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.

Things To Do & See

Abel Tasman National Park

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.

Accommodation Options

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!

Things To See & Do

1) The Milford Track

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.

2) Sea Kayaking

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!

3) Cruise

An alternative to kayaking on Milford Sound is to take a cruise out on the Sound.

4) Routeburn Track

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.

5) Milford Foreshore Walk

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.

6) Key Summit Track

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.”

7) The Chasm Walkway

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.

8) Hiking

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!

Accommodation Options

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!

Things To Do & See

1) Bungy Jump – AJ Hackett

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!

2) Central Otag0 Wine

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!

 3) Shotover Jet

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.

4) Sky Diving, Hang Gliding or Paragliding

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.

5) Hiking

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.

6) Gondola

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.

7) Day Trips

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.

Accommodation Options

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.

Accommodation Options

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.

Lake Tekapo Holiday Park

Wake up to an incredible view of the turquoise lake and mountainous backdrop. Bathroom facilities available with nice hot showers. ($2 for 10 minutes.)