Spending a Day in Arthur’s Pass
The South Island has several mountain passes cutting through the Southern Alps, but the two most well-known are Arthur’s Pass and Lewis Pass, both connecting the east coast directly to the West Coast and back.
This year I took three days to explore Arthur’s Pass properly, so here’s everything you can see in a day or two, depending on how much time you have.
Castle Hill
We started the day in Christchurch and drove about an hour and a half straight to Castle Hill. You’ll probably recognise this place from Narnia, the final battle scene was actually filmed here. The rock formations look completely unreal, like you’ve landed on another planet. This movie shaped my childhood, so standing in the middle of those limestone boulders was honestly a moment. Worth the stop on its own, even if you’ve never seen the film.
Cave Stream
Fifteen minutes down the road we stopped at Cave Stream. You hike inside the cave for about an hour to an hour and a half, walking against the current, and the water can reach your shoulders depending on the day. My two friends went in. I stayed dry, no regrets. Definitely check the weather before attempting this one, the water level can get dangerous pretty fast after rain.
Lunch in Arthur’s Pass village
From there it’s about a thirty minute drive to Arthur’s Pass village for lunch. I’d been hoping to see a kea up close for the longest time. I’d spotted a few at Mueller Hut and in Milford Sound before, but they were always too far away to really get a good look. What a surprise to find them right there on the café terrace, eating people’s leftovers and putting on a full circus for everyone. Such an incredible moment. That said, if you’re after good food and coffee rather than just kea watching, Alpine Parrot just across the road is the better option.
Devil’s Punchbowl waterfall
Next up was Devil’s Punchbowl, about an hour return. It’s a short hike but there are plenty of steps to get you there, all surrounded by native forest. The waterfall itself is massive once you reach it. One hundred percent worth the climb.
Otira Valley Track
About ten minutes from the village, this one took us around an hour and a half to two hours return, with alpine views that are honestly a bit insane. The hike itself is amazing, and technically you can keep going past the end of the trail after the bridge. With the rain coming in though, we decided to turn around and head back to the car instead. I hope you get better weather than we did. The weather here is tricky since you’re getting close to the West Coast, so don’t count on a clear day.
Andrew Shelter Campsite
To finish the day we drove about twenty five minutes back to sleep at Andrew Shelter Campsite. It’s a super basic DOC campsite, no frills at all, but waking up surrounded by the Southern Alps more than makes up for it.
If you want to discover my three favourite free campsites on the South Island, check out this article.
