ROAD TRIP: A journey from Te Anau to Queenstown

Te Anau to Kingston via SH 94 & SH 96 - 1hr 26min, 126km

Kingston to Queenstown via SH 6 - 43min, 47.1km

The Southern Scenic Route is extremely beautiful with a photogenic mix of lush green forest, commanding mountain ranges and sparkling lakes.

Originally conceived by the people of Tūātapere in 1985 when they decided to formally share the perfection of this path with visitors, the Southern Scenic Route has admirers from all over the world.

Head south on SH 94 through The Key, Fiordland’s gateway, to Mossburn. From here, you’ll make your way north through flat, lush farm land and stop at Athol on SH 6, where you can enjoy scenes of raw New Zealand beauty. Kingston is up next, a pretty pit stop before the drive to Queenstown with views of The Remarkables mountain range. As you approach Queenstown, the road winds around the soft curves of shimmering Lake Wakatipu.

Bennetts Bluff, Lake Wakatipu

Destination Queenstown

STOPS ALONG THE WAY

Stretch out this journey with breaks at lookout points, picnic sites and to take short walks. In KINGSTON, you’ll find short walks that provide wonderful views of Lake Wakatipu. MAVORA LAKE which you access BETWEEN MOSSBURN AND TE ANAU has short and long tracks to enjoy, including the 2hr 30min SOUTH MAVORA LAKE WALKING TRACK.

Take a lunch break in MOSSBURN and stop for a coffee in ATHOL which is halfway between Lumsden and Queenstown.

White Hill wind farm, Mossburn

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HIGHLIGHTS

Kingston Wharf

Around the Mountains Cycle Trail

MOSSBURN - A small town in Southland, 59km east of Te Anau and 113km south of Queenstown, Mossburn is New Zealand’s deer capital and the home of its first deer farm. Early colonial history has a strong place here with a number of the quaint B&Bs providing stays in authentic heritage quarters. Fertile waters are ideal for fishing with the nearby Ōreti River a highly regarded spot for catching brown trout.

KINGSTON - Perched on the southern tip of Lake Wakatipu, historical Kingston is a starting point for the 175km Around the Mountains Cycle Trail, one of New Zealand’s favourite bike rides. The resident Kingston Flyer is a vintage steam train that operated between 1890 and 1957. It’s all set to ride the rails again in 2020/21 –watch this space! In the meantime, enjoy the bonny lakeside Kingston Flyer Café.

Around the Mountains Cycle Trail

Southland Tourism

Looking for a place to stay? Find a huge range of accommodation options, including discounts for AA Members, at travel.aa.co.nz