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Highway 1: Kaikoura to Seddon, Kaikoura Coast, Canterbury and Marlborough
Photo: Nelson Pérez · CC BY-SA 3.0 · cropped

Drives Canterbury, New Zealand Nelson, Marlborough and Kaikoura

Highway 1: Kaikoura to Seddon

SH 1 · Kaikoura → Seddon

Leisurely65 mi1 hr 20 min2,100 ft climbHigh point ≈ 400 ftOne way
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The drive

This is State Highway 1 north from Kaikōura along the Pacific coast. The sea is on one side of the road and the Seaward Kaikōura Range on the other, and the South Island Main Trunk railway shares the coast. The drive runs past the Ōhau Point lookout and on to Seddon.

Ōhau Point, about 25 km north of Kaikōura, is the main stop. A public lookout on SH1 faces a large breeding colony of New Zealand fur seals, which grew from about 50 pups in the mid-1990s to about 1,500 in 2009. The 2016 Kaikōura earthquake buried the road and railway in a slide of more than 130,000 cubic metres, and both were rebuilt closer to the shore. A new seawall, parking area and lookout opened in October 2018.

Most of the way is two lanes with a few short passing sections, and the curves are mostly gentle.

Along the way

  1. Kaikoura
  2. Ohau Point lookout
  3. Seddon
Elevation
2,100 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 400 ft
KaikouraSeddon
Curves
Mostly gentle curves
KaikouraSeddon
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • Use the Ōhau Point lookout and parking area, which has room for about 20 vehicles, rather than stopping on the highway.
  • A seal sanctuary at Ōhau Point keeps the public off the shoreline between Ōhau Stream and the main colony.
  • Check NZTA Journeys before setting out; this coast has been closed by earthquake and storm damage before.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check NZTA Journeys: traffic and road conditions.

Questions about this drive

How long is SH1 from Kaikōura to Seddon?

The Kaikōura to Seddon drive on SH1 is 105 km (65 mi) and takes about 1 hr 20 min.

Where is the Ōhau Point seal colony?

Ōhau Point is on SH1 about 25 km north of Kaikōura. A public lookout on the highway faces the fur seal colony.

Is there parking at Ōhau Point?

Yes. NZTA built a stopping area with room for about 20 vehicles when the lookout reopened in October 2018.

What damaged SH1 north of Kaikōura?

The 2016 Kaikōura earthquake buried SH1 and the railway at Ōhau Point. The road was rebuilt closer to the shore with a new seawall.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
Preview it in 3DFly the whole drive over satellite and terrain before you go.
Drive it with no signalAPEXDownload the map and every turn before you go.
Live Group TrackingAPEXEveryone on the route, on the map, by name.
Road conditionsAPEXWet or dry, ice, fog and wind along the road before you go.
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More drives near here

All 6 drives in Canterbury, New Zealand ›

Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Highway 1: Kaikoura to Seddon, from Kaikoura to Seddon