Kia ora. A road trip in New Zealand’s South Island

As New Zealand is literally on the other side of the world from where we currently live (Spain), it’s not a short trip to get there. We took flights via Singapore (with only a short layover) and Melbourne (a stop of a few days) before arriving in Queenstown on the South Island. There, we rented the smallest car we could find, braced ourselves for driving on the left-hand side, and started our long-envisioned adventure.

Queenstown and Glenorchy

Given that the flights were long and we had never driven on the left-hand side of the road before, we decided on a relaxed start in Queenstown. From there, we could explore the area, get used to the time zone, and make sure we could actually indicate when leaving a roundabout (instead of turning on the wipers).

Our first destination was Glenorchy: a small town at the end of Lake Wakatipu, best known for its iconic red boatshed, but also a great place for a small hike.

Te Anau and Fiordland

The first area we wanted to explore was Fiordland. It’s a region known for deep fiords, the beautiful snow-capped peaks of the Southern Alps, and enormous amounts of rainfall. This creates perfect conditions for dense, green rainforest.

The most popular spot in Fiordland is Milford Sound / Piopiotahi: a beautiful fiord that has been called the “eighth wonder of the world.” It’s worth visiting both in perfect sunny weather and during heavy rain: due to the lack of soil on the fiord’s slopes, rainwater creates countless waterfalls. We were both lucky and unlucky: we had perfect sunny weather for all three days we spent in the area, so we couldn’t witness the spectacle. But we couldn’t complain: we went on a cruise, kayaking, and hiking, and were absolutely blown away by the views.

Wānaka

The next destination was Wānaka: home to the famous Wānaka Tree (probably the most photographed tree in New Zealand) and a base for hiking Roys Peak - a scenic viewpoint overlooking Lake Wānaka.

Roys Peak is often recommended for a sunrise hike, but on all the days we were there the mornings were rainy, so we opted for a sunset hike instead. It turned out to be a good choice: the popular viewpoints were mostly empty, and the sunset was beautiful. The way down in the darkness was straightforward, as the trail is wide and easy to follow. It was definitely a highlight of the trip.

As for the famous Wānaka Willow, I can definitely see why it’s so popular. Standing alone in the water, with mountains in the background, it looks truly picturesque and is well worth a photo.

Mount Cook

Mount Cook is the highest peak in New Zealand, with an impressive height of 3,724 metres. The only road into the Mount Cook Valley runs along Lake Pukaki and offers amazing views of the lake and the mountain in the distance.

We were lucky with the weather on the day of our arrival: it was sunny, and the snow-capped peak was clearly visible. We decided to take advantage of the conditions and hiked to Sealy Tarns - a steep trail with hundreds of steps leading to a viewpoint overlooking Hooker Lake and Mount Cook. Later that day, while taking photos of the sunset, I had a chat with a couple travelling in a van. They told me they had been in the area for four days, and it was the first day they could see the peak.

We spent another day in the area, but the weather worsened, bringing a lot of rain. We did a few short walks (and I even managed to go for a run). Unfortunately, the Hooker Valley Track was closed due to maintenance on one of the three bridges along the route.

Lake Tekapo

The last place we visited was Lake Tekapo, famous for its clear glacial waters and dark night skies, which are perfect for stargazing. It’s also a popular place to visit during spring (November–December) due to the seasonal blooming of colourful lupins. Lupins were introduced here by humans and, at least to some, are a controversial subject. While they provide food for sheep (and an attractive foreground for photographers), they also pose a threat to the biodiversity of the area.

Back to Queenstown

As our trip was coming to an end, it was time to return to Queenstown to catch our flight home. Before that, however, we still had one day to spend, and we decided to rent electric mountain bikes.

There is an excellent network of cycling trails around Queenstown. We left the town following the Twin Rivers Trail, which runs along the Kawarau River. Once we got to Arrow River we turned left towards the historic gold-mining town Arrowtown. We later got on the Wharehuanui Trail, a wonderful, easy, and scenic link between Arrowtown and Arthur’s Point. We made a small detour to pass through the Hugo Tunnel and returned to Queenstown.

The route was excellent, very easy to follow and perfect for electric mountain bikes. It was a beautiful end to our adventure in New Zealand.