Located a couple of hours south of Auckland, Hamilton is not typically a prime tourist destination. The highlight of our stay was reconnecting with some new friends that we met while traveling in Thailand. There are a number of great sights that can be reached within a short drive of Hamilton. Plus the Hamilton Gardens are a very pleasant way to spend a few relaxing hours.
If your travel plans take you through Hamilton, then be sure to make a stop at the Hamilton Gardens. This attraction is free and there is always something in bloom. We enjoyed a leisure walk through the gardens one morning. It is also a great place to take a walk or enjoy a nice picnic.
Raglan is home to black sandy beaches and some it touted as some of New Zealand’s best surfing. This cute seaside town is about a 45 minute drive from Hamilton. The main street is lined with cafes, shops, and restaurants.
Look for the turn off to Bridal Veil Falls on the way to/from Raglan. An easy short trail leads you to the top of the waterfall. If you have time follow the path and stairs to the additional viewing points. All though, all view points are lovely. We think the top view point is the best for photos! (The one at the top of the stairs, prior to heading down to the middle and low view points.)
If you are a fan of Lord of the Rings then consider a visit to Matamata to view the rolling hills and take a tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set. There are many tour options available. You may also want to check out Wairere Falls, while you are in the area.
We had the opportunity to meet up with some new friends at the Helm. They have a great outdoor patio, serve a good selection of beers, and also have tasty $5 pizzas on Sunday afternoons/evenings.
There are a lot of accommodation options in Hamilton. Our motel was on Ulster Street, not far from the main downtown area, and there were lots of motels, hostels, and hotels located in close proximity.
We stayed in one of the studio units. This motel was perfect for us as it was affordable, comfortable, recently renovated, had a small kitchen and provided free unlimited wifi access to guests.
National Park is located near Tongariro National Park. There are many hiking tracks located in the park including one of the best trails in New Zealand, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.
Rated as one of the top tracks (trails) in New Zealand and one of the top hikes in the world. This 19.4 km trail runs through an active volcano region. The weather is often not conducive and can chance quickly. Be prepared with good gear (rain gear, sunscreen, water and snacks), and allow a couple days in your schedule in case the weather does not coorporate. The terrain is diverse but beautiful. Nearly all hotels/campsite have a partnership to provide transportation to/from the crossing.
We used ROAM shuttle service from Whakapapa Village when we completed the crossing. They offer a shuttle in the morning at 7am, 8am, and 9am and offer pick up service at 3pm, 4pm, and 5pm from the end of the trail. However, our accommodation in National Park also offered a shuttle service that departed at 7:30am and 8:30am.
In addition to the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, there are lots of additional hiking tracks in Tongariro National Park of varying lengths. See the following PDF , visit the New Zealand Department of Conservation website, or visit the Tongariro National Park website for additional details on available hiking options.
During the winter months, we are told that skiing in the area is fantastic. Additionally, visit the Tongariro National Park website for additional options on available activities in the area, including mountain biking, whitewater rafting, and skiing.
A slightly more budget friendly option for those needing a non-camping place to sleep. The rooms were basic with en-suite bathrooms.
NOTE: There are a couple of other towns within close proximity to Tongariro National Park. On our first visit to the area we stayed in Whakapapa.
A large city located in “thermal valley” of the North Island of New Zealand. In addition to thermal pools, the a Redwood Forest with mountain biking and hiking is just minutes away. Many other sites can easily be reached within a short car ride.
Located a few minutes outside of town, the Redwood Forest has a handful of well marked hiking tracks that range in duration from 30 minutes to 8 hours. Also is touted as a premier mountain biking destination with a number of dedicated trails.
There are a number of thermal pools and spas in the area. The Polynesian Spa was located on the lake within a short walk from city centre. A number of different types of pools, including private pools and spa treatments were available. The spa is open daily from 8am to 11p. Although we talked about visiting on multiple occasions, we never actually made it to any of the thermal pools!
There are a handful of options for hiking in the area. We enjoyed the one and half hour (5.5km) stroll around the Blue Lake. The lake is located about 8km outside of town across the street from a Top 10 Holiday Park. See the New Zealand Department of Conservation website for some additional hiking options in the Rotoru area.
