A quiet gravel run through the hill country, this one's an easy cruise that plenty of people link up with Kiwi Road to skip a stretch of highway. Good choice whether you're kicking off a longer west-to-east trip or just passing through.

The driving is straightforward gravel with nothing technical about it, so it suits all sorts of trips. The scenery gets a lot of praise, and the old tunnels are a genuine treat to drive through. Keep a sharp eye out and you might spot one of the remaining shacks from the village built up here for the film 'The Last Samurai'.

Main thing to watch for is animals roaming the road, pigs, possums and cattle, so keep your speed sensible to avoid a collision. Otherwise it's a long, peaceful drive that earns consistent praise as a scenic one.