Bridal Veil Falls is at least 1.5-hours’ drive away from Queenstown. Don’t rely on Google trip estimates. The road surface is un-sealed (gravel) for the last 19km. This road is unsuitable for low wheel-base vehicles and we highly recommend a 4-WD vehicle for this trip.

There is an official sign at the beginning of the road – ‘None rental cars only’. Rental car insurance is not honoured if driven on this road. Hence, please consider this fact when you plan your trip.

From Queenstown travel north on Gorge Rd (which leads to Arthurs Point) for 5.3km. In Arthurs Point cross the Shotover River and follow Arthurs Point Rd for 2.5km until you reach Skippers Rd. Turn left into Skippers Rd and follow it for the next 20.7km until you reach Historic Bridge over the Shotover River. Do not cross the river – park your car on a side of the road near the bridge. There are no facilities there.

Skippers road is an unsealed winding (zigzag) road, sometimes one-way one, which runs alongside the Shotover River. There are a lot of cars coming from the opposite direction, so be very careful.

From the bridge walk back along the road for a couple of minutes until you see the upper waterfall, on your left (main photo). You can take a good photo of the upper falls from the road. Cross the road and check the lower waterfall (first photo on the Gallery), which is also quite nice but difficult to capture.