Day 9: Fox Glacier to Wanaka travel day






DE’s describe this as a demanding drive, winding road, with much to see so stop often, and recommend to do the short walks.

Clear and 17C leaving Fox, mostly overcast rest of day.

It is 4 hours of straight driving, but with a few stops (although not Blue Pools which is closed) we took 5.5 hours.

Knights Point lookout has toilets/ car park, then 10 min to

Ship Creek stop for Kahikatea Swamp Forest track 20 min walk + Dune Lake walk 30 min looks promising, but we didn’t stop.

Stopped in Haast (early lunch of a seafood basket, shared) and then the road turns inland again.

https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets...y-brochure.pdf


This is such a ‘wow’ drive from Haast, the pass, the waterfalls, then the mountain ranges, and the lakes.



Not much room on the single lane bridges..








We stopped at some of the waterfalls and lookout points:

Roaring Billy Falls (20 mins from Haast on the left, signposted with car park) 15 mins walk on a flat, rainforested track, easy and good leg stretch stop, falls are viewable from a distance away. Lots of sandflies!


Another lovely short walk











Small falls across the river



Thunder Creek Falls (40 mins from Haast, can park either side of road, 2 mins walk from car park, 28 m high, really pretty, do stop)









Blue Pools https://www.newzealand.com/au/feature/blue-pools-track/ currently closed due to open end March

Then the lakes lookout points :














All stops are well signed, with carparking, good paths, and they break up this beautiful drive.



Settled in to our accommodation and shopped for our supplies at the New World store by the lakefront.

The town is buzzing with people. It’s 25C and people are at lakefront, jogging, shopping, wandering streets.

Spectacular setting with lake and mountains and beginnings of autumnal foliage.



Our accommodation is so peaceful and quiet, as we are behind the main house which is on a 5 acre property, a 15 minute walk to lakefront.

What an amazing trip so far, and gorgeous photos! I'm in love!
Thanks for taking the time to post them and thanks for all the links you are including. The trees, moss, ferns...I can't believe they "live" next to glaciers. We're planing a NZ trip next year, and I'm taking copious notes. The problem is that all that does is to make me add more days in a lot of places on the list, and add days in places I haven't even considered!! What a beautiful country!
I hope you'll continue having good weather, safe travels.

Adelaidean, Wow!!! I am so excited to see your report! Kudos to you for writing and posting "live". There is no way I could do that. I am so excited to relive our trip through your TR, and to also see places we didn't get to see. Looks like your accommodations in Christchurch are close to where we stayed. We walked to the Botanic Gardens and to Fiddlesticks. I recognize some of the buildings. It's nice that you took photos of the lovely homes. And happy that you enjoyed your meal at Fiddlesticks.

It's interesting to see your close up photos of the rocks at Castle Rock. We stopped there for a very short walk and to take photos but we didn't have time to linger. We were driving from Methven to Franz Josef that day where we had to cancel one night because of the road closure at Haast. So our only time to see the glacier was on our driving day. I love your close up photo of FJ Glacier. And it's so nice to see the Pancake Rocks in the sun. Our one day there was heavy rain and very windy. I did the walk myself (my husband stayed dry in the visitor center) in the pouring rain. It's nice that you spent 3 nights there. You were able to see so much. I really appreciate seeing that area in the sun through your photos.

And I love seeing the Fox Glacier area, the Lake Matheson walk, and the drive from Haast to Wanaka through your photos. All of that was on our itinerary but we had to change our route because of the road closures at Haast. I always wonder about what I missed, so now I can see what I missed!

Are you staying at Archway Motel in Wanaka? I think you told me that once before. That's where we stayed. A lovely place in a convenient location. The manager, Mark, is very nice and helpful. Looking forward to more!

Adie, so glad I stumbled on this! This TR is getting saved into the "dreaming of future trips" area! Love those walking paths in the fox glacier area, posts #11 and 18 for example.That's our style these days. Safe travels!

Hi zebec!

You might recall us trying to choose between Spain and NZ last year. Your photos after your trip had me regretting our decision.
But, this has been great. I love forests and exchanging our heatwaves for this cool and lush environment has been wonderful.



Thanks xyz99, hope you have a fabulous trip. The paring down is hard. We have been very deliberately slowing down, and I think our pace isn’t the usual.
Most seem to do our itinerary in 2 or 3 weeks.

Thanks northie. Hard to take a bad photo.

Hi Karen. You know how fun it is to read reports before and after a trip. What you are anticipating, then how did someone else do it/ experience it.

Much of what we are doing would be very uncomfortable in the rain. So good weather is much appreciated.

We are staying in a unit on a private property, not a motel.

On writing as I go, I have all my links and plans on a document, so I’m just adding the actual details and photos.

I would never get to it once home, I have a weekend off, then work.

My father had a fall and is in hospital, my son is doing the domestics, plus hospital visits, so we have a lot going on. Decisions to be made, and helping my mother.

Plus, my garden will need resuscitating, it’s been hot and dry. I’m expecting losses. The dog will be crazy happy. So there’ll be lots of love needed there too.

If I don’t do it now, it’ll not get done.

And I’m grateful to everyone that makes the effort to write a report, it’s how my itinerary came about, so it’s payback (or forward..)



Nelson, nice to see you here. Your walks have always been much harder than ours. There are so many great day hikes or multi day hut to hut hikes, which we didn’t attempt.

