Motion Sickness: Queenstown to Wanaka Drive
The Queenstown to Wanaka trip covers about 43 miles (69 km) and takes around 1 hours. The terrain is high country hairpin road, which makes it a high motion sickness risk route.
The Crown Range Road between Queenstown and Wanaka is New Zealand's highest sealed main road, cresting at 1,076 m. The climb out of Arrow Junction stacks a series of tight hairpins known as the zigzag before easing across the Crown Terrace. The full drive is about 69 km and roughly an hour of steady cornering.
In the Nausea Index table of the 46 road trips we cover, the Queenstown to Wanaka trip is rated rough, one of 15 in that band, with 17 rated higher. Full table: the bumpiest road trips, ranked.
Key facts
- The Queenstown to Wanaka trip covers about 43 miles, which is 69 km.
- It takes about 1 hours.
- The terrain is high country hairpin road, which puts the route in the high band for motion sickness.
- 3 sections are flagged as motion sickness pressure points, starting with The zigzag above Arrow Junction.
- Steadiest place to sit: Front passenger seat with eyes on the horizon across the basin.
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Where Motion Sickness Hits Hardest
The sections most likely to trigger motion sickness are: The zigzag above Arrow Junction, Summit approach on the Crown Terrace, Cardrona Valley descent. In winter the road ices over and chains may be required; the flatter alternative is State Highway 6 via Cromwell. Pull into the summit lookout as a break. Watch for slow campervans on the hairpins in summer.
Measured bends
We counted every bend on this route from OpenStreetMap data: 68.5 km, ranked 12 of 26 road trips for bends per km.
- Bends
- 89
- Bends per km
- 1.3
- Hairpins
- 11
- Busiest 10 km
- 35 bends
Best Seat for Motion Sickness on This Drive
Front passenger seat with eyes on the horizon across the basin.
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Stop car sickness
Dizzout is drug-free sound therapy for passengers in the back seat, with relief in about 90 seconds. It plays precisely calibrated audio through any headphones you already own, wired or Bluetooth. Free to download.
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Prevention Tips for the Queenstown to Wanaka Drive
- Have Dizzout downloaded before you start, so it is ready the moment symptoms begin
- If you plan to take an over-the-counter tablet such as Bonine or Dramamine, those need 30 to 60 minutes before departure to do anything. Ask a pharmacist first
- Eat lightly before the drive; a heavy meal makes symptoms worse for most people
- Take breaks every 90 minutes minimum on long stretches
- Keep the car cool and well-ventilated
- Avoid reading or phone use in the back seat
Which of those actually hold up when they are tested is a separate question, and we keep the answers in one place: the remedy verdicts, ranked by evidence.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Crown Range the highest road in New Zealand?
It is widely described as New Zealand's highest sealed main road, cresting above the Wakatipu basin, and the summit plaque leans into the claim. Whatever the precise ranking, the practical point stands: this is a genuine mountain road with hairpins and winter ice, not a scenic shortcut.
Do you need chains on the Crown Range in winter?
In winter conditions chains can be required and the road ices over; carry them and know how to fit them, or take the flatter State Highway 6 via Cromwell instead, the standing alternative in our data. Check conditions before driving in the cold months; the pass makes its own weather.
Which part of the Crown Range is twistiest?
The zigzag above Arrow Junction, where the road stacks its tight hairpins in one short climb. It comes early from the Queenstown side, so take it before anyone has settled into phones, with eyes up from the start. Beyond the zigzag the road eases across the Crown Terrace.
How long is the Queenstown to Wanaka drive over the Crown Range?
About an hour of steady driving for roughly 43 miles, by our route data. It is short enough that most passengers can simply be set up well, front seat, horizon, no screens, and get through comfortably without a stop. The summit lookout is there if anyone needs a reset.
Is there an easier route from Queenstown to Wanaka?
Yes: State Highway 6 through Cromwell runs longer but flatter, skipping the hairpins entirely. It is the right call in winter, with a badly carsick passenger, or when towing. The Crown Range is the scenic, faster line when conditions and stomachs allow; there is no shame in the valley road.
What's the fastest way to stop car sickness mid-drive?
Once symptoms have started, pull over for fresh air if you can and look at the distant horizon. Motion sickness tablets are designed to be taken before the drive, so mid-drive they are a plan for next time. Sound therapy through headphones is built for the moment it starts: Dizzout states relief in about 90 seconds.
Other drives we have looked at
Route facts last checked September 2026. Roads, rules and seasons change; the linked official pages are the live word.