Arthur’s Pass
Nearby
Christchurch Akaroa Kaikoura Hanmer Springs Lake Tekapo Twizel Mt CookArthurs Pass: Understand
Arthur’s Pass is a tiny town in the Southern Alps. If you are a lover of the outdoors and mountains, this is your happy place!
The township is very basic, so be sure to do your big food shop before you arrive! There is a general store, and a couple of eating out options, as well as a petrol station.
Arthur’s Pass: Getting In & Out
By plane:
The closest airport to Arthur’s Pass is in Chirstchurch.
Renting a campervan or rental car is a great way to explore New Zealand with flexibility and freedom! It’s easiest to pick up/drop off rentals from the major airports in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown. We recommend you book in advance. Check out our handy guides Travel New Zealand by Campervan or Travel New Zealand by Car.
By car:
From Christchurch, it’s about a 2-hour drive on SH 73.
From the West Coast, you’d take SH 6 to Kumara Junction, and head inland on SH 73 to Arthur’s Pass. Hokitika and Greymouth are both approximately a 1 hour 20-minute drive from Arthur’s Pass. From Greymouth, you can also choose to turn inland on SH 7, and once you get to Stillwater take Arnold Valley Rd to Arthur’s Pass, via Lake Brunner. It’s only slightly longer (1 hour 30-minutes drive).
By train:
There are not many inter-city trains for passengers in New Zealand, but there is one between Greymouth on the West Coast and Christchurch, which stops in Arthur’s Pass!
The Tranz Alpine train departs daily from Christchurch at 8:15 am, arriving in Arthur’s Pass at 10:52 am. Or heading from Arthur’s Pass to Christchurch, the train departs Arthur’s Pass at 4:28 pm arriving in Christchurch at 6:31 pm.
Or coming from the west coast, the train departs Greymouth daily at 2:05 pm arriving in Arthur’s Pass at 4:28 pm. And departing daily from Arthur’s Pass at 10:52 am arriving in Greymouth at 1:05 pm.
It’s not the cheapest way to travel, but we find it quite novel, and the scenery is stunning.
For full schedules and to book, take a look.
Arthur’s Pass: See & Do
There is a DOC Office (Department of Conservation) in the town, which can provide all the information you need on the surrounding hikes and walks. They also have the most up to date weather and can advise whether it’s safe on the various routes.
Arthur’s Pass Day Hikes
On the way to Arthurs Pass (from Christchurch) is Castle Hill – there is a scattering of giant boulders and a rocky outcrop, which are fun to climb and wander around at any age! Pack a picnic or just jump out of the car for a stretch of the legs. Fun fact: the Dalai Lama named Castle Hill the “Spiritual Centre of the Universe.”
Devil’s Punchbowl is 1-hour return walk to a 131-metre waterfall. A perfect opportunity to stretch your legs if you’re continuing on the road, or if you’ve got some time to spare in Arthur’s Pass. The track starts just north of Arthur’s Pass village on SH 73 – you’ll see the sign!
Bealey Spur is a great day hike, 4-6 hours return. Often if Arthur’s Pass has terrible weather, Bealey Spur is fine (photos below are case in point, all taken within the same 5-minute window!). You’ll reach a hut, but the best views are just 15-20 minutes further up on the ridgeline!
Avalanche Peak is an exceptional day hike! It gets nice and steep, but the views are sensational, plus there’s no better feeling than summitting a mountain! It takes 6-8 hours return, the climb is 1,100-metres vertical, and the weather can be cold and windy up top! Be sure to check in at the DOC office before starting out to make sure it’s safe. The Kea (NZ Mountain Parrot) are often swooping and squawking about up here, which is quite amazing to watch.
Arthur’s Pass Multi-Day Hikes
Avalanche Peak – Crow River. You also have the option of turning Avalanche Peak into a 2-day / 1-night adventure. From the summit, follow along the ridgeline to Scree Slope, approximately 30 minutes. At this point, the route leaves the ridge and a scree slope takes you all the way to the Crow River, which you follow to Crow Hut.
Note: Scree Slope is not super obvious, and it’s really important you find the right place to descend because earlier spots with scree slopes down will finish in bluffs.
DOC provides these four handy features to check that you are at the right place:
- The point is marked by stakes and a rock cairn
- You can see the full length of the scree, from the ridge to the Crow Valley
- The full drop of Devils Punchbowl Falls is visible on opposite slopes
- Just after the correct place to descend, the ridge you are on rises more steeply towards Mount Rolleston
These directions were exactly what we needed! For full DOC info on this route, take a look at this page. Once you get on that scree slope, have fun scree-skiing down! Our highlight of the trip for sure!
Mingha – Deception Route is the run section of the famous Coast-to-Coast multi-sport adventure race. Alex and I have run it in a day with friends, but it is also possible to stay at Goat Pass Hut overnight if you’re hiking. It can get quite technical with big boulders and river crossings, and keep in mind there is no marked track. We recommend doing it with someone who knows the route. DOC has some more information on the route here.
Edwards-Hawdon Loop is a 2-3 day tramp (translation from Kiwi to normal people, tramp = hike). Alex and I really enjoyed the variety of landscape and trail on this loop. There is one particularly steep part, which almost looks unachievable. Find some good feet and hand grips and you’ll be fine! The tarn above is your reward.
For more details on the route and where to start, take a look at this DOC page.
Cass-Lagoon Saddle is an awesome weekend hike. We did it in 2 days, staying at Hamilton Hut at the half-way point. There are a few other basic huts on the route if you want to extend beyond 2-days. Best to be done between early – late Summer due to snowfall and avalanche risk outside that time. Also keep an eye on rainfall in the days leading up to to the trip, as not all rivers are bridged and can become impassable by foot in high rainfall. For a full track description, check out this DOC Information.
Skiing
The club skifield Temple Basin is near Arthur’s Pass, a good option for hitting the slopes in the winter.
Arthur’s Pass: Eat & Drink
There are very limited options for eating and drinking in Arthur’s Pass, so we’d recommend topping up at a supermarket before you leave Christchurch or the West Coast.
If you’re coming from Christchurch, Sheffield is approximately half-way and is known for their pie store. You won’t miss it, it’s on the main stretch and is called “The Famous Sheffield Pie Shop.”
There is a general store in Arthur’s Pass where you can pick up bits and bobs (but the prices are very steep!).
The Wobbly Kea Cafe can taste pretty good if you’ve been in the wilderness for a few days – there is a restaurant and bar with a fireplace and homemade pastries.
Arthurs also has a restaurant and bar, as well as powered campervan sites and a B&B!
Arthur’s Pass: Sleep
We parked our campervan up at the DOC Klondyke Corner Campsite ($) (10 minutes from Arthur’s Pass village). We heard murmurs of rats and mice getting into tents and campervans but had no issues! It was one of our favourite park-up spots with adventures at our doorstep, and we ended up staying longer than initially intended.
There is also Arthurs ($-$$), as mentioned above, and DOC Avalanche Creek Shelter Campsite ($) in Arthur’s Pass village too.
If you are looking for a “real bed”, there’s the YHA Arthur’s Pass Mountain House ($) in the village.
The Sanctuary Backpackers ($) is another cheap option in the village itself. Note: sleeping bags required.
Arthur’s Pass Alpine Motel ($$) has a few rooms and cabins.
Where to next?
Nearby in Canterbury:
Christchurch Akaroa Kaikoura Hanmer Springs Lake Tekapo Twizel Mt Cook
Nearby Regions:
Nelson-Marlborough West Coast Otago