Drive one of New Zealand's most dramatic highway corridors — SH6 east through the Kawarau Gorge to Cromwell, then SH8 south past the Clyde Dam to Alexandra. This 90-kilometre route packs in schist gorge walls, the world's first commercial bungy jump site, three major wine sub-regions, a flooded gold-rush town, a controversial dam, and some of the finest stone architecture in the South Island. Best October through April. Snow can close higher passes in winter but SH6 and SH8 remain open year-round.

Stops on This Tour (16)

1. 1
   Lake Hayes Turnoff SH6 passing the Lake Hayes and Arrowtown junction
2. 2
   Arrow River Confluence The Arrow River meeting the Kawarau River below the road
3. 3
   Kawarau Gorge Entry SH6 entering the narrowing walls of the Kawarau Gorge
4. 4
   Kawarau Bridge — AJ Hackett Bungy Historic 1880 suspension bridge and birthplace of commercial bungy jumping
5. 5
   Gibbston Valley Wine Region Entering New Zealand's highest-altitude and southernmost wine sub-region
6. 6
   Gibbston Winery and Caves Road The Gibbston Valley Winery cellar and the schist cave entrance on the hillside
7. 7
   Nevis Bluff The sheer schist bluff forcing the highway against the gorge wall
8. 8
   Roaring Meg Power Station Meridian Energy's small hydro station on the Roaring Meg stream
9. 9
   Goldfields Mining Centre New Zealand's only open-air gold dredging museum at the gorge exit
10. 10
    Cromwell Basin Approach The gorge opening into the wide Cromwell Basin with first Lake Dunstan views
11. 11
    Cromwell — Fruit Stand Country Entering Cromwell, New Zealand's stone fruit capital
12. 12
    Sanga's Pies and Cromwell Old Town Cromwell's famous pie shop and the preserved gold-rush buildings by the lake
13. 13
    SH8 South — Clyde and Alexandra Turning south onto SH8, following the Clutha River toward Clyde Dam
14. 14
    Lake Dunstan The 26-kilometre reservoir created by Clyde Dam, flooding the Cromwell Gorge
15. 15
    Clyde Dam The 102-metre concrete arch dam completed 1992 after New Zealand's most contested infrastructure battle
16. 16
    Clyde Township One of Central Otago's finest preserved schist stone gold-rush towns

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