New Zealand 2025

3 weeks toodling around the north and south islands Läs mer

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Resans start
6 april 2025
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Dag 3
tisdag 8 april 2025 22:30
🌙 59 °F
Höjd över havet: 16 ft
Nya Zeeland Auckland -36.846434, 174.77498336°50’47” S 174°46’30” E
2. Arrival and Waiheke Island
8 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ 🌙 59 °F
Despite leaving Sacramento on the morning of 4/6, we arrived in Auckland late on 4/8 due to crossing the international date line. Our tour driver was waiting patiently for us, and we got to our hotel and checked in without ado.

Our first full day was spent on Waiheke Island, accessed via a 40 minute ferry ride 12 miles east of the Auckland ports. Waiheke, with multiple scenic beaches, wineries, and restaurants is a popular holiday destination for both locals and tourists alike. We chose to explore the island through the hop on hop off bus. It was a pleasant casual day, much needed after our long travel day.Läs mer
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Dag 6
fredag 11 april 2025 14:36
☀️ 61 °F
Höjd över havet: 906 ft
Nya Zeeland Rotorua -38.139484, 176.25741338°8’22” S 176°15’27” E
3. Heading South
11 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F
We picked up our rental car and headed south from Auckland to Rotorua. Most vehicles here are from Asian companies - Mitsubishi, Toyota, Mazda, Hyundai. Ours is a Chinese model - GWM tank. A nice looking car with completely unnecessary (for our purposes) 4 wheel drive. The roads are all well signed and paved. There is.a heavy indigenous people presence here (more to come on that later). The country is filled with green rolling hills (at least so far) and Mike is handling the opposite side of the road driving deftly.Läs mer
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Dag 7
lördag 12 april 2025 10:00
☀️ 59 °F
Höjd över havet: 906 ft
Nya Zeeland Rotorua -38.139499, 176.25741338°8’22” S 176°15’27” E
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4. Rotorua-Waimangu Volcanic Valley
12 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F
This morning we enjoyed a visit to Waimangu Volcanic Valley.

WVV is the world's youngest geothermal valley, whose surface activity commenced in June 1886 via a violent eruption. We strolled down the 3.6km gravel path from the visitor center through the valley to Lake Rotomahana, and engaged in a short guided lake cruise. The walk to the lake featured lush forest, smoldering geothermal lakes and streams, stagnant mildewed pools, and multi-colored SW Australian Swamphen feasting on whatever grows in the gross green slimy moss.Läs mer
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Resenär Definitely looks out of Jurassic Park!
2025-04-17SvaraÖversätt
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Dag 7
lördag 12 april 2025 18:00
☁️ 61 °F
Höjd över havet: 906 ft
Nya Zeeland Rotorua -38.139534, 176.25740938°8’22” S 176°15’27” E
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5. Rotarua - Te Pa Tu
12 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F
We were scheduled by our tour company for a cultural experience at Te Pa Tu, which embraces many indigenous Maori traditions. We watched (and participated in - ugh) some singing, dancing and other rituals before sitting down to feast on traditional cuisine. At least they fed us after making us look like idiots.

Looks like I didn't get many pix of this...Läs mer
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Geriatric haka. [Mike]
2025-06-06SvaraÖversätt
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Dag 8
söndag 13 april 2025 10:00
☁️ 61 °F
Höjd över havet: Havsnivå
Nya Zeeland Wellington -41.267035, 174.79064341°16’1” S 174°47’26” E
6. Rotorua to Wellington
13 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F
Our 450 km drive from Rotorua to Wellington was slightly delayed by the flashing lights of the kiwi police who wanted to have a friendly chat with Mike. And it wasn't to welcome us to Wellington. The fine was <$100 US, so, minimal damage.

On our way down we stopped to see the Huka Falls. Fed by the Waikato River, New Zealand's longest river, the falls generate enough power to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool in just 11 seconds. The water color was spectacular.

Along our drive we passed Taupo Lake, a crater lake located in the caldera of Taupo Volcano, and the largest surface area lake in NZ (238 sq mi).

