The Great Alpine Highway: Gorges, Viaducts & Keas

Winding west from Christchurch brings you past the foothills of the Alps, climbing steadily onto the high-country plateau of the Waimakariri Basin to arrive at Castle Hill (Kura Tawhiti). Here, a spectacular, massive landscape of weathered, grey limestone boulders rises vertically out of the grassy mountain basin, resembling the ruins of a colossal, stone-castle city. The area is highly sacred in Maori tradition, having served for centuries as an ancient food-gathering and spiritual shelter for traveling tribes. Walking among the giant, 30-meter-high stone pillars and arches is an incredibly humbling, quiet, and mystical experience. The scale is monumental, and the rocks form a giant maze of crevices and slots that offer outstanding bouldering and rock-climbing. It is a highly atmospheric, peaceful stop that provides a perfect, castle-like geological introduction to the Southern Alps.

Climbing deep into the heart of the peaks brings you to Arthur's Pass Village, the highest settlement on the South Island at 737 meters. Surrounded by sheer, forest-clad peaks and roaring waterfalls, this is a rugged alpine outpost. Winding down from the pass summit brings you to the Otira Viaduct, an absolute, monumental engineering masterpiece of modern New Zealand. Standing suspended high above a sheer, unstable gravel gorge, this massive, 440-meter-long concrete bridge curves elegantly along the cliff face. Driving across the bridge is a highly dramatic experience; the sheer scale of the concrete arches bridging the void is spectacular. At the Death's Corner Lookout, you will park your vehicle to admire the viaduct view and watch cheeky, wild green Kea parrots. These endangered, highly intelligent alpine parrots are famous for their curiosity, often landing on vehicles and playing with windshield wipers, providing a highly entertaining, active mountain highlight.