Rain? What rain?
Dec 3rd, 2009, 11:08 PM
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Rain? What rain?
Warning: This jam-packed itinerary might make some of you cringe!
We are two female friends in our 30s. We are independent “Type A” planners, and our traveling philosophy is to see and do as much as possible. “Relaxing” is definitely not part of our vernacular while on vacation. We only had two weeks for this trip, which we realized was barely enough to scratch the surface. Using this forum and a couple of guidebooks, we crafted our wish list, sadly crossed off a number of things we didn’t have time for, and came away with a jam-packed two-week itinerary at the end of October. During our stay in New Zealand, we felt like the luckiest tourists alive weather-wise. We came prepared with rain pants, jackets and umbrellas, fully expecting to spend most of the trip waterlogged. But we had sunny weather every day we had a major activity scheduled. We encountered rain only on the days we were spending most of the time driving.
I’ve included details about all of our hotels at the end of this trip report in case it will help in anyone’s trip planning.
If you’d rather look at pictures than read my lengthy narrative, I’ve posted a bunch online here:
http://web.me.com/alexisraymond/New_...roduction.html
AUCKLAND
We arrived in Auckland on a Monday morning around 9 a.m. after flying all night from California, U.S. We checked into our center city hotel, Rydges, grabbed some lunch then caught a Fuller’s Harbor Tour. The weather was decent, with on-and-off sprinkles and lots of clouds. The 90-minute tour stopped for 10 minutes on Rangitoto Island and provided a good orientation to the city’s waterfront areas. It also included a free return ferry ticket to Devonport. Upon returning to the ferry building, we refueled with some hot chocolate and caught the ferry to Devonport. We strolled around town, went in a few stores, then climbed to the top of Mount Victoria. By this time the sun was out in full force, and we spent a lot of time up there taking in the great views of the harbor all around and Rangitoto across the way.
We returned to the city from Devonport around 6 p.m. and walked up toward Sky City. We had dinner at Rebo near the main entrance, then took the elevator up to the observation deck around sunset. We opted for the “total tower experience,” which included the main observation deck and the higher Sky Deck. This turned out to be a great time to go because we got to see the city by daylight and lit up at night. The floor on the Sky Deck has sections of glass, so when you stand on them you can see directly below you – quite a vertiginous experience! By this time we were pretty beat and returned to the hotel.
Next day, we considered a day trip to Waiheke Island but with the forecast calling for rain, we opted for the hop-on-hop-off Explorer Bus. We visited Eden Garden, which was beautiful and we had the whole place pretty much to ourselves. We stopped briefly at Mount Eden and took in the view of the city, but it was quite windy and rainy so we didn’t stay long. We then stopped in Parnell, strolled around and got lunch, then headed to Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Adventures. We love animals so we enjoyed this, but I can see where some might find it hokey. You can take a Snow Cat through a penguin habitat and walk through an aquarium “tunnel” to look at interesting sea life.
That evening we had a casual dinner at The Mexican Café (Victoria Street, near Sky City) and walked up to Viaduct Basin and had a couple of beers at Danny Doolan’s. It was a Tuesday night, but this was the most happening place around with live musicians and a lively crowd.
ROTORUA
The next morning we picked up our rental car from Europcar to drive to Rotorua. Only one staff person was working and it took about 45 minutes to get the car. At the last minute, we decided to detour to Waitomo to check out the caves. It was about a 2.5-hour drive. We first went to the glowworm caves, and I have to say we were somewhat disappointed. There were 50+ people on our tour, and there was always another tour group nearby, so it was impossible to hear what our guide was saying. When it came time to take the boat into the glowworm grotto, we had to go in three separate groups because there were so many people on our tour. That meant some people were waiting on the boat platform in the pitch dark for nearly 30 minutes before taking the boat into the grotto. My overall impression was that the tour operator doesn’t care about the guest experience. Since there is so much demand, they don’t want to limit their profit by limiting the size of the tours. We then went to Aranui Cave a few miles down the road, which turned out to be a much nicer experience. There were only six people in our group, our guide was very knowledgeable, and the cave was beautiful. After the one-hour tour, we took a short trail nearby that goes past caves, natural bridges and waterfalls. We drove to Rotorua, which took about two hours over scenic roads, and arrived around 6 p.m.
We checked in at our hotel, Victoria Lodge, then walked to the Polynesian Spa in Government Gardens. After spending much of the day in the car, this was very refreshing. We opted for entry into the “Lake Spa,” which features four pools at varying temperatures, right on the edge of Lake Rotorua. The pools are impeccably maintained and beautifully landscaped. We spent about 90 minutes bathing first during sunset and then under the stars; then showered in the locker room and went to Amazing Thai on Fenton Street for a delicious dinner.
The next day we started with a visit to Wai-o-Tapu Thermal Wonderland. I have not been to other thermal areas anywhere in the world, so I don’t have anything to compare it to, but I enjoyed the sights and colors (not the smell!) here. This facility if very well marked and maintained. There are three different walking routes you can take; we took the longest one and found that it contained a lot of beautiful scenery, including Lake Ngakoro, a pristine emerald jewel. We got there at 10:15 to see the Lady Knox Geyser spout off but I am not convinced this was a “must see.” Other parts of the property were more interesting, and we felt a little bit duped since an employee has to add a substance to the geyser to make it spout at the appointed time.
From Wai-o-tapu, we went to the Skyline Skyrides and rode the luge, which was a lot of fun. Then we went to Te Puia to learn a little about Maori culture. We saw the live performance and “welcoming ceremony” and took the free guided tour – I recommend both to get the most of this experience. We were also thrilled to see two kiwi birds in the kiwi house. When we went in on our tour they were both hiding, but we doubled back later and spent about 15 minutes watching them scurry around their enclosure.