At 10:15 daily there is a presentation followed by an induced eruption of the Lady Knox Geyser, which draws large crowds. To avoid crowds, consider completing the 75 minute track through the park to view the volcanic features before heading down the road to the view the geyser eruption. Our favorite geothermal attraction in the park was the champagne pool.
Located 20 minutes from Rotorua and 0 minutes from Taupo , Waimangu is the world’s youngest geothermal system. Waimangu has a number of geothermal features including hot springs, volcanic craters and steaming cliffs. There are a number of nature walks available, as well as a cruise on Lake Roromahana. Unfortunately, we did not make it to visit this attraction, so we can not provide first hand details on the experience.
Located in the heart of the city, the Quest Serviced Apartments were wonderful. They were clean, spacious, and quiet. We were thankful for the kitchen in order to cook our Christmas feast, and some of the small things (like the iPod docking station, good selection of tv stations to watch some movies, and the washer/dryer)!
Whakatane is located on the Bay of Plenty on the east coast of the North Island. Our main reason for visiting was to do a day trip from Whakatane to the White Island to see the only active marine volcano in New Zealand.
PeeJays offers a day trip to the White Island to walk on the active volcano. The best part of the trip was the wildlife, specifically dolphins, we observed on our way to/from the island. The departure depends upon the weather (and tide) and takes 90 minutes to reach the White Island.
Although we are not divers, we heard that there are diving options in the area, specifically, day trips to the White Island.
The Strand is the main street of the town. The street is filled with shops and restaurants. We spent a few hours browsing some of the shops trying to find some good deals, in order to replace some of our worn-out clothes.
See the following website for some ideas on walks around Whakatane.
We stopped in for a beverage and found that this cafe offers free wi-fi. (We did not observe any time or data limits, which is very rare in New Zealand.) The food looked great. We enjoyed the caffeine pick me up and being reconnected with the outside world for an hour!
Whakatane is a larger city with many accommodation options. We stayed at the Livingston Motel. It was clean, had free wifi and was a short drive from the city center.
Thames is located on the southwest corner of the Coromandel Peninsula. The Peninsula can be seen from Auckland on a clear day and is well worth a visit for a day or two. With only a day to spare in our schedule, we made a last minute decision to spend a day exploring the peninsula by car.
We only passed through the town of Coromandel. However, there appeared to be a cute main street, with a number of restaurants and lodging options. Additionally, see this website for some addition hiking/tramping options near the city.
As you drive towards Whitianga (on SH25), there will be signs for a lookout, with a small parking area. (About 15km outside of town.) Climb the few steps to the lookout, where you will have a great view of Coromandel town (to the west) and the Whangapoua Harbour (to the east). This is well worth a stop!
A major tourist site located on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula, near the town of Hahei. Two (busy) beaches / coves are joined by walking under a picturesque cathedral archway. From the carpark at the end of Grange Road, it is about a 1.5 hour (w/return) walk to the coves.
An interesting phenomenon, that is a major tourist attraction. Hot water streams run underneath this beach. Thus 2 hours on either side of low tide, you will find hoards of people with a spade digging shallow holes in the sand in search of the hot water, to create their own hot water pool. Be careful, as the water can be VERY hot. There is no map to exactly where the hot water is located, but if you dig a few inches deep and do not find it…change locations and try again. People tend to congregate in one area, where people have struck the hot water. You can rent a spade to dig, we used our feet to clear away sand — but never found our own hot water spring. Instead, we dipped our feet in ones that were abandoned by other beach goers.
The Coromandel Mussel Kitchen came highly recommended from our accommodation hosts in Thames. Unfortunately, we passed through early in the day (shortly after eating breakfast) and missed out. We will be sure to give it a try the next time we visit the Peninsula.
After driving through Coromandel Town, it appeared that there were a number of dining options available.
We enjoyed our overnight stay at this motel. It was clean, spacious, and had a number of nice amenities, including a kitchen, free wifi, a spacious bathroom with a spa tub, pool, and pay laundry facilities. Our host was very gracious and provided us with a number of recommendations for restaurants in town and things to see/do on the Peninsula.
