The South Island of New Zealand

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I just returned from a 7-week stay in New Zealand on the South Island and was located in Sumner, near Christchurch. The natural beauty of the island will awe you. It is surely a land of friendly blokes, fish and chips, and Kiwis sitting around their tv cheering on their favorite rugby team. I realized shortly after being in New Zealand that it would take an extended amount of time to cover the sites, hikes, and activities offered by the South Island. I did not get to the north coast or the glaciers on the west coast nor even the North Island at all . . . so there are reasons to return. Some comments on my travels and other tidbits about Kiwi life are offered below.

Beyond the people I met and my work at Sumner School, some highlights of my travels included fantastic hiking in the mountains, kayaking in Doubtful Sound, and swimming with the dolphins in Kaikoura. Also, I found that most of the time the scenic drive to get to a destination provided me with some of my most enduring images. If you are traveling to the South Island for the first time it may be helpful to think about the varying landscapes with the north side of the island famous for their beaches and sounds, the east side with its plains and drier climate, the Southern Alps running through the spine, and the wetter, greener fjordlands and west coast.

On the east side Kaikoura is known for scenic peninsula with mountains as a backdrop along with its sealife. When I was there I opted for the dolphin encounter instead of a whale watching tour. This is where you get wetsuits and to jump out of the boat to swim amongst the hoards of dolphins that reside offshore. The day I went out the seas were very rough and many people were getting sick on the boat. But, I still enjoyed the opportunity to see so many (hundreds in total I would guess) dolphins swimming and doing flips around the boat. In the water you just put your head down and watch them jet past you, sometimes coming so close you could reach out and touch them. I would highly recommend the experience particularly if you had clear skies and calmer weather. It is worth the money (approx. $165 NZ). I also took a long walk through town and out around the peninsula which is another activity I would highly recommend. I got some great views of the coastline just before sunset. And definitely stop at the Kaikoura Seafood stand that is out along the coast and get a grilled fish sandwich! Hine’s takeaways is also a good place in town to get fish and chips with grilled fish. Unfortunately, I found that the opportunity to get grilled as opposed to battered or crumbed fish was a rarity.

I didn’t spend a lot of time in Christchurch even though I was located on the outskirts in Sumner (see separate entry for Sumner & Christchurch). I did run the City to Surf 12k though and that was a great event. Much of the action in Christchurch is centered around the Cathedral Square. The Art Centre (the old Univ. of Canterbury campus) is a nice place to walk through. The old campus buildings, scenic in themselves, house a number of small art galleries. My favorite part of Christchurch is the large botanical gardens and it is not to be missed. If you stay in Christchurch it would be an excellent place to run. The iSite (NZ information center) is located next to the Cathedral and you can pick up brochures for the whole country and can also schedule day/multiday trips there.

On the Banks Peninsula near Christchurch is a frequently visited harbor town named Akaroa. I was able to head there for a day trip and do a harbor cruise. The waters around Akaroa are one home to the Hector’s dolphins that are reportedly the smallest and rarest dolphins in the world. You are almost guaranteed to see the dolphins near the end of the harbor as you approach the open waters. It was a fun experience watching the dolphins shooting through the water around the boat. There are also swimming with the dolphins trip there but I would say it would be better to do this in Kaikoura. It didn’t seem that people saw as many dolphins in the water in Akaroa or got the same quality experience that they did in Kaikoura. The cliffs around the harbor are also nice to see on the cruise and you will likely see some seals sunning on the rocks. We also saw a lone penguin swimming alone in the water. As for the town, Akaroa is quaint and has a fairly picturesque setting. I enjoyed my one day outing but wouldn’t have wanted to spend much more time there and didn’t seem to rave about it as much as some others who visited so you can make up your own mind.

Going down the east coast I heard and saw pictures of the Moeraki boulders near Hampden. I didn’t stop but it sounds like an interesting pull off on the way down to Dunedin. I liked the vibe of Dunedin but only got the chance to pass through. I did get out on the Otaga peninsula and thought it was interesting to see the albatross area. Here is a unique place to observe an albatross on land because of their nesting grounds. Just below this area is a beach that seals frequent and where penguins come in after dark. I enjoyed watching a couple of playful seals here but left before the penguins came out. The university of Otago in the city is also a nice place to check out.

I was lucky enough to have a bright, clear day to take in the Catlins at the southern tip of the island. This region has a number of interesting pull offs mostly with beautiful coastal views. It also has 3 notable waterfalls to stop at—I would recommend McLean Falls if you can only see one. The best part of the Catlins is simply stopping numerous times along the coast to get out for the views. Excellent views can be had on the walk out to the Nugget Point lighthouse and also Curio Bay. The views around Curio Bay around sunset are particularly nice. I was lucky enough to have good views of a yellow-eyed penguin here as it came ashore in late afternoon. If you are planning on taking your time through the Catlins keep in mind that there isn’t a lot of food/petrol options as you go through.

