Kia Ora South Island

The crossing by ferry to the South Island went smoothly, and after about 3 hours we were back on board. Just the ferry ride through the Marlborough Sounds was very cool, and we were already able to gather the first impressions of the South Island.

Arriving in Picton, we headed west. The drive at about 30 degrees felt insane, so we stopped at the first beautiful stretch of beach to have lunch.

In just the first few days, the South Island has already completely convinced us. If you think there's not much going on in the North Island, then come to the South Island. Here, vastness takes on a whole new meaning. You can drive along the coast for hours and find wonderful beaches everywhere. Our first 'big' destination was Nelson, where we replenished our supplies and strolled through the small but very beautiful city. On our way to Abel Tasman National Park, we made several short stops, such as visiting the Pupu Springs (a sacred spring).

and the Harwood Hole, which is 185 meters deep and was a filming location for The Hobbit trilogy.

In the national park, we then did a one-day loop track.

Right from the beginning of our path, we enjoyed the wonderful view from a cliff to the sea below us. We had a beautiful day and the water sparkled in the sun. The trail was very varied, sometimes through dense forests and then we came to dream beaches that we shared with seagulls.

After spending our lunch break at Totaranui, we made our way back to the car park via Gibs Hill. At the end of this tour, we were totally exhausted but extremely happy and fascinated by the impressions of this hike.