Essential Travel Ski Guides

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Travel to Rainbow with ski insurance from Essential Travel

Rainbow ski resort is located at the northern end of New Zealand’s South Island. It is situated 20 miles south of the resort town of St Arnaud and overlooks the beautiful lakes and beech forest of Nelson Lakes National Park. Rainbow ski resort lies at 4,708 feet and the top of the highest ski lift here is 5,740 feet. Rainbow ski resort is actually a skiing area, but there is no accommodation on-site, just a café with some great views over the lakes and the valley. The nearest accommodation is farther down the mountain at the nearby resort town of St Arnaud.

At Rainbow ski resort there are more than 740 acres of skiing terrain, ranging from terrain suitable for beginner to advanced level skiers. These are serviced by two main ski lifts and two nursery ski lifts. From the top of the ski lifts there are a variety of routes of varying difficulty down the mountain.

There is a range of accommodation at St Arnaud, from small hotels to self-catering cottages and guest houses. St Arnaud is situated on the shore of Lake Rotoiti, on the edge of the beautiful Nelson Lakes National Park. There are plenty of outdoor activities to be had in this area, including mountain biking, ice skating and trekking.

For a change from Rainbow ski resort, visit the nearby Mount Robert snowfields. These are very remote and are only accessible by a 2-hour hike. Alternatively, just relax in the peaceful, picturesque surroundings of Nelson Lakes National Park.

The ski season on New Zealand’s South Island lasts from June to early October.

Skiing in Rainbow

Rainbow is a ski resort in the north of New Zealand’s South Island, at an elevation of 4,708 feet. There are two main ski lifts and two nursery ski lifts, and a good variety of skiing suitable for skiers of all abilities; it is a pleasant and uncrowded resort.

There are four ski lifts at Rainbow: two for beginners, which service nursery slopes. Leading up from the resort is a t-bar lift and situated above that is a double chair lift that goes to 5,740 feet. There are over 740 acres of skiing terrain at Rainbow and from the top there are a variety of routes down to the resort, each of differing length and difficulty. The longest routes down are a series of intermediate powder runs that pass through the West Bowl. There is also plenty of challenging advanced level off-piste skiing at Rainbow including The Boulder Ride, Harry’s Way and The Planets. These are exciting, challenging runs, providing plenty of jumps, bumps and drop-offs that are ideal for expert snowboarders. For the less advanced, there is the gentle on-piste Easy Way Home, which is a suitable route down the mountain for novice skiers.

Snowboarders are welcome at Rainbow and they are catered for with a 328-foot long mega half-pipe. There are also some opportunities for cross-country skiing offering stunning views of the lakes and beech forests that make up the Nelson Lakes National Park. It is possible to rent skis, boards and equipment at Rainbow ski resort.

Off the slopes at Rainbow, the only other activity on offer is sitting at the café, admiring the views and having a bite to eat. For additional facilities, you have to go to nearby St Arnauds. Here there is accommodation, restaurants and bars, but there is very little nightlife. Apart from skiing in Rainbow, the other main things to do are outdoor activities such as skating, trekking and mountain biking.

The best time to go skiing in Rainbow is from June through to early October.

Transportation to Rainbow

Rainbow ski resort is located at the north end of New Zealand’s South Island. Rainbow ski resort is a purpose-built ski resort; there is no accommodation and all skiers have to travel into Rainbow every day. The nearest accommodation is at St Arnaud, 20 miles south of Rainbow. Transportation to Rainbow from St Arnaud is handled by a regular bus service.

Travelling to Rainbow ski resort from St Arnaud, follow the road out of town for six miles to the access road; the next five miles are sealed, while the final stretch is unsealed. It is not possible to rent chains in St Arnaud, so you should bring your own. By road from St Arnaud, Nelson is 62 miles away, a journey of about 1 hour, 30 minutes along Highway 6; Blenheim is about the same distance along highway 63. Driving from Christchurch, follow highway 7 north before joining highway 65 and finally highway 6 to St Arnaud. Alternatively, from Christchurch it is possible to follow highway 1 up the coast and then travel via Blenheim. Coming from the North Island, you can catch a ferry from Wellington. These dock at Picton on the South Island, located about 15.5 miles from Blenheim, reached by travelling southbound along highway 1.

New Zealand has a fairly limited train service; on the South Island there is a line running from Christchurch to Picton via Kaikoura and Blenheim. The trains are run by Tranzrail and the route up the coast is particularly picturesque; all trains have panoramic windows, while some boast outside viewing areas. There is one train per day in each direction. It departs from Christchurch at 07:00 and arrives at Blenheim at 11:45. In the opposite direction, the train leaves Picton at 10:00 and arrives at Blenheim at 13:30.

The two closest airports to Rainbow ski resort are at Blenheim and Nelson. These are served by internal flights. The closest international airport is at Wellington, which is well served by flights from Australia and some international airlines, though international passengers may have to change flights in Australia.

There is a national coach service that covers the whole country, with most services run by Intercity Coachlines or Newmans Coachlines. There is also a network of regional buses that operate throughout the country; these tend to be friendlier and cheaper than the large companies.

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