ABEL TASMAN
We were up at 5 .m. the next day to catch a flight to Nelson in the South Island, our jumping-off point for Abel Tasman National Park. Upon arriving in Nelson we walked up to the “Center of Nelson” for some great views, then rented bikes from a bike shop downtown. We rode for a couple of hours on the trail that parallels Route 6 and has gorgeous waterfront views. That night we dined at Harry’s Bar on Hardy Street, which features modern décor and an Asian-inspired menu. En route back to our B&B (Sussex House) we stumbled across the Free House, a bar in a converted church that offers New Zealand craft beers. Comfortable, charming little place and a great find if you like beer!
The next morning we headed to Abel Tasman for a kayak/hike with Marahau Sea Kayaks. Visiting Abel Tasman and hiking on the coastal track was a “must do” for me. I had read about how beautiful the park was, and given New Zealand’s reputation as a hiking paradise, I wanted to sample at least one of the Great Walks. When we left Nelson around 7:30 it was overcast and raining. By the tine we reached Marahau an hour later, the rain had let up but it was still cloudy. I booked this trip in advance, and MSK’s customer service was not the greatest during that process. I sent a few e-mails that were never answered, so I finally just picked up the phone to make a booking. I never received the confirmation e-mail that was promised to me, although a deposit was charged to my credit card. However, once we arrived, our booking was in order and our guide was exceptional, so I would have no reservations about recommending this company.
There were six people in our group. I am ashamed to say that my friend and I paddled for about 60 seconds before our arms got tired! I have been kayaking before, but this was bona fide sea kayaking and more difficult than I expected. Still, it was a phenomenal experience. The coastline is just beautiful and we paddled past herons and other sea life. The tour guide was very patient and encouraging with us. We stopped for morning tea and muffins, then again for lunch on a deserted beach called Watering Cove. We ended up having to switch spots with two younger guys who helped us paddle about half of the way – that made it much easier! And we were lucky because it didn’t rain at all while we were on the water.
We arrived on Anchorage Beach around 3:30, and spent the night on Aquapackers, a boat anchored about 200 feet off shore. Most of the accommodations are in shared bunk rooms, but we had reserved a double room in advance. The room was very basic, but meals, towels and bed linens were provided, so we didn’t have to carry any of that in as we would have if we camped or stayed in the DOC hut. You could make yourself hot tea at any time, and there were shared toilets and showers. We had a blast on the boat. It was a very convivial atmosphere, and we met people from Holland, Belgium, Italy and England and shared travel stories around the gas heater after dinner. There is a small self-serve bar that operates on an honor system – write down what you drink, and they tally it up in the morning and you pay for it before you leave.
We awoke to a beautiful, sunny day. Breakfast featured cereal, toast, juice and hot coffee/tea. The boat owner shuttled us back to the beach via dinghy around 9 a.m. so we could begin our hike. Our destination was Onetahuti, about nine miles north. The blue waters and golden beaches along this stretch of the trail were breathtaking. I couldn’t have been happier or felt luckier to actually be seeing it. We found the trail easy to moderate. There were a few uphill climbs but for the most part it was manageable. I have a heart condition that limits my strenuous activity, but I only had to stop a few times to catch my breath and rest. From Onetahuti Beach – also gorgeous -- we caught the water taxi back to Marahau where we started kayaking the day before. We got back to Nelson around 6 and had dinner at The Vic, a Mac’s Brewbar. It was Sunday night and they offered a special: choice of entree, salad and dessert for just $15. We returned to the Sussex House, did some laundry and repacked our suitcases for our next adventure.
We are two female friends in our 30s. We are independent “Type A” planners, and our traveling philosophy is to see and do as much as possible. “Relaxing” is definitely not part of our vernacular while on vacation. We only had two weeks for this trip, which we realized was barely enough to scratch the surface. Using this forum and a couple of guidebooks, we crafted our wish list, sadly crossed off a number of things we didn’t have time for, and came away with a jam-packed two-week itinerary at the end of October. During our stay in New Zealand, we felt like the luckiest tourists alive weather-wise. We came prepared with rain pants, jackets and umbrellas, fully expecting to spend most of the trip waterlogged. But we had sunny weather every day we had a major activity scheduled. We encountered rain only on the days we were spending most of the time driving.
I’ve included details about all of our hotels at the end of this trip report in case it will help in anyone’s trip planning.
If you’d rather look at pictures than read my lengthy narrative, I’ve posted a bunch online here:
http://web.me.com/alexisraymond/New_...roduction.html
AUCKLAND
We arrived in Auckland on a Monday morning around 9 a.m. after flying all night from California, U.S. We checked into our center city hotel, Rydges, grabbed some lunch then caught a Fuller’s Harbor Tour. The weather was decent, with on-and-off sprinkles and lots of clouds. The 90-minute tour stopped for 10 minutes on Rangitoto Island and provided a good orientation to the city’s waterfront areas. It also included a free return ferry ticket to Devonport. Upon returning to the ferry building, we refueled with some hot chocolate and caught the ferry to Devonport. We strolled around town, went in a few stores, then climbed to the top of Mount Victoria. By this time the sun was out in full force, and we spent a lot of time up there taking in the great views of the harbor all around and Rangitoto across the way.
We returned to the city from Devonport around 6 p.m. and walked up toward Sky City. We had dinner at Rebo near the main entrance, then took the elevator up to the observation deck around sunset. We opted for the “total tower experience,” which included the main observation deck and the higher Sky Deck. This turned out to be a great time to go because we got to see the city by daylight and lit up at night. The floor on the Sky Deck has sections of glass, so when you stand on them you can see directly below you – quite a vertiginous experience! By this time we were pretty beat and returned to the hotel.
