Fantail Falls
Haast Pass
Your Nature Guide
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Marios Gavalas
Author And Researcher
Nau mai, haere mai
Nau mai, haere mai
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Photos
Information
Fantail Falls
200 m return | 5 minutes return
A pretty waterfall beside the Haast River. The schist beach has become a monument to rock stacks. The flat, smooth, easily stacked rocks are placed into towers and sculptures by passing travellers. Only to be demolished by other travellers or the next flood.
Walking Track
Timing
Not a place to visit in flood.
Access
Fantail Falls are well signposted 4.8 km from the Gates of Haast and 3.7 km from Haast Pass.
Track
The concrete track nips into the beech forest then descends to the schist beach opposite the falls.
Details
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Organisation |
DOC OtagoCentral government organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Haast |
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Coordinates |
Walking
Nearby
Reviews
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2.0/5
Skippable.
Not impressive. Maybe after heavy rain or nice when your not able to get off the main roads. I do not get al the 10 ratings. There are so many better falls or scenery to be found all around NZ.
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5.0/5
Lovely place to stop off when driving through Haast pass.
My partner climber all the way up the waterfall (he told me it was very cold!) and found lots of place to explore. Clear blue water, looks incredible. Lots of rock stacks, unsure of their symbolism. A really lovely place to be for a rest.
SW![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(185,141,194)" /><path d="m 150 509 Q 104 196 -209 150 Q 104 104 150 -209 Q 196 104 509 150 Q 196 196 150 509 z" fill="rgb(212,93,65)" /><path d="m 150 414 Q 283 17 -114 150 Q 283 283 150 -114 Q 17 283 414 150 Q 17 17 150 414 z" fill="rgb(43,162,190)" /><path d="m 150 183 Q 259 41 117 150 Q 259 259 150 117 Q 41 259 183 150 Q 41 41 150 183 z" fill="rgb(70,114,61)" /></svg>)
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5.0/5
1 of our favourite spots to stop in Haast Pass.
If you camp in the area you can avoid the midday tourist hordes who stop for a quick look. Hang around a while, explore up and down the riverbanks and attempt your own rock stack. Some fun/challenging canyons to explore nearby - if you're in the know. Fun place to photograph at different times of the day. The river can be crossed - go barefoot or wet shoes...don't lose your jandals! The pool at the base is nice for a dip. The track to the left of the falls leads up to some reasonably easy to navigate ledges - don't bring grandma or baby...but enjoy the adventure and the photo ops!
K![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(30,239,130)" /><path d="m 150 721 Q 147 153 -421 150 Q 147 147 150 -421 Q 153 147 721 150 Q 153 153 150 721 z" fill="rgb(182,129,116)" /><path d="m 150 553 Q 45 255 -253 150 Q 45 45 150 -253 Q 255 45 553 150 Q 255 255 150 553 z" fill="rgb(73,126,139)" /><path d="m 150 335 Q 174 126 -35 150 Q 174 174 150 -35 Q 126 174 335 150 Q 126 126 150 335 z" fill="rgb(225,16,125)" /></svg>)
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4.0/5
Magical spot.
Free. Swimming for the brave. Beautiful river and surrounded by New Zealand native bush.
WB![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(71,242,54)" /><path d="m 150 738 Q 106 194 -438 150 Q 106 106 150 -438 Q 194 106 738 150 Q 194 194 150 738 z" fill="rgb(240,8,108)" /><path d="m 150 433 Q 128 172 -133 150 Q 128 128 150 -133 Q 172 128 433 150 Q 172 172 150 433 z" fill="rgb(15,247,147)" /><path d="m 150 194 Q 265 35 106 150 Q 265 265 150 106 Q 35 265 194 150 Q 35 35 150 194 z" fill="rgb(184,13,201)" /></svg>)
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3.5/5
we stopped and had lunch here - only a 5 min walk to the falls.
Beautiful scenery by the river and waterfall, however take bug spray as infested with sandflies.
BD![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(89,144,219)" /><path d="m 150 532 Q 46 254 -232 150 Q 46 46 150 -232 Q 254 46 532 150 Q 254 254 150 532 z" fill="rgb(61,44,252)" /><path d="m 150 303 Q 213 87 -3 150 Q 213 213 150 -3 Q 87 213 303 150 Q 87 87 150 303 z" fill="rgb(194,211,3)" /><path d="m 150 276 Q 236 64 24 150 Q 236 236 150 24 Q 64 236 276 150 Q 64 64 150 276 z" fill="rgb(166,111,36)" /></svg>)
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4.5/5
A lovely little waterfall right off the road.
But what is even more intriguing are the rock piles that have been made by visitors, make your own!!
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4.5/5
Fantail Falls is nice, however, explore the hidden canyon just 100m downstream...a-ha, then you're in for a full adventure.
NEAT!
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4.5/5
Another nice, short walk to a waterfall.
This one was actually less crowded than the Thunder Creek Falls, so that was nice.
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