Manapourie and the glowing rings

Sunrise at the lake.

Since we couldn't shop anymore, we went for breakfast at the only café in the village. It is run by realNZ and located at the dock for the boat to Doubtful Sound. Good sandwiches and sweet treats - a great start to the day.

The first stop of the day was the Anduin River. After about 10 to 15 minutes of walking through rainforest, fallen trees, and many ferns, you arrive at the river where many crucial scenes from The Lord of the Rings were filmed. You can clearly recognize the spot with Arwen and the Ringwraiths. Nearby is the Rainbow Reach Bridge, a shaky affair. A maximum of 10 people are allowed here.

On the way to Te Anau, we briefly stopped at the bird park. It is free and hosts 5 or 6 native species. However, the Kakas were in Dunedin - sex tourism.

For the afternoon, we chose the Glowworm Cave in Te Anau due to the forecasted rain. The boat ride to the cave begins at 3:15 PM, with arrival back at 5:15 PM. The ride takes about 20 minutes. From the dock, it then goes to an info center. Here, the group is divided into groups of 12 that are taken through the cave in 15-minute intervals. Great: the cave is traversed by a proper stream and is in active formation.

Not so great: the glowworms themselves. When comparing reality with the photos from the operators, you simply expect too much. Long exposure creates an illusion of too much brightness, and the fishing lines glowing are also not really visible. Is it worth it anyway? No idea. The cave was cool, but the price was just a bit high. You can also find glowworms in the wild, which is certainly more fulfilling. No pictures were allowed in the cave during the tour.

Ending the evening at Thai Anau with good Thai food.