Rakaia Gorge Lookout

AN OASIS IN THE MIDDLE OF A LONG DRIVE

17 DECEMBER 2022

New hair, don't care

Gotta Go The Way With The Views, Man

If you ever find yourself lucky enough to be driving from Christchurch to Tekapo, or the other way around, then driving the scenic route is a MUST or you end up driving for hours on one straight road... BOOOOOORIIIIIING!

We had done this trip a couple of times now and we always stop in at Rakaia Gorge to stretch our legs but most importantly, to enjoy the view. There's one point before you head down into the gorge (coming from Christchurch) where you turn a corner and you're hit with incredible views of the Rakaia River, braided, blue and beautiful in stark contrast to the lush green trees that surround it. Well, in spring and summer anyway!). It's the kind of view that you all say wooooooow and try not to drive off the edge of the cliff while looking at it. There are a couple of bays you can pull into, but it's not worth the hassle if you can't stop as there are plenty of viewpoints close to the river as you head into the gorge.

We didn't have time to stop as the bays approached us too quickly and it wasn't safe to stop, despite me screaming "THERE, PARK THERE, RIGHT THERE, AAAAARGH!" at Lath as he drove along, so the half-arsed drive along photo has to do. Take our word for it, it's an incredible view and well worth stopping to enjoy and photograph if you are aware that it's approaching.

The view along here was epic!

There were a couple of small bays to park in to enjoy the view, but you approach them so quickly it's hard to stop in time

Stack 'Em High

There are a couple of main spots that we enjoy going to at Rakaia (as with every other tourist there) and one is definitely down at the river where there are plenty of rocks to skip, throw or stack. The girls had a lot of fun doing this and it was a welcome stop after the drive from Christchurch and even though they had a big play on the Margaret Mahy playground in Christchurch that morning, they still had plenty of energy to burn!

When we last visited Rakaia Gorge in May 2021, the water was a much darker colour and this time in Dec 2022 it was a lovely milky blue. We noticed this with Lake Tekapo too, the colour was insanely blue in Dec 2022 but in May 2021 it was quite a dark colour.

There were only a few parks left at the parking lot so it does get quite busy, especially in summer as it's the most interesting place to stop along the whole scenic route and people can use the toilets, go on a walk or hop in one of the jet boats.

Speaking of jet boats, there were around 8 waiting to pick up passengers and head up the river. It would definitely be a fun ride, but we found it so noisy which killed the tranquility of the place.

The river was a beautiful milky blue colour

The girls had a lot of fun stacking and throwing the rocks in the gorge

Sienna saw the stack of rocks someone had made so decided to stack her own lot

Where there are flat rocks, one must stack them!

Bells & Daddy

View Near The Bridge

Just up from the carpark there is a lookout to the left of the bridge which has a great view of the river and you can watch the jetboats shooting up and down here.

You can walk up the path from the carpark to get here, or there are 2 parking spots at the lookout, but your best bet is to stay parked where you are to avoid missing out on a carpark up there.

It's a small viewing platform with an annoying bush in the way

It's worth the 20-second walk from the carpark!

You can watch the jetboats zooming past, from up here

Up, Up, Up We Go

Our third go-to spot is over the bridge and up the big hill where you're greeted with expansive views across the gorge and you can see the northern braided part of the river.

There are plenty of parks here for all sorts of cars, campers and caravans.

The view out to the braided river

The viewing deck offers views across the braided river as well as this part of the river where you may see jetboats zooming up and down

A pouwhenua, a carved wooden post, stands proudly at the lookout

The braided river would look amazing from above!

We've never seen the river completely full here, maybe next time

Know Before You Go

There are toilets on the lefthand side of the carpark
You can hop on a jet boat and head up the Rakaia River if you're into that! Find out more info here
There are lots of carparks
The bridge lookout is to the right of the carpark and there's a small path leading up to it, or you can drive up and hope there's a park free beside the bridge for a car or camper (there has been every time we visited!)
The lookout at the top of the hill has plenty of parks for all sorts of cars, campers, buses etc
The carpark is right beside the river

Mappy McMap Face

Getting There

Rakaia Gorge is on State Highway 77, 1 hour and 10 minutes west of Christchurch and 2 hours northeast of Tekapo. It's on the main highway and there are signs for it.

Conclusion

If you're driving from Christchurch to Tekapo or the other way around, we recommend driving the scenic route so you can experience this beautiful gorge. It's a great place to stretch your legs after a long drive (as long as it's not raining!) and to enjoy the river. There are so many places to stop and view the river and even just stopping up the hill to get the best views is enough if you're short on time.