Old Lower Shotover Bridge

Get ready to be in awe of this place! The Old Lower Shotover Bridge offers breathtaking views of Shotover River and surrounding peaks; the Remarkables, Double Cone Peak, Cecil Peak, Coronet Peak and Brow Peak.

Here you can enjoy the views from the bridge as well as having the opportunity to venture down to the riverbed. As you’ll see in the photos, there is an expanse of dry ground that you will be able to walk on bookending either side of the river. You’ll feel like you’re on the set of a music video or an expensive car ad!

How do we get there?

You can reach this bridge directly by the road and is only an 11 minute drive from the Queenstown airport. There is a parking area right next to the bridge and can be accessed by all types of vehicles. There is a well-formed track that leads down to the riverbed that we will use.

What do we wear?

For this location we recommend wearing neutral, nude or earthy tones. We also recommend wearing shoes you can walk comfortably in, as we will be walking down a short track to the riverbed.

When should we go?

For a short window in the year, you’ll be able to see beautiful lupin flowers growing on the side of the river. Lupins are around for a good time, not a long time. They bloom from mid-November til early December.

In the months of April - September the sun will set around 4:30pm, so I recommend meeting at the location at 3pm to make the most of the beautiful golden hour before sunset.

Between October and March, the sun will set much later in the day. The exact time varies from 7:30pm to as late as 9:30pm. During this time of year it is best to meet 2 hours before the official sunset time. However this will be communicated and confirmed with you upon booking.

Recap

Old lower Shotover Bridge is a stunning, versatile & convenient location. There is plenty of parking for your car and easy access down to the riverbed. It offers mountain views both, south towards the Remarkables and north towards Coronet Peak. That paired with the braided river, lupin patches in late spring/early summer, interesting rock formations and of course the iconic bridge itself, makes this location well worth considering for your family photos. If you’d like to book a session at Old Lower Shotover Bridge, click here.