DEDICATED selfie addicts hiked miles up a mountain in New Zealand to capture a breathtaking picture at its peak - only to find dozens of people queuing for the exact same snap.

Hilarious images show scores of mountaineers forming an orderly queue at the 1578m summit of Roy's Peak, in Wanaka.

3 A hiker uploaded pictures exposing the reality behind the perfect snap Credit: Lukas Stefanko

A spokeswoman for New Zealand's Department of Conservation said visitor numbers to the Peak had increased by 12% to 73,000 between 2016 and 2018.

She told the BBC the spot had become a "quintessential icon for the Wanaka region through social media".

However, she added that queuing for perfect photo is not obligatory: "It's just the way some people on any given day will sort themselves."

On Trip Advisor, one hiker said: "Roy's Peak is one of the most instagrammed spots in NZ.

3 Another angle shows dozens of hikers queuing for their moment on the top spot Credit: Alamy

3 The summit has become a tourist hotspot in recent years as backpackers make the journey to get shots for their social media accounts Credit: Rex Features

So there were a lot of people at the viewpoint to get that desired photo.

"It was hard to get a photo without several strangers in it, and a tad awkward posing for a picture with such a large audience."

Others criticised the photos, saying it's "sad" that taking photos is taking priority over enjoying the view.

Twitter user Bobby wrote: "Sheep, lemmings and zombies; an entire society slipping away into a self-absorbed web of narcissistic thread."

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Another tweeted: "This really upsets me. What is wrong with these people? If I hiked all the way up and finally got to this view, I would just stare and cry and be thankful I got to see it."

Queuing has also ruined beauty spots at other locations locations around the world.

One Reddit user said: "Had this experience when we went to Fushimi Inari Gates in Kyoto, Japan.

"Everyone posing on the way up the mountain made it not enjoyable for us having to stop every five seconds to wait for people to pose and snap photos."

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