Next day, we considered a day trip to Waiheke Island but with the forecast calling for rain, we opted for the hop-on-hop-off Explorer Bus. We visited Eden Garden, which was beautiful and we had the whole place pretty much to ourselves. We stopped briefly at Mount Eden and took in the view of the city, but it was quite windy and rainy so we didn’t stay long. We then stopped in Parnell, strolled around and got lunch, then headed to Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Adventures. We love animals so we enjoyed this, but I can see where some might find it hokey. You can take a Snow Cat through a penguin habitat and walk through an aquarium “tunnel” to look at interesting sea life.
That evening we had a casual dinner at The Mexican Café (Victoria Street, near Sky City) and walked up to Viaduct Basin and had a couple of beers at Danny Doolan’s. It was a Tuesday night, but this was the most happening place around with live musicians and a lively crowd.
ROTORUA
The next morning we picked up our rental car from Europcar to drive to Rotorua. Only one staff person was working and it took about 45 minutes to get the car. At the last minute, we decided to detour to Waitomo to check out the caves. It was about a 2.5-hour drive. We first went to the glowworm caves, and I have to say we were somewhat disappointed. There were 50+ people on our tour, and there was always another tour group nearby, so it was impossible to hear what our guide was saying. When it came time to take the boat into the glowworm grotto, we had to go in three separate groups because there were so many people on our tour. That meant some people were waiting on the boat platform in the pitch dark for nearly 30 minutes before taking the boat into the grotto. My overall impression was that the tour operator doesn’t care about the guest experience. Since there is so much demand, they don’t want to limit their profit by limiting the size of the tours. We then went to Aranui Cave a few miles down the road, which turned out to be a much nicer experience. There were only six people in our group, our guide was very knowledgeable, and the cave was beautiful. After the one-hour tour, we took a short trail nearby that goes past caves, natural bridges and waterfalls. We drove to Rotorua, which took about two hours over scenic roads, and arrived around 6 p.m.
We checked in at our hotel, Victoria Lodge, then walked to the Polynesian Spa in Government Gardens. After spending much of the day in the car, this was very refreshing. We opted for entry into the “Lake Spa,” which features four pools at varying temperatures, right on the edge of Lake Rotorua. The pools are impeccably maintained and beautifully landscaped. We spent about 90 minutes bathing first during sunset and then under the stars; then showered in the locker room and went to Amazing Thai on Fenton Street for a delicious dinner.
The next day we started with a visit to Wai-o-Tapu Thermal Wonderland. I have not been to other thermal areas anywhere in the world, so I don’t have anything to compare it to, but I enjoyed the sights and colors (not the smell!) here. This facility if very well marked and maintained. There are three different walking routes you can take; we took the longest one and found that it contained a lot of beautiful scenery, including Lake Ngakoro, a pristine emerald jewel. We got there at 10:15 to see the Lady Knox Geyser spout off but I am not convinced this was a “must see.” Other parts of the property were more interesting, and we felt a little bit duped since an employee has to add a substance to the geyser to make it spout at the appointed time.
From Wai-o-tapu, we went to the Skyline Skyrides and rode the luge, which was a lot of fun. Then we went to Te Puia to learn a little about Maori culture. We saw the live performance and “welcoming ceremony” and took the free guided tour – I recommend both to get the most of this experience. We were also thrilled to see two kiwi birds in the kiwi house. When we went in on our tour they were both hiding, but we doubled back later and spent about 15 minutes watching them scurry around their enclosure.
ABEL TASMAN
We were up at 5 .m. the next day to catch a flight to Nelson in the South Island, our jumping-off point for Abel Tasman National Park. Upon arriving in Nelson we walked up to the “Center of Nelson” for some great views, then rented bikes from a bike shop downtown. We rode for a couple of hours on the trail that parallels Route 6 and has gorgeous waterfront views. That night we dined at Harry’s Bar on Hardy Street, which features modern décor and an Asian-inspired menu. En route back to our B&B (Sussex House) we stumbled across the Free House, a bar in a converted church that offers New Zealand craft beers. Comfortable, charming little place and a great find if you like beer!
The next morning we headed to Abel Tasman for a kayak/hike with Marahau Sea Kayaks. Visiting Abel Tasman and hiking on the coastal track was a “must do” for me. I had read about how beautiful the park was, and given New Zealand’s reputation as a hiking paradise, I wanted to sample at least one of the Great Walks. When we left Nelson around 7:30 it was overcast and raining. By the tine we reached Marahau an hour later, the rain had let up but it was still cloudy. I booked this trip in advance, and MSK’s customer service was not the greatest during that process. I sent a few e-mails that were never answered, so I finally just picked up the phone to make a booking. I never received the confirmation e-mail that was promised to me, although a deposit was charged to my credit card. However, once we arrived, our booking was in order and our guide was exceptional, so I would have no reservations about recommending this company.
There were six people in our group. I am ashamed to say that my friend and I paddled for about 60 seconds before our arms got tired! I have been kayaking before, but this was bona fide sea kayaking and more difficult than I expected. Still, it was a phenomenal experience. The coastline is just beautiful and we paddled past herons and other sea life. The tour guide was very patient and encouraging with us. We stopped for morning tea and muffins, then again for lunch on a deserted beach called Watering Cove. We ended up having to switch spots with two younger guys who helped us paddle about half of the way – that made it much easier! And we were lucky because it didn’t rain at all while we were on the water.
