Updated in October 2026, this Wellington Botanic Garden guide covers ticket prices, opening hours, parking or transport, accessibility and what to see.
The Wellington Botanic Garden, also known as Ki Paekākā, is a 25-hectare garden on the hills of Kelburn above Wellington city centre. Entry is free, and the garden is open from dawn to dusk all year. This guide was last updated in October 2026 and confirms the dawn-to-dusk hours, the Treehouse Visitor Centre hours and the current parking options.
Quick facts: the Wellington Botanic Garden
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Dawn to dusk, all year. Treehouse Visitor Centre 9am to 4pm on weekdays. |
| Ticket prices | Free entry ($0). Cable Car one way: adult $7. |
| Address | 101 Glenmore Street, Kelburn, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Nearest transport or parking | Wellington Cable Car to the Kelburn entrance. Bus 2 stops at Glenmore Street. Paid parking nearby. |
| Typical time needed | About 2 hours to half a day |
The Wellington Botanic Garden opening hours
The garden is open from dawn to dusk, all year round. There are no seasonal changes to the garden’s opening hours. Facilities have their own hours:
- Treehouse Visitor Centre and shop: 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday. From September to April it opens 10am to 4pm on weekends and public holidays. It is closed on weekends from May to August, and on Christmas Day.
- Discovery Garden: open dawn to dusk, but closed to the public during booked school visits.
The garden’s glow-worm tours run at night at set times through the year. The best time to see glow-worms is spring, after rain.
The Wellington Botanic Garden ticket prices
Entry to the Wellington Botanic Garden is free. There is no charge to walk the paths, use the playground or visit the rose garden.
- Garden entry: free.
- Wheelchair loan: free from the Treehouse Visitor Centre. Book ahead on 04 499 1400.
- Duck food: available at the pond or the Treehouse, with a suggested koha of $2.
- Wellington Cable Car to the garden: $7 for an adult one way, and $13 for an adult return. Children aged 5 to 15 pay $3.50 one way.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in October 2026.
The Wellington City Pass includes a return trip on the Wellington Cable Car to the garden. The pass also gives admission to two of four attractions: Wellington Zoo, Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne, Space Place or an Introducing Te Papa Tour.
5 top experiences to book in Wellington
- 🎬 Take a full day Lord of the Rings tour – including filming locations and the Weta Workshop.
- ⛴️ See Wellington from the water on 90 minute harbour cruise.
- 🥝 On a twilight tour of the Zealandia sanctuary, see protected native wildlife – including kiwis.
- 🦭 Spot seals on a 4WD tour along the coastline.
- 🌿 Learn about New Zealand’s extraordinary conservation efforts on a day tour to predator-free Kapiti Island.
How to get to the Wellington Botanic Garden
The garden is minutes from downtown Wellington. It has several entrances, including Glenmore Street, Salamanca Road, Upland Road and the top of the Cable Car. The main entrance is on Glenmore Street.
- By Cable Car: the Wellington Cable Car leaves Cable Car Lane, off Lambton Quay, every 10 minutes. The ride to the Kelburn terminus takes about five minutes.
- By bus: the No. 2 bus runs between Miramar and Karori about every seven minutes. It stops at the Centennial and Founders’ entrances on Glenmore Street.
- On foot: a popular route goes from The Terrace through Bolton Street Cemetery. It takes about 15 minutes to the Lady Norwood Rose Garden and five more minutes to the Display Garden.
- By bike: a protected bike lane runs from the city to the main entrance. Bike parking is near the Rose Garden, at Founders’ Entrance and at the top of the Cable Car.
Parking at the Wellington Botanic Garden
The only public vehicle access is through the Centennial Entrance on Glenmore Street. This leads to the car park at the Lady Norwood Rose Garden, which has paid parking.
Paid parking is also available at the top of the Cable Car and on Ballantrae Place, Clifton Terrace, Bolton Street and Mowbray Street. Free short-stay parking of two to three hours is available on Glenmore Street near Founders’ Entrance.
Mobility parking is at Founders’ Entrance on Glenmore Street and at the Lady Norwood Rose Garden.
How long to spend at the Wellington Botanic Garden
Plan about 2 hours to half a day. The garden has many self-guided walks, including the downhill walk from the Cable Car to the city, the Waipiro and Pukatea bush walks, the Sculpture Trail and the Kōwhai Walk.
A quick visit covers the Cable Car lookout, the Treehouse and the Rose Garden. Walkers can return to the city through the garden and Bolton Street Cemetery, a stroll of about 40 minutes from the top of the Cable Car.
