Wānaka a Haast es un traslado de medio día solo si no hay nada cerrado y nada invita a caminar. Tres días dan lugar a Makarora, las cascadas del paso y una llegada paciente al lado occidental húmedo.
Wanaka a Makarora
Salga de Wānaka con combustible y comestibles, luego siga el lago Hāwea y la cabecera del lago Wānaka sin tomar las curvas. Utilice los miradores señalizados, ya que los arcenes de la carretera desaparecen rápidamente.
Makarora ofrece un descanso natural durante la noche y acceso a caminatas cortas o viajes más largos al campo. Consulta los flebotomos, las condiciones del río y los horarios de alojamiento antes de instalarte.
Al otro lado del paso de Haast
El camino de paso puede cerrarse por nieve, resbalones, árboles caídos o choques. Revise las actualizaciones de Waka Kotahi inmediatamente antes de la salida y mantenga suficientes suministros para esperar o regresar.
Las vías de Waterfall y Blue Pools cambian con el mantenimiento y los daños por inundaciones. Siga el aviso y las barreras actuales del DOC en lugar de asumir que una parada famosa está abierta porque hay vehículos estacionados cerca.
Costa de Haast
El lado occidental es más húmedo, más verde y más expuesto a los flebótomos. Un alojamiento techado o un lugar con electricidad puede valer la pena cuando varios días de lluvia han empapado el vehículo.
Elija el siguiente movimiento sólo después de comprobar la carretera de la costa norte. Haast es un lugar para restablecer el combustible, la comida y las expectativas, no simplemente el final del pase.
Haast Pass is the lowest of the alpine crossings
At 563 metres it is the lowest road pass over the Southern Alps, which makes it the most reliable of the three in winter. It is still subject to closure from slips and snow, and the western descent is steep with tight corners and frequent one-lane bridges.
Check the NZTA status before crossing, particularly after heavy rain. When it closes there is no short alternative; the detour is back through Wānaka and around, which is most of a day.
The roadside walks are the point
Blue Pools, Fantail Falls, Thunder Creek Falls and the Haast Pass lookout are all short walks close to the road, and together they turn a two-hour drive into a satisfying day. Blue Pools is the standout, with a swing bridge and genuinely startling water clarity.
The Blue Pools bridge and track have been closed for reconstruction at various points, so check the current DOC status. Do not jump from the bridge; it is prohibited and people have been seriously injured doing it.
Wānaka is the calmer alternative to Queenstown
An hour from Queenstown with a similar lake and mountains, Wānaka has a fraction of the intensity and noticeably better value. Roys Peak is the famous walk and is a hard six hours return with a queue at the viewpoint in summer.
Diamond Lake and the Isthmus Peak track give comparable views with far fewer people. The lone tree in the lake is five minutes from town and busiest at sunrise, which is also when it is worth seeing.
Sandflies begin at the pass
The eastern side around Wānaka and Hāwea is largely sandfly-free, and the moment you descend the western side that changes completely. Haast and the coast beyond it are serious sandfly country and the transition is abrupt.
Have repellent accessible in the cab rather than packed in the back before you start the descent. Stopping at Thunder Creek Falls without it is a memorable mistake.
Lake Hāwea and the Neck
The road runs along Lake Hāwea then crosses the narrow isthmus known as the Neck between the two lakes before following Lake Wānaka north. The viewpoint at the Neck looks down both lakes at once and is one of the better roadside stops in the country.
Hāwea is quieter than Wānaka with a good lakefront campground and considerably fewer people. It works well as a base if Wānaka is full or expensive, and it is only fifteen minutes further on.
Makarora, at the northern end, is the last settlement before the pass and has fuel, a cafe and camping. It is also the departure point for flights and jet boat trips into the Siberia Valley if you want a day out of the vehicle.
Where to stop for the night
Camping options thin out considerably between Makarora and Haast, and the DOC sites along the pass are basic with no reception. Fill water and fuel at Makarora rather than assuming something appears.
Haast township itself has fuel, a shop and accommodation but very little else. Treat it as a service stop rather than a destination.
Lugares a lo largo del camino
Llévalo a la carretera
Guarda las paradas. Planifica todo el viaje.
Cree una ruta ordenada a partir de lugares guardados, calcule la distancia y mantenga adjuntas fechas, notas y tareas pendientes.