Arthur’s Pass is without a doubt the most famous alpine drive in Aotearoa New Zealand. The pass will see you driving through the southern alps of the South Island, with many a great place to stop and admire the views. Originally this route was used by Māori as a Pounamu trade route, it now serves as the must popular route to get from the east coast to the west coast.
But don’t just use it as a route to get from A to B make sure you stop along the way and spend a night or two here if you can.
Whilst it’s a popular drive on must people’s New Zealand travel lists, a lot of the stops and sites located here get forgotten. There is so much to see and do here that you really need to plan a couple of days to make sure you aren’t missing out on some of the best hikes, views and stunning road side stops in the country.
We’ve got you covered with the stops you really shouldn’t miss on Arthur’s Pass right here.
Be sure to check out our Instagram to see more unmissable road trip stops in New Zealand!
Kura Tāwhiti (Castle Hill)
Arguably the most special of the stops along Arthur’s Pass, Kura Tāwhiti is an important cultural stop on your journey. The area holds a huge amount of cultural significance to Ngāi Tahu and has been placed under a cloak of protection or Tōpuni status, which is a legal recognition of the site’s importance.
Stop to read the notice boards at the start of the trail and keep to the track to show your respect for this site.
The impressive limestone outcrops are something to behold and very high up on most peoples travel lists. Walking through their shadows and seeing the different formations for yourself is truly special. Take your time admiring the formations and keep an eye out for the rare plants that nestle in amongst the sheltered base of these rocks.
Cave Stream Scenic Reserve
There are two options for experiencing this epic scenic reserve. The first is easier and the safer, less weather dependant option of doing the loop walk to see the stream entering a rocky mountain and leaving it again. The other option is to go caving and walk/swim through the stream in the cave! We choose to go for a cave swim, of course.
You can walk through the entire cave system if you like, or just stick to a small portion, as the water is rather cold. Be sure to pack a head torch and make sure the conditions are safe for you to enter the cave. There are signs showing how to tell if it’s safe or not.
Make sure you don’t go when it is raining or has been recently raining, as the water level will be too high and fast flowing to enter the cave. We hadn’t originally planned to stop here on our Arthur’s Pass drive, but we are so glad we did! Swimming through a cave in the semi dark with a head torch is so much fun.
Devils Punchbowl Falls
This 131m waterfall is not to be missed when travelling through Arthur’s Pass. A steep in parts walk that is relatively easy on a well-formed track with proper steps. It’s 2km there and back, with a 150m ascent to the top viewing platform.
If stairs aren’t your thing, you do get a good view of the falls from the second bridge crossing. We think it’s well worth the short climb to get closer to the falls! You might even get a little spray from the falls as you stand on the platform admiring their beauty. There is a plaque here telling of the Māori story for this place that you should read whilst you are here.
Otira Viaduct Lookout
Did you really travel along Arthur’s Pass if you don’t stop in at the Viaduct Lookout?
It’s a great view down to the road from here and an easy roadside stop that can fit into any itinerary. Just hope it’s not too cloudy. You won’t see a thing if the clouds are low and hanging around the mountain, as they can so often do here. We’ve heard this is a good spot to run into a Kea, but we didn’t have any encounters with them here ourselves.
Avalanche Peak
This one is not for the faint of heart! If you aren’t a hiker, then give this one a miss.
A proper back country trail, this will test your climbing skills, head for heights and your legs! An 8km walk that took us 6.5hrs including stops.
The climb is about 1100m of elevation gain and needs a clear good weather day to be attempted. We did absolutely nothing the day after this hike, as the climb up is tough, but the descent is brutal. You’ll scramble up and over rocks on the way up, using your hands as much as your feet.
Make sure you take the Avalanche Peak Track up and the Scott’s Track down to save your legs as much as possible. The views, though, are so worth it!! We stopped a lot just to admire them from different points along the track (it definitely wasn’t just to catch our breath…). You’ll walk along a super cool ridge before making it up to the top of the mountain sitting behind Arthur’s Pass Village. We met a Kea up here as we ate our lunch that really wanted to take Tiff’s phone!
Avalanche Creek Falls
Unlike Avalanche Peak, this little walk is for all ages. A short walk through the forest (you should see signs from the day parking area) will take you to a cute little bridge where you’ll get your first view of the falls.
From here, you can follow the track up a little to another viewing point to see the top of the falls. It’s a short track, about 10-15min total, but well worth stopping for, especially if you aren’t going to do any of the other longer walks in Arthur’s Pass.
After doing the falls, wander down the road to the small village where you can grab a bite to eat at a café. You might even see a kea or two hanging around trying to get some free food. If you do spot a kea, please don’t feed it. Human food is bad for them and disrupts their natural eating habits.
Bealy Spur Track
If you want great views over Arthur’s Pass and don’t like the sound of climbing up Avalanche Peak, then this is a great alternative. It’s also just a lovely track, well worth it, even if you have climbed Avalanche peak. Just don’t do them back to back. You’ll still be climbing up, but it’s a much more gentle incline than Avalanche Peak, and it ends with a really cute old green hut!
If you are feeling brave, you can spend the night at this hut. It’s a 600m elevation gain to the hut over about 13km. It took us a total of 4.5hrs, including stops and a lunch break at the hut. There is even a long drop at the hut, which is super handy. The best viewing point over Arthur’s Pass is about halfway along the track at a sandy clearing.
From here, you’ll still get good views, but they aren’t as easy to stop for. The alpine tarns and magical forest further up are worth taking the track all the way to the hut. However, if you are pressed for time, you could shorten the walk to the first lookout.
Moana Rua – Lake Pearson
A gorgeous high country lake that is a great picnic stop on any road trip. There is a DOC site here which allows you to camp in a tent or a van with toilets on the site.
We loved this camp ground. The lake is gorgeous, surrounded by mountains and trees. It’s so peaceful. If you aren’t planning on camping the night, make sure you stop and stretch your legs at the water’s edge before continuing on your road trip.
Keen for more inspo? Be sure to check out:
- Day Hike – Woolshed Creek Hut Track
- Milford Track Day Hike: Which Section Should You Do?
- 5 Free Things to do in Christchurch