Located on the northeast coast of the North Island at the entrance to Hokianga Harbour. The city became a popular tourist site in 1955-1956, when a bottlenose dolphin, named Opo, would visit the harbor and play with the locals. (For more of the story, visit this website.) In addition to hiking and gorgeous sunsets, the town is close to the Waipoua Forest, which houses Tane Mahuta (the largest Kauri tree).
There are number of hiking tracks located within close proximity of Opononi. We did the following hikes during our stay in the area.
This short and easy walk provides you with lookout views over the Tasman Sea and the Hokianga Harbour. Trail is located about ten minute drive south of Opononi.
Starting from the same parking lot as the Arai Te Uru Heritage Walk. We did an out and back hike to Waimamaku Beach. This track follows the cliff coastline providing stunning views over the Tasman Sea and the Harbour.
There are a number of walks located in the Waipoua Forest, many of which are to view the giant Kauri trees. The largest (Tane Mahuta), second largest (Te Matua Ngahere), seventh largest (Yakas), and an intertwined (four sisters) Kauri are all located in this forest. The largest is a short walk from the main road. The others can be reached from the Kauri Walks Carpark.
We took the 15 minute (30 return) hike from the carpark to the waterfall. When approaching from the south, the car park is located on the right — we almost missed it!
There are a number of walks located in the Waipoua Forest, many of which are to view the giant Kauri trees. The largest (Tane Mahuta), second largest (Te Matua Ngahere), seventh largest (Yakas), and an intertwined (four sisters) Kauri are all located in this forest. The largest is a short walk from the main road. The others can be reached from the Kauri Walks Carpark.
We stayed one night at the Opononi Lighthouse Motel. The model provided us with basic necessities, including a kitchen with hot-knobs.
Located in the Northlands on Doubtless Bay, just minutes from the port town of Mangonui, Cable Bay is a quaint little beach-front town. We enjoyed our day trip exploring Ninety Mile Beach, Te Paki Sand Dunes, and Cape Reinga from Cable Bay.
One of our favorite days on the North Island was the day we spent exploring the Aupouri Peninsula. Some of the highlights from our day exploring include:
Recognized as an official highway, keep your eyes open for cars driving down Ninety Mile Beach! This sandy beach stretches out along the west coast of the Aupouri Peninsula from Kaitaia to Cape Reinga. Although named ninety miles, the beach actually is only fifty-five miles. It is safe to drive on the beach only within an hour or two of low tide. Signs posted will warn of the dangers and recommendations are for only 4 wheel drives to proceed, however you will find many locals taking to the beach in their automobiles. The easiest access point for those wanting to view the beach is to use the south access point – follow signs.
Although referred to as sand surfing, it is closer to sledding than surfing. Revert back to your childhood, rent a board ($15 NZD) at the base and spend a few hours sledding down the hills. We would recommend trying the bunny slope first, then once you get the feel make your way to the large hills. It is a lot of work climbing the hills to sled, so remember you will most likely only stay for a few runs. Be aware, the stand can get quite hot!
Cape Reinga is the northern most point of New Zealand. From the parking lot take the stroll down the hill to the lighthouse, where you can look out into the vast ocean and see the Tasman Sea to the west meets the Pacific Ocean to the east. If you have time, the Te Paki Costal Path veers off to the west (left) that descends down to one of the beach coves, Te Werahi Beach…or you can choose to follow it further all the way to Te Paki Stream, which is 25 km away.
We enjoyed playing on the white sands of this empty beach. Outside of a surfer (and their truck) the beach was empty when we arrived. However, this beach is on the tourist bus route, and as we were leaving three buses pulled in!
Pull of the road at the only shop in Te Kao and enjoyed a very reasonably priced and tasty cone of ice cream. Kevin enjoyed the local New Zealand favorite Hokie Pokie, while I went with my favorite cookies and cream. It is definitely worth a quick stop.
Located on the east coast of the peninsula between Te Paki and Cape Reinga. Follow the sign posted to the Bay. The road winds and descends quickly down to this bay. The clear waters roll into this white sandy beach (with large rocks). There is also a camping area off this beach.
