Ice and Open Sky
Glaciers, turquoise lakes and big open country
8 destinationsGlaciers come down out of the mountains almost to sea level here, and the rivers running off them turn the gorges and lakes an unreal shade of blue. Head inland and the country opens right up into the Mackenzie, where the sky is clear enough to be a dark sky reserve and the highest mountain in New Zealand sits at the end of the valley.
Hokitika Gorge
Kiwi Kids BottleThe water in Hokitika Gorge is a colour that looks completely made up in photos but is even more vivid when you are standing next to it. Bright teal water runs between narrow walls of rock covered in moss and ferns. A short suspension bridge takes you over the gorge and the view from the middle is one you will not forget.
Devils Punchbowl Waterfall
Kiwi Kids BottleA tall skinny waterfall drops 131 metres down a rocky cliff into a round pool that gave the place its name. The track up is steep in parts but short, and arriving to find that much water falling into such a tight space feels like a proper reward. Arthurs Pass village is right nearby and worth a stop for a coffee.
Franz Josef Glacier
Kiwi Kids BottleFranz Josef is one of the only glaciers in the world that flows almost all the way down to sea level, so you can walk right up close to the edge of it without any special gear. The valley it sits in is covered in rainforest and the contrast between green bush and white ice is hard to believe. It is genuinely one of the most impressive things in New Zealand.
Castle Hill
Kiwi Kids BottleA field of enormous grey limestone boulders scattered across a golden high-country basin on the road to Arthur's Pass. It is a magnet for rock climbers and boulderers, but you do not need to climb to enjoy wandering through the maze of giant rocks. A special place in Maori tradition, so tread lightly and take your time.
Aoraki Mt Cook
Kiwi Kids BottleAoraki is the highest point in New Zealand at 3724 metres and one of the great mountains of the southern hemisphere. Getting to the summit is a serious technical climb that needs proper mountaineering skills and experience. Even just being at the base and looking straight up at it is an experience that stays with you.
Hooker Valley Track
Kiwi Kids BottleThe Hooker Valley walk ends at a lake full of floating ice chunks that have broken off the glacier above. You walk through three swing bridges with Aoraki Mt Cook towering above you the whole time. At the end you sit by the freezing blue water and realise you are right at the foot of the highest mountain in New Zealand.
Lake Tekapo
Kiwi Kids BottleLake Tekapo is famous for its brilliant turquoise water which gets its colour from fine rock particles ground up by glaciers far above. The Church of the Good Shepherd on the lakeshore is one of the most photographed buildings in New Zealand. At night the Mackenzie Basin is a dark sky reserve and the stars here are extraordinary.
Clay Cliffs
Towering pinnacles and narrow ravines of layered clay and gravel, laid down by ancient rivers and carved into sharp spires by the weather. They sit down a dusty back road near Omarama and feel more like somewhere in the American southwest than New Zealand. Go early or late when the low sun really lights up the ridges.
Know a hidden gem in this region? Tell us at hello@beyondthemap.co.nz