Chch to QT: How to decide

CHCH TO QT VIA THE WEST COAST OR MT COOK: HOW TO DECIDE

Are you struggling to decide between the two stunning routes from Christchurch to Queenstown - the West Coast or the inland route via Mount Cook? We get it, it's a super hard decision to make when you have limited time to explore and it can be challenging to choose the right route especially when both routes are incredibly beautiful and you'll see different things on one route that you won't on the other. It's a tough decision because both routes are INCREDIBLY beautiful and despite that fact that they run parallel down the same island, the landscapes are so incredibly different, it's like two completely different countries!

Let's explore what each route has to offer so you can make an informed decision.

The West Coast Route: What To Expect

We love love LOVE the West Coast region - in fact, it's our favourite region in New Zealand for so many reasons and wherever possible, we take this route from Christchurch down to Queenstown. This route is the longer route between the two options and it take you through 3 regions - Canterbury, West Coast and Otago which all offer so much to see and do along the way. On this route you get to experience rainforests, glaciers, mountains, blue rivers, untamed wilderness and it's an adventure lover's route

Let's dive into the route from Christchurch down to Queenstown via the West Coast and see what it has to offer.

Firstly, to get from Christchurch to the West Coast, you will pass through the Canterbury Plains before you reach Arthurs Pass, which sits at over 3000 feet and is a key route through the Southern Alps, connecting the Canterbury region on the east coast, to the West Coast region.

Highlights of Arthurs Pass:

Scenic Drive: The drive through Arthurs Pass is beautiful as you drive through towering mountains, steep gorges and past blue rivers. In winter there is mostly likely going to be snow covering the mountains and maybe even some snow along the highway to stop and play in. In summer the mountains are free from snow and it gets really hot.
Walks and Hikes: There are a mixture of short hikes for all abilities and long, overnight hikes, with some taking you to incredible waterfalls and through unique rock formations.
Arthurs Pass Village: A small, quaint village with small colourful houses and a nice place to stop off for a walk, for food and drink or to stay overnight. In winter, the village is often covered in snow which looks like a postcard.
National Park: The Arthurs Pass National Park covers over 1,000 square kilometers and is known for its rugged terrain, alpine landscapes and diverse flora and fauna. It includes the highest peaks of the Southern Alps, deep river valleys, and dense beech forests
Wildlife: Arthurs Pass is known for its cheeky kea, which are the world's only alpine parrot, which love to hang around where the humans are. They are very curious birds but do like to take what's not theirs! The pass is also home to the South Island robin and the great spotted kiwi.

The next part of the trip heads through the West Coast, from Greymouth all the way down to the Haast Pass. The West Coast is best known for its untamed wilderness, rainforests and glaciers and it's our favourite region! Driving through the West Coast is a treat - you seem to drive forever along the Great Coast Road through rainforests, past reflective lakes and along rugged coastline without seeing any evidence of civilization - you won't find any big cities here, just small towns!

Highlights of the West Coast:

