The Remarkables Ski Resort Review 2026
The Remarkables is the sunny, sheltered, family friendly half of the Queenstown ski scene, a set of high basins with some of the best learner terrain and a friendlier feel than its steeper neighbor Coronet Peak. Book it if you are learning, traveling with children or want a relaxed sunny day with good beginner and intermediate runs and fun terrain parks, all within easy reach of Queenstown. Skip it as your main mountain if you want long groomed cruising or big vertical, because the basins are compact and the access road is a long, winding climb, so keen skiers often pair it with Coronet Peak or the Wanaka resorts.
A sunny, sheltered Queenstown ski area with excellent learner terrain and good intermediate basins, best for families and beginners rather than those chasing big vertical or long cruisers.
The Remarkables sits in high basins above Queenstown, reached by a long mountain access road, and tops out around 1,943 m. It is the sunnier, more sheltered and more family oriented of the two Queenstown fields, with a strong learner area, enjoyable intermediate terrain, terrain parks and some surprising steeper chutes for the adventurous. The trade is scale and access, so confident skiers usually combine it with Coronet Peak or the Wanaka mountains for a full trip.
How it scores for your group
Families. One of the best choices around Queenstown. The base area is sunny and sheltered, the learner zone is genuinely good with carpets and gentle slopes, and the ski and snowboard school is well set up for children. The whole field has a relaxed, welcoming feel rather than a hard charging one, and there is a tubing and play area too, so a family with mixed ages and abilities is well looked after for the day.
Beginners. Excellent. The dedicated beginner area and the gentle blues off the main chairs make this one of the friendliest places to learn in New Zealand, and the sunshine and shelter help on cold days. The honest note is that the access road is a long climb, so factor in travel time, but once you are up there the learning terrain is hard to beat locally.
Intermediates. Good fun within a compact area. The basins hold a nice spread of blues and a few reds, the fast chairs make for quick laps, and an intermediate has an enjoyable day here. The catch is size, since you will explore the marked terrain fairly quickly, so a keen intermediate on a longer trip should add days at Coronet Peak, Cardrona or Treble Cone.
Experts. More than you expect, but limited in extent. Beyond the groomers there are genuinely steep chutes and rocky lines, especially around the Homeward and the higher basins, that reward strong skiers when the snow is in, plus hike to terrain for the adventurous. It is not a big expert mountain, but it has real bite for a field with this family reputation.
Non skiers. Better based in Queenstown than on the hill. The mountain itself is about skiing, with a day lodge and cafe rather than a village, so a non skier is best enjoying the famous Queenstown scene below, the lake, the restaurants, the bungy and jet boats, and perhaps coming up for the views on a clear day. Queenstown is one of the world's great non skiing bases.
Terrain by ability
The Remarkables is laid out as a series of high, sunny basins above Queenstown, with the base lodge and learner area at around 1,610 m and the lifts pushing up toward 1,943 m. The terrain spreads across the bowls rather than down long fall line runs, so the character is sheltered, sunny cruising and learning rather than big vertical. There is a strong beginner zone, plenty of friendly blues, well regarded terrain parks and, for those who look, steeper chutes and hike to lines off the higher basins that surprise people.
Set your expectations to the New Zealand model and it makes sense. This is a day field reached by a long access road from Queenstown, not a ski in ski out resort, with a base lodge instead of a village. What it does brilliantly is sunny, sheltered, family friendly skiing close to one of the world's best resort towns, with enough variety to keep most groups happy for a couple of days. Pair it with Coronet Peak nearby or the Wanaka mountains an hour away and you have a full and varied Southern Hemisphere ski trip.
Photos via Google, contributed by Luke BeachCouch, David Keys and Brendan S.
Lodge, Queenstown and the evening
There is no village on the mountain at The Remarkables, just a modern day lodge with cafes, rental and the ski school at the base of the basins. You stay down in Queenstown and drive or take a ski bus up the access road each morning, which is the standard New Zealand way and works well once you allow time for the climb. The reward is that you base in one of the most spectacular and lively resort towns anywhere.
Queenstown is the evening, and it is superb. Set on Lake Wakatipu beneath the mountains, it has a huge range of restaurants and bars, a famous adventure scene of bungy, jet boats and more, and an energy that few ski towns match. It is busy and not cheap, but for nightlife, dining and things to do off the snow it is in a different league from a typical small ski village. Many visitors treat Queenstown as the holiday and the skiing as one part of it.