We arrived on Anchorage Beach around 3:30, and spent the night on Aquapackers, a boat anchored about 200 feet off shore. Most of the accommodations are in shared bunk rooms, but we had reserved a double room in advance. The room was very basic, but meals, towels and bed linens were provided, so we didn’t have to carry any of that in as we would have if we camped or stayed in the DOC hut. You could make yourself hot tea at any time, and there were shared toilets and showers. We had a blast on the boat. It was a very convivial atmosphere, and we met people from Holland, Belgium, Italy and England and shared travel stories around the gas heater after dinner. There is a small self-serve bar that operates on an honor system – write down what you drink, and they tally it up in the morning and you pay for it before you leave.
We awoke to a beautiful, sunny day. Breakfast featured cereal, toast, juice and hot coffee/tea. The boat owner shuttled us back to the beach via dinghy around 9 a.m. so we could begin our hike. Our destination was Onetahuti, about nine miles north. The blue waters and golden beaches along this stretch of the trail were breathtaking. I couldn’t have been happier or felt luckier to actually be seeing it. We found the trail easy to moderate. There were a few uphill climbs but for the most part it was manageable. I have a heart condition that limits my strenuous activity, but I only had to stop a few times to catch my breath and rest. From Onetahuti Beach – also gorgeous -- we caught the water taxi back to Marahau where we started kayaking the day before. We got back to Nelson around 6 and had dinner at The Vic, a Mac’s Brewbar. It was Sunday night and they offered a special: choice of entree, salad and dessert for just $15. We returned to the Sussex House, did some laundry and repacked our suitcases for our next adventure.
Dec 3rd, 2009, 11:09 PM
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WEST COAST/GLACIERS
This was the day we were worried about. Driving from Nelson straight to the glaciers was something many people on this forum advised against. The road is narrow and windy, and it would likely rain -- a lot -- we were warned. But we really, really wanted to take a heli-hike on the glacier and couldn’t bring ourselves to cross it off our itinerary no matter how out of the way and expensive it was. In the end, the road trip was much easier than we expected. We left Nelson around 9 a.m., stopped for an hour at the Pancake Rocks, and were in the spa at our hotel in Fox Glacier by 5:30 p.m. It did rain for most of the trip, but never downpoured. The road was in very good condition and well marked. There were not many other cars on the road. We are accustomed to driving on windy two-lane roads in California, so we did not feel out of our comfort zone at all on Route 6.
This happened to be a national holiday (Labor Day) and we discovered that, of the few restaurants in Fox Glacier, most were either closed or charging a 20-percent holiday surcharge. We ended up at the Plateau, which has a nice atmosphere but our meals were a little bland for something that is supposed to be spicy and flavorful (Thai curry).
We awoke the next morning to bright sunshine and a cloudless sky. Again, could we be any luckier? We needed nice weather and we got it. The guide company office was buzzing with activity as everybody was trying to take advantage of the sunshine. I had booked the 8:50 a.m. heli-hike with Fox Glacier Guiding in advance, with a backup booking for a half-day glacier hike if bad weather grounded the helicopters. The customer service from Fox Glacier Guiding could not have been more helpful. I corresponded with them via e-mail and they were extremely responsive and explained everything in detail.
The hel-hike was amazing. It was expensive but worth it. The views from the helicopter were spectacular, and the part of the glacier we explored was pristine. The guides were clearly well trained and committed to ensuring our safety. We hiked to a waterfall and crawled through ice caves. Though we wore plenty of layers, we stripped down to our base layer because it was so warm up there. The hiking itself was easy. There was some uphill climbing but it was mostly flat. The guide chips away steps in the ice for you in many places. If you can take your dog for a walk, you can do this hike.
We returned from the heli-hike around noon, crossed the street to our hotel, hopped in the car and drove to the Lake Matheson Café. We had a great lunch here on the deck while enjoying the view of the Southern Alps. Form there, we drove to Gillespie Beach, which took no more than 30 minutes via a winding gravel road. What a find this was -- the beach was deserted. It was windy but still sunny and reasonably warm. We walked on the beach, skipped stones and just took in the vast emptiness around us. From the beach you could see the Southern Alps in the distance. There were also some sheep roaming around.
We then headed to Lake Matheson to take the 90-minute walk around it and snap photographs of the mountains reflected in the lake. We were advised that early morning and late afternoon/sunset are the best times because the water is calm. It worked! We stuck around to watch the sunset then drove back to town and had a pasta dinner at the Cook Saddle Saloon. We are vegetarians, so our options were usually pretty limited, especially in the more remote towns.
ROAD TRIP: TE ANAU
Another cringe-worthy day – driving from Fox Glacier to Te Anau. As had become the habit with us, it rained. We drove to Wanaka (about three hours) where we stopped for lunch and strolled around town. We asked the guy at the gas station about Puzzling World, and his description was so good that we decided to stop. This is a fun place if you have an hour or two to spare – lots of optical illusions and brain teasers. Definitely don’t miss the mural of a roman bath in the rest room area! There is also a walk-in maze, which we didn’t do. In another two hours we reached Queenstown, where we stopped for dinner at The Cow – a great little pizza place that used to be a cow milking shed. After this we continued onto Te Anau and things got a little hairy. We could see that we were driving directly into some ominous storm clouds. The road was deserted. Pretty soon, the rain gave way to snow, and one stretch of road was littered with downed tree limbs. We drove for an hour without seeing another car or even a sign for Te Anau. We started to wonder if we had missed a turn when we finally saw the tunroff for Route 94 and Te Anau. We arrived at the Lakeside Motel in Te Anau at 8:30, exactly 12 hours after we departed Fox Glacier. Not bad considering we stopped for at least four hours along the way and drove through a snow storm!