Te Anau was quite possibly my favorite place that I stayed in my travels. It is a small town located on beautiful Lake Te Anau and is the gateway to Doubtful Sound, Milford Sound and Track, the Kepler Track, and one end of the Routeburn Track. During my first night there I took a run of approximately 20km around Lake Te Anau and onto the Kepler Track. The Kepler was a great place to take a run through the trees and doesn’t become much of a climb until a number kms into the trail. I chose to spend most of my time and money in Te Anau exploring Doubtful Sound rather than Milford Sound because there is far less traffic there and is truly more of a wilderness experience. I did a two day kayaking trip through Doubtful with 7 others and a guide through Fiordland Wilderness Experience. Turns out we got really lucky and had a good group and great guide. Getting there is quite an adventure too as you first drive to Lake Manapouri, take a boat across the lake, drive to Deep Cove, and then prepare the kayaks. We only saw a handful of boats on the Sound both days and the rest of the time was spent in solitude. We tent camped just offshore under the incredibly vibrant stars with the sounds of the weka birds (funny little thieves of the forest). The views of the Sound are just amazing at water level and you never tire of them. On the second day we kayaked approximately 25 kilometers out around Ferguson Island and encountered a large group of bottlenose dolphins (approx. 40) that were doing flips all around us. The trip was a great experience that I would highly recommend to others.

I would recommend taking some time to enjoy the road to Milford as it has stunning views as it nears the Sound. You will want to make several stops to take pictures. Along the way is the start of the Routeburn Track. I hiked to the MacKenzie Hut one afternoon and can now see why it is considered one of the best hikes in the world. The Earland waterfall along the way is one of the best waterfalls I have ever seen. I was able to do this hike to the Hut and back in one afternoon but I was moving fairly quickly so you may want to allow more time but it is another of my highly recommended activities. Also, along the road to Milford is the Gertrude Valley Track that you will see just off to your right before going through the long tunnel as you near Milford. About a 5 hour roundtrip hike will give you great views of the Valley and a view down into the Milford Sound from a far after a steep climb. The great views make this another can’t miss hike. I took in Milford rather quickly as I just hiked out to the beach in front of Mitre Peak for some nice views. I did not take a boat out on the Sound. But, I did have friends from the Doubtful Sound kayaking trip who kayaked for a day on the Sound and found it to be a nice day trip. You will find Milford to have a majestic view that will make your pictures highlights. You will also find it quite busy and commercial with many boat companies rolling out loads of tourists. The view is definitely worth the trip but I can’t comment on the value of a boat trip through the sound. In the absence of an experience such as we had on Doubtful Sound I think it would make for a good second option. The town of Te Anau itself is quite small, just a couple thousand people. I preferred the pizza at Naturally Fiorland over La Toscana (far too much garlic). The food at the Redcliffe Café is very good but also expensive ($35-40NZ). My favorite place to eat there was the Olive Tree Restaurant and Café where I got some great pancakes and a good sandwich and fries. I stayed in a single room at the Lakeview Campsite for $35/night which I thought to be quite a good deal. The Lonely Planet didn’t even indicate that they had single rooms so I found this to be a nice surprise. The single room here was much better than the YHA single in Te Anau where I stayed for one night.

I moved from Te Anau to Queenstown and it was a bit of a shock to my system driving into Queenstown after being in the quiet surrounds of Te Anau. Queenstown is quite the opposite—it is the hustling bustling commercial adventure center of the South Island. If you are into alpine shopping, bungy jumping, or any of a host of other outdoor extreme sports this is your spot. If anyone is looking for a single ensuite room in Queenstown I would recommend Reavers Lodge (approx. $65NZ). Unfortunately, I didn’t stay long enough in Queenstown to be able to do any of the area hikes. I did trek it up to the viewpoint above the city which is a fairly strenuous climb in its own right. But, the view at the top makes this a must do. I wouldn’t recommend the new “luge” up there though—money making gimmick. I did grab a burger and fries at the famous Fergburger restaurant. Burgers were ok but I thought the fries were especially good, huge portions, and a good deal. I did have one full day in the area and I used that time to drive around the lake and then hike on the other end of the Routeburn Track. Along the way is a beautiful drive including the village of Glenorchy. The scenery around and past (going towards the Routeburn) is worth the drive. The Queenstown end of the Routeburn is far more gradual and subtle in its start than the Te Anau side. To me the attraction of this side was the opportunity to hike along the river that is a stunning bold aqua color (see pic below). I was only able to hike to the Routeburn Flats Hut so I’m going to have to return to see the middle of the Track. Later that day I made my way out of Queenstown and up to Wanaka—I took the scenic route over the mountains and wish it would have been light out. I also only got to do a quick drive through Arrowtown which might be worth spending more time at.

