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Driving New Zealand
Haast - Wanaka - Queenstown
- Invercargill
All roads subject to seasonal ice and snow.
 From
Haast the highway (HWY 6) crosses the Alps to Hawea and
all points east and south, the drive is easy you travel
inland through predominantly unmodified
beech forest and up the steep sided valley and climb
up over the Haast Pass at 562 metres above sea level.
The the top of the pass is easily missed until you
realize your descent.
There are short
walks and photo opportunities. As you go down
toward Central Otago, the valleys are much
broader and the Blue Pools are worth a short
stop. There are often large trout to be seen
in the pools (no fishing allowed).
From Haast, Makarora
on the edge of Mount Aspiring National Park is the next
settlement with information and local tourism operators
offer scenic plane flights and jetboating tours on the
Makaroa River. continuing to drive along the banks
of Lake Wanaka. This is a pleasant drive,
roadwork is often encountered here. The
road continues over a small saddle and along
the shores of Lake Hawea to Hawea township,
once just a collection of holiday cribs, it
is now becoming a resort town with quality accommodation and services.
There is short
drive on to Wanaka, a
popular resort town and the choice to take (HWY 6) on to
Cromwell and
Queenstown via the
Cromwell Gorge where you can stop for the original Hackett
Bungy Jump. The alternative route is from Wanaka via
Cardrona. In summer this narrow winding road takes you off
the beaten track and the descent down the
Queenstown side is
steep. In winter chains are required and the road often
closed with snow.
 HWY
6 continues south from Frankton past Kingston, the home to
the famous Kingston Flyer Garston, and Five Rivers which is
just an intersection and turn off to Te Anau and Milford
Sound. The highway continues south amid pleasant farmland
and great scenery, through Lumsden, Winton and on to
Invercargill.
Invercargill
Hotels -
Motels
Queenstown Accommodation
Westland Hotels
Westland Motels
Click here to calculate actual distances
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