DOUBTFUL AND MILFORD SOUNDS
The next morning we were scheduled for a Doubtful Sound cruise. We went to the Sandfly Café in the morning and bought sandwiches for our lunch, then drove the 20 minutes to Manapouri. We had debated about whether or not we should take this trip because we were already scheduled to do a Milford Sound overnight cruise the next day. Would it be too repetitive? Too much sitting on buses and boats? We initially planned to take a kayak trip on Doubtful, but after the tiring experience in Abel Tasman decided against it. In the end we decided to take the cruise because we love nature and we hoped to see some marine life and beautiful scenery. We were not disappointed. Again, the rain held off for us. It was cloudy and cold most of the time, and the snow we had driven through the day before gave a pretty dusting to the mountaintops. Doubtful Sound is a desolate place – I don’t think we saw more than one other boat on the sound. The clouds hung over us the whole time and the landscape shifted constantly as we moved around the sound.
We got back to our hotel from the cruise around 6 p.m. We walked around town, grabbed dinner at one of the cafes, then stumbled upon the Fiordland Theatre, where we saw the film Shadowlands. This is a 30-minute film featuring dramatic imagery of Fiordland National Park taken from a helicopter. If you are in Te Anau, this is well worth your time and the $10 admission.
The next day we had booked a Milford Sound overnight tour. We didn’t have to be on the coach until 12:30, so we spent the morning wandering around the shops in Te Anau. Note to shoppers -- we bought a few things here, like t-shirts and sweatshirts, that we had seen elsewhere in New Zealand at higher prices. Although we had a rental car, we took the coach to Milford for a couple of reasons: We wanted to enjoy the scenery without having to concentrate on driving; we didn’t want to carry chains; and we had read about the threat of avalanches. In the end we were glad we took the coach because the driver/guide told lots of interesting stories and we learned a lot about the area that we might not have otherwise. The bus made several stops for photo opportunities and short hikes. Our cruise was on the Milford Mariner, and although I had booked us in a quad room, we somehow ended up with a private double room. The boat holds 60 people but there were only 40 on our cruise. Our room was clean, cute and comfortable. We had our own bathroom, a small porthole and even a towel warmer.
Once again, the weather cooperated fully. It was beautiful, sunny and cloudless. Everyone from the coach driver to the boat captain to the crew remarked on what fine weather it was for a cruise. After cruising around the sound, we stopped and kayaked off the boat for over an hour. The sand flies were pretty bad, so bring your bug spray if you do this! People who didn’t want to kayak could go out in a tender craft with a nature guide. The water was calm, and this was much easier than the kayaking we had done in Abel Tasman. A delicious dinner buffet was served around 7 p.m., then we watched a slide show about the sound and Fiordland National Park. Many people went to bed, some enjoyed cocktails in the dining room, but I made myself some hot tea and went to the top deck to look for the Southern Cross.
The next morning, the captain interrupted our breakfast with an announcement that two humpback whales were swimming alongside the boat. Everyone, crew included, rushed on deck with cameras in hand. Apparently the whales only come into the sound once every couple of years, so we were witnessing a rare treat. We got back to land around 9:30, boarded the bus and arrived back in Te Anau at noon. The coach stopped at Lake Marion on the way back and we took a nice short walk there.
We heard a lot of debate about which is better/more beautiful – Milford or Doubtful Sounds. Having been to both, I still find it hard to answer this question. They are both dramatic and beautiful. Doubtful is much, much bigger and feels more raw and remote – like you have traveled to a corner of the world nobody else has seen before. Milford is the place you have read about and seen in photographs. In my opinion, it is about the experience. If you just want to check Milford Sound off your list because it is an iconic destination, then the day cruise may suffice. But if you really want to experience being on the sound and soak in the natural beauty around you, you must take an overnight cruise. You spend more time on the water, you don’t have to share it with thousands of other tourists, and you have an overall more peaceful, private experience.
This was the day we were worried about. Driving from Nelson straight to the glaciers was something many people on this forum advised against. The road is narrow and windy, and it would likely rain -- a lot -- we were warned. But we really, really wanted to take a heli-hike on the glacier and couldn’t bring ourselves to cross it off our itinerary no matter how out of the way and expensive it was. In the end, the road trip was much easier than we expected. We left Nelson around 9 a.m., stopped for an hour at the Pancake Rocks, and were in the spa at our hotel in Fox Glacier by 5:30 p.m. It did rain for most of the trip, but never downpoured. The road was in very good condition and well marked. There were not many other cars on the road. We are accustomed to driving on windy two-lane roads in California, so we did not feel out of our comfort zone at all on Route 6.
This happened to be a national holiday (Labor Day) and we discovered that, of the few restaurants in Fox Glacier, most were either closed or charging a 20-percent holiday surcharge. We ended up at the Plateau, which has a nice atmosphere but our meals were a little bland for something that is supposed to be spicy and flavorful (Thai curry).
We awoke the next morning to bright sunshine and a cloudless sky. Again, could we be any luckier? We needed nice weather and we got it. The guide company office was buzzing with activity as everybody was trying to take advantage of the sunshine. I had booked the 8:50 a.m. heli-hike with Fox Glacier Guiding in advance, with a backup booking for a half-day glacier hike if bad weather grounded the helicopters. The customer service from Fox Glacier Guiding could not have been more helpful. I corresponded with them via e-mail and they were extremely responsive and explained everything in detail.
The hel-hike was amazing. It was expensive but worth it. The views from the helicopter were spectacular, and the part of the glacier we explored was pristine. The guides were clearly well trained and committed to ensuring our safety. We hiked to a waterfall and crawled through ice caves. Though we wore plenty of layers, we stripped down to our base layer because it was so warm up there. The hiking itself was easy. There was some uphill climbing but it was mostly flat. The guide chips away steps in the ice for you in many places. If you can take your dog for a walk, you can do this hike.