Lodging and chalet quotes
You stay in or around Queenstown rather than on the mountain, choosing from a wide range of hotels, apartments and lodges to suit most budgets, then travelling up to The Remarkables by car or ski bus. Staying central in Queenstown puts you near the restaurants, the lake and the bus pick ups, while quieter spots a little out of town can be better value and calmer for families. Because both Queenstown fields share the town as a base, it is easy to mix days at The Remarkables and Coronet Peak from the same lodging.
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Prices, lessons and ski hire
A Remarkables day pass runs around $90, and because it shares ownership with Coronet Peak nearby, multi day and combined passes let you split your time between the two Queenstown fields on one ticket, which is the smart buy for a longer stay. The ski and snowboard school is excellent for beginners and children, and rental is easy at the base lodge or down in Queenstown. As always, booking your pass, lessons and ski hire ahead of arrival saves money and time, and it is worth arranging the mountain transport too.
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Lift passes, lessons and ski hire are where a trip quietly leaks money. Booking ahead almost always beats the resort window price.
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Queenstown airport is the gateway and is well connected within New Zealand and to Australia, with the resort around forty five minutes away including the mountain access road. That road is the thing to plan for, a long, winding, partly unsealed climb that can require chains or four wheel drive after snow, so most visitors take the ski bus from Queenstown rather than drive it themselves. With the bus the access is straightforward, and you avoid parking and chain fitting on the colder mornings.
Sort the transfer
A smooth airport to resort transfer sets the tone for the week. Book ahead, especially over peak weeks.
Book a transferThe best weeks to ski The Remarkables
The Southern Hemisphere season runs roughly late June to early October, so this is the place to ski when the northern resorts are closed. July and August are the heart of winter, with the coldest temperatures, the most reliable snow and the liveliest atmosphere in Queenstown, including the popular Winter Festival period. This is the safest bet for cover across the basins.
September often brings the best of both worlds, longer, sunnier spring days, softer snow and smaller crowds, which suits families and learners well, though late in the season the lower runs can thin out. As with all New Zealand fields, conditions swing with the weather, so build in a flexible day or two and keep an eye on whether The Remarkables or nearby Coronet Peak has the better snow on any given morning.
The Remarkables FAQs
Is The Remarkables good for beginners and families?
Yes, it is one of the best around Queenstown for both. The learner area is genuinely good, the base is sunny and sheltered, and the ski and snowboard school is well set up for children. There is also a tubing and play area for non skiing fun.
How is The Remarkables different from Coronet Peak?
The Remarkables is sunnier, more sheltered and more family and beginner oriented, laid out in basins, while Coronet Peak nearby has longer groomed cruising runs, more night skiing and a livelier feel. Many visitors ski both on a combined pass.
What is the access road like?
It is a long, winding mountain road, partly unsealed, that can need chains or four wheel drive after snow. Most visitors take the ski bus from Queenstown rather than drive, which removes the stress of chains and parking on cold mornings.
When is the New Zealand ski season?
Roughly late June to early October. July and August are the coldest and most reliable months, while September brings sunnier spring days and smaller crowds, with the lower runs thinning out late in the season.
Is The Remarkables enough for a whole trip?
For beginners and families, a few days work well, but the marked terrain is compact, so keen skiers should combine it with Coronet Peak nearby or the Wanaka mountains, Cardrona and Treble Cone, about an hour away.
Where do you stay to ski The Remarkables?
In or around Queenstown, since there is no village on the mountain. You travel up by car or ski bus each day, and the same base works for skiing Coronet Peak too.
Nearby alternatives
The other Queenstown and Wanaka fields are the natural comparisons, and these three are worth weighing up.
Coronet Peak
The other Queenstown field with longer groomed cruising and popular night skiing, the move when you want more piste and a livelier mountain.
Cardrona
A big, sunny family field over toward Wanaka with strong learner terrain and world class parks, the move when you want more space and more days.
Treble Cone
The biggest, steepest terrain in the region above Wanaka with long runs and serious off piste, the move when you want challenge and vertical.
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By the Ski Resorts for Kings editorial team · Last reviewed May 2026.