The best MX-5 South Island road trips in NZ- (in my opinion)
Rated by road challenge i.e. the more twisty the better, scenery, traffic, road surface and that elusive “feel good” or “puts a smile on your face” factors.
- Milford Road 9,
- Glenorchy Road 9,
- The Queenstown to Glenorchy 44km drive is – in my opinion – one of the best, if not the best, scenic drive in the entire South Island.
Driving at about 80 to 100 km/h – the maximum speed limit on open roads in New Zealand is 100 km/h – it would take approximately 30 minutes to drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy.
The Road consists of several straight stretches of road where you can easiy travel at 100 km/h. At the Queenstown end of the road there are some parts of the road that are very narrow and windy.The road negotiates several stretches of steep Bluffs that plunge down to Lake Wakatipu.
But if you want to take your time and enjoy the scenery, which is highly recommended, it is best to slow down and drive the road in approximately 45 minutes. The fastest I’ve driven this route is just over 25 minutes.
The road follows the eastern edge of Lake Wakatipu, so you can enjoy views of the mountains on the western side of the lake and as you get closer to Glenorchy, at the northern end of the Lake the road opens out onto river flats with some spectacular views of Mt Earnslaw with Pig and Pigeon Islands located in the middle of Lake Wakatipu.
- The highlight of the drive and the most spectacular view point, is from Bennet’s Bluff where the road reaches a viewpoint where the upper reaches of Lake Wakatipu can be seen. Directly ahead is the twin peaked Mt Earnslaw with its permanent glacier and Mt kaos and Mt Nox to the left. . Further to the left are the Greenstown and Routeburn Valleys, both popular tramping tracks that lead to the Milford road.
- A good option is to take a more leisurely scenic drive to Glenorchy and enjoy the sheer pleasure of driving on the return trip as one continuous drive.
The Queenstown to Glenorchy drive does not only offer spectacular scenery, but you can also stop at various points along the way to do a lakeside walk or walk in the bush, such as for example at Bob’s Cove and Lake Dispute
A side road to Moke Lake is also an option. The road rises steeply from the Queenstown Glenorchy road reaching Lake Moke after about 12kms. Swimming in this lake is much warmer than Lake Wakatipu and the Lake is very popular for picnics with Queenstown locals.
- Arthurs Pass 8,
- Crown Range Road 8,
- The
Crown Range mountains lies to the east of the Wakatipu Basin in Otago,
New Zealand.[1] It is noted for two features, the Cardrona Alpine
Resort, on the slopes of the 1900 metre Mt. Cardrona, and a highway,
known as the Crown Range Road, which winds steeply between Arrow
Junction, south of Arrowtown, and Wanaka to the north. This is one of
the highest sealed roads in New Zealand.
Follow the waterfront from Wanaka to McDougall Road that leads onto Cardrona Valley Road.The Road is initially open and fast as it follows the lower river flats of the Cardrona River. At the Cardrona Township, Cardrona is the base of the Cardrona Ski Field high up on the Northern flanks of the Cardrona Range.From here the Road narrows as it begins its assent to the Cardrona Saddle. The assent to the Saddle is steady and very windy, steepening further for the final climb to the Saddle itself. From the Summit lookout the road dives down to the right to meet the Crown Terrace with its elevated open pastures. The final decent into the Wakatipu Basin is a highlight of the drive with multiple switchbacks that will test your agility and braking.
- Punakaiki Coast Road 8,
- Franz Joseph to Fox Glacier 7,
- Queen Charlotte Drive - Picton to Nelson 7
- Lewis Pass 6.5
- Catlins scenic highway - Balclutha to Invvercargill 6.5
- West Coast South Island (Haast Pass ) 6.5,
- Takaka Hill ( Nelson Bays) 6.5,
- Kaikoura -State Highway One Cheviot to Blenheim 6