06 Invercargill to Queenstown
This route was brought to you by:
RouteXpert Nick Carthew - (MRA Master)
Last edit: 04-05-2021
Route Summary This route travels along the edge of the unique Fiordland National Park and then on to Lake Wakatipu along the Southern Scenic Route. Never far away from the majestic Southern Alps. Exceptional views and landscapes await you on very good roads with lots of excellent attractions. It's another 5***** star route to join the others in this tour.
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Duration
7h 19m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
348.40 km
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RouteXpert Review Starting from a fuel station with a full tank of fuel, you'll soon be travelling through fields of rich pasture on the Southern Scenic Route (SSR). The previous route of this tour 05, joined the Southern Scenic Route at Dunedin and this route takes you to the other end at Queenstown.
The Southern Scenic Route is a road trip like no other.
This incredible journey has been ranked one of the top 10 drives of the world, and for good reason. It is just over 600 km of spectacular natural and cultural attractions. Picturesque coastlines, remote beaches, lush native rainforests, pristine lakes and stunning mountain vistas are just some of the highlights along this epic route. It is an ideal drive for those who want to explore everything southern New Zealand has to offer.
Thirty kms from Invercargill is the seaside town of Riverton, one of the most popular towns in Western Southland and is a great stop on the Southern Scenic Route. The township is nestled at the western end of Oreti Beach, set in a picturesque location that spans Jacob’s River Estuary, the fondly named “Riviera of the South”. Nearly 200 years old, Riverton (Aparima) is the oldest Pākehā settlement in Southland and one of the earliest European settlements in New Zealand. Pākehā is a Māori-language term for New Zealanders primarily of European descent.
A short ride from here takes you to McCracken's Rest.
McCracken's Rest is a lookout and rest area perched on the edge of the cliff with commanding views of Te Waewae Bay and the tiny one million year old Solander Islands, formed by the eroded skeleton of a volcano. According to Maori legend, the Solanders are the broken tooth and crumbs tossed aside by Kewa the whale, when it chewed between Stewart Island (Rakiura) and the mainland. You may even catch a glimpse of New Zealand’s largest pod of Hector’s Dolphins! McCracken's Rest is the perfect place to pause in your journey to take in the scenery and fresh air, and of course to take the classic traveller's photo in front of the signpost. This is the last you'll see of the sea as the route now turns north and heads inland.
Another short ride sees you arriving at Tuatapere for a coffee break.
Tuatapere not only sits on the edge of wilderness amid spectacular unspoilt scenery and lush rolling farmland. It is the launch pad to accessing the variety of natural environments and adventure activities in Western Southland, including world-class jet boating and hiking. Lying on the Southern Scenic Route, it is an increasingly well-travelled place to stop.
Tuatapere has a rich sawmilling history and is home to a fascinating logging museum, along with many other quaint reminders of the town’s pioneering history. The tranquil town of Tuatapere built around the Waiau River is where the Southern Scenic Route was originally conceived and is also the homebase for the World Famous Tuatapere Sausage, the town is known as the sausage capital of New Zealand!
Another short ride (this route is a collection of these!) and you'll be crossing the Waiau River with a view of the historic Clifden Suspension Bridge to your left.
The historic Clifden Suspension Bridge was an important transport link in what was a relatively remote part of Southland; opening up of the area east of the Waiau River. It was built in 1898-99 to replace a punt which had operated since the early days of settlement. At that time the Waiau River was often swift and dangerous, but the flow has since been severely reduced by hydroelectric development on Lake Manapouri.
Staying on the SSR, you're carried closer and closer to the mountains on what has been up until now, a relatively flat road. A section of twisty bends that continuously climb takes you over Blackmount and then gently back down on the other side. The snow capped Hunter Range of mountains are on your left with the less dramatic Takitimu mountains to your right as you head for Lake Manapouri.
