The Crown Range

The Crown Range lies between Queenstown and Wanaka. The road over the range, known as the Crown Range Road, is the highest main road in New Zealand. It reaches an alititude of 1121 metres.

While the Crown Range Road is a shorter way to journey between Queenstown and Wanaka, travel time is longer than the usual route through Cromwell. You should also allow time to stop and admire the massive views, which are often accompanied by amusing encounters with kea (mountain parrots).

If you're setting out from the Queenstown end of the road, look for the clearly marked turnoff just past Lake Hayes. The road zigzags up to the Crown Terrace and from there you can look down to Arrowtown in the Arrow Valley, and across to the Remarkables Range.

The road then climbs steeply to the summit, where you'll be able to see Frankton, part of Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown. For another impressive view, leave your car and walk up the track to the lookout. On the Wanaka side of the range, the road crosses a plateau of farmland and descends steadily along Cardrona Valley. On the left is the Crown Range; on the right the Criffle Range. This land around here is old goldmining country - piles of tailings can still be seen. The historic Cardrona Hotel is one of New Zealand's oldest - there are many interesting local artefacts on display in the bar and restaurant.

Lakes Wanaka and Hawea

Excavated by massive glaciers more than 10,000 years ago, Lakes Wanaka and Hawea lie side by side. At a sliver of land known as The Neck, which is just 1000 metres wide, the glaciers were once joined.

Lake Wanaka is the source of New Zealand's largest river, the Clutha. Lake Hawea feeds into the Hawea River, which joins the Clutha at Albert Town.

Ringed by pebbly beaches and with magnificent views to the surrounding peaks, both lakes offer a variety of adventures, especially during the long, hot months of summer.

Walking tracks skirt the southern edge of Lake Wanaka. The walk up Mount Iron is a good choice if you're interested in geology. The mountain shows classic signs of glaciation - rounded on its upstream face and steep and craggy on the downstream side.

>From Lake Hawea township you can find an excellent walk by following Timaru River Road to Timaru Creek, a picnic and camping area. The trail that begins here leads through a valley of beech forest until it flattens onto a braided river bed.

Rob Roy Glacier Track

The Rob Roy Glacier Track leads you into Mount Aspiring National Park, an amazing world of mountains, glaciers, river valleys and alpine lakes.

From Wanaka, the experience begins with a one hour drive along the beautiful Matukituki Valley into the national park. At the road's end, the track follows Rob Roy Stream through beech forest - enjoy waterfalls and the luxuriant understorey of ferns and mosses. At the tree line, the forest gives way to alpine vegetation and spectacular views of the hanging glaciers beneath Mount Rob Roy. The glaciers are active - from your safe viewing point you can watch and listen for avalanches and other signs of movement. Spectacular waterfalls line the jagged cliffs.

The walk to the viewing point is mostly uphill, but the incline is gradual. If you eat lunch at the viewing point, be aware that the kea (mountain parrots) can be very persistent - turn your back for a second, and they'll steal your picnic.

Allow three to four hours to complete this track.

Cardrona Valley

The beautifully scenic road along Cardrona Valley merges with the route over the Crown Range which, at 1121 metres, is the highest main road in New Zealand.

Abuzz during the Otago gold rush of the 1860s, Cardrona's name is now synonymous with white treasure - the snow that covers the world-class Cardrona Alpine Resort ski field and Waiorau Snow Farm, a Nordic ski area.

With trails open for hiking and mountain biking in the warmer months, the Cardrona Valley is a popular route for those wanting to combine some adventure activity with a scenic drive. Back country horse treks are also available in the valley.

Cardrona Valley has a fascinating history. Be sure to check out the famous Cardrona Hotel (very reliable for a good meal and a pint) and the much-loved Cardrona Hall and Church. The hall hosts the annual Cardrona Folk Music Festival, which is held on Labour Weekend in October.

Haast Pass

The drive from Wanaka to the West Coast passes through spectacular scenery. This route was a traditional pathway for Maori journeying west in search of pounamu (greenstone or jade).

The basins that are filled by Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka were gouged out by the Hawea and Wanaka Glaciers. Two arms of the glaciers joined at a narrow piece of land called The Neck.

Makarora, at the northern tip of Lake Wanaka, is a launching point for several multi-day walks in Mount Aspiring National Park. A number of shorter walks begin at the highway's edge between Makarora to Haast. Favourites include walks to the Blue Pools, Fantail Falls, Thunder Creek Falls and Roaring Billy. At the Gates of Haast gorge, many travellers stop to photograph the wild water as it crashes over the river boulders.

The Maori name for the trail that leads through Haast Pass is Tiora-patea, which means 'the way is clear'. A gold prospector called Charles Cameron is believed to be the first European to find the pass. He crossed over in January 1863, burying his powder flask to the west of the pass. Close behind him came Julius von Haast, who named the pass after himself and claimed to be the first European to have travelled through it, however the discovery of Cameron's flask discredited this claim.