Queenstown to Wānaka by Car: Crown Range vs Cromwell Route 

Queenstown is a place of beauty and adventure, with so much to do and see, and a whole lot more to the region than the adventure capital itself. A lot of travellers head north to Wānaka, nestled in the heart of the Southern Alps, to keep taking in the scenery the area is famous for. 

If you're planning to drive from Queenstown to Wānaka, there are two different routes to choose from, and which one suits you best often comes down to the season. Buckle up as we share both. 

Queenstown to Wānaka: Crown Range or Cromwell — Which Route Should You Take?

Going from Queenstown to Wblānaka via Cromwell.

This is the easier drive overall, especially in fog, ice, rain, or at night. It's less direct, but the scenery is excellent, and Cromwell is well worth the stop. This was our favourite route between the two towns.

Going from Queenstown to Wānaka via the Crown Range.

This is the more direct option, aside from taking you over a large mountain. The road climbs to real heights, with a section of tight twists and turns, particularly as you set off from the Queenstown side. Slow and steady is the way to go here, and the views are well worth the care it takes.

If you're doing the whole trip as a there-and-back, we'd recommend heading to Wānaka via Cromwell, then returning via the Crown Range — that way you get the benefit of sweeping downhill views of Queenstown as you descend the mountain on the way back

How Far Is Wānaka from Queenstown?

This depends on which road you take. How many hours is it from Queenstown to Wānaka via the Crown Range route? It takes about 1 hour 10 minutes; however, we recommend allowing extra time if it's busy, raining, snowing, or foggy. 

How long is the drive from Queenstown to Wānaka via Cromwell? Allow about an hour and a half, with the same weather caveats. So, depending on your route, the driving time from Queenstown to Wānaka varies by roughly 20 minutes, but both are comfortably manageable as a day trip or one leg of a longer South Island itinerary.

In winter, you may be required to fit snow chains on roads around Queenstown and Wānaka, including the Crown Range, when conditions demand it. Omega has snow chains available for $25 per rental, so it’s worth adding them to your booking if you’re travelling during the colder months. 

Driving Queenstown to Wānaka via Cromwell: Great Stops on the Way

The first way we went was the Cromwell route. It was a reasonably sunny day but a bit breezy in a summery January. This route is a little windier in parts but overall an easier drive, even though it's a bit longer than the alternative. Cromwell itself is a great stopping point and well worth a visit.

Cheeki Cherries, Cromwell

A low-spray orchard open 8 am–6 pm in summer, with PYO or bagged fruit including apricots, peaches, nectarines, and cherries. They also do real fruit ice creams, and there's a cute outdoor area with picnic tables, lawn games, and a small playground. 

Top tip: if you time your visit right and get to try the white cherries, they're excellent. All the cherries here are great though — bring a chilly bin with an ice brick to keep the fruit cool while you continue exploring.

Historic Gold Mining Settlement, Arrowtown 

Arrowtown is the perfect place to stop between Queenstown and Cromwell. You cross a swing bridge to reach it and enter via the gift shop, where you can also buy tickets for a gold-mining experience or guided tour. The café is open on certain days. The tour is well worth doing; you get to see and touch real gold and try your luck panning in a trough, using a shovel to dig rocks out of your pan. We didn't strike gold ourselves, but there are photos on display of visitors who have.

Puzzling World, Wānaka

Suggested time here: 2–4 hours if you do the maze twice. Hard to miss thanks to the giant leaning building out front, with plenty of parking and a café with ample seating for lunch or a snack. The tables even have puzzles built in to keep kids entertained while you wait for food.

There's one maze with two options: an easier version where you visit all four corners in any order, or a harder version where you visit them in a specific order, deceptively tricky once you try it. With kids, our first attempt took about an hour, and our second about an hour and a half. There's more walking involved than you'd expect; it's billed as 1.5km of pathways and overbridges, though Puzzling World's own site notes you can end up walking 3–5km to solve it. The maze is outdoors, so bring sunscreen in summer, warm layers in winter, and wet weather gear if it's rainy. Comfortable shoes help too, as the stony ground gets uncomfortable in jandals.

There are also illusion rooms, which are fun though shorter than the maze — the maze was our favourite part. The gift shop has some great wooden puzzles, toys and games to take home.

National Toy and Transport Museum, Wānaka 

An enormous collection covering anything toy- or transport-related. You enter and exit through a toy shop, then move through large areas filled with dolls, Lego, toy cars and more, including a model train section where you can watch miniature trains loop through tracks and tunnels.

