Self-driving tour of the South Island, NZ, for Chuck Wilson

New Zealand | Apr 5 - Apr 25, 2023

Nice restaurant!

Great food at motel restaurant :-)

I visited Nelson Lakes National Park, where I went on a beautiful hike and encountered some unique wildlife, like flightless birds and stunning purple mushrooms. The park's scenery was breathtaking, and I really enjoyed my time there.

I did a nice out-and-back trail and found some more amazing birds, plants, and mushrooms.

About a two-hour drive to Kaikoura, the rental car company provided a GPS unit but the car had CarPlay so I just used Google Maps from my phone and you are able to get directions. I had coverage for the whole trip. Kaikoura was an interesting town.

I hiked various walking tracks in and around Kaikoura, taking in the stunning landscapes and coastal views.

I was supposed to go on a Kaikoura Whale Watching Tour with a small group, but due to rough seas, it was canceled. Instead, I went on a different tour and saw hundreds of dolphins, even capturing some amazing photos and videos of them flipping and playing in the water.

I took a break during my drive to Christchurch and did a 4-5 mile hike at a nature preserve along a river. I discovered and reported about 170 new species of plants, animals, and fungi. In Christchurch, I went for runs along the Avon River and visited the Arboretum.

I went to Mount Cook but never got to see it due to rainy weather. However, I completed all six trail recommended by Sabina. I enjoyed the trails and the local restaurants.

I did a bungee jump at the bridge for my adventure day, I recommend paying for the photos and videos as they came out really well. I also took a gondola ride and participated in a fun activity similar to bobsledding. Although I didn't try the vertical wind tunnel skydiving simulation, I had an overall positive experience.

I arrived at Te Anau and hiked a part of the Kepler Track on my own, discovering many fly agaric mushrooms and beautiful forests carpeted in thick green moss. I also crossed several swinging bridges during the hike.

For this hike, they take you above the alpine in a small helicopter and drop you off at a hut where you hike to the top of the mountain. At the end of the hike, you get lunch and hike down to the treeline and got to see more plants and moss. Made some permanent friends on this part of the trip, and loved being a part of the group.

I joined a group and hiked the Milford Track. We also took a two-hour boat trip from the fjord to the Tasman Sea, enjoying the green scenery and waterfalls along the way.

I did 3 different hikes here, beautiful forest with thick moss. It was an incredible place for photos. There were many swinging bridges that were amazing. Very safe, and cool to see. Great trails for running too! The guide was very nice and we kept the same pace which was nice. We finished the hike quickly and then went to the bird sanctuary.

This day I explored Wanaka and hiked several trails, including Roy's Peak track, Diamond Lake and Rocky Mountain, Mount Iron track, and the Outlet track. I enjoyed the beautiful views of the lake and surrounding mountains.

I went on a Lake Wānaka Cruise and Island Nature Walk, where I saw the rare Buff Weka, a flightless bird found only on one island in New Zealand. I also enjoyed hiking in Wanaka, where I encountered several other interesting birds and took in the stunning landscapes.

I visited Franz Josef Glacier, but unfortunately, it was foggy and I couldn't see the glacier clearly. However, I hiked several trails in the area, such as the Douglass Walk, Franz Josef Glacier Walk, Link One Backtrack, and more.

I explored Paparoa National Park and its famous Pancake Rocks. Although the ocean surges were not as impressive as I had hoped, I still enjoyed observing the unique rock formations and taking in the beautiful coastal scenery.

The guide Steve Wilson, was there right on the time holding a sign with my name to take me to the airport very nice guy.