Nestled amongst the Kepler Mountains, Turret Range and the Hunter Mountains, Lake Manapouri and surrounds offer stunning scenery and numerous activities to enjoy. Often described as New Zealand’s most beautiful lake, Lake Manapouri has stunning sandy beaches and her deep blue waters can make you feel like you are on a pacific island, not in the deep south of New Zealand. Measuring 444 metres deep, the lake is New Zealand’s second deepest. Formed by a glacier, Lake Manapouri has been cut deep into the ground - the bottom of the lake now lies 267 metres below sea level.
A short ride from here is the town and lake sharing the same name; Te Anau.
The picturesque township of Te Anau is the main visitor base for the glacier-carved wilderness that is Fiordland National Park making it a natural place for another coffee stop,
Lake Te Anau is the largest body of freshwater not only in NZ but the whole of Australasia, stretching 65 km south to north, with three deep arms spreading west into Fiordland National Park wilderness. The lakes of Te Anau and Manapouri are connected by the mighty Waiau River.
Turning away from Fiordland the route passes through the foothills of the Livingstone and Eyre mountains to the north with the Takitimu mountains south of you as you head towards the small town of Mossburn for lunch.
A conspicuous stag monument proclaims Mossburn ‘the venison capital of the world’. New Zealand’s first deer farm was established nearby in 1972 and a game-processing works has been in operation since 1962. Venison burger for lunch?
An hours ride after lunch and you'll be crossing the regional border from Southland to Otago and arriving at Kingston on the southern tip of Lake Wakatipu. Kingston is home to The Kingston Flyer.
The Kingston Flyer is New Zealand's famous vintage steam train set in the spectacular mountain scenery of the Queenstown Lakes District. When gold was discovered in the Wakatipu district in 1862 the need to connect the district by steamships and steam trains became apparent. The railway line at last reached Kingston on July 10, 1878 and a public holiday was declared by Queenstown Borough and Lake County Councils.
Sadly, the service was replaced by buses and passenger numbers declined through the 1950's. The final Kingston Flyer operated during the Easter holiday of 1957.
Several attempts at restoration have been thwarted but the good news is; all going well, the Kingston Flyer will be operating again on the 14 km stretch of track from Kingston to Fairlight by November 2022.
I mentioned that Kingston was on the southern tip of Lake Wakatipu, well in my opinion the lake is the jewel in the crown of this route. Lake Wakatipu fills a deep valley carved into the mountains by ancient glaciers. Shaped like a lightning bolt and with a length of 80 km, it is New Zealand's longest lake. Because of its unusual shape, Lake Wakatipu has a 'tide' (more correctly, an unusually large seiche or "standing wave"), which causes the water to rise and fall about 10 centimetres every 25 minutes or so. Maori legend links this phenomenon to the heartbeat of a huge monster named Matau, who is said to be slumbering at the bottom of the lake.
The SSR is known as The Devil's Staircase because of the undulations in the road as it runs alongside the lake offering breathtaking views. You'll never forget riding The Devil's Staircase!
The end of the route is at a McDonald's in Frankton just 5 km from Queenstown. I ended the route here to enable you to have a coffee while you work out where your accommodation is. Queenstown is very popular as a holiday destination so the choice of accommodation is almost endless. I have included a few links below this review. Queenstown accommodation ranges from cosy backpacker dorms to world-class luxury lodges. Most places to stay have great views and easy access to nearby activities. Staying in downtown Queenstown will ensure you are close to the thriving nightlife and many excellent restaurants of the town.
Out in the Gibbston, you'll find places to stay in vineyards, while in the direction of Glenorchy there are plenty of bed and breakfasts and boutique lodges along the lakefront.
Arrowtown is 15 minutes away from central Queenstown and offers a quieter and often cheaper alternative to the hustle and bustle.
Wherever you choose to stay - enjoy.
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Use of this GPS route is at your own expense and risk. The route has been carefully composed and checked by a MyRoute-app accredited RouteXpert for use on TomTom, Garmin and MyRoute-app Navigation.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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New Zealand
About this region
New Zealand (Māori: Aotearoa [aɔˈtɛaɾɔa]) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui) and the South Island (Te Waipounamu)—and more than 700 smaller islands, covering a total area of 268,021 square kilometres (103,500 sq mi). New Zealand is about 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) south of the islands of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. The country's varied topography and sharp mountain peaks, including the Southern Alps, owe much to tectonic uplift and volcanic eruptions. New Zealand's capital city is Wellington, and its most populous city is Auckland.
