The Nevis Valley is an off-road adventure like no other, a journey through one of New Zealand's most remote and historic high-country landscapes in Otago. Linking the Bannockburn/Cromwell end with Garston and Kingston to the south, it climbs onto the country's highest public road for spectacular panoramic views over the surrounding mountains and valleys before descending into the expansive Nevis Valley.

Along the way you'll find evidence of a rich gold mining past, with old settlements, diggings, a small museum at the old township, a cemetery in open grassland a few hundred metres off the road, and information boards well worth a read.

The track is largely unsealed, with a mix of gravel, rocky sections, farm track and several river crossings, typically shallow with B-line bypasses but deeper after rain. A high-clearance 4WD is recommended; the Queenstown/Garston end is the harder, bumpier half, while the northern end up to the old township is more forgiving. Expect a few gates, so a second person helps.

Side trips like Duffey's Saddle reward a short detour, and there's good camping and cabins at Kingston. The road closes annually to motor vehicles from 1 June to 30 September.