We detoured briefly to the west coast to stretch our legs at Himatangi Beach, which allows cars to access and drive it (the last thing we needed on our 6+ hour journey). It was a refreshing reprise from the drive.Läs mer
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ResenärKaren’s beautiful smile could not get us out of the ticket 🙃.
2025-04-16SvaraÖversätt
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Dag 8
söndag 13 april 2025 18:00
☁️ 59 °F
Höjd över havet: 36 ft
Nya Zeeland Wellington -41.293167, 174.78534141°17’35” S 174°47’7” E
7. Wellington-south end of North Island
13 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F
Trivia question for my friend AT. What is the windiest city in the world? Nope, not Chicago. Yep, its Wellington.

Wellington is a harbor town located at the south end of North Island and is the capital of New Zealand.

We strolled along the harbor and through the city, taking the cable car up though the hillside town of Kelburn, and walking back through garden paths with a stop at "the Beehive", which is the locals name for the executive wing of NZ's parliamentary buildings. (The photo explains the nickname).Läs mer
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Dag 9
måndag 14 april 2025 12:00
🌬 63 °F
Höjd över havet: Havsnivå
Nya Zeeland -41.222594, 174.33421241°13’21” S 174°20’3” E
8. Wellington ll
14 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ 🌬 63 °F
The city's architecture was eclectic and interesting - a few shots here.

Our cable car ride left us at a cozy cafe where we grabbed a beverage before descending. A few more pix here.
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Dag 10
tisdag 15 april 2025 09:30
☁️ 55 °F
Höjd över havet: 30 ft
Nya Zeeland Blenheim -41.5089, 173.954541°30’32” S 173°57’16” E
9. Picton & Marlborough Sound
15 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F
A 3 hour ferry ride brought us comfortably from North Island across the Cook Strait (which connects the Tasman Sea to the west with the South Pacific Ocean to the east) to South Island. This ferry had baggage check-in and collection at the other side like an airport - very efficient and a far cry from the baggage storage mayhem I had experienced on the ferry from Estonia to Finland last year.

We settled in at our hotel overlooking the harbor of Picton, a small town of about 5,000, and the northern most populated town in the Marlborough area that has amenities.

The 1500 sq mi section of islands, inlets & peninsulas along the northern part of South Island is known as the Marlborough Sound. The steep, wooded hills and small quiet bays of the sounds are sparsely populated, largely because access is difficult. Many of the small settlements and isolated houses are only accessible by boat - groceries and other goods are shipped in by small ferries from Picton.Läs mer
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Dag 11
onsdag 16 april 2025 09:00
☁️ 54 °F
Höjd över havet: 39 ft
Nya Zeeland Waikawa -41.290405, 174.00937341°17’25” S 174°0’34” E
10. Queen Charlotte Track
16 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F
The word "track" generally means hiking trail. The full Queen Charlotte Track is a very popular 3-5 day hiking/mountain biking route spanning 71 km of the Marlborough Sound with picturesque views of the coastline. As time is limited, we opted to do a one day 10 km portion of the track.

A local boat cruise company took us about an hour from our base in Picton up to Resolution Bay, where we picked up the trail that would eventually lead us to Endeavor Inlet. Our route was a little more coastal that the map indicates, and took us through a lush forest with occasional running creeks and mini-waterfalls. We ran into a few hikers/ bikers along the way, but otherwise had the trail to ourselves. What a beautiful way to spend the day.Läs mer
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Dag 12
torsdag 17 april 2025
🌬 59 °F
Höjd över havet: 95 ft
Nya Zeeland Christchurch -43.533578, 172.63188143°32’1” S 172°37’55” E
11. Picton to Kaikoura to Christchurch
17 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ 🌬 59 °F
Our route now takes us south down the eastern seaboard to Christchurch, before heading inland. We had an overnight stop in Kaikoura so as to keep the daily drive times down. Our weather has turned a bit, so we're not as unhappy to be in the car.

A few pics from the road...Läs mer
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Dag 13
fredag 18 april 2025 15:00
☁️ 61 °F
Höjd över havet: 95 ft
Nya Zeeland Christchurch -43.533586, 172.63190843°32’1” S 172°37’55” E
12. Christchurch
18 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F
Christchurch, the largest city on South Island, is our last coastal stop before heading inland.

