Week 28 - First Week on the South Island

On Monday, we began our first real week on the South Island. We headed towards Kaikoura, where we walked along the cliffs on the Kaikoura Peninsula Walk. From above, we had a beautiful view of the coast and many sea lions. After a short descent, we walked back along the beach and could observe the animals up close.

Back at the camper, Julian treated himself to a seafood platter from the street food stand right next door.

For Tuesday, we had quite a distance planned. Our destination was the small town of Timaru.

There's also a good reason why we're driving so far and skipping quite a bit in between. We have now found a house-sit where we will be taking care of a cat for 4 weeks starting at Christmas. Since the house-sit will be in Christchurch, we will have plenty of time to explore the area and also to travel 1-2 nights away.

That’s why we took on this longer stretch and were exhausted but happy when we finally arrived in Timaru. However, Timaru had a highlight waiting for us in the evening. Right next to the parking area, there is a small colony of penguins that can be visited for free. We were lucky and spotted a Little Blue Penguin (the Maori call it Korora) at its nest.

Shortly after sunset, more of these unique animals came ashore and waddled across the beach to their nests. This penguin species is the smallest in the world and is about the size of a rugby ball.

While waiting for the penguins, we also saw a Hector's dolphin swimming, a highly endangered dolphin species that only occurs in New Zealand.

The next morning, we drove on to Oamaru and took advantage of the local swimming pool for a few laps and a hot shower. Then we strolled through a small garden there and the city center. We were surprised because Oamaru has a Victorian quarter with many old and splendid buildings. The local shops also took up the theme, making it very pleasant to wander through this part of the city center.

To end the day, we went to a viewpoint from which you can see yellow-eyed penguins. Unfortunately, we had no luck, and the rare animals did not show themselves to us.

The next day, we continued to Moeraki Boulders Beach. A small beach where round boulders lie in the sand.

At Katiki Point Lighthouse, we wanted to take another chance to see yellow-eyed penguins. Only a few breeding pairs live here as well. But again, no sign of the penguins.

So we continued to Dunedin, one of the largest cities on the South Island. Here you can also find the steepest street in the world. Baldwin Street has a steepness of about 35% at its steepest part. Of course, we couldn’t resist the urge to walk up and down the street.

The city center of Dunedin didn’t impress us that much. Similar to most cities, there’s a shopping street, a few nicer buildings, and that’s about it.

The free parking area right at the train station served its purpose for one night but didn’t have any special charm.

However, the Otago Peninsula is much nicer. It’s located right next to Dunedin and was the destination of our next outing.

First, we aimed for a hike to the Pyramids and Victory Beach in the Okia Reserve. After initially having deep gray clouds hanging over the mountains, we were lucky, and they cleared during the hike. With bright sunshine, we were able to admire the coastal landscape. The dunes were blooming on the beach, and we even spotted three sea lions. The first sea lions we saw in New Zealand.

Next, we headed to the Sandymount Reserve. The short hike here led us to a lookout with a spectacular view over the coast of the peninsula. We also had great weather here, and it was just really beautiful.

On Saturday, we continued to Nugget Point Lighthouse. On the way there, a sea lion was sitting right by the roadside. The signs that are often posted here aren’t there for nothing.

The path to the lighthouse itself is short but also very beautiful. Lighthouse, cliffs, and ocean view - this combination is always captivating.

We then continued to two waterfalls, the Purakaunui Falls and the Matai Falls.

Upon arriving at the parking area, the weather rapidly worsened, and there was even a brief hail shower. We decided to sit down at the nearby café, where Julian had what seems to be the best burger in New Zealand, and Franzi ordered a haloumi sandwich.

As the weather didn’t seem to improve, we spent the rest of the day comfortably in the van.

On Sunday, we had a relaxing morning before we set off for the Tautuku Estuary Walkway. A short walk through a wetland. After that, we visited the McLean Falls, one of the more beautiful waterfalls in New Zealand.

Julian took advantage of the sunny weather and went fishing from a small jetty. This time with moderate success, only two small fish were biting, which were released back into the wild. Franzi also found time for herself.

After dinner, the highlight of the day awaited us. We headed to Curio Bay. Here, besides the cliffs, there is also a “petrified forest.” In a bay, instead of a beach, there are rocks where many fossilized tree remnants have been uncovered over time. Additionally, a pair of yellow-eyed penguins (Hoiho) lives here. So we had to position ourselves and wait. With the cold wind, we held our position at the lookout for several hours until Julian finally spotted the coveted penguin.

The penguin took its time walking from the sea to its nest, allowing us to observe it while Franzi took great pictures.

We were overjoyed to have seen this rare animal.

With this wonderful experience, our first full week on the South Island came to an end.

Here’s a little fun fact to finish: This week, we have driven about 710 km from Kaikoura to Waikawa. From the northern part of the South Island all the way down to the south.