Slow down, take notice, and connect with nature — join a guided mindfulness experience in the forest on Queenstown's iconic Gondola Hill

About This Event

Ziptrek Ecotours, in collaboration with the Southern Wellbeing Trust, are thrilled to bring the Whakatipu community the opportunity to experience the calming forest of Bob’s Peak in a whole new way.

Join us for a unique mindfulness event that will be good for your mind, body and soul. Led by expert facilitators, you’ll be guided through a mindfulness nature walk, treehouse meditation and ziplining experience, while raising funds for the Southern Wellbeing Trust.

Forest bathing anyone? Week Four of #WellbeingForWhakatipu is focused on the theme of ‘Take Notice’. You will come out of this experience feeling relaxed and refreshed by mindfulness practices and re-energised by thrilling ziplines. No prior meditation experience is necessary.

This experience includes:

✔ 90-minute guided mindfulness nature walk up the Queenstown Tiki Trail

✔ 30-minute guided treehouse meditation session

✔ An exciting zipline + optional 21m Kererū drop experience

✔ $15 donation to the Southern Wellbeing Trust

Optional: upgrade your ticket to zip-on all the way back to Queenstown on a Ziptrek guided eco-tour for only $50 extra! (Normally $199pp). Experience 4 extra ziplines – including the world’s steepest tree-to-tree zipline!

Allow up to four 4 hours for the full mindfulness experience.

Allow an additional 2 hours for an optional add on to zip-on back to Queenstown.

What to Expect

Beginning at the bottom of Old Skyline Road at Lomond Cres at 8:00am, you’ll meet your mindfulness walk facilitators, Amanda Woolridge and Sandi Murphy from Nadi Wellness, and begin a slowly-paced nature walk up the Tiki Trail.

As you walk, you’ll be prompted to bring attention to your body and surroundings — to ‘Take Notice’ of the sounds of the forest, the scent of the trees and the sunlight playing through the leaves.

Important: a high level of fitness is recommended to enjoy the steady uphill walk. If you’d prefer not to join the walk, you'll need to take the first Skyline gondola of the day, at 9:30am, and meet the group at the Ziptrek Treehouse at 9:45am sharp. Gondola tickets sold separately.

After arriving at the main Ziptrek Treehouse, at the top of the Tiki Trail, you’ll be harnessed and journey through the forest via zipline to reach the spectacular three-level triangle-deck treehouse.

You’ll be guided into position over three treehouse decks - top, middle, or ground level.

Surrounded by majestic mountains and overlooking glistening Lake Whakatipu, Claire Stewart, Claire Stewart Yoga & Wellbeing will lead a guided meditation session through headsets provided by Silent Disco Queenstown.

Warm clothing including a down jacket and extra layers are highly recommended. Comfortable blankets will be provided to sit on.

You will have the option to depart the treehouse deck via the thrilling 21m Kererū drop or to exit via a short zipline.

Highly recommended: upgrade your ticket to zip-on all the way back to Queenstown for only $50 extra! (Normally $199pp).

If you choose to continue and zip-on back to Queenstown, you won’t complete the Kererū Drop. Instead, you’ll experience 4 extra ziplines - including the world’s steepest tree-to-tree zipline! Allow an extra 2 hours.

If you choose not to zipline back to Queenstown, you’ll return to the Ziptrek Treehouse at the top of the Skyline Gondola at approximately 12pm. From here you’ll be free to enjoy the rest of your Saturday. Grab a coffee from Skyline and enjoy the views before either taking the gondola back to Queenstown (gondola tickets sold separately) or walking down the Tiki Trail.

Important Information

Bookings are essential.

Tickets $50 per person, plus booking fees.
Optional: upgrade your ticket to zip-on all the way back to Queenstown for only $50 extra! (Normally, $199pp)
Ticket price includes a $15 donation to the Southern Wellbeing Trust.

Maximum weight limit 125kgs, minimum weight limit 30kgs. All participants must complete a Ziptrek participant consent form prior to the event: ziptrek.co.nz/waiver.

If you or anyone in your group has a medical condition or a recent injury please bring this to our attention. Pregnant women are unable to go on tour.

Covid safety protocols will be followed at all times. Please bring a mask.

At Level 2, masks are required to be worn when 2m social distancing is not possible.

Where to Meet

> Full 4-hour experience (including Tiki Trail mindfulness walk)

If you’re joining the Tiki Trail mindfulness walk, meet at the beginning of the Old Skyline Road at Lomond Cres at 7:45am for an 8am start.

A high level of fitness is recommended to enjoy the steady uphill walk.

> 2-hour experience (no Tiki Trail walk)

If you’d prefer not to join the Tiki Trail walk, take the first Skyline gondola of the day, at 9:30am, and meet the group at the Ziptrek Treehouse at 9:45am sharp. Gondola tickets sold separately.

What to Bring

Please keep personal belongings to a minimum. Wear comfortable clothing and bring extra warm layers including a down jacket. Closed toe walking shoes are essential. Drink bottles are recommended.

Personal medication to be carried, if required

#WellbeingForWhakatipu

The event is part of #WellbeingForWhakatipu — a five-week initiative designed to help the Whakatipu community find balance, build resilience and boost mental health and wellbeing.

$15 from every direct Ziptrek booking, and from every event participant, will be donated to the Southern Wellbeing Trust this month.

Week 4 of this initiative encourages us to ‘Take Notice’ as paying more attention to the present moment, to thoughts and feelings and to the world around, helps to boost wellbeing.

Learn more: https://www.ziptrek.co.nz/wellbeingforwhakatipu

About Southern Wellbeing

The Southern Wellbeing Trust is a new Queenstown-based charitable trust whose purpose is to protect and enhance the mental health and wellbeing of southern communities, whānau, families and individuals. We seek to build resilience, improve connection and promote self-agency amongst our people so that they can better support their own and others’ mental health and wellbeing.

Learn more: https://www.southernwellbeingtrust.org/

About Ziptrek Ecotours

Ziptrek Ecotours is Queenstown’s first carbon-neutral tourism business – a multi-award-winning adventure ecotourism business renowned for delivering awareness and appreciation of the natural environment along with a healthy dose of ziplining adventure.

Whilst our guests zipline through the forest, alongside an incredible view of glacial-fed Lake Whakatipu and the Remarkables mountain range, our guides deliver informative content on the treehouse decks, between each zipline.

More than purely a ziplining tour, Ziptrek exists to educate guests around sustainability whilst facilitating an engaging activity in a beautiful environment. Our intent is clear with our vocal expression of regenerative tourism principles in all of our interactions with our stakeholders – whether that be our team, suppliers, local community or customers.

Learn more: https://www.ziptrek.co.nz/

About Claire Stewart

Your treehouse forest meditation will be guided by Claire Stewart. Claire is a Yoga Alliance Certified Yoga Teacher offering weekly classes Queenstown at Nadi Wellness and The Sherwood and for private clients, groups and events. Claire is also the Development Manager for Southern Wellbeing Trust and is passionate about creating meaningful relationships and supporting the community in its health & wellbeing.

Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/clairestewartyoga,

https://www.instagram.com/clairebear.nz/

About Nadi Wellness

Your guides for the Mindfulness Walk up the Tiki Trail are Amanda Woolridge and Sandi Murphy from the Nadi Wellness Centre, which is now offering Retreats in conjunction with Kinloch Lodge at the top of the Lake.

Amanda and Sandi each have 15+ years in the wellness industry and are experienced in yoga, mindfulness, psychology, life coaching, guided walking, retreating and are passionate about all things wellness.

Their next retreat, ‘Presence’ is 3 - 5 December and is an opportunity to:
Unwind from the busyness, slow down to the rhythm of nature and RECONNECT with your authentic self.
It’s in those moments of pausing to REFLECT, that insights arise calling you to make a change, one that supports you to find yourself becoming PRESENT, and return to life feeling more balanced and whole.

Learn more: https://nadiwellness.co.nz/retreats/presence-retreat/

About Silent Disco Queenstown

Silent Disco Queenstown is locally owned and operated by Maryann Bailey (Chief Groover).

SDQ hires 3 Channel headsets for venues, events & corporate get-togethers. A Silent Disco can happen just about anywhere… in a paddock, up a mountain, in a tipi tent it’s up to you and your imagination!

Learn more: https://www.silentdiscoqueenstown.co.nz/