The transport section has warehouses full of vintage cars, fire trucks, machinery, and even a plane inside one of the buildings, plus outdoor areas with more transport items. Ice blocks, ice creams, and drinks are available, and there's plenty of parking. A genuinely interesting stop.

Over the Crown Range Road: Where to Stop on the Way to Wānaka

Turning off onto the Crown Range route, you're immediately faced with a steep hill climb, followed by some sharp turns where you'll need to slow down for oncoming traffic. It wasn't too busy when we drove it around lunchtime in January, which helped. The road climbs to a good height, with pull-off spots along the way for photos, and it's well sealed throughout. We hired an economy rental car from Omega, which had more than enough grunt for the climb and felt secure through the turns. After the summit, the road heads back down the other side.

Cardrona Pub and the Bradrona Bra Fence

The Bradrona is the iconic bra fence, where you'll spot dozens of bras hanging along the roadside. You can stop to look, add your own, or donate to the Breast Cancer Foundation collection box, which supports breast cancer research, education, and patient support. 

Locals believe it began after a late-night party at the nearby historic Cardrona Hotel, though the identities of the original contributors were never confirmed. Despite occasional controversy and council removals, the trend has stuck around and grown into a well-known roadside landmark. 

Cardrona Alpine Resort: Summer and Winter

Cardrona Alpine Resort makes for a perfect stop year-round. In summer, you can go mountain biking or mountain carting, ride the gondola to the summit, or take on one of four hiking trails on foot.

In winter, Cardrona is a highly regarded ski resort with a popular ski school and the most extensive terrain parks in the Southern Hemisphere, a great option whether you're learning to ski or already an experienced rider. There are five terrain parks, two pipes and plenty of on-mountain cafés and restaurants. 

The drive up can be more demanding in winter, and hiring a 4WD or SUV is a solid option if you're heading up the mountain yourself; alternatively, you can drive to the base and take a shuttle bus up. Chains may be required on the access road when there's snow or mud.

More Places to Explore Between Queenstown and Wānaka

• Gibbston Valley Winery — great spot for lunch and wine tasting at New Zealand’s largest wine cave
• Kawarau River and the Roaring Meg Lookout, Cromwell
• Jackson Orchard, Cromwell — popular for cherries, apricots, peaches and plums
• Highlands Motorsport Park, Cromwell
• Wānaka Lavender Farm
• Mount Aspiring National Park

Driving from Wānaka to Queenstown: Which Route Is Best?

Heading from Wānaka to Queenstown, the weather turned drizzly with some mist near the summit, even though it was around 11 am. Visibility was poor at the very top for a few minutes, but everyone was driving slowly, and it cleared as we descended. There are pull-off spots on the way down too, if you want to take in the scenic views. Once you reach the bottom, turning towards Queenstown means turning right — expect a bit of a queue here during peak periods.

If you're short on time, the Crown Range is the faster option, provided you're not stuck behind slow traffic. If the weather is foggy, raining hard, snowing, or you’re dealing with icy roads or not yet confident driving on the left, the Cromwell route is the better choice.

Which Car Should You Hire for the Drive?

In summer, pretty much any car is suitable. We had a zippy Toyota Corolla that handled the corners well and made the climbs with ease.

In winter, SUVs are a popular choice if there's likely to be snow or icy hills, though smaller vehicles are still a fine option for most conditions.

Where to Stay: Queenstown, Wānaka, or Cromwell in Between?

Both Queenstown and Wānaka make a great central location for a South Island stay, and Cromwell is a good, affordable option to base yourself in between the two, especially in summer, when you're surrounded by fresh fruit ready for picking.

In Queenstown, you can stay close to the action in the town centre, or nearby at Frankton. There's also accommodation near Queenstown Airport and around the Remarkables business park. The Holiday Inn Remarkables Park is a solid choice here, handy for getting on the road towards Cromwell or Arrowtown without heading through Queenstown Central traffic, and often more affordable too.

In Wānaka, options range from hostels and campgrounds through to hotels. Most accommodation gets busy during peak ski season and summer, pushing prices up. 

If you're skiing, Queenstown suits a Coronet Peak or Remarkables trip, while Wānaka is the better base if you're heading to Cardrona.

Ready to Explore Queenstown and Wānaka Your Way?

With two spectacular routes and plenty to discover along the way, having your own car gives you the freedom to make the journey your own. Pick up an Omega rental car in Queenstown and set off on one of New Zealand’s great scenic drives, with all the ingredients for an unforgettable experience.