This is actually the best time of year to visit Thredbo

Ditch your regular holiday programming, this is your go-to guide to discover the beauty and thrills of Thredbo in summer.

Head to the high country to unearth the stunning landscape of a wildflower-strewn Thredbo summer. During the warmer months, the alpine landscape of the Snowy Mountains becomes an undulating playground of pulse-quickening adventure and restorative nature immersion.

From exploring the meadows, groves, waterfalls and challenging bike trails among the mountains to dining at Australia’s highest restaurant and enjoying village life, Thredbo really is your one-stop-summer-shop whether you’re new to summer activities in the mountains, a professional mountain biker or just someone who enjoys beautiful scenery with delicious food. And you can do it all with discounted day passes.

Enjoy the view as you ride the chairlift to the start of Thredbo’s alpine hiking tracks.

Thredbo summer mountain activities

1. Mountain biking

With Australia’s only lift-accessed MTB park, Thredbo has become a beacon for downhill excitement. Kit up to get down at Thredbo Mountain Bike Park, where there’s two-wheeled fun to be had for everyone from beginners to pros.

First-timers can pedal their way to confidence in the Cruiser area, where the new Easy Rider, Paparazzi and Grasshopper trails provide the perfect place to progress your skills. There’s also everything you need to get kitted up for your new favourite summertime hobby at Thredbo Retail and Rental, where you’ll find bikes and protective equipment to hire. Once you’ve been carefully fitted out, book a lesson at Thredbo’s MTB School, which teaches novices the ropes during daily introductory clinics led by expert instructors to ensure you put your best tyre forward.

For more experienced mountain bike riders, there are more than 40 kilometres of downhill tracks to tackle.

Ride through the wildflowers of Thredbo in summer.

2. Hiking

Lace up your walking boots for Thredbo hikes. You can opt for self-guided hikes, or benefit from booking a Private Hike or a Guided Hike where a knowledgeable guide will safely lead you through more adventurous terrain to access beautiful landscapes. Guides enhance your experience by sharing stories of local history and fascinating information about endemic flora and fauna along the way. Private hikes are a great way to personalise the experience, thanks to greater flexibility.

Discover striking rock formation on the Aries Tor hike.

Adventurers looking to set themselves a challenge will love the 21-kilometre Mt Townsend hike, while the Alpine Lakes hike and the Aries Tor hike are perfect for avid photographers and novice ecologists alike. Of course, it’s the Mt Kosciuszko Summit Hike that attracts star-billing. The 13-kilometre, four-to-six-hour trek to Australia’s highest peak, towering at 2228 metres, is absolutely boast-worthy and demands a summit selfie.

For a unique perspective of the landscape after hours, be sure to book a guided evening hike – such as the Aries Tor at Sunset, Mt Kosciuszko at Sunset or New Moon Hike – where you’ll experience the nightly spectacle of the sun slipping away in a spectrum of reds and pinks before the night sky ascends in all its sparkling beauty. It’s impossible not to be captivated by the pristine Milky Way above.

Witness the full moon rise from the top of Australia.

3. Thredbo Village

When you’re not scaling up or hurtling down the mountain, there’s always something to do in Thredbo Village. In the summertime, cool off in the waterslide and pool, or work up a sweat at the tennis, squash or basketball courts. Work on your handicap on the golf course or let your inner speed demon loose on the alpine bobsled and at the skate park.

For low-key communion with nature, there are tranquil spots for fly-fishing and scenic ascents by chairlift to absorb those alpine vistas.

4. Wellness and wildflowers

The dusty green, sun-bleached bush and soft summer breeze provide a gentle backdrop to enhance your wellbeing. Keep your Zen with yoga practice at the Thredbo Alpine Hotel with local operator Jai Yoga.

Enjoy a meditative stroll amid nature along the Merritts Nature Track and fast-forward to invigoration with a cold plunge in a crystal-clear mountain river. Between December and February, the alpine meadows are painted in an array of vibrant blooms. It’s the perfect time to fill your backpack with picnic provisions and head out to throw a rug down amid the wildflowers.

Join the daily yoga practice at the Thredbo Alpine Hotel.