Wanaka is a smaller town more on the order of Te Anau rather than Queenstown. Once again I found a good deal on single cabins at the Motor Park so I stayed there a couple nights. While in Wanaka my friend Michelle (from the kayaking trip) and I took on the Rob Roy track in Mt. on a rainy day in Mt. Aspiring National Park. The drive out includes a long but scenic stretch (maybe 25 km) on a gravel road. The day we went we had to ford numerous water filled ditches in the road to get to the trailhead. In addition, we have to cross an emerging stream (more like river!) as soon as we started the hike. The entire hike was a wet undertaking but the payoff views at the end made it all worthwhile. This panoramic included a view from left to right of a gigantic waterfall cascading down a rock face with a large extended glacier to its right with a large number of waterfalls (maybe 40) emerging underneath. Given the amount of rain we had been getting the waterfalls were in full form and looked spectacular and made up for the lack of blue skies that day. I would recommend this hike in either kind of weather—the pictures I saw of the glacier under blue skies looked quite striking. Back in town, we got a kick out of going to the Paradiso Cinema. There we sat in sofas, at pizza and cookies, and watched Avatar. I thought the novelty of the theater was worth the visit although I didn’t really think their cookies deserved the hype given to them in the guidebooks. Wanaka is a nice little town that you could probably take more time in to take in the area sights and hikes if you have more time.

I was lucky with weather on my trip up until this point as I headed to Mt. Cook. After arriving at Mt. Cook village not being able to see any of the surrounding mountains due to the rain and clouds I decided to tuck into a place in Twizel and hope for better weather the next day. Thankfully, I made the right decision staying in Twizel instead of the much more pricey Mt. Cook village. At the YHA at Mt. Cook I would have had to pay $75 for a single room but instead paid $28 for a wonderful single room in the lodge at the Mountain Chalet Motel. This place was the best hidden gem of my trip. Luckily, my wait paid off and I had a beautiful day to knock off the Mueller Hut hike the next day. This hike is a particularly steep climb going out. Morever, the day I went there were 90some km/hr. winds on the top making me have to grab onto rocks for support at times. I was quite happy to finally reach the Mueller Hut after about 2 hours of steady climbing only to be disappointed to see no one else there. The views at the top were outstanding, I only wish it wasn’t so windy and cold so that I could have spent more time taking them in. Edmund Hillary was the initiator of the hut in 2003 that offers grandiose views of Mt. Cook and the other surrounding mountains and glaciers. After talking with other Kiwi’s I think Mueller Hut is the hike to do for the best views around Mt. Cook if you have the legs for it. I enjoyed it and got a workout in out it completing it in a little less than 4 hours. I enjoyed a quick stop at Lake Tekapo to see the lake and see the statue that recognizes the work of the Border Collie in New Zealand. You might think that both Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki have been artificially colored after seeing them for the first time with their deep turquoise color so they are certainly a nice site also.

My last stop was a full day in Arthur’s Pass that mostly included hiking Avalanche Peak. Similar to Mueller’s Hut, this hike is a steep climb to the peak with few level sections going up. I believe I completed this one in just over 4 hours and I had beautiful clear skies. Once you clear the bush line after about an hour of “step” climbing you begin to get fantastic views of Arthur’s Pass and the surrounding peaks. At the very top of Avalanche it is a bit narrow for the final section to the peak but you then get panoramic views. After doing this hike I felt confident that I had been lucky enough to complete some of the very best day hikes on the South Island. Now, I just need some extended time to get the multi-day Greak Walks in. After completing the Avalanche trek I took a drive over to Hokitika on the west coast. The drive between the trek and the coast was green and lush and a little reminiscent of Hawaii. Also, the views coming into Arthur’s Pass from the East are wonderful. As I say, the drive to get to these places is a great portion of the reward. After getting a slight peek at Hokitika I am was glad in my choice to take in Mt. Cook and Arthur’s Pass rather than driving up the West Coast—but I would like to have done that too had I the time.

Overall, many things standout about New Zealand. To start, the Kiwis are some of the nicest people you will ever meet in your travels. I felt very safe everywhere I traveled and the roads were well-marked and easy to get from place to place. The only exception to this was that I found getting in and out of Christchurch to be a little less intuitive than other places on the Island. The Kiwis sure do know how to do fish and chips—always expect good fries and large portions of them. Other than the fish and chips I found eating out to be rather more expensive than I expected. In terms of sweets, I would recommend the Hokey Pokey crunch bar by Cadbury . . . a New Zealand original. The Kiwis, like the Finns, are a very active people who identify themselves with the outdoors. You are never far from mountains or sea when in the country. Add a few words to your vocabulary such as being "keen" to do something, "good on ya", and "cheers" and you will be in good. Also, the culture as a whole seems to emphasize individual self-reliance and generally a positive sense interaction--for example, it is the only country where I can remember riding the bus where your metro card can be overdrawn and they just let you pay or "top up" the next time you take a ride. Overall, your trip to N.Z. will be memorable and, in my opinion, it is rightfully ranked as one of the best travel destinations in the world.

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Photos

Doubtful Sound

Comments

[Betty]

Awsome trip
Nice job on your photography. Looks like it was an awsome trip.