NOTE: Be aware that the tour buses hit many of these destinations, thus it is wise to try and time the sights accordingly. To do so, check the tide schedule — the buses drive on ninety mile beach — thus if low tide is in the morning they will drive up the beach first, followed by Te Paki Sand Dunes, Cape Reinga, Te Kao, and then Rarawa Beach. If low tide is in the afternoon, the routing of the buses will be reverse. We recommend doing the drive yourself, however, if you do not have a car, then consider taking one of the buses that departs from Kaitaia, such as: Harrisons, AwesomeNZ, or Sand Safaris.
Located in Mangonui, the Mangonui Fish Shop is touted to have the best fish and chips in New Zealand. Although the staff was not overly friendly and the prices were very high, the fish was good. We enjoyed the sweet potato chips over the standard chips.
Located directly on the beach, these two bedroom apartments provided everything we needed for our short stay, including free wifi, a fully equipped kitchen, washer/dryer, and a patio with a great front row view of the Bay. We would highly recommend these apartments and would definitely stay here again.
Located about two hours north of Auckland, Whangarei is situated near the east coast of the North Island. The small beach towns of Tutukaka and Manapouri are located within a short drive. (Note: Tutukaka is home to some of New Zealand’s best diving.) Although our planned destination was the coastal towns, we found more lodging options in Whangarei.
We took a day trip to Poor Knights Islands through A Perfect Day. The trip departs from the Tutukaka Marina and gives you a couple hours for to snorkeling, swimming, paddle boarding, sea kayaking, or just enjoying the sunshine from the deck of the boat. It was early in the season, thus the water was quite cold by US standards, thus we used the provided wet-suits. We saw lots of colorful fish. The best part of the trip was the ride around the islands to see some impressive arches, including the tallest arch in the southern hemisphere. Overall, we enjoyed the day on the water. The same company (Dive Tutukaka) runs a daily trip to the island for scuba diving — the dive site which is on Jacques Cousteau list of best dive sites in the world.
There are a number of fantastic hikes along the Tutukaka Coast. See the Tutukaka Coast NZ website for additional details on some of the trekking options in the area. We would highly recommend the following hikes. Do not forget to pack a lunch and take your swimsuit if you want to enjoy some of the beautiful beaches in the area.
This circular loop allows you to enjoy the beaches at both Matapouri Bay and Whale Bay. There are fantastic lookouts on this loop. We did not complete the full loop, but instead started at Matapouri Bay, made our way to Whale Bay and then doubled back to take in the views over the water.
This path runs from a car park via well maintained track to the beach at Whale Bay. We enjoyed sitting and soaking up the sun on this pristine beach. Note, the Matapouri Bay to Whale Bay intersects this path. If you are just interested in the beach then this short 15 minute path (30 return) is a good selection.
Our B&B host also recommended the Tutukaka Headland Lighthouse walk. However, we did not have time, plus we were did not time things properly with the low tide.
There are lots of other water-based activities available in the area including kayaking, surfing, and fishing. We would recommend vising the Tutukaka Coast website for an outline of all available activities in the area.
We ate at a couple of the restaurants located in the Tutukaka Marina. See the Tutukaka Coast website for additional dining options on the coast.
Located right next to the dive shop/boat trip, this is a perfect place to enjoy happy hour and/or a meal following your day at sea. We enjoyed the food, selection of beers on tap, and the live jazz music on the patio.
Located in the marina, this pizza joint has a nice patio. The pizza was average and the drink selection was limited. (There was only one beer and one cider on tap, plus a limited wine selection.)
We stayed in this fantastic B&B, which was located about 10-15 minutes from the Tutukaka Marina. The breakfasts were wonderful, internet was free, and the accommodations were clean and comfortable. Plus the property had a great patio, pool, and game room. We would definitely recommend to anyone passing through the area.