Thredbo summer events

1. Festivals and festivities

Thredbo’s summer season of hiking and MTB kicks off with Opening Weekend on 18 November this year. From there, the summer events calendar is packed with high-energy MTB competitions (like the renowned Cannonball Festival), festive fun and themed events – from Christmas Eve carols to Christmas Day lunch and a New Year’s Eve degustation dinner. Not to mention the Thredbo Blues Festival in January, and a handful of Easter events. Don’t miss the Thredbo Summer Music Series, a free concert of live music and good times across three consecutive weekends.

2. School holiday fun

Enrol bike-mad kids in a one-week MTB School Holiday Camp or the new one-day Gravity Groms program that teaches kids aged five to 14 how to level up their skills. Bring the brood along to the Kids Summer Adventure Festival and the Kids Autumn Adventure Festival during the school holidays to enjoy outdoorsy challenges, games and a range of activities. For little ones, Santa visits at Christmas and the Easter Bunny visits in March, both bringing loads of excitement.

Keep the kids busy all summer long.

Delicious Thredbo dining

1. Eagles Nest

Taking dining out to new heights, Eagles Nest presides over Thredbo Village and proudly claims the title of Australia’s highest restaurant. Set at 1937 metres, you’ll need to ride the Kosciuszko Express Chairlift to grab a table, where your ascent is rewarded with 270-degree views and an Italian-inspired menu of pizza, meatballs and treats such as tiramisu.

Dine in Australia’s highest restaurant.

2. The Bakery in the Village Square

The perfect place to stock up on baked supplies ahead of a day exploring the mountain trails, this cosy bakery makes fresh sambos to go, as well as good coffee, buttery croissants and other goodies that you’ll need to replenish calories as you tackle two-wheeled descents and two-legged ascents.

3. The Local Pub

Share tales from the trails over lunch or dinner at The Local Pub in Thredbo Village. As the drinks flow, stories from the mountaintop may become more entertaining and embellished as they’re shared with plenty of laughs over rib-sticking pub classics such as nachos, schnitzel and burgers.

Enjoy lunch or dinner at The Local Pub. (Image: Ben Calvert)

4. Cascades Restaurant

Gaze up toward the mountain as you sip refined wines in this modern diner. With a menu driven by the seasons and finessed with locally sourced produce, the chef-curated plates at Cascades Restaurant are elegant and delicious. You can also pop in for breakfast, or if you’re in a rush to get the day’s activities underway, grab a bacon and egg roll to takeaway.

Treat yourself to chef-curated meals at Cascades.

Luxurious Thredbo lodgings

1. Thredbo Alpine Hotel

Wood-panelled and vaguely retro with a carefully contemporary update, this historic ski chalet-style hotel is a luxe place to rest mountain-weary bodies. Welcoming everyone from couples to families with generous, well-appointed rooms, an inviting bar, outdoor event space and Cascades Restaurant, everything is located just steps from your door.

Book into the ski chalet-style Thredbo Alpine Hotel.

2. Thredbo Alpine Apartments

If speedy access to the Alps is your key motivator when booking accommodation, settle into spacious digs at the self-contained Thredbo Alpine Apartments, which are just metres from the lifts and other resort facilities. Each one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartment is equipped with a kitchen, private bathroom and parking. Most also have balconies from which to enjoy your morning cuppa.

Take advantage of self-catering at Thredbo Alpine Apartments.

3. Riverside Cabins

Get cabin-cosy with these waterside, self-contained abodes that are just a short walk away from the village, should you want to partake in the festival atmosphere and nightlife. Or settle in after a day exploring the grassy slopes and cook dinner in the fully equipped kitchen. Choose from a studio loft or one-bedroom loft cabin with a balcony, where you can enjoy a cold beer on a summery evening.

Get cabin-cosy in the adorable Riverside Cabins.

Planning your Thredbo summer visit

Before you hit the mountain, be sure to grab the best deal for your Thredbo summer by planning ahead. You’ll need lift passes to access many of the MTB and hiking trails, so head here to snap up an early-bird special for the Scenic Adventure Pass and MTB Adventure Pass. Also check out the Adventure Pass Upgrade with your lift pass, which grants you unlimited access to a huge range of activities for $10 extra per day, including the alpine bobsled, golf and tennis plus the gym, pool and more at Thredbo Leisure Centre.

Start planning your summer getaway at thredbo.com.au.