Owing to their remoteness, the islands of New Zealand were the last large habitable lands to be settled by humans. Between about 1280 and 1350, Polynesians began to settle in the islands and then developed a distinctive Māori culture. In 1642, the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight New Zealand. In 1840, representatives of the United Kingdom and Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, which declared British sovereignty over the islands. In 1841, New Zealand became a colony within the British Empire, and in 1907 it became a dominion; it gained full statutory independence in 1947, and the British monarch remained the head of state. Today, the majority of New Zealand's population of 5 million is of European descent; the indigenous Māori are the largest minority, followed by Asians and Pacific Islanders. Reflecting this, New Zealand's culture is mainly derived from Māori and early British settlers, with recent broadening arising from increased immigration. The official languages are Māori and New Zealand Sign Language, with English being a de facto official and dominant language.
A developed country, New Zealand ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as quality of life, education, protection of civil liberties, government transparency, and economic freedom. New Zealand underwent major economic changes during the 1980s, which transformed it from a protectionist to a liberalised free-trade economy. The service sector dominates the national economy, followed by the industrial sector, and agriculture; international tourism is a significant source of revenue. Nationally, legislative authority is vested in an elected, unicameral Parliament, while executive political power is exercised by the Cabinet, led by the prime minister, currently Jacinda Ardern. Queen Elizabeth II is the country's monarch and is represented by the governor-general. In addition, New Zealand is organised into 11 regional councils and 67 territorial authorities for local government purposes. The Realm of New Zealand also includes Tokelau (a dependent territory); the Cook Islands and Niue (self-governing states in free association with New Zealand); and the Ross Dependency, which is New Zealand's territorial claim in Antarctica.
New Zealand is a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, ANZUS, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, ASEAN Plus Six, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Pacific Community and the Pacific Islands Forum.
Read more on Wikipedia
Owing to their remoteness, the islands of New Zealand were the last large habitable lands to be settled by humans. Between about 1280 and 1350, Polynesians began to settle in the islands and then developed a distinctive Māori culture. In 1642, the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight New Zealand. In 1840, representatives of the United Kingdom and Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, which declared British sovereignty over the islands. In 1841, New Zealand became a colony within the British Empire, and in 1907 it became a dominion; it gained full statutory independence in 1947, and the British monarch remained the head of state. Today, the majority of New Zealand's population of 5 million is of European descent; the indigenous Māori are the largest minority, followed by Asians and Pacific Islanders. Reflecting this, New Zealand's culture is mainly derived from Māori and early British settlers, with recent broadening arising from increased immigration. The official languages are Māori and New Zealand Sign Language, with English being a de facto official and dominant language.
A developed country, New Zealand ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as quality of life, education, protection of civil liberties, government transparency, and economic freedom. New Zealand underwent major economic changes during the 1980s, which transformed it from a protectionist to a liberalised free-trade economy. The service sector dominates the national economy, followed by the industrial sector, and agriculture; international tourism is a significant source of revenue. Nationally, legislative authority is vested in an elected, unicameral Parliament, while executive political power is exercised by the Cabinet, led by the prime minister, currently Jacinda Ardern. Queen Elizabeth II is the country's monarch and is represented by the governor-general. In addition, New Zealand is organised into 11 regional councils and 67 territorial authorities for local government purposes. The Realm of New Zealand also includes Tokelau (a dependent territory); the Cook Islands and Niue (self-governing states in free association with New Zealand); and the Ross Dependency, which is New Zealand's territorial claim in Antarctica.
New Zealand is a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, ANZUS, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, ASEAN Plus Six, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Pacific Community and the Pacific Islands Forum.
