Arthur's Pass Walking Track

Arthur's Pass Walking Track is a must-do for anyone visiting Canterbury, New Zealand.

This 4.7-mile out-and-back trail is generally considered a moderately challenging route. The track offers stunning views of the Southern Alps/Ka Tiritiri o te Moana, diverse alpine vegetation, waterfalls, wetlands, and rich history. The trail weaves between the village and the Dobson Memorial, with views over the alps and Bridal Veil Falls.

Arthur's Pass National Park is rugged and mountainous, and its backcountry tracks and facilities are not as developed as most other national parks in New Zealand. There are limited options for people with little or no tramping experience as most trips require route-finding and river-crossing skills. The mountain ranges of Arthur’s Pass National Park have been a climbing mecca since 1891. Mt Rolleston (2275 m) near the summit of Arthur’s Pass is a popular climb for novice mountaineers to cut their crampons on.

Most people arrive in Arthur's Pass National Park by road - a spectacular piece of extreme civil engineering involving viaducts, bridges, rock shelters, and waterfalls redirected into chutes. The city of Christchurch is just under two hours drive from Arthur's Pass village, on the eastern side of the Southern Alps. On the western side, Greymouth is the closest town, and it takes about two hours to drive there. Another way to experience Arthur's Pass is on the TranzAlpine Train from Christchurch. After your scenic train journey, you can spend the day exploring Arthur's Pass National Park, walk through New Zealand native forest, enjoy lunch at a cozy cafe, and look for cheeky kea. A return train departs Arthur's Pass at 4 pm and arrives back in Christchurch at 6 pm.