The name Māniatoto, derived from Māori, is said to mean `plains of blood’ and refer to the `flowing’ red tussocks that once covered the land.
This is the region that inspires Graeme Sydney, painter of some of New Zealand’s most iconic landscapes. Home to tiny towns and locations that once swarmed with settlers, toiling to win riches from this sparse, rugged and graphic landscape.
Imposing mountain ranges edge the wide splendour of the Maniototo Plain. Candid skies of brilliant blue dance across the land. When evening falls, a tantalising magenta sunset slides behind flinty, tussock-clad ranges.
Humble, close-knit farming settlements are dotted thinly across the plain, huddled on long, straight roads that never end. Isolated they may be, but these are involved, connected communities where people look out for each other.
Steeped in nature’s rhythms, locals share an enduring bond with this place. The sweeping silent spaces, the loyal guardianship of mountain ranges, the contrasting hues of seasonal changes and the expansive beauty of starry black nights.
Our 3 Day Maniototo Tour is packed with iconic and awesome locations. Priced at $5500 for 1 person, and $2900 per person for 2-4 people. We can accommodate groups up to 12 people on request. Please get in touch with us for details and pricing.
Embark on an eastward journey from Queenstown, tracing the rugged Kawarau and Cromwell Gorges—the very paths once tread by gold miners who pioneered The Southern Lakes and Central Otago. Along the way, we pause in historic Cromwell and Clyde, towns steeped in pioneer heritage.
Our route leads us into the Maniatoto, a sparsely populated high country characterized by tussock-covered hills and craggy, rock-studded ranges—a landscape that vividly recalls the struggles of early settlers. Notable stops include Ophir, with its iconic wooden suspension bridge, and St Bathans, where a cyan-colored lake stands as a legacy of industrial mining in the late 1800s. The Vulcan Hotel, still operational, graces the bustling high street.
We end the day in Ranfurly, the central town in the region, known for its art deco architecture. This will be our base for the next 2 nights.
Choose from several captivating options:
We conclude the day with an evening review and workshop session for editing the day’s images.
Our return journey to Queenstown includes a side trip to The Nevis Valley, situated 1000 meters above Cromwell—the highest public road in New Zealand. From Duffers Saddle, the highest point, take in spectacular vistas: snow-capped Remarkables in one direction, the meandering Nevis River valley in another, and views across to Cromwell and Lake Dunstan.
En route, explore the hidden remains of a gold mining village dating back to the 1800s. Our final stop, the Goldfields Mining Centre, allows us to delve into the original Chinese miners’ village, wander through gold sluicings, and marvel at the machinery that once extracted gold from the landscape.
Capture the stunning morning and evening skies against the backdrop of snow-covered mountains and endless valleys. Explore towns with evocative names like Drybread, Becks, Cambrians, Ophir, Omakau, Oterahua, St Bathans, Wedderburn, Moa Creek, and Lauder.
