Travelling New Zealand

Ever since J. R. R. Tolkien's 'Lord of the Rings' was turned into a movie, every fantasy geek has wanted to visit the shores of New Zealand. In 2019, I arrived on those shores and did as much as possible during a 3.5 week period.

Here is my itinerary, as well as my general reviews of what we saw during our visit.

Spoiler alert, it was all amazing! Add this country to your visit list!

New Zealand South

We began our journey in New Zealand South. As an organised person, I had a spread sheet of our itinerary.

Christchurch

In Christchurch, the focus was for us to recover from jetlag and settle in. Our day consisted of a gentle walk around the town and its botanical garden.

We then picked up our car 'Pinky' from Discount, (I highly recommend, lovely business, pick up and drop you off at the airport,) and our road trip officially began!

Lake Tekapo

Lake Tekapo was relaxing and beautiful. We stayed in the Lake Front Lodge Backpackers which, is only a short walk from the main town but directly on the lake. At night we could see every star in the sky and had fantastic BBQ facilities.

As well as walking around Lake Tekapo we went up the mountain beside it which, provides fantastic views of the surrounding landscape. You can either drive up and pay $10 per car at the gate, or hike up for free. At the top is an observatory and a cafe.

We also completed Scott's Pond walk. It's a little confusing and quite easy to get lost on but very calm and beautiful, (like all things in New Zealand.)

Aoraki/ Mt Cook

On the road to Twizel you come across Lake Ruataniwha, you cannot miss it and you must stop to see it. It's also a great place to return too at night to take a picture of that beautiful night sky.

After a nights sleep in Twizel we headed to the Hooker Valley Trek. This trek, though mostly flat, involves three beautiful bridges, some gravel and a boardwalk. It's well worth the walk. Take some lunch with you and stop at the glacier before heading back to your car.

A quick stop off on your return from the Hooker Valley is the Tasman Glacier Lookout. It was the very end of summer when we went so most of the glacier had melted. But if you go in the Spring it could be worth a drop in.

We spent three nights in Twizel, but I recommend just two.

Queenstown

After a lot of camping/shack towns, Queenstown is a brief respite. The town is full of restaurants, cafe's and shops. A great morning/afternoons entertainment is the Bird Sanctuary, where they are working towards increasing Kiwi populations. The town also boasts a gondola and a luge if you want an afternoons laugh.

Just further on from Queens is Bobs Cove and Bobs Peak. You can do a lovely hike to get to this point so I recommend starting from the camp site and hiking towards the peak, rather than the carpark beside it. There is so much nature to see along the way.

Unfortunately, we had a mishap in Queenstown and Pinky's window was smashed. This meant an afternoon of car sorting but Discount were very good and got us a new car straight away which was named Fugly.

Milford Sound

Milford Sound reminded me of Halong Bay in Vietnam and so it's impressiveness was lost a little. However, we did see dolphins and seals and the boat ride was very relaxing.

The most impressive thing is the drive to Milford Sound as you must go through a long tunnel and around winding mountain roads. On the way are various lookouts which I recommend stopping at. The Glass Lake is fantastic but you must see it in the morning before the wind picks up in the afternoon.

Wanaka

Wanaka is a serene town. We stayed at Archway Motels and Chalets which, I highly recommend. Lovely owner, rooms and a cat. The motel is just a short walk from the town centre, which, is just a small lake walk to the famous tree.

As well as visiting the tree, we hiked Rob Roy's Glacier Trek. This was my favourite trek. You have to drive along a long gravel road with sheep, deer and cows before starting the trek which is mostly uphill. But the views are spectacular.

Fox Glacier

Though not a very spectacular walk, Fox Glacier is, perhaps, the closest you can get to a glacier without flying to land on it. Apart from the glacier, right next to the town is a forest which lights up at night with glowworms and Lake Matheson is only a short drive away if you need some extra walking.

Arthurs Pass

In Arthurs Pass we stayed at Arthurs Pass Alpine Motel, another lovely motel with a super friendly owner and gorgeous comfortable rooms.

The pass itself boasts some wonderful waterfalls and spectacular driving scenery. But it does not take long to pass through.

Mt Sunday

It's time to get your geek on! A long drive but well worth it. The castle may be gone but you cannot deny what stands before you. Rohan/Edoras!

After returning to Christchurch, our journey headed North. First on a bus to Picton and then a ferry across the water to Wellington.

New Zealand North.

Less land was crossed during our North island trip. But more geekiness ensued as we headed towards film sites and organised tours.

Wellington

Wellington is home to the Weta Cave Workshop, the animation and prop company that made everything for Lord of the Rings and a huge array of other films. This is a must see for any Lord of the Rings or film nerd as you get to learn about what happens behind the cameras.

You can also go on tours to various film sites such as Rivendell, Isenguard and the road to Dimwald. Though all of the sets have long gone, you can still picture how the film was made there, with the help of the picture cards your tour guide will show you.

Rotorua

Last on our list was Rotorua where we stayed at Apex on Fenton Motel. Apart from the obvious spa day in the hot springs, Rotorua has an of restaurants and a rescued cat cafe in the town centre. But we all know why we were here...

Hobbiton

It was everything I could have dreamed and more. You spend half the time smiling like a child and then crying with joy. It is so beautiful and calm. Not to mention you get a free beer at the Green Dragon. I don't want to tell you everything about Hobbiton. I want you to make the journey and see it with your own eyes.

However, I will give you some photos ;)

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this travel blog. If you like what you've read please subscribe to my website. I also have a youtube channel where I post writing tips as well as all the usual social media.

Thanks again and keep travelling!

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