Dart River (Te Awa Whakatipu) is nestled in the heart of Mount Aspiring National Park, winding through lush native beech forests before reaching the northern tip of Lake Wakatipu near Glenorchy.

Past the town, a few roads follow that river up a long, narrow valley called Paradise, which boasts incredible mountain views everywhere you look. When we drove through Paradise in early 2025, I felt like my eyes couldn’t quite take in the magnitude of the mountains before me. However, the roads only go so far up the valley, so if you want to really experience the wilderness of the area, you’re going to need to take a boat trip up the Dart River. 

The best tour provider in the area is Dart River Adventures, which offers jet boat rides that take less than half a day, “funyak” adventures that take under a day, and guided hiking trips that involve a couple of days camping in the backcountry. I’d LOVE to do this one day!!