Omarama Clay Cliffs

AN OUT OF THIS WORLD EXPERIENCE

01 AUGUST 2022

View from inside the clay cliffs

Are We In... Utah? Mars?

Before we even started our South Island Trip, we knew that the clay cliffs were undoubtably going to be one of the places we were going to explore. So as we were heading towards Moeraki from Mt Cook, we made the 10km detour from Omarama town and headed to check out the cliffs. And when we stated in Lake Tekapo again in the summer the following year, it was on our list again!

Once you turn off the main road, the road becomes unsealed so it was a b-u-m-p-y ride but it was worth it! The cliffs are actually set on private land and there's an honestly box at a gate which you need to open and shut so the cattle stay in. It's just $5 per car which is super cheap.

As we pulled up to the carpark (there are plenty of spaces), we were greeted with the most amazing view of the cliffs with their tall pinnacles and ridges that look like something from Mars or Utah! Even if you're short on time, it's worth just pulling up to see them. We got there late in the afternoon so we didn't have masses of time to explore as we wanted to get across to Moeraki to set up for the night before it got dark. It was pretty cold in there as it was autumn and there was no sun inside the cliffs - brrr take a jacket... and gloves.. and a beanie if you're exploring in autumn or winter.

We also visited again in summer and it was HOT the shade was very inviting!

A beautiful entrance sign

The hills reminded us of the Wither Hills in Blenheim where we hiked up Mt Vernon

The drive to the cliffs in summer can get pretty dusty! Windows up pleeeeease

The sediments in the clay cliffs are made up of sandstone, quartz rich siltstones and conglomerates (which can contain smaller grains of any rock material that is washed downstream and which give the cliffs their reddy brown colour).

How The Cliffs Were Formed

The cliffs were formed around 2 million years ago and are currently home to lots of pooping pigeons. They nest at the top of the cliffs, so watch out for poop bombs!

The cliffs are a natural rock formation made up of silt and gravel which was deposited by rivers coming off glaciers when the dinosaurs were roaming. They were uplifted by the Ostler fault which is the Waitaki District's most active geological fault that produces a large earthquake every 3500 years. Over time, the weather has helped to create the natural design you see today.

There are a mixture of sharp pinnacles as well as smooth pinnacles and lots of coloured layers within the cliffs.

We had a lot of fun exploring them although the kids did find it a little bit of a struggle walking on the scree but we got to the top with a few bum shoves!

The girls looking for gemstones in the ground

Found one!

Bella found a cicada chilling on a stone

Best place to be at this point... it was HOT!

Wear Ya Good Shoes (For Walking, Not Parties)

The path to the cliffs only takes around 5 minutes and it's an up and down track that can get pretty slippery and muddy after lots of rain.

Once you're inside the magnificent cliffs, you feel like you're on another planet as it's so different to any other landscapes in New Zealand. We spent ages looking around and admiring the cliffs and of course taking loads of photos! When we were there in Autumn it was really quiet which made the experience more awesome but in summer it was packed!

The track can be pretty slippery due to the scree and fallen rocks within the cliffs, so you will need to have really good shoes and the taste for adventure.

We stayed in the main part both times we visited and it was more than enough to explore the cliffs and take it all in.

Coo Coo

The cliffs are home to a lot of pigeons and we saw loads when we visited in Autumn that were flying around right at the top of the cliffs. We only saw one in summer and it was almost at our height, so we're not sure if the pigeons were nesting elsewhere for the summer or just staying in their homes high above, out of the scorching heat.

Keep your eyes peeled for pigeon poop bombs!

Ahuriri River

The best thing about the cliffs is that even if you just stand at the entrance, you get to experience so much of the picturesque clay formations and when you turn around the other way, you get a beautiful view of the Ahuriri River and the Mackenzie Country.

It's a beautiful view especially in autumn when the trees and shrubs are a beautiful orange shade. We could have spent ages looking just at this view.

The Ahuriri River in summer

The area is beautiful and lush in summer - a stark contrast to when we visited in autumn

I love the clouds and berries in this pic!

Sienna waiting for me to hurry up and stop taking photos

There's a golden glow in autumn in the Mackenzie Basin

Visiting in Autumn

The South Island is known for its stunning scenery with the vividly orange, yellow and red trees which the area around the Omarama Clay Cliffs is covered in.

It's a much cooler month to explore the cliffs and you would probably spend more time looking around than in the hot summer heat.

The road heading out of the carpark

The trees and shrubs are so incredibly beautiful in Autumn

The view from the carpark

Lath, Sienna & Bella heading to the cliffs

So many browns, oranges and yellows

The cliffs looked like something from another planet!

The view from the top of the cliffs inside

Looks like a very serious conversation going on

Lake Ruataniwha

While we're on the subject of Autumn, if you're passing through Twizel in Autumn, take a look at Lake Ruataniwha beside State Highway 8. The trees there are incredible! There are so many vivid yellow trees along the edge of the lake and if you go on a still day, the reflections would be epic.

The trees were extremely vivid

Be sure to stop in on your way to Mt Cook or Lake Tekapo!

Lake Ruataniwha

We stopped in Autumn after seeing them near the High Country Salmon Cafe

Know Before You Go

Entry is $5 per car or $20 per bus honesty box at the gate
You will need to open and shut the gate yourself
The road is unsealed out to the cliffs so if you're renting a camper, check that it's within the km range for taking the camper on unsealed roads
There's plenty of parking
It's a 5-minute walk to the cliffs entry from the carpark
In summer it can be a hot walk up to the cliffs but there's shade once you get there!
The scree can be hard to walk up inside the cliffs, so wear good shoes
Beware of falling rocks
Not suitable for prams or wheelchairs
There are no toilets here, you'll need to go in the Omarama township or you'll be weeing on the side of the road!
The path can be hard to walk on in winter if it's icy and you may have to turn back
Allow 30 mins - 1 hour to explore if you're short on time, or even longer if you want to explore every nook and cranny
You can just stand at the entrance of the cliffs to see the incredible formations if you aren't keen on walking inside them

Mappy McMap Face

Getting There

The way to get to the clay cliffs is pretty straight forward, you turn into Quailburn Road from State Highway 8 and from there you turn into Henburn Road and go along a gravel road till you get to the carpark.

1 hour 10-minutes from Lake Tekapo
35 mins from Twizel
1 hour 40 mins from Wanaka

Conclusion

Seriously, just make the detour on your travels! It's 100% worth it and your family will have an awesome time exploring the cliffs and staring in wonder at them. It's just a 5-minute walk to the cliffs from the carpark and if you're short on time, you can experience it all from the entrance of the cliffs.