Accessibility at the Wellington Botanic Garden
The garden is quite hilly. The garden has a silver rating from Be. Accessible. The top of the Cable Car, the Lady Norwood Rose Garden and the Glenmore Street main entrance are wheelchair friendly.
The Display Garden has flat paved paths and suits visitors of all ages. A wheelchair is available free from the Treehouse Visitor Centre. The playground has safety surfacing on its more accessible equipment, with talk tubes, musical panels and a sensory play module.
Dogs are welcome on a lead, and owners must clean up after them. The closest off-lead areas are on Te Ahumairangi Hill and above the Terrace tunnel.
What to see at the Wellington Botanic Garden
The garden holds curated plant collections from around the world and tributes to New Zealand’s natural heritage. It is a Garden of National Significance and a heritage area, with 150 years of history.
The Lady Norwood Rose Garden (1953) has more than 300 varieties of roses. The roses are at their best from November to March. The Peace Garden and the Peace Flame, lit from fires in Hiroshima, are beside it.
The Treehouse Visitor Centre has a lookout in the middle of the garden. The Threatened Species Garden is next to it.
Other collections include the Alpine Rock Garden, the Australian Garden, the Camellia Gully, the Fernery, the Fragrant Garden and the Cacti and Succulent Collection. The Herb Garden and the Harakeke (flax) collection show practical plant uses.
The Duck Pond has a gazebo. Visitors feed the ducks with kibbled corn, not bread. The playground has a dual flying fox, a climbable tower, three long slides and swings.
Space Place at the top of the garden has a planetarium, interactive galleries and a historic Thomas Cooke telescope. Bolton Street Cemetery has notable graves and heritage gardens.
Practical visitor tips
| Topic | Tip |
|---|---|
| Timing | The garden is open dawn to dusk. The Treehouse Visitor Centre closes at 4pm. |
| Crowds | The Rose Garden is popular, with roses at their best from November to March. |
| Layout | The Cable Car entrance is at the top. The Glenmore Street entrance is at the bottom, and the garden slopes between them. |
| Entry process | Entry needs no ticket. Walk in from any entrance. |
| On-site logistics | Collect brochures and maps at the Treehouse. Dogs must be on a lead. Do not feed the ducks bread. |
Frequently asked questions about the Wellington Botanic Garden
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the Wellington Botanic Garden free to enter? | Yes. Entry is free. The Cable Car to the garden has a fare. |
| Is the Wellington Botanic Garden suitable for children? | Yes. It has a playground, a duck pond and the Discovery Garden. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for the Wellington Botanic Garden? | No. The garden needs no ticket or booking. |
| Is the Wellington Botanic Garden open on Sundays? | Yes. The garden is open every day from dawn to dusk. |
| Are dogs allowed at the Wellington Botanic Garden? | Yes, on a lead. Owners must clean up after their dogs. |
Things to do near the Wellington Botanic Garden
- Wellington Cable Car: the cable car from Cable Car Lane on Lambton Quay to the Kelburn entrance of the garden, a five-minute ride.
- Cable Car Museum: a free museum in the original winding house at 1A Upland Road, next to the Kelburn terminus and the garden entrance.
- Wellington Museum: a museum in the 1892 Bond Store at 3 Jervois Quay on the waterfront, two minutes from Lambton Quay and the Cable Car. General admission is free.
- Te Papa: New Zealand’s national museum at 55 Cable Street on the waterfront. In central Wellington it is rarely more than 20 minutes’ walk away.
- Wellington Zoo: New Zealand’s oldest zoo at 200 Daniell Street in Newtown, about 10 minutes by car or bus from the city centre.
Alternative attractions
- Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush: the only public botanic garden in New Zealand dedicated to native plants, about 5 km from the city centre, with free entry.
- Truby King Park: a heritage-listed house and garden at 21 Manchester Terrace in Melrose, with views of the sea.
- Bolton Street Cemetery: a historic cemetery on Bolton Street, linked to the Botanic Garden by walking paths.
- Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne: a fully fenced ecosanctuary reached by a free shuttle from the top of the Cable Car.
- Gillies Garden: a garden of three-quarters of an acre in native bush at Silverstream, Upper Hutt.
More New Zealand North Island travel
Other New Zealand North Island travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- How to see the thunderous Huka Falls, plus the Aratiatia Rapids, Wairakei Terraces and Craters of the Moon near Taupo.
- Practical guides to the Waipahihi Botanic Gardens, Spa Thermal Park and Hot Water Beach in Taupo.
- How to get the best out of the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park.
- Tackling Auckland’s 16km Coast-to-Coast Walkway via One Tree Hill and Mount Eden.
- Kuirau Park, Rotorua: The public park with mud pools and steam vents.
