Clay Cliffs and the Drive Through Lindis Pass

Walking on Mars

The track leads to path that looks like it has been formed by rainfall, creating an opening in the Clay Cliffs. We follow it through the narrow opening until we are inside. It feels like we have just stepped on Mars. Dry white dust covers the ground and we are completely surrounded by towering pinnacles. This is incredible. It’s one of those places that is so grand you don’t know where to begin taking photos, then we remember we have a 360-degree camera – nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

It’s at this moment that we realise no matter how long the drive is we have ahead of us, no matter how early we wanted to hit the road, it was well worth making the extra trip to come to the Clay Cliffs!

Braided rivers and lupins

Once we have taken enough photos, wallowed in enough views (which is never enough!), and had our time pretending we are on Mars, we return down the walking track to only be surprised by new perspectives of the Clay Cliffs. The cliffs closer to the car park look blue for some reason! Plus, at this raised elevation, we get an incredible view of the braided river at the bottom of the valley. As summer is well on its way, the blue, purple and sometimes yellow colours of the lupin flowers line the river. These flowers actually being a pest in New Zealand, but, dayyym, they do look pretty!

Panoramic beauty!

Back to Central Otago

After one last look at the marvelous Clay Cliffs, and the sun apparently, we are now hitting the road for the longest drive of this trip: Omarama to Ranfurly. We are leaving Waitaki country and heading into the high heartland of Central Otago. Here we go!

Just as we start to climb into the higher altitudes of Lindis Pass, light rain starts the drizzle and the clouds hang low. Nevertheless, what we see along the Lindis Pass is another display of New Zealand’s natural beauty that blows our minds.

The beauty of Lindis Pass

Sandy-coloured tussock-covered mountains stand either side of the tiny road that winds straight through the valley floor. The mountains are so large that they create a dwarfing effect making you think, “Sure, I could climb to the top of that mountain, easy!”

There’s not much opportunity to stop to take photos other than at the Summit Lookout with a large parking area just off the road. We get our token tourist photos, and continue on the road towards Cromwell. We’ll be returning to Cromwell in a few days, but the drive along Cromwell Gorge with the bright blue waters of the Clutha River is, again, a beautiful sight. (God, New Zealand, you so bore us with your landscape porn, you really do!) Rugged rocky cliffs line one side of the Clutha River while we drive on the road on the other side. This road leads way off the beaten track into the Maniototo district.