Things to do in Makarora and the Blue Pools

Makarora is the last hamlet before the Haast Pass, 70 km north of Wanaka on State Highway 6 (roughly 1 hour). The Blue Pools walk starts from a roadside car park and crosses a swing bridge over the Makarora River, threading beech forest to glacial melt-water so clear it reads deep blue rather than green; allow 30 minutes each way on a well-formed track.

The bridge has been closed and rebuilt before, so check the current track status with the Department of Conservation office in Makarora before setting out.

The Siberia Experience pairs a ski-plane flight into the Siberia Valley with a three-hour bush walk and a jet-boat run back down the Wilkin and Makarora rivers, priced from around NZD 320 to NZD 400 depending on operator and season.