After 12 days in RVs with our friends from home, we took a few days to re-group in Auckland. We used a good amount of the time playing catch up and planning for our remaining three weeks in New Zealand. (Note: We found free wifi with unlimited data hard to find in Auckland!) Despite the fact that we spent most of our time playing catch up, we did enjoy a few of the activities the city has to offer. Our favorite was our day trip to the Waiheke island.
At 328 meters tall, on a clear day you can see for miles over Auckland in all directions. For an additional $4 NZ you can return within 24 hours and take in the view at a different time of day. The tower also offers those seeking an adrenaline rush the opportunity to take a sky walk and/or sky jump.
Located a short ferry ride from Auckland, the island of Waiheke is covered with gorgeous hidden coves and beaches. (See Fullers website for times and ticket prices.) The island is also home to some wonderful small wineries. We enjoyed the wine and food pairing, followed by lunch at the Peacock Sky Vineyard. We enjoyed it so much that we even purchased a couple of bottles for the road.
We spent our first couple hours on the island hiking. We followed the coastal route trail from the ferry port around to the north until we reached Owhanake Beach. From there we followed the road back into the cute town of Oneroa. It is easy to reach Oneroa from the ferry terminal, as it is only about at 10-15 minute walk. There are a few other potential walks around the town. However, further exploration of the island would require a car or a tour.
If you have extra time in your schedule, you might enjoy spending a night on Waiheke.
Queen Street is full of shops. Whether you are making purchases or just window shopping, a leisure walk down Queen Street will take you through the main street of the city. The public library is located just one block off of Queen Street, at 46 Lorne, and it one place where we took advantage of free wi-fi access.
We enjoyed a light dinner at the Depot, including sliders, tacos, and potato wedges. We also enjoyed a small craft of some of the “on tap” wine.
We stayed in a serviced studio apartment located in the city. The apartment was quiet and clean. We enjoyed the small kitchen and the convenience of an in-room washer and dryer. Quest has multiple serviced apartment locations throughout the city.
Whakapapa is a small village located near Tongariro National Park. The area is know for hiking during the summer and skiing during the winter. During the warm months a paid shuttle service is available to the start of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing and during the winter a shuttle runs between town and the ski village.
Outlined as one of the top one day hikes in the world and the best in New Zealand, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is a 19.4 km hike across an active volcano field. Keep an eye on the weather, as it may take multiple days before the weather will be good enough for the hike. We are told the best weather for attempting the hike is in February or March.
Be sure to pack at least 1.5 liters of water (per person), food/snacks, sunscreen, and take good rain gear (as rain is common). A shuttle service is available from nearly every accommodation and city for around $35. The shuttle service runs at fixed intervals to drop off at the start and pick up at the ending point. Note: It is advised that the crossing will take 6-8 hours. It took us 5.5 hours to do the crossing, plus 1 additional hour to do the Tongariro Summit.
We used ROAM shuttle service from Whakapapa when we completed the summit. They offer a shuttle in the morning at 7am, 8am, and 9am and offer pick up service at 3pm, 4pm, and 5pm from the end of the trail.
Note: We turned back on our first attempt due to torrential downpours. (We planned to do an out and back and parked at the car park at the starting point. However, we turned back much earlier than we had planned due to the weather.)
We have also been told that another option is to show up at the end point parking lot and that there is a shuttle that would take you to the starting point (for a fee). This would allow you to have your own car to depart when you finish the crossing. The shuttle runs at specific times in the morning. Also while waiting for our shuttle there was a shuttle that offered to take people back to the starting point.
In addition to the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, there are lots of additional hiking tracks in the National Park of varying lengths. See the following PDF , visit the New Zealand Department of Conservation website, or visit the Tongariro National Park website for additional details on available hiking options.
There are multiple hikes that can be started from Whakapapa Village, see the New Zealand Department of Conservation website for details.
There are multiple hikes that start within 30 minute drive of Whakapapa. See the New Zealand Department of Conservation website for additional details.
During the winter months, we are told that skiing in this are is fantastic. There are 30 ski runs, ski rental facilities, and a shuttle that runs from town to the ski resort.
Note: Additionally, visit the Tongariro National Park website for additional options on available activities in the area.