We returned from the heli-hike around noon, crossed the street to our hotel, hopped in the car and drove to the Lake Matheson Café. We had a great lunch here on the deck while enjoying the view of the Southern Alps. Form there, we drove to Gillespie Beach, which took no more than 30 minutes via a winding gravel road. What a find this was -- the beach was deserted. It was windy but still sunny and reasonably warm. We walked on the beach, skipped stones and just took in the vast emptiness around us. From the beach you could see the Southern Alps in the distance. There were also some sheep roaming around.
We then headed to Lake Matheson to take the 90-minute walk around it and snap photographs of the mountains reflected in the lake. We were advised that early morning and late afternoon/sunset are the best times because the water is calm. It worked! We stuck around to watch the sunset then drove back to town and had a pasta dinner at the Cook Saddle Saloon. We are vegetarians, so our options were usually pretty limited, especially in the more remote towns.
ROAD TRIP: TE ANAU
Another cringe-worthy day – driving from Fox Glacier to Te Anau. As had become the habit with us, it rained. We drove to Wanaka (about three hours) where we stopped for lunch and strolled around town. We asked the guy at the gas station about Puzzling World, and his description was so good that we decided to stop. This is a fun place if you have an hour or two to spare – lots of optical illusions and brain teasers. Definitely don’t miss the mural of a roman bath in the rest room area! There is also a walk-in maze, which we didn’t do. In another two hours we reached Queenstown, where we stopped for dinner at The Cow – a great little pizza place that used to be a cow milking shed. After this we continued onto Te Anau and things got a little hairy. We could see that we were driving directly into some ominous storm clouds. The road was deserted. Pretty soon, the rain gave way to snow, and one stretch of road was littered with downed tree limbs. We drove for an hour without seeing another car or even a sign for Te Anau. We started to wonder if we had missed a turn when we finally saw the tunroff for Route 94 and Te Anau. We arrived at the Lakeside Motel in Te Anau at 8:30, exactly 12 hours after we departed Fox Glacier. Not bad considering we stopped for at least four hours along the way and drove through a snow storm!
DOUBTFUL AND MILFORD SOUNDS
The next morning we were scheduled for a Doubtful Sound cruise. We went to the Sandfly Café in the morning and bought sandwiches for our lunch, then drove the 20 minutes to Manapouri. We had debated about whether or not we should take this trip because we were already scheduled to do a Milford Sound overnight cruise the next day. Would it be too repetitive? Too much sitting on buses and boats? We initially planned to take a kayak trip on Doubtful, but after the tiring experience in Abel Tasman decided against it. In the end we decided to take the cruise because we love nature and we hoped to see some marine life and beautiful scenery. We were not disappointed. Again, the rain held off for us. It was cloudy and cold most of the time, and the snow we had driven through the day before gave a pretty dusting to the mountaintops. Doubtful Sound is a desolate place – I don’t think we saw more than one other boat on the sound. The clouds hung over us the whole time and the landscape shifted constantly as we moved around the sound.
We got back to our hotel from the cruise around 6 p.m. We walked around town, grabbed dinner at one of the cafes, then stumbled upon the Fiordland Theatre, where we saw the film Shadowlands. This is a 30-minute film featuring dramatic imagery of Fiordland National Park taken from a helicopter. If you are in Te Anau, this is well worth your time and the $10 admission.
The next day we had booked a Milford Sound overnight tour. We didn’t have to be on the coach until 12:30, so we spent the morning wandering around the shops in Te Anau. Note to shoppers -- we bought a few things here, like t-shirts and sweatshirts, that we had seen elsewhere in New Zealand at higher prices. Although we had a rental car, we took the coach to Milford for a couple of reasons: We wanted to enjoy the scenery without having to concentrate on driving; we didn’t want to carry chains; and we had read about the threat of avalanches. In the end we were glad we took the coach because the driver/guide told lots of interesting stories and we learned a lot about the area that we might not have otherwise. The bus made several stops for photo opportunities and short hikes. Our cruise was on the Milford Mariner, and although I had booked us in a quad room, we somehow ended up with a private double room. The boat holds 60 people but there were only 40 on our cruise. Our room was clean, cute and comfortable. We had our own bathroom, a small porthole and even a towel warmer.
Once again, the weather cooperated fully. It was beautiful, sunny and cloudless. Everyone from the coach driver to the boat captain to the crew remarked on what fine weather it was for a cruise. After cruising around the sound, we stopped and kayaked off the boat for over an hour. The sand flies were pretty bad, so bring your bug spray if you do this! People who didn’t want to kayak could go out in a tender craft with a nature guide. The water was calm, and this was much easier than the kayaking we had done in Abel Tasman. A delicious dinner buffet was served around 7 p.m., then we watched a slide show about the sound and Fiordland National Park. Many people went to bed, some enjoyed cocktails in the dining room, but I made myself some hot tea and went to the top deck to look for the Southern Cross.
The next morning, the captain interrupted our breakfast with an announcement that two humpback whales were swimming alongside the boat. Everyone, crew included, rushed on deck with cameras in hand. Apparently the whales only come into the sound once every couple of years, so we were witnessing a rare treat. We got back to land around 9:30, boarded the bus and arrived back in Te Anau at noon. The coach stopped at Lake Marion on the way back and we took a nice short walk there.
