Cadrona Valley Drive - Wanaka - Haast Pass - Mt. Shrimpton / NZ

View fromm Cadrona Valley Drive

Heading North from Queenstown take the Cadrona Valley Drive to get to Wanaka. It's a very curvy, steep but beautiful drive you need to experience. 
My salute to those cycling up this mountain!

Cadrona Valley Drive

Cadrona Valley Drive

Wanaka was quite busy due to the triathlon taking place a few days later. I sat at the lake, had some icecream and went on to my camp for the night. Lake Outlet Holiday Park is outside the city center, you get there via Outlet Road

Lovely spot at the Lake Outlet Holiday Park

I really liked this place. You can have a swim in the lake, beautiful sunset...

Dinner time

 

Next morning I passed Lake Hawea and as everywhere it's just beautiful. At the end of Lake Hawea turning to Lake Wanaka there is a parking lot and the start to Mt. Burke hike (1417m). It's rated a hard tour of 8km and is supposed to take 3-4hrs one-way. 

Lake Hawea

Lake Hawea

There are a few things to do along the Pass. Best you download this pdf, otherwise you need to pay if you wanna get it at the ISite.  

I had picked a hike along Haast Highway. Mt. Shrimpton. You can either walk up to the bushline or quite steep up to the top. Do it. It has already been f*** steep a long part of the track, therefore it doesn't matter anymore. 
You also can get up to the top during winter, but be careful due to avalanches.
  
The hike is supposed to be 5hrs return to the bushline, 6hrs to the top. I made it in less than 4hrs. 
With clear sky you can see from Lake Wanaka along the pass. Incredible. And plan a long break up there for this gorgeous view. I only passed one lady coming down and had the whole mountain for myself. Would have loved to stay up there. 

Looking backwards the walk up Mt Shrimpton

View on Haast Pass

You can see a little spot of Lake Wanaka

Bushy part from the bushline to the top

I wouldn't eat that one

Going on I only stopped for the famous Blue Pools along the way. Take mossy spray, they are very annoying! It really is blue water and freaking cold :-)

Blue Pools

Blue Pools

Clear, cold water

Fantail Falls

Further down the Highway I stopped to have a look at the Fantail Falls (5min return walk). 

The other options I will keep for an hopefully next visit. I stayed in Haast at the Motorway. Not a cozy place and one I disliked most, but going on would have taken too long.