Found a little north of Queenstown, Skippers Canyon is a historic and scenic gorge. Around 22 kilometres in length, the dramatic Canyon drops vertically to the Shotover River.

Constructed between 1883 and 1890, the Skippers Road was considered a major engineering feat in its day. The road high above the canyon was built during the gold rush. Up until then a precarious pack track was the only access to Skippers township and the Upper Shotover diggings.

One three-kilometre stretch of the road involved hand drilling and blasting solid rock to create a platform 183 metres above the river. This daunting task required workers to hang on ropes high above the raging river. This section, aptly named Pinchers Bluff and the Devils Elbow, is a highlight of the road to Skippers.

In the canyon there’s rafting on the Shotover River, once known as “the richest river in the world” for the gold it produced. And jetboating and 4WD adventures to Skippers are also available.

Dramatic schist bluffs and rock tors stand like sculptures in the tussock landscape. The area commands views of the Richardson Mountains to the west and the Harris Mountains to the east. Discover the amazing Upper Shotover scenery on a tour.