Arthur's Pass

New Zealand is blessed with an abundance of national parks and the township of Arthur’s Pass lies at the doorstep of one of its finest - Arthur’s Pass National Park. Arthur’s Pass itself is rife with spectacular scenery as it snakes 900m in elevation through the national park earning it the distinction of being the country’s highest alpine pass. The mountains of the national park, the steep scree slopes and ski basins around the area have resulted in the region being known as the Backbone of the South Island. This historic pass is also notable for being the first path that the Maori tribe used in search of pounamu, or New Zealand jade. Arthur's Pass National Park is considered an engineering marvel as the place is riddled with viaducts, bridges, rock formations and waterfalls that are redirected into chutes. The entire park is split into two landscapes, namely the East and West region. In the East, one can find beautiful shingle riverbeds and a beech forest. On the West side, rainforests and gorge riverbeds adorn the landscape. The winters here are the place to be for skiing and the pass sees massive footfall for winter sports enthusiasts.One can also drive, hike and mountaineer through the park but to get a unique experience, see the park through the famous Tranz Alpine Rail Service that is available here at Arthur's Pass. It is located close to Craigieburn Forest Park and is a pitstop that is most popular for those travelling from Canterbury to the West Coast. The nearest town is Christchurch which is 2 hours away. Arthur's Pass can be reached via the many buses that go from Christchurch.