Safari of the Southern half of the South Island. Quinn, Tighe, and I went on a road trip.
"Snakes on a plane"
With the Covid-19 situation, we decided to avoid overseas travel this year, and visit the mainland of New Zealand instead. After a two hour flight from Rotorua. We picked up our rental car, and headed West into the Ashburton Lakes area.
Day 1: Hike up Mount Sunday Mount Sunday is a stunning site, with expansive views of the Rangitata River and the surrounding mountains. This has to be one of the most remote Lord of the Rings locations one can publicly access. Allow at least 1 hour to walk up Mount Sunday.
Day 2: Moeraki Boulders, Anatini Fossils / Elephant Rocks,Tekapo The morning started at the Ocean - the Moeraki boulders. Then a three hour drive from Oamaru, to climb the Anatini Fossil site, and the Elephant Rocks, via Duntroon, past the dams, and onward to Tekapo, and the Southern Alps. As we were making so many stops, it took all day! That night we travelled up Mt John Observatory for the Star gazing.
Day 3: Tekapo to Aoraki/ Mt Cook Tekapo / Lake Pukaki, Ice bergs, Glacier Opportunity to see glacier lakes, glaciers, and ice bergs. We stayed the night at Aoraki Mt Cook
Looking up the Tasman Valley
Ice bergs and Aoraki
Day 4: Explored Hooker valley and the glacier lake. Mt Cook hike .Walk took most of the day. Recommend detouring in Omarama to see the Omarama Claycliffs. Stayed the night in Omarama.
First swing bridge in the Hooker Valley
Omarama Claycliffs
Day 5: A fun day of puzzles, go karting, vineyards, and swimming. Wanaka Puzzling World, Highlands Cromwell, Lake Dunstan Stayed the night in Cromwell.
Learning about gravity at Puzzling World, Wanaka.
Karting at Highlands Raceway, Cromwell
Day 6: Autumn Leaves in Arrowtown, walked Bob's Cove and explored the Misty Mountains in Glenorchy and LOTR. Stayed the night in Queenstown.
Bob's Cove
Lake Wakatipu
Day 7: Early morning start with Hot Air Balloon safari. Rest of the day was a scenic drive through Northern Southland and overnight in Te Anau.
Day 8: Drive to Milford Sound. Eglinton Valley, waterfalls, Milford Sound, Underwater observatory. Caught the afternoon cruise, and then overnight again in Te Anau.
Fairy Falls, Milford Sound
Mitre Peak, Milford Sound
Day 9: Manapouri, Bluff, and Oreti Beach. A driving day, exploring Southland. Overnight in Invercargill after experiencing hail storms and Aurora Australis.
Day 11: Return to Rotorua via Invercargill
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