We're fortunate to be here on Good Friday; most NZ shops and restaurants are closed for the holiday, but the hotel clerks directed us to a hip nearby indoor marketplace that catered to tourists. Despite that, many pubs were closed, and the place we stopped for a beer (@ 3P) said that the law allowed them to serve beer only if it was accompanied by a meal. So, we ate early!Läs mer
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Dag 14
lördag 19 april 2025 15:51
☀️ 59 °F
Höjd över havet: 33 ft
Nya Zeeland Invercargill City -46.3888, 168.377946°23’20” S 168°22’40” E
13. Christchurch to Mt. Cook
19 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F
The first 2 hours of our 4 hour drive from east-coastal Christchurch heading due west gave us the rare experience of tedious flat farmland. I'm posting this a little late - we've now been through much of our journey through South Island, and I have to say when it comes to mountains & lakes, this country has some of the most spectacular landscapes I've seen. Part of the joy of it is how remote, uninhabited and even inaccessible these mountains are. We are currently in the Autumn shoulder season here, so tourism levels are moderate to low as well. Heading to NZ? I highly recommend April travel.

About halfway through our drive, we eventually came upon the glacially formed lakes Tekapo and Pukaki. Both lakes are known for their stunning turquoise colored waters, largely attributed to their glacial tributaries. Tekapo, at 32 sq miles, is a source of hydropower for the area. Situated on the shore is the Church of the Good Shepherd, which, built in 1935, is one of the most photographed churches in NZ. Needless to say, a very popular tourist stop!

The weather became a bit sketchy as we passed the lakes and started approaching Mt. Cook. A few pix from the road attached here.Läs mer
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Dag 14
lördag 19 april 2025 17:00
☁️ 61 °F
Höjd över havet: 1 398 ft
Nya Zeeland Omarama -44.487743, 169.96513644°29’16” S 169°57’54” E
14. Mt. Cook
19 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F
At 12,219 ft, Mt.Cook, located in the Canterbury region on South Island, is the highest peak in NZ, and is a popular mountaineering destination.

Part of the fame of the area is attributed to mountaineer enthusiast Sir Edmund Hillary, a local mountaineer who summited Cook in 1947. His future fame is attributed to the distinction of being the first man to summit Everest in 1953.

Mount Cook is known throughout the world for its alpine beauty and remoteness. At the foot of the mountain sits the village of Mount Cook where we (and everyone else who comes to this area) stayed. On every side of the village/valley, the Southern Alps scrape the sky, with Mt Cook surrounded by 22 peaks exceeding elevations of 10,000 feet.Läs mer
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Dag 15
söndag 20 april 2025
☀️ 57 °F
Höjd över havet: 33 ft
Nya Zeeland Invercargill City -46.3888, 168.377946°23’20” S 168°22’40” E
15. Stairway to Heaven - 2,200 Steps
20 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ ☀️ 57 °F
Mt. Cook (cont.)

On Sunday we donned our rain jackets and baseball caps & headed out on a cloudy drizzly day for a trek up Sealy Tarns Track, a 3.3 mile, 1791 ft elevation gain path out of Mt.Cook Village. The path is nicknamed "Stairway to Heaven" due to the 2200 stairs that are part of the path.

Am I getting too old for this? Heck, no! The trail was taxing but really fun. I proudly accept the nickname "billy goat" that Mike has bestowed upon me.Läs mer
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Dag 17
tisdag 22 april 2025 06:30
☁️ 46 °F
Höjd över havet: 669 ft
Nya Zeeland Fiordland Community -45.419577, 167.71492845°25’10” S 167°42’54” E
16. Milford Sound (Hike) Track
22 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F
The Milford Sound Track (trail) is a popular 33 mile track located in the tropical forest of the Fjordlands in the southwest part of South Island. The scenic, rugged landscape is known for its natural beauty, making it a very popular sight-seeing and filming location. We did an 8 mile out and back portion of the trail from Sandfly Point.

(As an fyi to those who are interested - Milford Sound and areas of Fiordland National Park were used to depict the Misty Mountains during filming of The Lord of the Rings, and the area again used extensively in The Hobbit Trilogy. )

The trail was pretty easy, nothing like our Mt.Cook hike, offering views of pristine, unadultered nature. While the focus was on the flowing river, waterfalls, flora & fauna, one of the birds we saw was a NZ pigeon, also known as the drunk pigeon. I couldn't snap the photo fast enough, but added an online pic to this post. The pigeon is frugivorous, preferring fruit from native trees. After gorging, they sun themselves to help with digestion. This in turn causes the fruit to ferment into alcohol, intoxicating the bird. They then exhibit corresponding behavior like falling out of trees and flying into things. I kid you not! Our tour guide actually got hit in the head by one!

