Drive to Ahuriri Conservation Park NZ
The scenic drive from State Highway 8 via Birchwood Road up the Ahuriri Valley offers 25 km of mountain, river, tussock, and wetland scenery. Learn how to get there and see a video of what to expect on this scenic drive to Ahuriri Conservation Park on the South Island of New Zealand.
The scenery in the Ahuriri Valley isn’t quite Lord of the Rings scenery, but it comes close.
The scenic drive from the Ahuriri Conservation Park sign along State Highway 8 just north of Lindis Pass up the Ahuriri Valley to the wetlands is approximately 20 km (12 mi) in length.
Driving at about 40 km/h (25 mph), it would take approximately 30 – 40 minutes to drive up the Ahuriri Valley from SH 8.
You’ll get scenic views of rolling tussocklands and wetlands and will be surrounded by mountains.
The road that follows the Ahuriri River in the Ahuriri Valley is called Birchwood Road. It is a pretty straight gravel road with a just few curves and inclines.
The gravel on this road is good enough to drive a two-wheel drive car, but after approximately 20 km (12 mi), I’d recommend having a 4WD if you want to go further up Ahuriri Valley.
When driving along Birchwood Road you’ll also see access points to walks that will get you into the Lindis Conservation Area. Birchwood Road and the upper Ahuriri Valley are also good for mountain biking and horseback riding.
The upper valley 4WD track leads to Canyon Creek, accessing Ahuriri Base Hut and popular fishing spots. Beyond Canyon Creek the upper Ahuriri Valley is reserved for non-motorized access only.
How to get to Birchwood Road and Ahuriri Valley
Ahuriri Conservation Park is located on the South Island of New Zealand. And the quickest and easiest way to get to the South Island of New Zealand is by catching a flight to Christchurch airport.
Birchwood Road, Ahuriri Valley, New Zealand
From Christchurch airport, drive south in the direction of Timaru on State Highway 1.
On State Highway 1, once you’ve passed Ashburton, you’ll see a sign for Mount Cook (Aoraki) and Geraldine. Hook onto State Highway 79 to Geraldine.
Continue driving on State Highway 79 until you reach Fairlie. In Fairlie, take State Highway 8 to Mount Cook and Tekapo.
From Tekapo drive to Lake Pukaki on State Highway 8 , and then onto Twizel and Omarama.
Once you’ve passed Omarama, after approximately 17 km (10.5 mi) start looking on your right for a DOC (Department of Conservation) sign that says Ahuriri Conservation Park. There will also be a yellow sign displaying the same text on the left side of the road at the junction of State Highway 8 with Birchwood Road.
Turn right into Birchwood Road. The scenic drive starts at the cattle stop.
Basic info for the scenic drive from SH 8 up Ahuriri Valley
| Driving distance: | 20 km (12 mi) to the Ben Avon Wetlands |
| Driving time: | 30 – 40 minutes |
| Road type: | Gravel road |
| Road condition: | Very good gravel with little to no potholes for the first 20 km, then rough gravel |
| Best time to drive: | Morning |
| What you’ll see: | Mountains, tussock grass, Ahuriri River, Ben Avon Wetlands |
Below you’ll find a map showing State Highway 8 near Omarama north of Lindis Pass. The star indicates the start of the scenic drive and the flag indicates the end of the scenic drive. Use the plus and minus buttons to zoom in and out of the map to see Birchwood Road and more or less detail on the map.
Figure 1. Map of Birchwood Road, Ahuriri Valley, South Island, New Zealand.
Video of the Ahuriri Valley scenic drive New Zealand
The 3-minute video below takes you on a scenic drive on Birchwood Road up Ahuriri Valley to the Ben Avon Wetlands. Along the way we’ll stop to enjoy the mountain scenery and the sounds of the Ahuriri River.
Filed under Scenic Drives
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