Punakaiki: Home to the famous pancake rocks, there is an option of heading north to Punakaiki before heading down the West Coast, before heading south again.
Untamed Wilderness: This is the only way to describe the West Coast! Because of the small population and no big cities, it's an untouched region that offers beauty everywhere you look.
Glaciers: New Zealand has nearly 3,000 glaciers (almost all are in the central Southern Alps) and the West Coast has 2 very popular glaciers - the Franz Josef glacier and the Fox glacier. They are unique for their descent to lower elevations in the West Coast area. The glaciers can be seen via hikes, scenic flights and you can even take a flight and land on the glacier to walk on!
Rugged Coastline and Beaches: Most of the West Coast beaches have loads of driftwood which is perfect for using to make huts with or to make a fire with and spend your afternoon roasting marshmallows - we have done this countless times and it's a core memory for us! The beaches are the ideal spot to watch sunsets and you may even spot a seal or penguin.
Lush Rainforests: When I say lush... I mean LUSH! The rainforests, especially from Franz Josef downwards, are so incredibly lush, with almost every surface dripping with life and covered in green moss, it's one of our favourite places in New Zealand to explore.
Quirky Towns: Explore charming West Coast towns like Greymouth, Hokitika, Franz Josef and Fox Glacier, known for their artistic communities and local crafts. Franz Josef and Hoki are our favourite West Coast towns.
Walks and Hikes: There are walks for all abilities, where you can see glaciers, waterfalls and walk through lush green rainforests.
Reflective Lakes: Due to the tannins in the water, the brown lakes on the West Coast offer the most beautiful reflections (when the wind is still) and this makes it one of the best place to see lake reflections in NZ.
Blue Rivers: On the contrast, there are some areas that have incredibly blue rivers that are fed from the glaciers.
Fun Adventures: The West Coast is the ideal place for adventure seekers. There are loads of fun activities including jet boating, white water rafting, pack rafting, kayaking, off-road quad biking adventures, zip lining, heli hiking on glaciers, scenic flights over the Southern Alps and glaciers. We have done a scenic heli flight with an alpine landing in Franz Josef, as well as the off-road adventure in a buggy and these were both incredibly exciting and fun and we highly recommend doing them.
Gold Panning: The West Coast experienced a significant gold rush in the mid-19th century and to this day, it's still possible to find alluvial gold in creeks and rivers! We have been gold panning in various creeks and also at places which offer recreational panning experiences.
Unique Wildlife: You might be lucky enough to spot fur seals, penguins, white heron and cheeky kea, as well as a kiwi at wildlife centre. You'll find the virbrant blue mushrooms that are featured on the NZ $50 note, at the right time of year in the rainforest
Sunsets: The West Coast is renowned for its beautiful sunsets and we have spent countless nights on the beach, watching the sun go down while roasting marshmallows on the fire.
Glowworms: At night, in many parts of the region, you can see the blue glow of glowworms in the rainforest which looks so magical!
Food: Don't miss out on the local delicacy, whitebait, which is highly prized and enjoyed in various delicious preparations throughout the region as well as seafood and unique meat pies.
World Heritage Area: This route takes you through the heart of the Te Waipounamu World Heritage Area which is known for its pristine wilderness.
Waterfalls: Due to the large amount of rainfall that the West Coast gets, they have so many beautiful waterfalls to hike to and take a dip in.

After the Haast Pass, you cross into the Otago region where the landscape changes from glaciers and lush rainforest to rocky mountains and picturesque lakes. This is the final part of the journey to Queenstown.

Highlights of Otago:

Picturesque Lakes: The Otago region is home to beautiful lakes with mountains as the backdrop. They're great for relaxing by, photographing or spending time on the water.
Colourful Autumns: Certain parts of Otago are famous for their autumn trees (so much so that there is an autumn festival) which makes it one of the best places in New Zealand to spend autumn.
Adventure Capital: Winter spots, jet boating, gondola, scenic boat rides, bungy jumping, kayaking, water sports and mountain biking.
Scenic Drives: Drive through beautiful landscapes in all seasons - our favourite is winter. This route takes you through NZ's highest road!
Walks and Hikes: Both short and long hikes are scattered over Otago and one of New Zealand's most Instagrammable hikes is in Otago (and one we have conquered ourselves).
Historic Towns: With goldmining and Chinese history.
Photo Opportunities: Plenty of lookouts, lakeside views with mountain backdrops (with snow in winter).
National Park: Mt Aspiring National Park is one of New Zealand's 13 national parks and it's an incredibly beautiful place to hike

Conclusion: The West Coast of New Zealand is a hidden gem with its untamed wilderness, spectacular glaciers like Franz Josef and Fox Glacier, and lush rainforests that feel like another world. Picture yourself watching stunning sunsets on rugged beaches, spotting unique wildlife, and exploring charming towns like Greymouth and Hokitika. Whether you're hiking, gold panning, or savoring local delicacies like whitebait, the West Coast offers an unforgettable adventure through some of New Zealand's most breathtaking landscapes. If you crave natural beauty and adventure, this is the route for you.

The Mount Cook Experience: What To Expect
The route from Christchurch to Queenstown via Mt Cook is the most popular routes for travellers and one of the most scenic drives in the country! It's also known as the Alpine Scenic Route and is a shorter drive than the West Coast route. It takes you through the Canterbury region and Otago region where you get to experience the bluest lakes in New Zealand (it's hard to believe the colour until you see it with your own eyes!), glaciers, snow covered mountains, plus thousands of lupine in the during the right season - all of this make for some of the best photo opportunities you can ask for and for many jaw dropping moments.

Time to see what the route from Christchurch down to Queenstown via Mount Cook has to offer.

There are 2 options at the beginning of the journey. The first option is to drive across the flat Canterbury Plains, which is mostly farmland with sheep and cattle. This option is the quickest and is mostly straight, flat roads. If you're short on time then this is the best way to get to your destination quicker. There isn't a whole lot to see along the plains but it still provides its own scenic charm, with expansive views of farmland, crops, and sheep/cows that define the Canterbury Plains. And the landscape, while not as dramatic as the inland route, is still beautiful with the Southern Alps in the distance.

