Go for a ROAM around the beautiful central South Island lakes
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The ROAM Loop takes in the best of the central South Island, starting and finishing in seaside city Timaru. It’s a favourite road trip for locals, and is popular with visitors to the region and vehicle club members who are touring from around New Zealand.
It's around 350 kilometres and takes approximately six hours to complete, however, we're sure you're going to want to stop, stay and play along the way.
It's around 350 kilometres and takes approximately six hours to complete, however, we're sure you're going to want to stop, stay and play along the way.
Rivers. Ocean. Astro. Mountains
Lake Pūkaki and Aoraki/Mount Cook
The ROAM Loop will have you:
- Roaming through South Island locations like Aoraki/Mount Cook, Caroline Bay and the Clay Cliffs
- Wining, dining, shopping and coastal walking in little seaside city Timaru
- Checking out the fascinating geology and beautiful wines of the Waitaki Valley
- Exploring superb walking and biking tracks, and spectacular street art in Waimate
All within an easy, scenic drive.
Pumpkin Point, Waitaki Lakes
ROAM Must-Dos:
- Stargaze in the world's largest Gold Dark Sky Reserve
- Explore ancient Māori rock art in Timaru
- Sample a famous Fairlie pie or two
- Pack your bike, or hire one while you're here, and cycle the loop and part of the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail
- Get your selfie on at Ōmarama's extraordinary clay cliffs
- Hand feed tame wallabies, or spot wild ones in Waimate
- Wander amongst ancient glaciers in the Legendary Mackenzie
- Watch Timaru’s little penguin/kororā colony come ashore after a day at sea
- Be wowed by the large scale silo art murals in Waimate
- Hit the ski fields and warm up afterwards in hot pools in Ōmarama or Lake Tekapo afterwards
- Sample the fabulous wines of the Waitaki Valley
- Pay your respects at one of NZ's most poignant war memorials - Ted's Bottle at Waihao Downs
Jack's Point, Timaru
The ROAM Loop App can help you navigate this stunning drive.
You don't need the app to drive the loop, however, it's full of things to do and places to visit.
You can download the app to your phone, or simply open the desktop version which opens up in a web browser. You can use the web version to plan your trip from home.
Download the app to your phone from the App Store or Google Play.
Open the web version of the app from any device.
You can download the app to your phone, or simply open the desktop version which opens up in a web browser. You can use the web version to plan your trip from home.
Download the app to your phone from the App Store or Google Play.
Open the web version of the app from any device.
