three height vantages including Mount Victoria 187 meters, Hawkins hill 400 meters and ride in the world renown cable car as part of the package. View breath taking pristine coastlines and stop for lunch and have a true Kiwi foodie experience with Fish n Chips on the beach and try our local Abalone/Paua or enjoy the Kiwi staple with a legendary meat pie. We will be taking 20 minutes to go into the Weta cave which is part of the production village of Sir Richard Taylor where Peter Jackson and James Cameron make movies such as Avatar and Lord of the Rings. On request you can have a specialist guide who could be a native bush guide or a local hobby historian with a passion for pre-european history and WW1.