Nature’s cathedral
Few places feel as magical or as cinematic as Earnslaw Burn. Tucked beneath the mighty Mount Earnslaw/Pikirakatahi, this hidden valley stretches out in a glacier-carved amphitheatre where tumbling waterfalls spill from sheer cliffs, cascading hundreds of metres into the burn below. It’s a location so extraordinary it even caught the eye of filmmakers, featuring in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
For Ngāi Tahu, this landscape has deep cultural meaning, with Pikirakatahi recognised as a sacred mountain. Later, the valley was traversed by pioneering settlers and gold seekers, though its sheer remoteness has left it largely untouched. Arriving by helicopter, you’ll land in a sweeping open valley floor, surrounded by towering walls of rock and ice. The sense of scale is humbling. It feels as though you’ve stepped into a cathedral carved by nature.
Everywhere you turn, there’s movement: waterfalls dancing in the sunlight, alpine streams winding through tussock, glaciers glinting high above. It’s a place that holds both grandeur and intimacy. The drama of the Southern Alps, paired with the quiet stillness of a moment shared only between you.
Eloping here is an experience you’ll never forget. It’s a love story written in waterfalls, mountains, and sky. A promise made in one of the most awe-inspiring valleys in all of Aotearoa.
