South Island NZ, Part 2: Queenstown to Christchurch; peaks, leaps and dolphins meets...

Queenstown

After seriously re-jiggling our trip (we were now on Plan E) we finally made it to Queenstown and the sun was there to greet us! Queenstown is king (or should that be queen?) of adrenaline and activity, so here’s what we got up to...

Skyline Gondola and Luge

Want great views of Queenstown whilst zooming down the hill on a luge kart? Then you’ve come to the right place. You catch the gondola up the hill, and then a ski lift further up the hill to the start of the luge- both have amazing views of Queenstown, and on a clear day you can see for miles. Our ticket included 5 rides on the luge, which is good because it means if you’re a slight wimp with speed like me, you can build up to it. A great way to spend the morning, loads of fun for all ages, and did I mention the views?

Queenstown Hill

One of the (many, many) things I love about NZ is that you can be in a town or a city, but you’re always so close to nature and a darn good walking trail. You can drive to the start of the Queenstown Hill walking track, park the car for free, and then begin the plod up the hill. You start in alpine forest (which smells amazing- anyone else with me?), where some cutie has put fairy doors into the trees, and then you climb to 907m get some stellar views of Queenstown. It’s a lovely way to spend a few hours, and it’s free. Winner.

NZONE Skydiving

We’ve been on our fair share of flights over the last 7 months, but this time we found the fire escape.

I’d skydived before and absolutely loved it, so I wasn’t about turn down the chance to do it again. NZONE offer 9,000ft, 12,000ft or 15,000ft jumps, but we went for the 15,000ft drop because you get the most free fall- which is the most fun part in my opinion. The views were just insane. Like the most insane. You think Queenstown is pretty from the ground? You should see it from up here. The whole team are loads of fun, and the photo and video packages are well worth it- hours of amusement lolling over your friends faces as they fall through the sky and and lose all control of their lips. And for those of you who don’t like heights and are currently professing that this isn’t for you, I don’t like heights either, but luckily a) you’re so high up you’ve lost all comprehension of height and b) you don’t have to throw yourself out of the plane, your tandem master will do that for you. Easy as peas.

Fergburger

Fergburger started in 2001 as a hole in the wall burger joint. It’s one small shop in Queenstown, and there’s ALWAYS a queue. But, the queue moves quickly, and if you’ve been in Asia and eaten rice for 5 months straight, this is absolutely worth it. Hailed as the best burger in NZ, we were expecting something good, and we weren’t disappointed. Yes it’s just a burger, but it’s a darn tasty one. And they do veggie options as well. Shoutout to the Mrs Ferg Bakery too and their lemon meringue pie- the size of my head, and so good.

AJ Hackett Bungee

Now, before you ask, no I’m not insane enough to throw myself 135m into the abyss, but my boyfriend is. I went along for moral support (not that he needed it, weirdo). AJ Hackett offers a few different height options, but the Nevis is NZ’s highest. You have to get in a metal sort of basket situation which you’re harnessed into which carries you out to the pod suspended in the air above the canyon. And yes, it’s all as horrendous as it sounds. Unlike with a skydive, this is at a height where you can see exactly which rock you’re going to bash your head on, and with every person that leapt off, the pod swayed a bit more. I think I was having a harder time watching than all the adrenaline junkies were throwing themselves into the canyon. The team seemed really nice though, and they play you some hype music, which I guess is handy. Oh, and my boyfriend survived, which is a plus. I’ve just asked him to describe it in 3 words for you, and he said “Nine Second Poopypants.” So there you go. Enjoy.

Queenstown Service Hub

This isn’t an attraction (although when you’re on the road, any hot shower is to be honest), but it’s well worth a mention for anyone living on the road with a camper. It’s free, you can stay for 2 hours, and there’s everything you need- dump station, water refill, hot showers, sinks for washing plates etc, bins. And it’s only a 15 minute drive out of Queenstown. So handy.

