Five weeks ago we flew into Auckland and embarked on a road trip across the North and South Islands of New Zealand. Our trip was quickly coming to an end so we were making our way back to where we started. But first we had a day to spend in Thames, located at the southwestern end of the Coromandel Peninsula.
Tag: hiking
Rotorua
Rotorua is located in the North Island of New Zealand and is known for its dramatic display of geothermal wonders. It boasts of having one of the most active geothermal fields in the world. There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the colourful landscape that is alive with steaming hot pools and bubbling mud pots.
Tongariro National Park
Tongariro National Park is the oldest national park in New Zealand. It’s an active volcanic area that is known for its desolate yet colourful terrain. It’s also famously featured in Lord of the Rings, serving as the backdrop of Mordor, with Mount Ngauruhoe, a stratovolcano with a near-perfect conical shape, as Mount Doom.
Wellington
Wellington is the capital of New Zealand and is the southernmost city on the North Island. It’s a vibrant city that is known for its film and special effects industries. It also contains a lively waterfront, museums, and other opportunities to enjoy the surrounding scenery.
The Rest of the West Coast of New Zealand
The West Coast region of New Zealand is known for its rainy weather and beautiful coastal views. It also features temperate rainforests, limestone cliffs, rugged gorges, turquoise rivers and rocky beaches. It lends itself well to a scenic road trip along the coast.
Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers
The West Coast Region is where the mountains meet the sea. It’s known for its rugged landscape, coastal scenery, majestic mountains and lush rainforests. It’s also home to two accessible glaciers, Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers. But it’s New Zealand’s wettest region and, in some places, receives over 6,000 millimetres of rainfall annually.
Mount Aspiring National Park
Nestled in the Southern Alps, Mount Aspiring National Park features a dramatic landscape of towering mountains, glaciers, turquoise rivers, untamed wilderness and mossy forests. It is the third largest national park in New Zealand and is reputed to contain some pretty epic mountaineering routes and adventurous trails through the mountains. But there’s also some shorter and easier hikes too, many of which are in the forest along the road towards the West Coast.
Wanaka
Wanaka is located near Mount Aspiring National Park in the Southern Alps. Situated by Lake Wanaka, New Zealand’s fourth largest lake, Wanaka is surrounded by majestic mountains in ever direction. It boasts of being a great spot to enjoy the outdoors and offers several hiking trails.
Queenstown
Queenstown is where nature meets thrilling adventure. It’s situated on the shore of Lake Wakatipu, the longest lake in New Zealand, with the Remarkables mountain range rising dramatically in the background. It’s known as the adventure capital of the world and boasts of offering a range of activities including hiking, skydiving, paragliding, bungee jumping, white water rafting, jet boating, mountain biking and more.
Southern Scenic Route
The Southern Scenic Route is a 600km drive along the southern coast of the South Island of New Zealand, connecting Dunedin and Queenstown. This area is also known as the Catlins and it’s not called a scenic route for nothing. With plenty of beaches, overlooks, hiking trails and other points of interest, it’s a great way to enjoy the scenery and sights along the southern coastline.