A much-loved Canterbury 4WD trip up the braided Macaulay riverbed to a top-notch backcountry hut, beautifully maintained and sleeping 14. The route runs up the wide valley toward Tekapo, with surreal mountain views and, in winter, the chance of fresh snow that takes the whole trip up another level.

There's no formed road here: you pick your own line across multiple braided river crossings, and the track log is only a rough guide because the river shifts its course often. With many sets of vehicle tracks to choose from, it's very much a choose-your-own-adventure, and it pays to follow the tracks you can see ahead so you're not constantly backtracking. Expect plenty of loose rock and bumpy rock-crawling, with the larger rocks and harder going closer to the hut. Sticking to the left of the valley near the hut tends to be the smoother line; watch for boggy spots on the true right.

Crossings are usually shallow when the river is low, but can get deep and far more serious after rain or as snowmelt rises through the day. This is remote country with no cell service, so take more than one vehicle. A genuine bucket-list run for its scenery and that superb hut.