[VLOG] A Breathtaking 1,800 m Journey! | Riding The Sky Waka Gondola Up Mt. Ruapehu!

Certainly not the first vlog-type video I've done on this channel, but it was definitely one of the most fun to film! In this video, I take you on a guided tour of the Sky Waka Gondola that ascends nearly 400 metres up Mt. Ruapehu. The whole experience is definitely much better in person, but I thought I'd vlog my trip up as a sort of sneak peek / preview at what you can expect to see here should you want to visit one day! Summer or winter, Mt. Ruapehu is always welcoming!
Opened in 2019, the Sky Waka Gondolas provide an interesting ascend up New Zealand's largest active volcano, Mt. Ruapehu. At the foot of the gondolas is the ticket foyer and the Whakapapa Ski Area, which is only open in winter for obvious reasons. After purchasing your tickets, hop on one of 48 gondola cabins, and begin an 1800-metre long, 390-metre ascend up this massive mountain. Optionally, there is a guided tour voiceover that you can obtain by scanning a QR code before boarding. (I have dubbed it over the camera audio in this vlog, however it is at least 60 seconds behind 😅) The climb from bottom to top takes roughly 10 minutes, with a top speed of 6 metres per second (about on par if not faster than a high-rise elevator in Auckland). On the way, should you decide to opt for the guided tour, you'll hear some interesting trivia of the things you can see around you. But I won't spoil it here; you'll have to watch the video 😜
The top of the Sky Waka Gondola is at a 2020-metre elevation - about 72% up the entire mountain. Up there you'll find the Knoll Ridge Chalet, which is like a café with other miscellaneous facilities. As well as this, you can actually explore the rocky mountain terrain this high up too! Of course, if you choose to come in winter, it'll all be ice and snow, so in a way you can pick and choose which terrain-and therefore which season-you want to visit! I recommend visiting in winter as the whole place will be nice and snowy, and there'll be lots of skiing opportunities, but I also highly recommend taking a summer trip too, as it's still very interesting to explore, and just because it's summertime doesn't mean that you can't find snow still!
Video 2/10 from the Ruapehu region & surrounding areas (05/1/22 - 07/1/22).
This video is © T3224 Elevators 2022. Reuse of any part of this video is prohibited, unless permission has been granted by the owner.

[@elevator_satellite]

Wowwww super nice vid

[@t3224.elevators_nz]

Thank you!

[@ToanMixi2006]

Nice vlog Cable Car

[@t3224.elevators_nz]

Thanks!