Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago NZ

Climbing Lindis Peak (1226m) in Central Otago is a lesser known up and down walk with 360 degree views of the area, including the distinctive St Bathans Range, and distant snowy peaks of the Main Divide.

Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago

Sophia and I had driven through the Lindis Valley on our way to Mt Cook at Christmas time in 2015. After doing most of the regular day walks around Queenstown, I decided to drive out this way again in winter 2016 for the walk up Lindis Peak, and it did not disappoint. There are 360 degree views of the surrounding Central Otago countryside, (and over the border into Canterbury), including the impressive St Bathans Range, and distant snowy peaks of the Southern Alps.

In 2016 there were cloud inversions in the Lindis Valley and other distant valleys all day, making it a particularly photogenic affair. Not so attractive when I took Sophia up in 2017, but I’ve included a few pics from then also.

Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
An obvious track/route the whole way.

Here’s a DOC link to walks in the area, including this one. Starts off in pasture, but on the occasions we did it there was relatively little animal dung. The upper sections are a reserve with typical tussock grass and the dangerously spiky spear grass (or Spaniards). A good walk for cooler weather as there’s no shade. About 800m change in elevation; of moderate difficulty. The track starts roughly at the marked spot in the map below (there are signs and just a little space for parking)…

Lindis Peak Track: The Scenery

24th June 2016

To prevent a mountainous cold sore, my wife Sophia stayed at home on the day I first did this walk in 2016. It was a shame because there were excellent cloud inversions all day, making the already good views even better.

Driving through Cromwell, Central Otago
The drive in . Big fruit by the road side means this is Cromwell.
Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
A misty start. I had to drive through this for ages.
Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
Looking up at Lindis Peak from just above the mist.
Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
The distinctively shaped St Bathans Range peaks at about 2098m of elevation. Taken from the summit of Lindis Peak (1226m).
Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
The Lindis Valley remained a cloud sink all day.

Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago

Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
The distant snow clad peaks of the Main Divide visible in this zoomed, and so slightly blurry shot. These far off shots look better in real life. Looking west.

Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago

Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
Roughly midway between the bottom of the photo and the horizon, there is a tiny plane looking like a speck of dust, dwarfed by the scale of the scenery.
Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
This just slightly below the summit taken on the way down, when the cloud was in fact moving more into the valley. It looks like a soup.
Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
Me on the summit; taken by a friendly German couple, Lukas and Anika, the only others on the mountain today.
Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
On the way down.
Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
Fluffy clouds.
Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
Approaching the wall of cloud.
Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
One of my wife’s favourite shots.
Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
In the mist of things.
Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
Back down under the cloud.
Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
Near the end.
Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
Sustenance before driving home. An “eegg”, since this is NZ.
Pisa Range and Lake Dunstan, taken on the drive home from Lindis Peak.
Pisa Range and Lake Dunstan, taken on the drive home from Lindis Peak.
Gratuitous Beer Shot
An excellent Kiwi black IPA (actually I like all black IPAs), and a beer from Fullers, one of my favourite brewers ever (from London as the name suggests).

14th May 2017

Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
From the summit looking back down the route up.
Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
Distant snowy peaks.
Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
From the summit looking north.
Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
Not sure what this was, but it looked like one of those rock-like succulents. Fungus perhaps.
Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
The cloud capped Saint Bathans Range in the distance.
Lindis Peak Track, Central Otago
Spaniards. They’re evil. The plants. Not the people.

Author: Edward Hathway

I'm a clinical psychologist and keen hiker.

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