The options are endless...
Looking for a New Zealand trilogy that’s even more epic than Lord of the Rings? Look no further than Mt Hutt, Coronet Peak and The Remarkables – three world-class resorts all located in the South Island, all accessible with one lift pass.
With two resorts located in Queenstown and one in Canterbury an hour from Christchurch, snow lovers can pull together the ultimate ski pass-inspired road trip.
All you need is an epic soundtrack to go with all the incredible scenery, your favourite Kiwi-inspired snacks (pineapple lumps, anyone?) and a ski pass.
From your starting point to your grand finale, we’ve collected all the best road trip highlights for you, kicking off in Mt Hutt before heading south.
Mt Hutt
Voted New Zealand’s Best Ski Resort four years in a row, Kiwis love Mt Hutt – and with good reason. Get your ski legs going on the cruisy green and blue groomers before taking on the multiple double-black-diamond chutes and some of the best snow to be found in the country.
Your most Instagrammable moment will come at the very top of the Summit Six Chair, where the resort have set up New Zealand’s highest hot tub.
The six-seater spa pool is so high that you can see all the way across the Southern Alps to the Pacific Ocean on a clear day, and get the Bluetooth subwoofer going for on-mountain tunes – just bring your swimmers and book in at the mountain’s admin office.
Methven
After a big day on the slopes, rest your head in the quirky high country town of Methven, where you can do everything from jet boating on the milky blue waters of the Rakaia Gorge to archery and clay shooting at Newzengland.
Don’t go past The Blue Pub and The Brown Pub, you can’t miss them thanks to their colour and they sit opposite each other downtown. Also check out the Dubliner, the local’s favourite pub, for Irish-inspired fare that’ll warm you all the way to your toes no matter how cold it is outside (the beer won’t hurt either).
Tekapo
It’s just a two hour drive from Methven to beautiful Lake Tekapo, where the picture-perfect scenery reminds you what New Zealand is all about – snow capped mountains, beyond-gorgeous lakes and some serious wilderness.
Stop by the shores of the lake to admire the Church of the Good Shepherd, originally built in 1935 and still used as a place of worship.
And if you’d like to add stargazing to your list of road trip activities, be sure to spend the night – Tekapo is a UNESCO-listed Dark Sky Reserve, so you might just spot some Southern Lights (just like the Northern Lights, but down south). Best chances of spotting them are between April and September, so your snow-based timing will be perfect.
Image sourced: 100% Pure New Zealand
Did we mention the hot spring pools? Worth a soak if you have the time and perfect after a days skiing.
Queenstown
From Tekapo, it’s a cruisy three-hour drive to everyone’s favourite snow town – Queenstown. Known for being vibrant, beautiful and active, there’s never a dull moment to be had here – whether you’re bungy jumping into a canyon, strolling by the lake, racing luges down a mountain or trying out one of over 150 licensed establishments to be found in town.
Image Sourced: Destination Queenstown
The Remarkables
Just 40 minutes from Queenstown, The Remarkables is full of fun terrain to suit every level of skier and boarder, with everything from playful terrain parks to off-piste adventures to be had – plus they’re just about to expand and redevelop the Sugar Bowl basin for the upcoming season, creating a whole new trail network along with a new 6-seater chairlift. That means shorter lift lines and way more time on the slopes, taking in those beautiful views and exploring the mountain. Make sure you hike to the lookout for a stunning selfie with the lake and Queenstown behind you.
Coronet Peak
If you’ve had a big night out on the town, don’t worry – it’s just 20 minutes to Coronet Peak, where the mountain air will refresh you and get you super pumped for a big day on the mountain. Our pick is their night skiing offering – running every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from late June through to early September, you can lap up the sunsets before skiing and boarding under floodlights, or enjoy the après fun on offer, complete with DJ spinning tunes.