We heard a lot of debate about which is better/more beautiful – Milford or Doubtful Sounds. Having been to both, I still find it hard to answer this question. They are both dramatic and beautiful. Doubtful is much, much bigger and feels more raw and remote – like you have traveled to a corner of the world nobody else has seen before. Milford is the place you have read about and seen in photographs. In my opinion, it is about the experience. If you just want to check Milford Sound off your list because it is an iconic destination, then the day cruise may suffice. But if you really want to experience being on the sound and soak in the natural beauty around you, you must take an overnight cruise. You spend more time on the water, you don’t have to share it with thousands of other tourists, and you have an overall more peaceful, private experience.
Dec 3rd, 2009, 11:09 PM
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QUEENSTOWN
Upon returning from the overnight cruise, we literally had less than 24 hours left in New Zealand. We were flying home from Queenstown, via Auckland, the next morning at 10. We jumped in the car and drove lightening speed to Queenstown because we had a tandem hang gliding booking at 3 p.m. We had booked with SkyTrek from the i-Site office when we passed through Queenstown two days prior.
Every day on the trip it seemed we discovered a new high point. Every day, our experiences and activities got better and better. Able Tasman was our favorite until we took the heli-hike. The heli-hike was our favorite until we took the Milford Sound overnight cruise. At one point near the end of the trip one of us said, “Do you remember last week, when we thought the Polynesia Spa in Rotorua was the high point of the trip?” Then we laughed.
So it seemed like the only way to top everything we had already done was to run off a 2,200-foot-high mountain and fly. The pilots were experienced and very good about calming our nerves. They explained in detail what we would be doing. Tandem hang gliding is pretty easy because the pilot does all of the work – you just run when they say run and enjoy the view. The sensation of flying was amazing, and once you were actually in the air, not at all scary. The views were incredible but what I loved most was the feeling of soaring like a bird. I have no interest in sky diving, bungy jumping or anything else that involves free falling.
After we came down from our adrenaline rush, we grabbed dinner at Fergburger (We had falafel and tofu, but we heard these are the nest burgers in New Zealand) then went on a pub crawl to se=ix bars around town. It was Halloween, so everybody was in costume and in a partying mood. We returned to the hotel, the Coronation Lodge, at 3 a.m. and managed to get a few hours of sleep before we had to leave for the airport.
We were sad to see our trip end, but we left with amazing memories, more than 3,000 photos to remind us of all the beauty we saw, and a definite urge to return someday.
Feel free to check out photos from our trip here:
http://web.me.com/alexisraymond/New_...roduction.html
HOTEL INFORMATION
AUCKLAND: Rydges, Federal and Kingston Streets. $171 NZ/night
This was a great hotel. Very well maintained with attractive, comfortable rooms. The location was perfect – one block to Sky Tower and a ten-minute walk to the harbor. We had a room with two double beds that were super comfortable. There is a bar in the lobby and breakfast service.
ROTORUA: Victoria Lodge, 10 Victoria Street (near Fenton). $139 NZ/night
Very welcoming innkeepers who helped us plan our activities and gave us some discount vouchers. Our room had an outdoor hot mineral pool, small refrigerator and microwave. Within easy walking distance to downtown and Government Gardens, easy access to airport. The rooms are outdoor entry, so you can pull your car right up to your door. The only complaint I had was that we didn’t have hot water in the shower the second night, but we just took baths in the hot tub instead!
NELSON: Sussex House, 238 Bridge Street, $150 NZ/night
Great little B&B in quiet location near Queen’s Gardens. Cozy room with towel warmers and robes. Free Internet access in the main sitting room, with a nice breakfast in the morning. Washer and dryer available for $5. Friendly innkeepers.
FOX GLACIER: Bell Vista Motel, $100 NZ/night
This appeared to be a new hotel. Everything in our room was gleaming. Nice comfy beds with attractive linens and a nice bathroom. There was great spa in a wooden hut that again seemed brand new. The office manager was very helpful. I highly recommend this place.
TE ANAU: Lakeside Motel, $110 NZ/night
Another great find. This was essentially a one-bedroom suite, with one queen bed in the bedroom and another in the living area. There was a kitchenette and spa tub in the bathroom. We could have gotten a lake view room for an additional $20/night. Easy walk to town. They even let us keep our car here after we checked out to do the Milford Sound overnight cruise.
QUEENSTOWN: Coronation Lodge, $120 NZ/night
Another seemingly new property that has a ski lodge feel to it. I read a lot of reviews that said it was noisy, but we didn’t find that at all. The room was clean, comfortable and spacious. It was an easy walk to town via a footpath across the street. Free parking in a garage or on the street.
Upon returning from the overnight cruise, we literally had less than 24 hours left in New Zealand. We were flying home from Queenstown, via Auckland, the next morning at 10. We jumped in the car and drove lightening speed to Queenstown because we had a tandem hang gliding booking at 3 p.m. We had booked with SkyTrek from the i-Site office when we passed through Queenstown two days prior.
Every day on the trip it seemed we discovered a new high point. Every day, our experiences and activities got better and better. Able Tasman was our favorite until we took the heli-hike. The heli-hike was our favorite until we took the Milford Sound overnight cruise. At one point near the end of the trip one of us said, “Do you remember last week, when we thought the Polynesia Spa in Rotorua was the high point of the trip?” Then we laughed.
So it seemed like the only way to top everything we had already done was to run off a 2,200-foot-high mountain and fly. The pilots were experienced and very good about calming our nerves. They explained in detail what we would be doing. Tandem hang gliding is pretty easy because the pilot does all of the work – you just run when they say run and enjoy the view. The sensation of flying was amazing, and once you were actually in the air, not at all scary. The views were incredible but what I loved most was the feeling of soaring like a bird. I have no interest in sky diving, bungy jumping or anything else that involves free falling.
