New Zealand, Otago
New Zealand's highest sealed road with a hairpin stack above the Cardrona valley.
Length
70 km
In miles
43.5 mi
Driving time
2 hr 11 min
Atlas rating
9.5 / 10
The run
Queenstown to Wanaka. Drive it in either direction, though the views usually favour the climb.
Season
Snow and ice, chains may be required in winter
Checked by the Drivers Atlas desk
Scored and written by the Drivers Atlas editorial desk, drawing on driven routes across the UK and Europe, mapping data and member road reports. Every road in the library carries a driving and scenery score set by the same method. How we score roads.
Last reviewed 9 April 2026
Nearby
70 km away
Lindis Pass
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Haast Pass
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310 km away
Arthur's Pass
Braided rivers, beech forest and the dramatic Otira viaduct across an alpine fault.
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Takaka Hill
Marble mountain switchbacks between Tasman Bay and Golden Bay.
816 km away
Forgotten World Highway
Four saddles, a gorge and a tunnel, on a road that feels a century out of date.
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