2000 kilometers along the southeast coast

Wanaka 23/01 - 25/01/2019

On January 23, 2013, the day finally arrived and we picked up our rental car for the next three weeks at Queenstown Airport. Our first drive was from the airport to Pak'n'Save because we needed some groceries, and now that we had a car, we could buy them in bulk. So we had no problem buying 3 kilograms of potatoes.

After our bulk shopping, we drove to Wanaka.

It can be said that the New Zealand roads are quite unusual. For example, the speed limit on the highways here is 100 km/h, and even before the corners, a recommended speed is given. In one of my first corners, a speed of 15 km/h was recommended. And yes, 15 km/h on a highway is quite crazy, but it was a 180-degree turn...

In Wanaka, we planned to hike to Roys Peak. Mount Roy is a mountain that offers a beautiful view over the Wanaka Valley and Lake Wanaka. 

Since the hike is known to be done at night and to see the sunrise at the top of the mountain, we set our alarm clock for 2:30 a.m. to start hiking at 3 a.m.

It was crazy to start hiking without being able to see a hand in front of our eyes and only see the stars shining in the sky and the moon shining very bright, but it was a beautiful moment to see the night turn into day.

In the end, I'm glad I did the ascent at night and couldn't see how steep it actually was. It was going uphill for almost 8 kilometers. We had planned to take three hours to get to the summit of Mount Roy in the morning. After a two and a half hour hike, we found the perfect spot to enjoy the sunrise over Wanaka.

We completed our hike at 10 a.m. Usually, we would just be starting the day at this time, so it felt strange to already be back. After our second breakfast, we lay down in bed again and slept a little.

In the evening, we walked to Lake Wanaka Tree. This tree is special because it grows out of the water. At sunset, we looked at the tree with a beautiful backdrop of the lake and stunning mountains in the background.

And as you can see, this place is a popular hotspot for photographers.

Fairlie 25/01 - 27/01/2019

Fairlie is located above Lake Tekapo. Unfortunately, there isn't much to tell about this place. It was very cold on Roys Peak in the morning, and there was a freezing wind blowing, so I got sick. Plagued by chills and fatigue, I spent the two nights in bed.

But on the way to Twizel, we made a stop at Lake Tekapo, because it is very beautiful and has crystal blue water.

Twizel 27/01 - 30/01/2019

From Twizel, we wanted to hike to Mount Cook. However, after two nights, I still wasn't feeling better, so we spontaneously decided to stay one more night, and it turned out to be worth it because the next day I was healthy again.

The hike to Mount Cook led us across three suspension bridges and along a stream. We always had the goal in our eyes, Mount Cook. It is always incredibly spectacular to see how gigantic a mountain is.

Kingston 30/01 - 31/01/2019

Since we were totally flexible with the car, we could decide for ourselves when and where we wanted to go. Our next destination would have been Te Anau. Due to the long distance, we decided to make a stop in Kingston. With a short stop in Arrowtown, which would have been a perfect setting for a Western movie, we spent one night in Kingston.

Just like the previous stops, we rented a cabin at a campsite, and this campsite in Kingston was by far the most beautiful one. It was simply beautiful to look at the mountains while eating, listening to the birds chirping and enjoying the rays of sunshine.

Te Anau 31/01 - 04/02/2019

Te Anau is the perfect starting point for the eighth wonder of the world. Milford Sound! We booked a boat tour and sailed through the waterways in Milford Sound.

It is really hard to describe what we saw during this two-hour boat ride, but untouched nature, many waterfalls, and all we could see in front of us was the water, it was indescribably beautiful.

Most of the time, we were on the deck of the ship. We passed by waterfalls, and you could even say that we sailed into a waterfall. It was a really great day.

The next day, we walked along Lake Te Anau. We walked for a good hour until the start of the Kepler Track (which takes three to four days). It was incredibly hot that day, and the thought of having to hike in this weather for the next few days quickly faded away.

Invercargill 04/02 - 06/02/2019

Invercargill is purely an industrial city. It wasn't really beautiful to look at. However, we did take a day trip to Bluff.

In Bluff, we visited Stirling Point. A sign with many different signs indicating the direction and distance to different cities.

We also drove to Bluff Hill. This viewpoint offers a nice view over Bluff and the coast. Our accommodation had told us that on a clear day, you could even see Stewart Island.

Waikawa 06/02 - 08/02/2019

On the way to Waikawa, we made stops at Slope Point and Waipapa Lighthouse. Slope Point is the southernmost point of the North Island. Less than four months ago, I was at the northernmost point of the North Island (Cape Reinga), a strange thought for me.

Before we drove to our accommodation, we made a stop at Curio Bay. A great place! To get to the beach, we had to cross a campsite, and suddenly, there was a seal by the roadside. It was truly a massive animal, and I wouldn't want to meet it alone in the dark.

At the beach, we saw dolphins swimming and leaping in the sea. Whenever I think back to that day, I start to smile. Seeing these animals in the wild was amazing.

Unfortunately, the accommodation, and also the place where we slept, was not as great as the experiences on the first day. Our accommodation didn't even have a reception, we had to call the landlord on a phone and let him know, but he only came to the accommodation in the evening. The place consisted of 3 houses, a church, and a few fish and chips stands. We were really glad to leave Waikawa.

Owaka 08/02 - 10/02/2019

On the way to our next accommodation, we made a stop at McLeen Falls. I always find waterfalls amazing to see.

After checking in at our campsite, we drove to Jacks Bay to enjoy the sun. We also had some nice company: three seals. Right next to the beach, there was a hiking trail to Jacks Blowhole. In this rock hole, water flows in and out of the sea with tremendous force. Unfortunately, everything was very overgrown there, and we couldn't directly see the opening, only hear the sound of the water volumes.

The next day, we went to Cathedral Cave. A very impressive natural phenomenon. And somehow intimidating too, knowing that the caves are filled with water during high tide.

In addition, we went to what I think is the most beautiful waterfall, the Purakanuifalls.

Dunedin 10/02 - 13/02/2019

Dunedin is the final stop of our road trip. On the way there, we made a stop at Nugget Point. It was a truly beautiful view with the lighthouse and the sea in the background.

Dunedin is a very beautiful city. There is a small city park in the center, and the city is built around it.

Near Dunedin is Sandfly Bay. This place is known for being able to see penguins. So we also tried our luck, but unfortunately, without success.

From Dunedin, we also visited the only castle in New Zealand. The adjacent castle garden was also very beautiful to see.

How quickly can three weeks pass? Very quickly! The time with the car was beautiful and counts as one of my highlights. I had the opportunity to see many places and natural spectacles.