Freedom Camping: Lowburn- It’s an hours drive from Queenstown, but the location is just lovely- right on the edge of the lake with lots of space.

Paid Camping: Lakeview Holiday Park- a short walk from the centre, good facilities. Easy.

Glenorchy

This wasn’t originally on the list because we just didn’t have the time, but the floods changed all that, and I’m so glad we got to see it. The drive itself from Queenstown to Glenorchy is spectacular- the winding road runs right along Lake Wakatipu and you can see the snow capped mountains in the distance. It’s so good that you have to stop and get out a few times just to admire it.

Glenorchy Walkway

This flat walk has a few options so that you can choose how long you want to be out there. We chose the largest loop and it still only took a couple of hours. It’s super flat so makes for a nice stroll, and the views of the surrounding mountains are beautiful. Pop in to the tiny teeny town for a cuppa afterwards, the perfect start to the day.

Paid Camping: Kinloch DOC Campsite- you have to make your way down some pretty gravelly windy roads to get there, but when you do it’s so worth it. There’s barely anyone there and it’s right on the edge of the lake, the most beautiful setting to wake up to.

Arrowtown

Arrowtown is a historic gold mining town with heaps of character. The town has maintained its rich heritage and historic buildings which makes it super picturesque. Spend the afternoon strolling through the little shops, grab a drink at the one of the cute pubs, go gold panning, and make sure you stop at the Remarkables Sweet Shop to grab some of their mega tasty fudge.

Freedom Camping: Crown Range Summit- Up a road with more twists and turns in it than your favourite thriller, this little spot overlooks the valleys below and has the most banging sunset. There’s zero facilities, but that doesn’t matter when the views are this good.

Aoraki/Mount Cook

We stopped back in Queenstown for the morning so that Ryan could launch himself off of an unnervingly highly suspended pod, and then made our way up to Mount Cook National Park. The views driving into the area are stunning- winding roads, blue lakes and snow capped mountains- what road trip dreams are made of.

Tasman Glacier Heli-hike

After 2 failed attempts at doing the heli-hike in Franz Josef thanks to the weather, we decided to try again in Mount Cook with the Tasman Glacier. Now, I don’t know what Franz is like, but Tasman is SO DARN COOL (no pun intended). The helicopter ride itself is amazing, giving you awesome views over the glacier, the valley and Mount Cook. You land on the glacier itself, and after trying not to be blown into oblivion by the propellers-with varying degrees of success- you attach your crampons and off you go. You get to spend a couple of hours exploring the glacier, we walked around on top and then went down into an ice cave which was mind blowing. You finish off with a second helicopter ride back to base, the pilot getting you up close and personal with Mount Cook itself. If you’re in the area, absolutely do it.

Hooker Valley Track

Probably my favourite 10km walk ever. It’s a flat loop that takes you through the valley, crossing suspended bridges over glacial lakes, the mountains looming above you making you feel tiny. I’ve never known a relatively short walk to offer such insane views. At the end of the track before you loop back there’s a glacial lake sat below the looming Mount Cook with little icebergs floating in it. Grab a cuppa at the cafe and when you get back and you’ve got yourself a corker of a morning.

Sealy Tarns and Kea Point Track

Hooker Valley was flat, this is pretty much the opposite. 2200 steps directly upwards. It’s hot, it’s sweaty, and you’ll question the ability of your lungs more than once, but crikey the views are immense. Each time you stop to try and coax some more oxygen into your lungs you’ll notice that the views just get better and better. You can see down onto the Hooker Valley Track-which now looks tiny- and looming in front of you is Mount Sefton. I reckon I lost most of my body fluid through sweat that day, but it was 100% worth it.

Freedom Camping: Lake Pukaki Overnight

Campervan Parking- As if this place is free. The views across the lake and over to Mount Cook are stunning. If you’re in the area, staying here is an absolute yes.

