Drive

It only takes a leisurely hour to drive along the shore of Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown to Glenorchy, but the 46km journey punches well above its weight for attraction-to-distance ratio. The drive also delivers the traveler from what feels like one world to another, as the higher energy of Queenstown is replaced by the relaxed pace of Glenorchy.

It's a fun journey and perfect for keen drivers who love being behind the wheel on a road with curves and undulations. The interplay of water, mountains and weather, also mean no two drives on this stretch of road are the same. Changing seasons and light alter the mood and atmosphere of the landscape, and a passing storm will bring drama and a touch of reality to life here amongst the mountains. The first dusting of winter snow on the peaks totally transports the views into a scenic wonderland.

There are changing vistas around every corner on a road that traverses a diversity of landscapes, from intimate bays to light-filtered native beech forests forming a natural road tunnel. Keep an eye on the lake for T.S.S Earnslaw making its daily trips from Queenstown to Walter Peak Station, adding perspective to the sheer size of the lake. The scene is also a reminder of a time when the boat served all the lake's communities, including Glenorchy, until the road was built in 1962.

There are a number of excellent stops to make along the way. Stretch the legs at Bob's Cove with a short track through twittering native bush to the lake, and visit an historic lime kiln dating back to the 1800s. The beginning of the track is at a car park approximately 14km from Queenstown. Further along, the road meets the lake at Wilson Bay. There's a car park from which to access the adjacent Seven Mile scenic reserve, which is a playground of short, fun mountain bike and walking tracks, or relax on the beach with a picnic, marvelling at the scenery.

For the travel album's chocolate-box photo, stop at Bennetts Bluff lookout where the view opens out to the top of Lake Wakatipu and up to Earnslaw Burn glacier in the distance. The lookout is located on a tight bend so take extra care, as there is only a narrow strip of parking available.

Once in Glenorchy it's not compulsory to turn the car around and head back to Queenstown straight away. Keep going for another 30 minutes to the start of the Routeburn track – even walking the first 10 minutes of it will highlight why it has become so popular the world over, and a walk that every New Zealander should experience at least once in their life.