Highlights of the Canterbury Plains:

Shorter route: The benefit of driving through the Canterbury Plains is it's the shortest route than the Inland Scenic Route.
Flat, Straight Roads: The highway is flat with long, straight roads through the plains, which makes for a more comfortable drive due to no windy, hilly roads.

The next option is taking a longer, scenic route inland where the highway winds through hills, over rivers and you're closer to the Southern Alps on this route, so there are better mountain views.

Highlight of the Scenic Inland Route:

Gorge & Rivers: This route passes over blue rivers and offers views across braided rivers.
Ski Field: Enjoy skiing or snowboarding in winter while enjoying incredible views across the Canterbury Plains all the way out to the east coast.
Scenic Drive: Rolling hills, mountain views, views across braided rivers - what's not to love?
Walks and Hikes: There are plenty of walks and hikes along the way, from short and sweet, to longer hikes through the mountains with mind blowing views.

Where the inland scenic route and the shorter route eventually meet up, you head further south where alpine towns such as Tekapo, Mt Cook and Twizel are and this is where you will explore the very best (in our opinion) of Canterbury. The highlight of this route is Mt Cook National Park, which is one of the most beautiful and breathtaking places in New Zealand and the main reason travellers choose this inland route to get from Christchurch to Queenstown.

Highlights of South Canterbury:

Scenic Drive: Arguably one of the best drives in New Zealand - you'll want to stop every 2 minutes to take photos of mountains and lakes! A large portion of the Southern Alps are covered in snow all year round, mainly at the top, and in winter after significant snowfall, they are covered completely.
Adventure Seekers: Kayaking, scenic boat tours, jet boating scenic helicopter flights over the Southern Alps and glaciers, fishing (salmon and trout), hunting (deer and tahr).
Glaciers: The Southern Alps are home to many glaciers and you can see them via a scenic helicopter flight or by hiking to viewpoints.
Walks and Hikes: One of our favourite places to hike in New Zealand due to the rugged terrain, huge mountains and glacial fed lakes - it certainly doesn't feel like New Zealand! There are short hikes, some flat and some steep, as well as day and overnight hikes - something for everyone.
Blue Lakes: Canterbury is home to New Zealand's bluest lake and other blue lakes that look like they have been photoshopped into the landscape because they're such a vibrant blue.
Towns: Most of the towns in South Canterbury, such as Tekapo, Mt Cook and Twizel, are alpine towns, which have long, hot summers and cold winters with many days of snow. We have spent a lot of time living in these areas and we are always excited every time we are there to stay! They are really nice small towns.
National Park: The Mount Cook National Park is one of the most beautiful places in New Zealand. It's nestled in amongst the Southern Alps and New Zealand's highest peak - Mt Cook - is in the park (hence the name!). There are incredible hikes to be walked, icebergs to be seen on the lakes and every corner you turn is picture worthy. It is ALWAYS worth visiting Mt Cook National Park!
Unique Rock Formations: There are some unique rocks formations that, once you're amongst them, make you feel like you've landed on another planet!
Photographer's Paradise: It is one of the best places for photographers (novice and professional) due to the dramatic landscape with mountains and lakes.
Lupine & Lavender: In late spring and early summer, the area around Mount Cook comes alive with color as the lupine bloom. These vibrant flowers cover the fields and riverbanks, creating a stunning contrast to the snow-capped peaks and deep blue glacial lakes. There is a lavender farm to experience the rich purple fields and take photos amongst.
Wildlife: You can spot kea, black stilts (the rarest wading bird in the world), falcon and one town even has the world's largest herd of Tahr! There are plenty of wild deer and wild tahr in the mountains.
Star Gazing: Experience world-class stargazing thanks to clear skies and minimal light pollution. Parts of Canterbury are part of the International Dark Sky Reserve, which means it's one of the best places in the WORLD to see the night sky! There are star gazing tours available but you can also just step outside on a clear night and look up - you won't be disappointed.
Relaxation: Unwind with hot pools and hot tubs, situated in amongst the most amazing scenery.

The next leg of the journey takes you into the Otago Region which has rugged mountains, scenic lakes and plenty of fun activities to do.

