Glenorchy, through no fault of her own, tends to be the forgotten middle child in a New Zealand road trip itinerary.
Most people spend a few days in Queenstown, and then promptly drive north to Wanaka or south to Milford Sound… even though Glenorchy sits patiently waiting, only an hour’s drive from Queenstown.
The reason is understandable – it’s on a road that goes nowhere. Past Glenorchy, the road splits into a few unsealed paths that meander into the southern alps, with one notably leading to the Routeburn track.
But they are all dead ends – in order to go anywhere else in New Zealand, you have to go back to Queenstown.
You have to make time for the detour. And it doesn’t have the dramatic magnificence of Milford Sound, with its jaw-dropping sheer cliffs, to entice people to do that.
Interestingly, Glenorchy is really close to Milford Sound geographically. As the crow flies, the distance between Glenorchy and Milford Sound is only about 40km. And you can walk this distance if you are doing the Routeburn track.
But if you drive, it takes 5 hours, and you traverse 333km, because you are going around the mountains. There was some talk about building a tunnel through the alps, but Glenorchy residents (quite understandably) unanimously voted no to that.
Anyway.
It took me 12 years after my first trip to Queenstown to visit Glenorchy. Boy do I regret that, because Glenorchy is one of the most underrated destinations in New Zealand.
Getting there
The only way to get to Glenorchy is by road. Specifically, by road from Queenstown, which takes roughly 1 hour.
There is a small company in Queenstown named “Glenorchy Air”, but it paradoxically doesn’t offer flights to Glenorchy.
So, your options will be to either drive or take a bus or coach tour. There is no rail transport to Glenorchy.
Driving
If you are comfortable with driving in New Zealand, my recommendation would be to hire a car and drive to Glenorchy.
The drive isn’t too bad as far as South Island roads go, and it gives you much more flexibility. You can stop at the viewpoints between Queenstown and Glenorchy, or take a side trip to one of the attractions nearby.
You can rent a car in Queenstown, and it’s not significantly more expensive than renting one in the bigger cities (e.g. Christchurch). All of the big NZ car rental brands are there, so if you do some shopping around, you can get a decent deal.
The road to Glenorchy is completely sealed, so you should have no issues taking a rental car on it. Some of the side trips recommended in this post will be on unsealed roads, however.
Bus or coach
If you are not comfortable with driving in New Zealand, then taking a bus or coach is an option.
Altitude Tours offers day trips from Queenstown to Glenorchy. At $179 return per adult, however, it’s pretty pricey – and bear in mind that this is just for ground transport, not a scenic flight!
There’s another company, Info & Track, which does transfers from Queenstown to the Routeburn, Greenstone, and Caples tracks. You used to be able to buy a ticket from Queenstown to Glenorchy, since their route passes by Glenorchy, but the option seems to be unavailable on their website recently.
Should you day trip or stay the night?
Most visitors do Glenorchy as a day trip, as it’s a tiny village without much in the way of accommodation and food options. Also, accommodation in Glenorchy is expensive, even by New Zealand standards.
Staying the night
I’d recommend staying at least one night if you can, though. You’ll basically have the place to yourself in the early morning and late evening, and the sunrises and sunsets over the lake are phenomenal.
It’s also a dark sky sanctuary, which makes for some pretty amazing stargazing if the weather cooperates. We saw the Milky Way on the night of our stay!
If you do stay overnight, however, you need to book your accommodation in advance. You should also familiarize yourself with the food options and plan ahead.
Back when we first visited Glenorchy, there was only one restaurant open for dinner. Now there are a few, but it’s essential that you contact them ahead of time to book and to confirm that they are open on your dates.
If you decide to cook, you’ll want to shop for groceries in Queenstown, as there are no supermarkets in Glenorchy. There is a general store, but the fresh food selection is very limited.
Day trip
Day tripping to Glenorchy will save you some money, even though you do miss out on some parts of the experience.
Most people who day trip will base themselves in Queenstown. At only an hour’s drive each way, you’ll still have plenty of time left in the day to explore Glenorchy.
As tempting as it may be to stretch out your trip, try to avoid driving after dark or early in the morning in colder months. Even though the road is sealed and not too tricky by New Zealand standards, it winds around a fair bit, has no barriers, and black ice can form when temperatures drop at night.
Best stops on the Glenorchy Queenstown road
The road from Queenstown to Glenorchy hugs the shores of Lake Wakatipu, and offers gorgeous views of Walter Peak, Mt Nicholas and the surrounding mountains.
Bennetts Bluff viewpoint
Bennetts Bluff is the most well-known viewpoint on the drive to Glenorchy, and it certainly lives up to the hype.
I’ve read reviews about it being crowded, but both times we’ve been there, we were the only ones at the lookout! We visited in the spring and winter, though – it might be more packed in the summer.
The lookout is only a 5-minute walk from the carpark. It’s also one of the few tracks in the South Island that are accessible to people with impaired mobility, as the path is smooth and well-formed.
From the top, you get sweeping panoramic views of Lake Wakatipu and the mountains on the far side of the lake. I do recommend!
Little Paradise garden
Drive a bit further past Bennetts Bluff, and you’ll arrive at Little Paradise Lodge & Wild Dream Garden – a long name, and a quirky garden to match.
The entire grounds (garden, lodge, and sculptures) were created and maintained by the family that owns the place. One of the owners met us on arrival and showed us around.
Few things make me happier than strolling around serene gardens in scenic locations, and this one certainly scratched that itch. The gardens aren’t particularly large, but what they lack in size they make up for in charm.
Also, they have a peacock that seems to call the garden his home!