We passed through Whakapapa with our friends in RVs. We enjoyed our couple night stay at the site and found the facilities to be good. The park also offers tent sites, powered campsites, and some motel type options.
Located in the Whakapapa Village, we enjoyed dinner and drinks at the hotel. The manager Wayne was fantastic.
This upscale hotel greets you as you pull into the Whakapapa Village.
NOTE: There are a couple of other towns within close proximity to Whakapapa and Tongariro National Park. On our second visit to the area we stayed in National Park.
We used a Whanganui campsite as an overnight stopping point on our journey between Wellington and Tongariro National Park.
For additional information on things to do while in Whanganui, please visit the city’s tourism website.
We passed through Whanganui in RVs with 12 of our friends from home. We stayed in the Whanganui River Top 10 Holiday Park, in our RVs and were happy with the facilities provided at the campsite. In addition to powered campsites, the Holiday Park also has offers tent sites and motel type options. The campsite was located outside of town and had a nice view of the Whanganui River.
Picton is located on the Marlborough Sound and is the main port city that connects the South Island to Wellington on the North Island. Although we were only there long enough to sleep, do laundry, and board the Inter-Islander ferry, the town is supposed to have a nice seafront with shops, cafes, and restaurants. Other activities available in close proximity include: diving, fishing, sea kayaking, Marlborough Wine Trail, and the Queen Charlotte Track.
Motueka is located on the northern coast of the South Island and is in close proximity to Abel Tasman National Park. We spent a soggy day sea kayaking and hiking in the National Park with our friends.
Abel Tasman National Park was named for the first European explorer to spot New Zealand. The national park is the smallest in New Zealand, but is home to walking tracks, pristine beaches, and a marine reserve. A popular activity in addition to hiking and swimming, is sea kayaking. While sea kayaking in early December, we spotted lots of seals preparing for their mating season. We even had some seals swim near us and under our friend”s kayaks! Unfortunately, we had a very cloudy, wet, and rainy day. We were lucky enough to witness the beautiful colors the park is known for at the tail end of the day, when the sun finally broke through for a short stint.
We toured the South Island in RVs with 12 of our friends from home. We stayed in our RVs at campgrounds and were pleasantly surprised by the facilities at most of the campsites. During our time in Motueka, we stayed at the Motueka Top 10 Holiday Park.
A road closure due to a rock slide resulted in an unplanned night spent in Makarora! Our planned destination for the night was Franz Joseph Glacier. We attempted to make the best of the situation and enjoyed ourselves at the local campsite. The road re-opened in the morning and we were on our way to Franz Joseph for our helicopter ride and walk on the glacier.
Milford Sound is just one of the many beautiful sites of the South Island. This fjord region is located in the southwest corner of the South Island off the Tasman Sea. There is no easy way to reach Milford Sound, other than via the lengthy drive, but it is well worth a visit. It is also one of the many locations in New Zealand where you can count on being off the cell phone grid! During the summer you can take advantage of the added hours of daylight!
This 52.5 km, multi-day track is through the Fjordland National Park. We did not have the time available to embark on this track that takes you through mountains and forests and near rivers and waterfalls. It has been referred to as “the finest walk in the world” and is one of the more popular walks in New Zealand. The Milford Track website provides additional specifics on this walk.
Some of our friends had an incredible time kayaking Milford Sound with Rosco’s Milford Kayaks. They were lucky enough to have a beautiful clear day, and could not say enough about the sights and sounds they experienced. They were definitely dead tired at the end of the day!
An alternative to kayaking on Milford Sound is to take a cruise out on the Sound.
Another multi-day hike is 32 km long that takes you through New Zealand’s Southern Alps. We did not have the opportunity to tackle this trek, but have seen it referenced in multiple different places as one of the great treks on the South Island.
This easy 30 minute walk starts from the car park near the end of road. We watched the fog clear from the sound from this vantage point one morning prior to leaving town.
This 3.4 km (3 hour) return track is just one section of the Routeburn Track. This hike provides “panoramic views over the Humboldt and Darran Mountains.”
This short walk is located half way between the Homer Tunnel and Milford Sound. The 15 minute (w/return) walk leads to you two powerful waterfalls.
