Now or Never

Our visit to New Zealand was planned for 39 days in total, starting with a multi-week north-to-south road trip with Ian’s mom, Susan, and stepdad, Ken. The two of us are glad we devoted such a solid chunk of time here because the number of activities and beautiful sites to visit were seemingly endless…

The Southbound Route:

Day 1 to 3: Auckland

We arrived in Auckland on their wettest day on record (10.2 inches of rain) two hours before the international airport closed from flooding. Susan and Ken flew in that same morning and we spent the next three days exploring the city and planning out the following couple weeks.

Day 4: Hobbiton and Rotorua

On day four the two of us split up – Abby met back up with Michelle and Taylor (who flew with us from Sydney) and our Kiwi friend, Hayley, to explore Hobbiton (from Lord of the Rings fame) while Ian, Susan, and Ken drove down to the town of Rotorua, known for its geothermal activity and redwood forests.

Day 5 to 7: Tongariro National Park and Hawkes Bay

Abby continued onwards with her friends to Tongariro National Park for one of New Zealand’s most famous day hikes, Tongariro Alpine Crossing (aka Mount Doom from Lord of the Rings). Meanwhile Ian, Susan, and Ken met up with their cousin/niece, Jessica, and her family at their home in Hawkes Bay along the eastern coast of the North Island.

Day 8 to 9: Martinborough Wine Region and Wellington

Following the Tongariro hike, Ian picked up Abby in the town of Taupō (central North Island), and with Susan and Ken continued on to Wellington, the capital, at the far southern tip of the North Island. Fun fact: Wellington is the southernmost capital in the world! On the way we made sure to stop through another wine region, Martinborough. We spent a couple days wandering around Wellington, with the highlight being the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. It’s completely free and their Gallipoli War exhibit is one of the best museum exhibits we’ve seen.

Day 10 and 11: Ferry to South Island and Tauranga Bay

On day 10 we set off to the South Island – known for its dramatic landscapes and adventure tourism. The 3.5 hour ferry from the North Island (Wellington) to South Island (Picton) cuts through the Cook Strait and spectacular Marlborough Sounds.

We spent two nights at Tauranga Bay on the South Island’s wild West Coast and also got our first introduction to the South Island’s “favorite” residents – sandflies. And yes, they bite – Maori mythology has it that the goddess of the underworld released the sandflies into Milford Sound to prevent humans from lingering too long in such a beautiful place. On occasion, long pants and/or bug spray were a must.

Day 12 and 13: Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes, Franz Joseph Glacier, and Lake Moeraki

On day 12 we headed south down the West Coast to our next stop at an ecolodge near Lake Moeraki. Along the way we stopped at the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and the (sadly receding) Franz Joseph Glacier. We got the chance to hike, canoe, see glow worms, and stare at night sky (it was so dark you could see other galaxies!).

Day 14 to 16: Mount Aspiring National Park, Wanaka, and Glenorchy

Next up was three nights in Glenorchy (small town 45 minutes from the southern hub of Queenstown). Along the way we hiked through Mount Aspiring National Park and stopped through the hip town of Wanaka.

Day 17: Milford Sound

To cut down on a four hour one-way drive from Glenorchy, we took a helicopter to and from our overnight cruise ship in Milford Sound (20 minute ride versus four hours!). Shout out to Ken and Susan for this bucket list experience. Milford Sound is unreal and one of the most striking natural wonders we’ve seen to date.

Day 18 and 19: Queenstown

At our southernmost point of this New Zealand trip, we stopped in Queenstown and successfully completed a bungee jump from 134m (~440ft) for Abby’s birthday. Another fun fact: bungee jumping was invented in New Zealand!

On day 20 Susan and Ken caught a plane back to California and we rented a car of our own to drive back up north to start Part 2 of our journey!