Paid Camping: Twizel Holiday Park- A nice little spot if you’re in need of charging your ride. It’s pretty small, which gives it a nice feel, and the facilities are good.

Tekapo

We stopped in Tekapo for one night to try and catch some stars as the area is a Dark Sky Reserve, meaning there’s no light pollution so that the observatory down the road can do its thing. We got lucky with a few hours of zero clouds, hopped out of the van and just looked up. So. Many. Stars. So beautiful. If you’re a nerd like me, download a stargazing app and then you know what you’re looking at!

Lake Tekapo and The Church of the Good

Shepherd

We popped in on the Lake and the Church on our way to Akaroa. Free to visit, it’s cool to see such an iconic part of the area. Plus, they’ve got a monument to Border Collies because they love their dogs so much- I knew me and NZ were soul mates.

Freedom Camping: Patternson’s Ponds- Perfect little spot tucked away in the middle of nowhere for star gazing.

Akaroa

Another little stop that wasn’t on Plan A, but again the flooding gave us more time to explore, so we headed to Akaroa in between our Tekapo and Christchurch stops. It’s small and cute and very French inspired. Lovely for a stroll around and a cuppa.

Swimming with Dolphins

We’d missed seeing the dolphins up in the Bay of Islands, and we’d chosen to do whale watching and seal swimming in Kaikoura, so we were chuffed when we heard that we could still have the opportunity to swim with dolphins in the South. We went with Black Cat Cruises who took us out into the bay- which was once a volcano, pretty cool eh?- where we spent the morning swimming with some inquisitive Hector’s Dolphins. They’re the world’s rarest and smallest oceanic dolphin, so it was pretty special to be able to swim with them in such a natural way. If you’re after a dolphin experience that’s good for you and good for them, this is a great option.

Paid Campsite: Top 10 Akaroa- We were beaten in the race to freedom camping spots in Akaroa, so ended up staying here. Sites are small but facilities are alright.

Christchurch

The final stop of our NZ road trip. How did this come around SO quickly?! Our team of 3 became a 4 again as our friend who’s (very sensibly) moved to NZ for a while joined us in the South. It was so lovely to have her back again and to explore the city together...

Green Kiwi Walking Tour

Walking tours are a fab way of getting to know a new city and working out what you want to explore more of. I love ‘free’ walking tours because a) they’re relatively cheap as you just give a donation and b) because they’re working for donations, the guides always seem to really love what they do. Green Kiwi were great, and over 2 hours we saw lots of the city and it’s vibrant street art, and heard about it’s history and community. A great one to do on your first couple of days here.

Godley Head Track

You know how much we love a tramp- especially here in NZ where the scenery is stunning. The start for the Godley Head Track is half an hour drive out of Christchurch, so it’s nice and easy to get to. The track takes you along the coast line with views out to the water before it loops round bringing you back to where you started. Sumner is sat on the coast too and is a cute little stop on the way back for some post-walk tea and cake.

Riverside Market

Foody paradise. Whatever you fancy, Riverside Market has it. Food from around the world, drinks, and a chilled out vibe to go with it. A nice little spot to spend the afternoon strolling down the cute side alleys, eating or drinking.

Paid Campsite: Amber Kiwi Holiday Park- A nice little spot close to the centre with good facilities.

Freedom Camping: Prebbleton Tavern- Essentially the car park of a pub, the lovely owners let you camp for free, all they ask is that you buy a drink. There’s even an outside loo for you to use when the pub’s closed. Nice.

And just like that our NZ road trip is over. Before we left England everyone said how much we’d fall in love with NZ, but I didn’t realise I’d fall THIS head over heels. It’s everything I love- being outside constantly, hiking, eating outdoors, eco friendly, and they love dogs. Add to that the fact that I’m a complete van convert- I was heartbroken when we had to leave Large Marge at the airport. If only it was closer to England and our families, I’d move there in a heartbeat. Until next time NZ 💛