Wakatipu lookout
Wakatipu lookout sits at 1,046 feet along the Southland & the Catlins byway, with the land dropping 35 feet within 600 meters of the site. To the northeast, at 4.5 miles, the Tapuae-o-Uenuku / Hector Mountains ridge rises to 4,674 feet. Devils Staircase, a cape, lies north at 5.8 miles and reaches 1,155 feet. Day length varies through the year: sunrise at 07:47 and sunset at 20:00 around the March equinox, sunrise at 08:26 and sunset at 17:09 near the June solstice, sunrise at 06:36 and sunset at 18:41 around the September equinox, and sunrise at 05:54 and sunset at 21:33 near the December solstice. The lookout follows Devil's Staircase Lookout and precedes The Key Scenic View along the route.

What you’re looking at
Named terrain around this overlook, nearest first. No view direction is recorded, so every bearing is listed.
- Tapuae-o-Uenuku / Hector Mountains4,674 ftnortheast · 4.5 mi
- Devils Staircase1,155 ftnorth · 5.8 mi
Light
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:47 | 20:00 | 19:21 |
| June solstice | 08:26 | 17:09 | 16:20 |
| September equinox | 06:36 | 18:41 | 18:02 |
| December solstice | 05:54 | 21:33 | 20:48 |
Local time (Pacific/Auckland). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
Take the scenic way to Wakatipu lookout.
Byway plans around your taste, verified places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.
How high is Wakatipu lookout?
Wakatipu lookout sits at about 1,046 feet (319 m).
What can you see from Wakatipu lookout?
From Wakatipu lookout: Tapuae-o-Uenuku / Hector Mountains (NE, 4.5 mi); Devils Staircase (N, 5.8 mi).
What is the next lookout after Wakatipu lookout?
The Key Scenic View is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Wakatipu lookout.
Drive to Wakatipu lookout with Byway
Byway plans the scenic way there — real places along Southland & the Catlins, real weather, zero hallucinations — and hands the turns to the navigation you already use.
Byways with this lookout
Locals make it Verified.
Wakatipu lookout — confirmed, rated, and photographed by people who actually pulled over. A local confirmation is what upgrades a lookout from Discovered to Verified. Zero hallucinations.
Confirmed by locals
No local confirmations yet. Stood here? Yours is the one that upgrades this lookout to Verified.
Ratings
No ratings yet. Stood at this lookout? Be the first to rate it.
No written reviews yet.
Field notes
No field notes yet. Know the gate hours or the best pull-in? Leave the note you wish you'd had.
Photos
No photos yet.
Sign in to confirm this lookout, rate it, add photos, and leave field notes.




