After hiking the absolutely gorgeous Hokitika Gorge, we weren’t quite ready to call it a day. So naturally, we decided on a sidequest — because who just goes straight home after an adventure? Dorothy Falls looked like a cute little waterfall on the map, so off we went!

The road started off all chill, winding through peaceful farmland with happy cows and postcard views. Then, somewhere along the way, it turned from smooth pavement to bumpy gravel and dove straight into the thick forest around Lake Kaniere. Things got a little more wild west, and we loved it. There are a few trailheads around here too — like Mt Brown Hut and the Lake Kaniere Walkway — for anyone who wants to turn a “quick drive” into a full-blown expedition.

Dorothy Falls itself? Honestly… a bit underwhelming. Cute, yes. Epic, no. But the real adventure started right after. Our phones dropped signal, the car lost GPS, and the map insisted the road ended by plunging straight into the lake. Ørjan was absolutely certain it looped around. Tanja… not so much. Cue dramatic music.

After a slightly tense (and slightly hilarious) drive on a narrow gravel road hugging the edge of the lake, we emerged victorious at Hans Bay — and it was so worth it. A dreamy picnic spot awaited us by the water, right next to the yacht and powerboat club. Turns out, the road did go all the way around. Ørjan: 1, Google Maps: 0.

We broke out the Nutella and banana sandwiches (the true travel fuel), cracked open some juice boxes, and declared victory. After a quick go on the swing — because how could we not — we cruised back to Hokitika via another spectacular forest road through Kaniere.

Epic sidequest complete. 10/10, would get lost again.