We paid an admission fee of roughly $10, but that was a while ago. I can’t find any mention of the admission price on their website currently, but you can contact them and ask.
Glenorchy accommodation
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Glenorchy is a very small settlement. This isn’t one of those places that you can just rock up to and find accommodation on the same evening – you need to plan ahead and have your accommodation booked in advance.
Accommodation in Glenorchy is generally very expensive. I’m not going to sugarcoat it – that’s the main reason why most people day trip. It’s a location where demand outstrips supply significantly. And unfortunately it’s only gotten more expensive over the years.
The Glenorchy Lake House, for instance, is $700+ a night! And it’s a 4-star hotel, too.
Here are some of the accommodation options that I recommend if you want to stay overnight in Glenorchy without completely breaking the bank. (You’ll still break the bank, but in moderation.)
- AirBnBs. In small places like Glenorchy, you’ll often find more options on AirBnB compared to traditional hotels. We stayed at an AirBnB with a lovely fireplace in the back yard and the most breathtaking alpine views. Unfortunately, it’s much pricier now than when we booked it. At their current price ($500+ a night) I’d only recommend it to bigger groups or couples looking for a special occasion splurge. There are other listings on AirBnB currently for ~$200 a night, however.
- Glenorchy Hotel. For simple, mid-range accommodation, you can’t go past the Glenorchy Hotel. It’s been around for a long time, and offers the traditional Kiwi hotel-and-pub experience. Ensuites start at $175 per night. For people on a tighter budget, you can get a dorm bed at $65 a night.
- Glenorchy Motels. Another one on the “budget” list, Glenorchy Motels offers rooms at $250 a night.
Attractions in Glenorchy
Restored Steamship Depot
If you’ve seen a postcard photo of Glenorchy, the restored steamship depot is probably in it! This little red shed juxtaposed against a backdrop of snowy mountains is Glenorchy’s most well-known icon.
The good news is that the colors really do stand out that beautifully in real life. The bad news is that you usually won’t be the only person trying to take a photo of it close up.
The crowds are mostly there during the day, however. If you stay overnight, you can visit in the morning or the evening, when there are far fewer people.
Plus, doesn’t the little red shed just look so quaint in the fading light?
You can go inside, but it’s pretty dusty and there isn’t that much to see.
Glenorchy Wharf
Once you’ve snapped your fill of photos with the little red shed, head on over to the wharf nearby. On still days, when the lake is calm, you can see the reflection of the mountain range beyond.
There’s a sign that tells you to be aware of the current when swimming, but unless you’re there in the peak of summer, I can’t imagine the water would look very tempting!
There are a lot of people here during the day (not that many compared to, say, Rome, but a huge number by New Zealand standards).
Again, sunrise and sunset is the best time for photos, and for just enjoying the serenity of your surroundings. Trust me, it really spoils the mood when there are a dozen grown adults hollering at each other from opposite ends of the wharf.
At the end of the day, the day trippers go home, and the hustle and bustle dissipates. You are rewarded with silence, broken only by birdsong and the sound of waves lapping against the wharf.
Also, look at the sunset over the snow-covered alps!
Glenorchy Lagoon Walk
There’s actually only one walk in Glenorchy itself – the Glenorchy Lagoon Walk. Most of the other walks cited online are some distance away from Glenorchy, e.g. the Routeburn Nature Walk.
You’ll start at the “Glenorchy Walkway” right next to the carpark, which follows the Rees River for a short distance, before turning east into the “Lagoon Track”. This track is a dual loop, with both loops going around the Glenorchy Lagoon.
There isn’t that much to see on the northern loop, honestly. The “Glenorchy Walkway Scenic Point” spot marked on Google Maps is just… wrong.
The name makes it sound like you’re doing the walk for the “scenic point”, but in reality there’s just a bench there. It’s nowhere near as scenic as the southern loop and the part near the carpark.
If you’re short on time or energy, I’d recommend just doing the walkway and the southern loop.
During our winter visit, parts of the river mouth had frozen, and there was a beautiful sheet of ice over the water!
Attractions near Glenorchy
Isengard Lookout
Lord of the Rings fans rejoice, there’s an easily-accessible filming spot only 12 minutes away from Glenorchy by car, and it’s on a sealed road! The bridge across the Dart River is home to views of Isengard, the “Iron Fortress” of Gondor.
I will fully admit that I’m a terrible fan, because I only took photos of one side of the river, and it turns out that the scene used in the film was on the other side…
Yes, it’s worth visiting even if you’re not a LOTR person.
The Dart River, like many others in the South Island of New Zealand, is a glacial river. It flows from the Dart Glacier in Mount Aspiring National Park, and the glacial run-off gives the water its characteristic light blue color.
During the drive from Glenorchy, you also get picture-perfect views of Kiwi farmland that seem to come straight out of a milk commercial.
If you’re there during the warmer months of the year, you can then continue driving to the Routeburn Track trailhead for another short walk.
Routeburn Nature Walk
While the Routeburn Track itself is a 3-day hike, the Nature Walk at the start of the trail is an easy 40-minute loop that starts at the trailhead.
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to do the walk, because when we arrived it looked like this:
Yeah, so umm, we thought that the Routeburn Nature Walk would be a low-elevation walk doable in the winter, like the Hooker Valley track.
Spoiler alert: It is not. It’s completely snowed in in the winter. Hence my “if you’re there during the warmer months” caveat above!
We weren’t prepared for walking in snow, so we turned around and went back. That was a good idea, anyway, as the weather was turning south.
The road up to the Routeburn trailhead is unsealed, and some of the switchbacks can be gnarly. Also, the shelter and toilets at the start of the trail are closed in the winter.
