Southern Scenic Route — Invercargill to Te Anau viaTuatapere.
Distance
205 km
Duration
1 day
Climb
700 m
Southern Scenic Route — Invercargill to Te Anau via Tuatapere.
The western leg of New Zealand's Southern Scenic Route skirts the rugged south coast and the eastern edge of Fiordland. From Invercargill the road runs through the seaside village of Riverton and surf town of Colac Bay, past the historic Clifden suspension bridge, then climbs toward the lakes at Manapouri and Te Anau — the gateway to Milford Sound. Sealed the whole way, big skies, almost no traffic.
Quick facts
SurfacePaved
Distance205 km
Days1
Total climb700 m
DifficultyEasy
Loading map...
The route.
InvercargillStart · New Zealand's southernmost city and the start of the route. Fuel up and head west along the coast.
Riverton / AparimaScenic Point · One of the country's oldest European settlements, a fishing village on a sheltered estuary. Good first coffee stop with a maritime museum.
Colac BayScenic Point · A Southland surf beach with a long sweeping bay. The road runs right along the shore — watch for crosswinds off the Foveaux Strait.
TuatapereRestaurant · The self-styled sausage capital of New Zealand and last real town before the lakes. Lunch stop and staging point for the Hump Ridge.
Clifden Suspension BridgeScenic Point · A 1899 timber-and-cable suspension bridge over the Waiau River — one of NZ's longest surviving. Quick photo stop just off the highway.
ManapouriScenic Point · On the shore of deep, forest-ringed Lake Manapouri. The road now runs alongside water and beech forest as Fiordland closes in.
Te AnauEnd · Lakeside town and the gateway to Milford Sound. End here — ideally positioned to ride the Milford Road the next morning.
More routes in New Zealand
Whangarei Heads & the Tutukaka Coast — Northland's Coastal LoopNZ NTL · 130 kmWaitomo & the Marokopa Road — King Country Caves to CoastNZ WKO · 52 kmPunakaiki & the Paparoa Coast — Greymouth to Westport (SH6)NZ WTC · 101 kmPort Hills Summit Road — Christchurch's Skyline LoopNZ CAN · 55 kmLindis Pass SH8 — Cromwell to OmaramaNZ OTA · 110 kmFrench Pass Road — Rai Valley to French PassNZ MBH · 70 km
Save this ride. Open the app.
Clone it to your planner, customize dates and stops, then ride. All free.
Open in MotoVault
Navigate this route with GPS