We have mentioned a handful of specific hiking trails above. However, there are many additional options available. Please visit the New Zealand Department of Conservation for additional details on other hikes available in the area!
We toured the South Island in RVs with 12 of our friends from home. We stayed in our RVs at campgrounds and were pleasantly surprised by the facilities at most of the campsites. During our time in Milford Sound, we stayed at the Milford Lodge. In addition to powered campsites the lodge has tent, dorm, lodge, and chalet accommodation options.
Queenstown is the adventure capital of New Zealand! The adventure junkie will love this city (and go broke) taking advantage of all the different options. Queenstown is well worth a visit, even if you are not interested undertaking an adventure sport!
There are many options for bungy jumping in Queenstown. You can do the jump that started it all off the Kawarau Bridge, or seek out a higher jump at one of the other locations (Nevis Bungy or Ledge Bungy). Alternatively, you can take a ride on the bungy swing! (Nevis Swing or Ledge Swing). They even offer combo packages to do multiple!
The area right outside of Queenstown is known as the Central Otago Wine region and is know for producing some great wines (pinot noir) with amazing backdrops. One of our favorite wineries that we visited was Peregrine. We also told about Gibston Valley Cheese, which is located in the wine valley, where you can tasting local cheese!
Take an adventure filled ride, skimming over the water and through the narrow canyons. Some of our friends enjoyed the adrenaline rush associated to the ride on the Shotover Jet.
We attempted to sky dive on our first visit to Queenstown in 2004. Unfortunately, we were not able to jump due to the weather conditions. However, on a clear day you are likely to see people floating high up in the sky enjoying the sights over Queenstown.
Surrounded by mountains (The Remarkables) and water (Lake Wakatipu), Queenstown is an ideal playground. There are countless options for hiking in and around Queenstown, see the New Zealand Department of Conservation website for options and additional information on walking tracks.
The gondola is located a short walk from the city center. The ride up will provide you with breath-taking views over the city and Lake Wakatipu. Once you reach the top you can enjoy the views over a drink or meal. Other activities are also available in the area, such as a luge, walking tracks, and mountain biking paths. We did not ride the Gondola on this visit, but did on a previous visit. We enjoyed the views from the top at sunset.
Many people use Queenstown as a home base and do day trips to further explore the South Island. There are many options available, however be prepared for a very long day of travel! On our first trip to Queenstown, we enjoyed a day trip to Doubtful Sound for a boat cruise on the fjords. Other options include Milford Sound, Mt Cook, or hiking on the some of the famous tracks (e.g. Routeburn Track) In our opinion, a trip to the sounds is worth an overnight stay.
We toured the South Island in RVs with 12 of our friends from home. We stayed in our RVs at campgrounds and were pleasantly surprised by the facilities at most of the campsites. During our time in Queenstown, we stayed at the Queenstown Top 10 Holiday Park Creeksyde. In addition to powered campsites, the holiday park also had self contained motel-type rooms and was within walking distance from the town center.
Lake Tekapo is located on the South Island about 3 hours southwest of Christchurch on the route to Queenstown. After picking up our RVs in Christchurch, we arrived at a campsite after dark. We were pleasantly surprised by the stunning views of the turquoise lake, mountains, and beautiful flowers that we awoke to the next morning. Lake Tekapo is just one of the many gorgeous views we encountered while on the South Island.
We toured the South Island in RVs with 12 of our friends from home. We stayed in our RVs at campgrounds and were pleasantly surprised by the facilities.
Wake up to an incredible view of the turquoise lake and mountainous backdrop. Bathroom facilities available with nice hot showers. ($2 for 10 minutes.)
2013 Around the World Trip
2013 Around the World Trip
2013 Around the World Trip
2013 Around the World Trip
2013 Around the World Trip
2013 Around the World Trip
2013 Around the World Trip
2013 Around the World Trip
2013 Around the World Trip
2013 Around the World Trip
2013 Around the World Trip
2013 Around the World Trip
2013 Around the World Trip
2013 Around the World Trip
2013 Around the World Trip
2013 Around the World Trip
2013 Around the World Trip
