New Zealand - South Island

After a short flight to Christchurch, we headed south.

Our route first took us to Lake Tekapo and then to Mount Cook, the highest mountain in New Zealand.

Lake Tekapo is known for its blue color and beautiful starry sky. We took a night tour to a mountain where one of the largest telescopes in the world is located. We saw the moon in more detail than ever before.

The next day, we went on a short hike through Hooker Valley, where you can normally see Mount Cook. However, we were unlucky and couldn't see it due to the layer of fog.

I (Linda) wanted to surprise Roman and booked us a night in a private mountain hut with an outdoor bathtub.

The next morning, we visited Fiordland National Park. We took a boat ride in the famous Milford Sound and were overwhelmed by the beauty of nature.

Queenstown was a nice, lively city, but unfortunately too expensive to stay overnight.

A few days later, we reached the wild West Coast. The next stop was Franz Josef Glacier, where we went on beautiful hikes.

After the west, we drove through the mountains to the north, where we spent a few days in Abel Tasman National Park.

Next Stop: East Coast