Crown Range Road
Crown Range Road
4.5
About
The Crown Range Road is the highest main road in New Zealand and offers amazing views.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellersā Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellersā Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Top ways to experience Crown Range Road and nearby attractions
The area
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Attractions
29 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisorās approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
150 reviews
Excellent
106
Very good
38
Average
4
Poor
2
Terrible
0
mischa642016
Melbourne, Australia42 contributions
Dec 2022 ā¢ Family
Not for the faint hearted. Patience and excellent road skills are required for this road. Some very sharp corners and high areas with minimal barriers so make sure you enjoy heights or sit in the back seat. Be prepared for locals zooming past you when they can as the tourists are driving with their brakes on most of the way. The views are amazing for passengers who like heights and are into adventure. We drove to Lake Wanaka and it is certainly worth the anxious drive. Iām not sure why there is a 100km speed limit on this road. I think tourists need to travel slower than this. In town, the speed limit is 40km and the roads are wider and safer. Very Interesting.
Written 16 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Akshat
Singapore, Singapore6 contributions
Nov 2023 ā¢ Family
Something to avoid if you are a tourist. Locals overtake you at high speeds and the road s full of tricky turns so you end up stressing yourself when the original objective of the trip is to de-stress. The alternate route is a lot more scenic and an easier drive...
Written 11 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah B
58 contributions
Mar 2023 ā¢ Couples
We took this road from Wanaka to Queenstown in our Jucy Campervan with no real warnings that the road might not be suitable. The drive to the peak was hard work in the van but the views were absolutely incredible.
The drive from the peak down to Queenstown was absolutely terrifying with hair pin bends that came almost 360 degrees back on themselves. Add to that some impatient locals who did not like us driving slowly made it stressful at times.
You definitely wouldnāt want to try and do this towing a caravan or even in a big motor home.
That being said the views were incredible
The drive from the peak down to Queenstown was absolutely terrifying with hair pin bends that came almost 360 degrees back on themselves. Add to that some impatient locals who did not like us driving slowly made it stressful at times.
You definitely wouldnāt want to try and do this towing a caravan or even in a big motor home.
That being said the views were incredible
Written 18 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joyman L
Perth, Australia1,728 contributions
May 2023 ā¢ Couples
Visited in May 2023
One of the most scenic drives in the South Island, coming from Wanaka and driving into Arrowtown/Queenstown the road ascends up the range gradually after Cadrona and it just opens up to this expansive view sitting at 3, 540ft above sea level.
There is a stop-over car park scenic lookout that allows tourist to drink in the views before approaching the Arrow junction lookout point which is another lookout over the multiple hairpin turns descending down to 1,227ft above sea level.
Definitely a must-do!
One of the most scenic drives in the South Island, coming from Wanaka and driving into Arrowtown/Queenstown the road ascends up the range gradually after Cadrona and it just opens up to this expansive view sitting at 3, 540ft above sea level.
There is a stop-over car park scenic lookout that allows tourist to drink in the views before approaching the Arrow junction lookout point which is another lookout over the multiple hairpin turns descending down to 1,227ft above sea level.
Definitely a must-do!
Written 3 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michelle S
Auckland Central, New Zealand497 contributions
Jan 2020
Ever thought of standing on top of the world and looking down... now is your chance. This road trip is worth it!.
Take care around the bends but the scenery is exceptional!
Get out on top of the Crown Ranges Look out. View are like nothing else.
Early morning is best without the crowds.
Michelle S
Auckland
Take care around the bends but the scenery is exceptional!
Get out on top of the Crown Ranges Look out. View are like nothing else.
Early morning is best without the crowds.
Michelle S
Auckland
Written 23 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Toni3452
Barcelona, Spain752 contributions
Feb 2023
Absolutely mandatory to take this road when driving from Quenstown to Lake Wanaka. Only the first 4.5 km. are unpleasant with steep curves and danger. But after these, the road and the landscape is gorgeous. And you save plenty of time to reach Wanaka,
Written 1 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BangkokSachse
Bangkok, Thailand51,858 contributions
Feb 2020 ā¢ Couples
We drove from Queenstown to Wanaka on Crown Range Road. The road is winding at the beginning and uphill and at the end. We stopped a few times. The views at the summit were beautiful. You could hike at the summit. The drive was fun.
Written 10 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Traveling Family of Four
10 contributions
Dec 2023 ā¢ Family
Nice quick half day trip if you are in Queenstown. I have never seen so many lupines in my life. However they are invasive so I think they will eventually be culled from the area. Lavender, rose, cream are the main colours and on the hillsides are yellow gorse. Beautiful.
There is an old refurbished hotel and pub that is ~150 years old in Cardrona at the bottom of the 1100 metre pass.
This is one of the centres of the rare kÄrearea falcon. New Zealandās only indigenous falcon.
The surrounding mountains and fields look like Montana or Idaho.
There is an old refurbished hotel and pub that is ~150 years old in Cardrona at the bottom of the 1100 metre pass.
This is one of the centres of the rare kÄrearea falcon. New Zealandās only indigenous falcon.
The surrounding mountains and fields look like Montana or Idaho.
Written 20 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
justordinary
Dongara, Australia70 contributions
Mar 2023 ā¢ Family
Itās not a bad road, in fact itās spectacular but OMG itās hairy scary! If you like to live on the edge, of a cliff then drive this road! Omg Iāve never been so scared in my life. I suffer from vertigo and Iām usually fine driving, it took all my might to simply focus on the road ahead and I couldnāt look left or right. My husband was in awe it was spectacular scenery with hairpin turns and 15km road speed. The biggest drama is it has a 100km road speed and the locals like to go that fast. It needs to be 50km the whole way!!
Written 31 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sally A
Wanaka, New Zealand564 contributions
Jun 2015 ā¢ Business
Don't be fooled by reports indicating that this is the 'scenic route' from Queenstown to Wanaka. It is the highest public road in NZ but it is NOT a State Highway. Unless you are a very experienced driver who is confident on narrow steep roads with lots of bends, you should take the main road that goes through Cromwell. It is treacherous in winter, with some sections that are permanently shaded from the sun (therefore very icy) Chains must be carried during winter months, and rental cars do not usually have chains. There are no passing lanes, but plenty of Chain Bays where you can pull over - so if there are cars on your tail, please pull over & let them pass!
Written 25 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, how's the road condition driving 4am in May.
Unfortunately, we need to travel as early as possible to catch up Milford Sound.
Written 14 May 2019
This road is not for the faint hearted in Autumn/Winter. Chains may be required at times. Suggest you go through Cromwell to be on the safe side
Written 15 May 2019
Driving North to South recommended because of hair-pin bends. Why particularly?
Would it be OK in a Campervan?
Written 7 June 2015
Showing results 1-2 of 2
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing