Fantail Falls are located about a two-hour drive from Christchurch or roughly 25 to 30 minutes from central Akaroa. The final 5.5 kilometres of the journey are along an unsealed gravel road.

From Akaroa, head north on State Highway 75, then turn right onto Long Bay Road. The road ascends and then descends past the main entrance of Hinewai Reserve. A few hundred metres beyond this point, the surface changes to gravel. The road is narrow and winding—characteristic of rural New Zealand—so please drive cautiously. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is advisable, especially in wet weather.

There are two parking areas available. The main car park is located approximately 100 metres beyond the Narbey Stream bridge and includes a long-drop toilet and an information board with maps. If the stream is high, it’s safer to use the secondary car park, which is directly beside the bridge.

To access the falls, you can either walk across the stream—expect to get your feet wet—or, from the secondary car park, cross the bridge and follow the stream downstream. The walking track is well signposted, but it sustained damage during recent flooding, making it narrow and potentially muddy in sections. It’s a gentle uphill walk of around 20 minutes to reach the waterfall. Accessing the base of the falls used to be easy, but that is no longer the case. Children should be closely supervised.

You may return via the same route or continue uphill to the main road, then follow it downhill to your vehicle. The full walk usually takes 40 to 50 minutes and is relatively easy. However, be aware that during summer, the waterfall may have little or no water flow.

The best time to visit is after heavy rain or during late autumn, winter, or early spring. We’ve visited multiple times and were often disappointed—until recent rainfall revived the falls.