Omarama Clay Cliffs: a must see on the South Island

One of the lesser known tourist sights on the South Island of New Zealand are the Clay Cliffs near Omarama. I first visited in 2011 and went back in 2024. To my surprise, not a lot had changed, other than the number of tourists there which was significantly more than in 2011. However, the Omarama Clay Cliffs are still well worth a visit because they remain quite spectacular and are just a quick stop away from the highway.

Note this post was first published in 2016 and updated in 2024 after my most recent visit to New Zealand

The Clay Cliffs are located about 4 km north of a town called Omarama (Oh-MA-ra-ma) and are on private lands. When driving the 8 up north, take a left onto Quailburn Road. A bit further down, you’ll have to pay a small admission fee for the car and then you just continue driving.

Since there were are real signs about where to go, I just drove on until I reached the unpaved Henburn Road. While I was there, this road was in pretty poor condition, making me wonder if it would be safe to continue with my vehicle. Luckily the weather had been good so it was dry, however I can imagine that when the weather has been wet, it may not be a good option to drive all the way, unless you have a high clearance vehicle.

Eventually you’ll come to a parking lot where you can leave the car and it’s about a 15 minute walk up to the cliffs. The path is quite stoney so flip flips is maybe not the best option.

The Omarama Clay Cliffs were formed about 2 million years ago, which may sound old, but compared to the surrounding mountains that are 250 million years old, it’s peanuts. They are made out of layers of gravel and silt, deposited by rivers flowing through the area 2 million years ago.

The easy hiking trail takes you right into the slot canyon and after a short stroll, all of a sudden you are surrounded by massive towers of clay. You can walk quite a bit up, until the trail gets steep and rustic. You will notice once you can’t continue the walk.

The Clay Cliffs can be visited year round. However, the best period is between November and February as the lupins are in bloom then. Note that the landscape can be quite barren and dusty, bring a bottle of water if you wish to stay hydrated.

There is a NZD 5 donation fee for cars and 15 NZD for busses which can be left in the donation box.

I’d like to end this post with some other useful information for your visit to the Omarama Clay Cliffs.

• Want to stay near the Clay Cliffs? Then I can recommend Top 10 Omarama, where I stayed myself for several nights. They have camping spots as well as cabins.
• Visit in the early morning to avoid the crowds.
• Tour busses don’t go to the cliffs, you can only visit with your own vehicle. Check rental car rates and availability here.

New Zealand for beginners

Even though the Omarama Clay Cliffs have definitely increased in popularity, I still think they are well worth a visit on your trip on the South Island. Want to continue reading about New Zealand? You may also enjoy the following posts:

• The best unknown places to visit in New Zealand
• New Zealand for first timers: here’s what to know
• Tuatapere: a small hamlet at the end of the world

Or you can visit my New Zealand homepage with more than 50 blogs written after five visits to New Zealand over the past 20 years. I’m the author of various Dutch guidebooks and know New Zealand like a local.

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