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The Remarkables ski resort is located just 15 miles from the town of Queenstown, in the southwest of New Zealand’s South Island. The Remarkables ski resort lies at an elevation of 6,348 feet and consists of 544 acres of skiing terrain, spread out over three natural bowls. Snowboarders are well catered for here with a board park.

Like most ski resorts in New Zealand, The Remarkables ski resort is a purpose-built skiing area and there is no accommodation. There is a self-service café where you can take a breather and admire the views while having something to eat and drink. The nearest town to The Remarkables ski resort is Queenstown, which has a large selection and variety of accommodation, restaurants and bars.

The Remarkables ski resort is excellent for beginner and novice skiers, with its many gentle, easy slopes. There are five ski lifts which serve the 544 acres of skiing terrain, set within 1,730 acres of alpine reserve. The highest ski lift has a drop of 1,170 feet. There is an excellent board park that includes a super-pipe and a rail park.

There is a range of accommodation available at Queenstown, from luxury hotels to self-catering cottages and bed and breakfasts. There are many nice bars and restaurants in town. Downtown, there are a variety of shops selling international labels and clothes designed in New Zealand. There are also many specialist adventure/outdoor equipment shops in Queenstown.

For an alternative to The Remarkables, you can try skiing at Coronet Peak, a 25-minute drive from Queenstown, or Cardrona Resort, a 60-minute drive from town. Queenstown is world famous as a centre for adventure sports and there are plenty of alternatives to skiing on offer here such as snowmobiling, clay pigeon shooting, mountain biking and bungee jumping.

The ski season at The Remarkables ski resort runs from June to late September. If you are arriving in Queenstown from far away, the easiest way to travel is by air. There is an airport at Queenstown served by domestic flights and some flights from Australia.

Skiing in The Remarkables

The Remarkables ski resort is situated 15 miles from Queenstown. Located in the southwest corner of New Zealand’s South Island, Queenstown is famous the world over as a centre for adventure sports activities. The skiing at The Remarkables is spread over three bowls and covers 544 acres. Many of the slopes are north facing and therefore receive a lot of sun.

Skiing in The Remarkables is ideal for beginners and novice skiers. There is one magic carpet and one handle tow lift that serve the nursery slopes, while there are plenty of long gentle routes down from the Sugar Bowl chair lift, which are great for beginners. There are three chairlifts servicing the three bowls of The Remarkables skiing terrain including Sugar Bowl Chair, Alta Chair and Shadow Basin Chair. The latter is the highest of the lifts at 4,238 feet, with a vertical height of 1,170 feet. The Sugar Bowl and Alta Bowl offer some good intermediate runs, but most of the advanced runs go from the top of Shadow Basin. These include the Homeward Run, which finishes below the Resort.

There are frequent shuttle buses from the end of Homeward Run back to The Remarkables ski resort. Powder skiing at The Remarkables isn’t great due to the high altitude and winds, but it is ideally suited to snowboarders with plenty of big rocks to jump off. There is also a very well-equipped board park that includes a rail park and a super pipe, while a special beginner’s park is ideal for children and terrain park novices. All ski lifts are free for children under 11 years old.

For those who want to do something else apart from ski, Queenstown has plenty of other adventurous activities such as hot air ballooning, bungee jumping, clay pigeon shooting and horseback riding. For those who want to do something more sedate, there is some good shopping to be had in downtown Queenstown, where the style conscious will find international labels and chic clothes from New Zealand designers, while for the more rugged there are plenty of adventure/outdoor equipment shops.

The closest accommodation to The Remarkables ski resort is at Queenstown, where there are many different types of accommodation and a wide selection of bars and restaurants.

Transportation to The Remarkables

The Remarkables ski resort is located in the southwest corner of New Zealand’s South Island. Like most other ski resorts in New Zealand, there is no accommodation at The Remarkables, so all skiers have to come in daily by road. The nearest town is Queenstown, 15 miles away. It is possible to drive from Queenstown to the resort, but when conditions are bad, chains and a 4WD are recommended. An easier option is to catch one of the frequent shuttle buses.

If you are driving, Queenstown is located on highway 6, 150 miles or a 3-hour drive from Invercargill. Driving from Christchurch, take highway 8 south before joining highway 85 and finally highway 6 to Queenstown, a journey of 305 miles or a 7 hour, 15-minute drive. If you are driving from the North Island, catch the ferry from Wellington to Picton then drive along highway 1 to Christchurch; Picton to Christchurch is a 210-mile journey which takes about 5 hours by car.

There is a limited rail network in New Zealand and there are no services to Queenstown. The closest railway station is at Christchurch.

The easiest way to get to Queenstown is to fly. There is an airport at Queenstown that is served by internal flights and there are Qantas and Air New Zealand flights from Sydney year-round, with additional flights from Melbourne and Brisbane during the winter. The best served international airport in New Zealand is at Wellington, which is served by flights from many international destinations, either direct or via Australia. There is also a smaller international airport at Christchurch.

Intercity Coachlines and Newmans Coachlines run coach services across the country, while there is also a large network of friendlier and cheaper regional buses that run throughout the country.

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