I recall your wife has ongoing issues with her back, but if flying and walks are in her future then there’s great variety here. We average 5-7 km of easy walking per day.

Day 10: Wanaka

Weather : 22C, passing showers, windy, mostly overcast

Very slow start, then coffee and pastry 10 minutes away in Albert Town https://www.pembrokepatisserie.co.nz

Great way to start the day.

Then checking out Wanaka’s lakefront, and bays, Eely Point, the very wild and windy Brenmer Bay, Glendhu Bay, the park.


Grey and windy




Glendhu Bay


Autumnal foliage












I have serious tree envy, the huge pines, elms, ashes, are thriving and enormous.



We went to the Rob Roy Peak carpark to see the start of the trail..

It looks a tough hike.
Way out of our fitness level. https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-re...ys-peak-track/

it is described as ‘easy’ on this site, it sure didn’t look it.
Other sites describes it as ‘moderate’, and a long slog.

The views are spectacular, so it is busy.

I found this online..


The queue for the view!




Other options nearby:

https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-re...s/wanaka-area/

No shortage of things to do, plus a variety of excellent restaurants, and good shopping.
We really like this town. It’s not overbuilt, and caters well for travellers.

Day 11: Wanaka

Fierce wind overnight, cloudy, cool, max 15C

Slow day, and walked a sheltered area of bay to Waterfall Creek track.

Very pleasant and gentle walking about 5 km.

This side of the bay hosts ‘the Wanaka tree’. I wasn’t sure why it was so well known and photographed, when water levels are higher it sits in some water, and can look quite interesting, but there are many much nicer willows on the lakefront


The Wanaka tree


This one is striking…


These are also lovely trees


And while I’m obsessing about trees, …look at these huge trees towering over this cottage…

Day 12: Wanaka

Set the alarm today for 6:30am, as we have an outing booked - it’s 2.8C outside!!

But, forecast is for 22C and sunny -

(Which is forecasted to reach by late afternoon, lol, it’s only going to be 5C at 9 am)

Best day of our stay so had booked this half day cruise Mou Waho Island.

https://www.wanakacruises.co.nz/experiences/cruises/ NZ $169 each

(3 hours: a 9 am cruise, booked 3 days ahead after checking weather)

There are shorter options to other islands.

Perfect morning, still and clear.

Water so gorgeous.


walking the lakefront





at the wharf






Boat took 25 minutes to get to the island, and it’s an exhilarating ride.

Mountains, the clear air, wisps of cloud.






And we followed our guide up the track to the rocky outcrop that overlooks the little lake (Arethusa pool) on this island.

If you were brave enough for the cold and swam to the little rocky boulders in the upper lake you’d be on an island in a lake, on an island in a lake, which is on an island in the ocean.

It is a 30 minute uphill hike. Amazing views.


Department of Conservation do great work keeping it predator free https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-re...anaka-islands/ most threat coming from rodents hidden in boats over the winter and then unwittingly transported by locals. Part of excursion cost goes to DOC.



***having trouble posting photos now, hopefully can add later**

Arriving at the island


Starting the hike


The lake on Mou Wahu island that is on Lake Wanaka


The rock lookout is above




Looking down on 2 separate lakes


It’s a beautiful day


Mountains all around


Leaving the island


Fabulous day

Couldn’t add photos that I’ve stored on my iPad. So went back to my phone.

Anyway, we had a great lunch at Bombay Palace, Melnq8 recommended it and so glad she did.
It is upstairs, with a fabulous view, and we dined well on their sunny verandah.










and our host gave me a garden tour, so that ended a great day

That last batch of phone photos are great - crystal clear on my 43" computer screen.

Glad you liked Bombay Palace!

Your imagery has a freshness born of the fact that few Fodorites have been there. Most of us have never laid eyes upon most of those locations.
I am done. the ongoing awe

I am fascinated by all the trees and vegetation. And the blue skies...

Adelaidean, love all of your photos, too. We ate at Bombay Palace twice, once in Wanaka, and once in Queenstown. The food is delicious at both restaurants, but the Wanaka restaurant is nicer than the one in Queenstown. The Wanaka restaurant has delicious gin and tonics!!!

For some reason we didn't see the Wanaka Tree. But agree that the trees on the lakefront are nicer. We really enjoyed Wanaka, too. Loved strolling along the lakefront.

Wanaka looks gorgeous. We only briefly stopped there on the way from Aoraki to Queenstown. Definitely need to spend more time next time.

Testing my photos - some from the island cruise :











the Buff Weka, protected on this island


I ended up doing a screenshot of my photos, didn’t know how to convert file format

And these are from after I changed format


the morning we left Wanaka was calm and sunny, we had another wander before shopping -















Such a different experience to our first day, when it was so windy, and dreary


Interesting choices


NZ wines


My selection

Of the 4 Whittakers chocolates in your first photo, we bought 3 of them except for the Nelson Pear and Honey. We also bought the Gisborne Orange and Hazelnut. Gave them away as Christmas gifts and kept a few for ourselves. They are all delicious!

Whittaker's...yum. I just bought a dozen bars in Sydney when I was there over Australia Day, but unfortunately am down to just two more.

Whittakers....yum....

Whittakers ... never had. Looks like tough to get in the States. My wife would like the 72% dark as that's about all she eats in chocolate these days.

Thanks Adie. I still do some harder stuff, but slowing down, and that 5-7 km of easy walking is our perfect par for the course these days.
Continued great report and photos, thanks!