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Route Collections in this region A complete tour of North Island New Zealand from Auckland
A superb tour of everything that the beautiful North Island of New Zealand has to offer. From the far north at Cape Reinga where two mighty ocean currents collide, then, situated at the southern end of the North Island is the capital city of Wellington, recently named "the coolest little capital in the world" by Lonely Planet. Experience everything in between, journey through landscapes of magnificent coasts and beaches, sprawling farmlands and geothermal wonders. The breathtakingly beautiful Bay of Islands or the majestic, symmetrical volcanic cone of Mt Taranaki, or sitting within the Pacific Rim of Fire, Rotorua is a geothermal wonderland with bubbling mud pools, clouds of steam, and natural hot springs perfect for bathing and relaxing in. North Island has it all.
Māori culture is rich and ever-present in many parts of the North Island as is the architecture of the early European settlers. I would allow 3 weeks to cover this tour as this will enable you to spend more than one night in some of the fantastic locations.
Note: At Gisborne you have a choice of two routes, the coastal route included in this collection 13a or a shorter, inland route that travels through the Waioeka Gorge Scenic Reserve 13b. Links for both routes are included in the route 12 review.
Enjoy.
Māori culture is rich and ever-present in many parts of the North Island as is the architecture of the early European settlers. I would allow 3 weeks to cover this tour as this will enable you to spend more than one night in some of the fantastic locations.
Note: At Gisborne you have a choice of two routes, the coastal route included in this collection 13a or a shorter, inland route that travels through the Waioeka Gorge Scenic Reserve 13b. Links for both routes are included in the route 12 review.
Enjoy.
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A complete and epic 9 route tour of South Island New Zealand
The picture above is of the Devil's Staircase running alongside Lake Wakatipu, New Zealand's longest lake at 80 km. It was difficult to find one picture to sum up South Island because of the many varied and stunningly beautiful landscapes that this tour travels through.
The beauty of the South Island is in the diversity of its scenery.
Southern Alps
The main feature of scenery in the South Island is mountains. The Southern Alps mountain range is the backbone of the island, stretching for roughly 500 kilometres from Wanaka to Arthur's Pass. The Alps have snowy tops all year round, feeding glaciers and crystal clear rivers.
The highest mountain in New Zealand, Aoraki/Mount Cook, this soars to 3,724 metres. Mount Cook is one of New Zealand's greatest natural features.
Route highlights:
01: Lewis Pass road.
02: Arthur's Pass.
03: Mount Cook.
04: Lindis Pass.
05: Southern Scenic Route and Bluff.
06: Devil's Staircase.
07: Haast Pass.
08: Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers.
09: Buller Gorge.
Eight of these routes are 5 ***** star routes and the ninth is a 4**** star. There is so much to see on this tour it is guaranteed to make unforgettable memories.
You might want to allow for a few extra nights, I would suggest 2 nights in:
Christchurch.
Bluff or Invercargill.
Queenstown.
Fox Glacier.
And maybe a night in Motueka.
Enjoy.
The beauty of the South Island is in the diversity of its scenery.
Southern Alps
The main feature of scenery in the South Island is mountains. The Southern Alps mountain range is the backbone of the island, stretching for roughly 500 kilometres from Wanaka to Arthur's Pass. The Alps have snowy tops all year round, feeding glaciers and crystal clear rivers.
The highest mountain in New Zealand, Aoraki/Mount Cook, this soars to 3,724 metres. Mount Cook is one of New Zealand's greatest natural features.
Route highlights:
01: Lewis Pass road.
02: Arthur's Pass.
03: Mount Cook.
04: Lindis Pass.
05: Southern Scenic Route and Bluff.
06: Devil's Staircase.
07: Haast Pass.
08: Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers.
09: Buller Gorge.
Eight of these routes are 5 ***** star routes and the ninth is a 4**** star. There is so much to see on this tour it is guaranteed to make unforgettable memories.
You might want to allow for a few extra nights, I would suggest 2 nights in:
Christchurch.
Bluff or Invercargill.
Queenstown.
Fox Glacier.
And maybe a night in Motueka.
Enjoy.
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