Road trip around South Island New Zealand NOV18
Somewhat larger than it was in 1984, there are a string of shops and cafes along the south end of the lake. Still quite remote and just as lovely as I remembered, we were lucky enough to see the wild Lupins adding colour to the lakeside, with beautiful views of the mountains beyond. After a night there we continued towards Queenstown stopping at Lake Pukaki which had great views of Mt Cook/Mt Aoraki, with a stunning aqua colour to the glacial lake.
With the Southern Alps to our right we headed south and arrived at Queenstown in the early evening, just in time to get the gondola to the Skyline Restaurant for our pre-booked evening buffet meal. We ate there 35 years ago when the menu was a carvery choice, much expanded now to include an Asian buffet, carvery, salads, pastas and seafood. The main reason for booking though was for the fantastic view of Queenstown with The Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu below.
Next morning was the Queenstown marathon and luckily the weather was glorious. The atmosphere was relaxed as people jogged/ran/walked along the route. We had a good walk around the peninsular edging the lake and explored the rest of the town, enjoying the cafe culture, people watching and the busy lake activities. In the evening we took the famous TSS Earnslaw steamer across the lake to Walters Peak and had a meal at the farmstead watching the sun set - just magical. Exploring a bit further afield we drove up to Coronet Peak the next morning where the views across the valley towards Arrowtown are breath-taking. Continuing to Arrowtown, we stopped for lunch and a wander around this old gold mining village, geared to the tourists but still worth a visit. We return via the valley and stopped off to watch the brave bungy jumping.
Next day the weather turned as we headed south towards Te Anau in Fiordland. The road south edges Lake Wakatipu so there were some good stops for photos, but gradually the weather worsened and by the time we arrived at Te Anau it was beginning to sleet. I thought of the Crowded House song Four Seasons in One Day! We found a nice walk on the edge of the town and remembered the blue gum trees that edge Lake Te Anau. The following day we had an early start and were picked up by a coach which took us along the lake and through the Homer Tunnel to Milford Sound. By this time, we had quite a bit of snow and it was freezing. Just so glad I'd packed layers! The snow certainly added to the beauty though and after joining the Milford Sound cruise we sailed out to the open sea weaving our way through the misty waters and getting glimpses of the snowy peaks and waterfalls. Despite the unseasonal weather I wouldn't have missed it.
We began the next morning with a stop at Lake Manapouri and a trip out to Doubtful Sound. Luckily the weather had improved, and we thoroughly enjoyed the trip on the boats, managing to get some great photos. Returning to Queenstown we continued towards Wanaka, via the Crown Range road. Again, we had a snowy drive on that road, but it all added to the beauty. After a night in Wanaka, we headed west on perhaps the most scenic part of our trip. The 3-4hr journey to Franz Josef took us over 7hrs as we stopped for photos and walks along the spectacular route through the Haast Pass. The snow-capped peaks added to the beauty.
On arrival in Franz Josef we had a wander around the area and made plans for our stay. One thing we wanted to do was a scenic flight over the Southern Alps as this had been our highlight on our last visit. Back then we took a ski plane and landed on the Tasman Glacier, but sadly this is no longer possible. There is a choice of seeing the area by plane or by helicopter. We chose the plane because it covered the whole area and flew much higher than the helicopters. This trip is weather dependent so we had to see if the flights were operating. The first day they weren't so we headed off early to Fox Glacier and Lake Matheson from which you can see Mt Cook/ Mt Aoraki mirrored in the lake, a photographer's dream. The road to Fox Glacier itself was still closed after landslides a few months prior, so we headed back to Franz Josef Glacier and took a longish walk to as close as we could get to the edge of the glacier. We noticed how much the glacier had shrunk in 35yrs but were about to get a much better view when we flew by plane the next morning. We spent an hour in the air flying over the Southern Alps almost within touching distance of Mt Cook and Mt Tasman, with fantastic views below to the various glaciers and landscapes. Then we headed back to our car and drove north along the west coast towards Greymouth for our overnight stop.
Next day we continued north stopping at Punakaiki and the Pancake Rocks with their unusual rock formations and blow holes, and onward to Nelson with many stops en route. Nelson was our base to explore the Abel Tasman National Park, a great area for hikers but scenically very pretty too. On to Blenheim for a couple of nights we enjoyed a half day wine tasting, followed by a day driving down to Kaikoura. Sadly, the bad weather scuppered any chance of whale watching but we were able to see where the land had risen above sea level after the earthquake. Fascinating to see rocks that had once been under the sea, now covered with seals. After returning to Blenheim we drove around the northern area around Picton before getting the ferry to Wellington for our final night. Wellington is a compact city, easy to get around. The wharf has been developed and is the place to go for your restaurant choices. We enjoyed Wellington's fine building including the famous Beehive government headquarters.
Our trip lived up to its expectations. New Zealand's people are the friendliest I've encountered. As most of my client's bookings seem to be tailor made nowadays, I find New Zealand one of the easiest countries to book, mainly because I love it. North island is very different, but no less interesting , but that's another story!