After we came down from our adrenaline rush, we grabbed dinner at Fergburger (We had falafel and tofu, but we heard these are the nest burgers in New Zealand) then went on a pub crawl to se=ix bars around town. It was Halloween, so everybody was in costume and in a partying mood. We returned to the hotel, the Coronation Lodge, at 3 a.m. and managed to get a few hours of sleep before we had to leave for the airport.
We were sad to see our trip end, but we left with amazing memories, more than 3,000 photos to remind us of all the beauty we saw, and a definite urge to return someday.
Feel free to check out photos from our trip here:
http://web.me.com/alexisraymond/New_...roduction.html
HOTEL INFORMATION
AUCKLAND: Rydges, Federal and Kingston Streets. $171 NZ/night
This was a great hotel. Very well maintained with attractive, comfortable rooms. The location was perfect – one block to Sky Tower and a ten-minute walk to the harbor. We had a room with two double beds that were super comfortable. There is a bar in the lobby and breakfast service.
ROTORUA: Victoria Lodge, 10 Victoria Street (near Fenton). $139 NZ/night
Very welcoming innkeepers who helped us plan our activities and gave us some discount vouchers. Our room had an outdoor hot mineral pool, small refrigerator and microwave. Within easy walking distance to downtown and Government Gardens, easy access to airport. The rooms are outdoor entry, so you can pull your car right up to your door. The only complaint I had was that we didn’t have hot water in the shower the second night, but we just took baths in the hot tub instead!
NELSON: Sussex House, 238 Bridge Street, $150 NZ/night
Great little B&B in quiet location near Queen’s Gardens. Cozy room with towel warmers and robes. Free Internet access in the main sitting room, with a nice breakfast in the morning. Washer and dryer available for $5. Friendly innkeepers.
FOX GLACIER: Bell Vista Motel, $100 NZ/night
This appeared to be a new hotel. Everything in our room was gleaming. Nice comfy beds with attractive linens and a nice bathroom. There was great spa in a wooden hut that again seemed brand new. The office manager was very helpful. I highly recommend this place.
TE ANAU: Lakeside Motel, $110 NZ/night
Another great find. This was essentially a one-bedroom suite, with one queen bed in the bedroom and another in the living area. There was a kitchenette and spa tub in the bathroom. We could have gotten a lake view room for an additional $20/night. Easy walk to town. They even let us keep our car here after we checked out to do the Milford Sound overnight cruise.
QUEENSTOWN: Coronation Lodge, $120 NZ/night
Another seemingly new property that has a ski lodge feel to it. I read a lot of reviews that said it was noisy, but we didn’t find that at all. The room was clean, comfortable and spacious. It was an easy walk to town via a footpath across the street. Free parking in a garage or on the street.
Dec 4th, 2009, 12:04 AM
#4
Whew! Fantastic trip report ARay, I can't believe your luck with the weather. Thanks so much for sharing! Off to look at your photos now...
PS - Yes, the Bella Vista in Fox Glacier is new - it wasn't there during our last visit in 2008
PS - Yes, the Bella Vista in Fox Glacier is new - it wasn't there during our last visit in 2008
I love your photo journey and thanks for filling in the details, too.
Dec 5th, 2009, 09:54 AM
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Thanks, pat, glad you liked the report!! rickandpat, there is only one tour operator that goes to the glowworm caves in Waitomo, They operate the tours in all three caves there -- glowworm, Aranui and Ruakuri. i don't know the name of the company, we just followed the signs for the Waitomo Caves.
Dec 5th, 2009, 01:48 PM
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Rickandpat, if you want a glowworm tour that is a little more unusual, look into a Black Labyrinth tour with The Original Blackwater Rafting Company in Waitomo. We really enjoyed this, and it's not the kind of thing where you have to be in great physical shape to be able to do the tour.
http://www.waitomo.com/black-water-rafting.aspx
Lee Ann
http://www.waitomo.com/black-water-rafting.aspx
Lee Ann
Dec 6th, 2009, 01:34 PM
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Oh, did I laugh when I saw Lee Ann's suggestion. My husband and I have done more than our share of canyoning and caving, and in fact Rick is all excited about doing the Black Abyss tour with this company. But I understand that water is COLD. I chill easily, even with a wetsuit, and I have decided to stay dry this time around.
Dec 6th, 2009, 09:27 PM
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I was a little cold when we were done, and I'm, shall we say, well insulated. 
But it was really worth it.
From what I recall when we were planning our trip, try to take a cave tour early in the day, before the tour buses arrive.
Lee Ann
But it was really worth it.From what I recall when we were planning our trip, try to take a cave tour early in the day, before the tour buses arrive.
Lee Ann
Dec 10th, 2009, 04:46 PM
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Thanks for the great trip report. I'm leaving for NZ in 3 days and your report has me ready. Unfortunately, the weather report is considerably more dismal for the next week, so we not have your same experience in places - though I do intend to look into some of the stuff you did.
As to Waitomo, if you want an offbeat adventure, we did a very uncrowded 100 metre abseil into the cave entrance, hiked around seeing some, but not a huge amount of glow worms, and then climbed out of the cave by ladder and clambering up a trail. They gave us hardhats, coveralls, boots, and safety belt. Can't remember the name but if you google waitomo caves rambo rating I think you'll find it.
As to Waitomo, if you want an offbeat adventure, we did a very uncrowded 100 metre abseil into the cave entrance, hiked around seeing some, but not a huge amount of glow worms, and then climbed out of the cave by ladder and clambering up a trail. They gave us hardhats, coveralls, boots, and safety belt. Can't remember the name but if you google waitomo caves rambo rating I think you'll find it.
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