Highlights of Otago:

Towns of Interest: Cromwell, Arrowtown and Queenstown
Wanaka: With this route, there is the option to add on a detour to Wanaka which is a beautiful town famous for hikes, Lake Wanaka and That Wanaka Tree.
Autumn Colours: There are golden, yellow and red trees in Autumn, which make it a beautiful place to visit.
Adventure: There is so much to see and do in Otago, from kayaking to sky diving, to jet boating and scenic boat rides.
Gorges and Rivers: Beautiful gorges with emerald water and plenty of lookouts to enjoy them from
Scenic Lakes: The lakes in Otago are surrounded by mountains and are great for relaxing by or doing water sports, as well as hiking around or above for impressive views.
Walks and Hikes: Otago offers beautiful hikes, some short and flat through bush or along a lake, others take you to the top of mountains with the most incredible views.

Conclusion:
This way is full of majestic mountains and blue lakes - it’s absolutely stunning and breathtaking! The contrast between this side of the alps and the west coast is actually quite striking because a lot of the land on this side is so bare.

Consider Your Preferences:

Now that we've explored what to expect on each route, it's time to make a decision based on several factors such as weather, road conditions and time constraints.

Adventure vs. Serenity:

Choose the West Coast for adventure and rugged beauty.
Choose the Mount Cook for mountain scenery and tranquility.

Time Constraints:

West Coast route is the longer route by approx 120kms. There are also more winding roads than the Mt Cook route.
This means the Mount Cook route is shorter but remember with this route, you'll be stopping loads for photos as there are so many amazing viewpoints to stop at!
Do you have enough days in New Zealand to travel through the West Coast, exploring the rainforests, glaciers and blue rivers? Or do you want to spend less kms travelling and more time amongst the mountains on hikes, activities and lookouts in Mt Cook?

Rainfall:

West Coast is known for its rain - on average there is around 200 days of rainfall per year. Don't let this put you off as it's the reason the West Coast is so lush and dripping with life! We have spent months on and off on the West Coast in all seasons and we have had more sunny days than we have had rain, so it really is the luck of the draw.
Mount Cook tends to be drier, but with NZ weather, anything is possible!

Road Conditions:

Both routes are generally well-maintained, but weather can affect road conditions, especially on the West Coast. This road is most likely to be closed in super heavy rain if there are chances of a slip. This can mean you have to turn around and drive the inland route after all. This has happened just once to us on our many adventures because of a major slip near Haast that took 3 days to clear but other than that we have been absolutely fine and love driving through the West Coast.
In winter, there is a chance of snow along the highways around Mount Cook and occasionally the road out to Mt Cook National Park is closed due to the snow but this is quite rare. It's a busier route than the West Coast route but you won't find any traffic jams here!

Peak Season:

The peak season in summer is between December and February which is our summertime. This is also the time that a lot of businesses close and schools and universities close for the summer, so kiwis are out exploring New Zealand.
The West Coast gets less visitors than places along the inland route like Mount Cook and Tekapo.
Accommodation and activities can book out fast in peak season, especially on the inland route. Hikes and lakes can also be busy with tourists and kiwis on holiday.

Personal Interests:

Wildlife: The West Coast offers more wildlife experiences, like seals, kea and penguins, whereas the Mount Cook route will offer kea but it's not often you see them (we haven't spotted them here yet).
Outdoor Activities: Both routes offer hiking, adventure sports, and nature exploration but the West Coast is full of adventure - heli rides, quad bike tours, kayaking, pack rafting and glacier hiking. You can fly from Mt Cook to see glaciers and do glacier hiking.

Side Routes:

With the West Coast route, you can head north from Wanaka to explore Mt Cook and Tekapo before heading south again to continue on to Queenstown.
With the inland Mt Cook route, there is the option to take a trip to Wanaka then head south to Queenstown from there.
With both routes, there is the option to visit Arrowtown which is a popular spot for tourists, especially during autumn.

Conclusion
Whether you choose the West Coast or Mount Cook route, you're guaranteed an incredible journey through New Zealand's breathtaking landscapes. Consider your preferences, time available and weather conditions to make the best choice for your trip. Whichever route you take, you'll be rewarded with unforgettable experiences and lasting memories. Safe travels!

Want An Itinerary For These 2 Routes?
COMING SOON - Message us to be notified when these are available! If you want to have a hassle-free planning experience from either route, we have done all the hard work for you with our Tartan Coconuts Itineraries. We show our favourite spots to go - lookouts, walks and hikes (short and long), beaches and experiences. Or you can purchase our ultimate New Zealand map which has all the spots in New Zealand that we think are worth going to.

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