A beautiful way to spend the morning on a beautiful day.Läs mer
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ResenärBeautiful work !
2025-04-29SvaraÖversätt
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Dag 17
tisdag 22 april 2025 13:00
☁️ 55 °F
Höjd över havet: 659 ft
Nya Zeeland Fiordland Community -45.419662, 167.714745°25’11” S 167°42’53” E
17. Milford Sound Cruise
22 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F
A trip to NZ cannot be complete without the proverbial cruise on the Milford Sound. One of the most famous places in NZ, the Sound is a fjord, which, by definition, is a deep inlet of the sea, surrounded by high cliffs. As with most fjords, a picturesque environment is created by majestic, almost vertical mountains, dramatic waterfalls, and, in this case, lush rainforest.

We enjoyed our 2 hour cruise immediately after our hike. Great way to end the day.Läs mer
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Dag 18
onsdag 23 april 2025
☀️ 46 °F
Höjd över havet: 1 112 ft
Nya Zeeland Queenstown -45.032408, 168.66519645°1’57” S 168°39’55” E
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18. Queenstown & Wakatipu Lake
23 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ ☀️ 46 °F
Our next stop is Queenstown, a charming city with an urban population of around 28,000, noted for its ski and adventure tourism. It is located on the nw corner of Wakapitu Lake which is the longest (50 mile) lake in NZ.

We enjoyed more amazing views of mountains & Wakapitu Lake as we approached Queenstown. Once there we spent our first day strolling through the town center which is filled with street vendors, water activity options, and plenty of cute shops & restaurants. I took a kayak for a spin to get some time on the lake.Läs mer
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Resenär 😂
2025-04-29Svara
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Dag 19
torsdag 24 april 2025 10:31
☀️ 46 °F
Höjd över havet: 1 112 ft
Nya Zeeland Queenstown -45.032408, 168.66519645°1’57” S 168°39’55” E
19. QT - Paragliding!
24 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ ☀️ 46 °F
The first thing I saw when glancing out from the balcony of our room was the paragliders soaring like birds down from the mountain top.

I am so doing that! 😎

I signed up, headed up the gondola, got my marching orders and off we went. I'll let the pix tell the rest of the story.

A super fun experience.Läs mer
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ResenärThat looks great fun! More exhilarating than Kitty Hawk!
2025-04-29SvaraÖversätt
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Dag 20
fredag 25 april 2025 10:00
☀️ 45 °F
Höjd över havet: 1 112 ft
Nya Zeeland Queenstown -45.032548, 168.66519845°1’57” S 168°39’55” E
20. Lake Dunstan Mountain Biking
25 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ ☀️ 45 °F
The Lake Dunstan Hiking / Cycling Trail is a newly constructed (2021) 55km trail that runs from Smith's Way to Clyde in the south central part of South Island. The trail was an instant success, and was awarded "Great Ride" status after a year.

We opted to skip the flat parts and do 25.5 miles from Cromwell to Clyde. Total elevation gain of 1,982 ft.

What a beautiful ride - what a beautiful day.Läs mer
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Dag 23
måndag 28 april 2025 20:00
☁️ 57 °F
Höjd över havet: 95 ft
Nya Zeeland Christchurch -43.533597, 172.6318743°32’1” S 172°37’55” E
21. XC Train & Christchurch (again)
28 april, Nya Zeeland ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F
Leaving Queenstown we buzzed up the coast to Franz Josef, which boasts Franz Josef Glacier as its main (and possibly only) attraction. With sketchy weather & a lack of interest in seeing another glacier, Mike & I used the time to do laundry & have an impromptu meal with a NZ couple travelling in their RV.

Another two hours' drive north found us in Greymouth, where we surrendered our car and caught the TranzAlpine Scenic train that would take us back across the country, through the southern alps, to Christchurch.

The TranzAlpine train travels coast-to-coast through the 'Great Divide' of the alps, transversing 139 miles in just under 5 hours. (No, this is definitely not a bullet train). It is, however considered one of the world's great train journeys. The mountain range was beautiful to be sure, but based on our prior 3 weeks of stunning mountain/lake landscape views, (plus being a little travel-weary), we took it all in stride. A few pix attached.

We had one day in Christchurch before catching our evening flight back to Auckland. We jumped on the tourist trolley for a tour of the city's architecture (an eclectic mix of the old and new) building murals and shops.Läs mer
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Resans slut
30 april 2025