Trail Places

Central Otago has one of the most distinctive climates in New Zealand. Summer temperatures are among the hottest, while winters are definitely the coldest.

119. James Jubb copy

You can get very hot in Ophir, and very, very cold in winter (one of New Zealand’s coldest temperature here was -21°C) – but nobody minds too much, because this tin…

Blue Lake

Only a handful of people live here now, but this former gold mining town was once home to 2000 people.

Nasebyb2

An easy detour off State Highway 85, historic Naseby is known for great ice skating, heritage hotels and hiking around the old goldfields.

Macraes

The historic Macraes Flat goldmining town is well worth the detour.

Dunedin 2

Dunedin, a Trail Partner of the Otago Central Rail Trail, is a beautiful University town on the east coast and a special place to start or end your Rail Trail advent…

Cromwell TCO

Located deep in the heart of Central Otago in the valley of Upper Clutha and situated on the Shores of Lake Dunstan, Cromwell is a special place not to be missed.

Wanaka 2

Wanaka is a popular ski and summer resort town in the Otago Region of the South Island of New Zealand. At the southern end of Lake Wanaka, it is at the start of the …

Queenstown

The "adventure capital of the world" - Queenstown on the shores of Lake Wakatipu is also surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery.