3 week Road Trip around the South Island of New Zealand

The journey across the water is 3 and a half hours long, however adding in waiting times either side the total length would be around 5 hours at least. It is a pretty seamless trip though as there are multiple ferries each day, you just have to take your chances if the weather is going to be on your side or not.

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There are two ferry companies that do this journey: Bluebridge and Interislander. The Interislander is the only ferry with the ‘Goldclass lounge’ option, if you wanted to complete the journey in style.

As the ferry comes into Picton, it is beautiful to go out on to the deck and look at the views of the Marlborough Sounds. I loved the journey because of these views and it also helped speed up the duration.

Picton is a small town that people seem to only treat as the ferry terminal. We arrived at lunch time on a sunny afternoon, so spent a couple of hours here and I thought it was lovely.

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You only probably need a few hours to see this place, but I would recommend doing so anyway just to even avoid a lot of traffic coming off the ferry.

We done a short walk on the Tirohanga Track to a lovely few of the town. This only took about an hour round trip and it was nice to do to stretch my legs. There are also other walks you could do if you had more time, the Snout Track being one which would provide you with nice views of Picton and the Sounds.

Picton -> Endeavour Inlet (1 hr 45 mins)

The winding roads through the Marlborough Sounds are worth the travel sick feeling with the nice views you get. We took the road to Linkwater, then turned off onto the road heading to Titirangi as we were staying in Punga Cove resort in Endeavour Inlet.

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The roads are windy and unsealed at times, but if you take your time and stop at the many bays and view points then you will enjoy it all. We tried driving with the windows down for some of the journey, but the sound of the cicadas were so deafening we could only stick with it for a few minutes at a time! The joys of being at one with nature!

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After turning off the main road, driving 5km down an unsealed road and a buggy ride we reached our hotel for the night. Punga Cove is a lovely resort and you can partake in kayaking and paddleboarding at your leisure.

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We decided to start our travels off with 1 night of luxury before the weeks of camping and here was a good place to do so.

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Endeavour Inlet -> Havelock (1 hr 30 mins)

The next day we made our way to Nelson, making sure to stop in Havelock on route as we heard it was the ‘mussel capital of the world’.

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Even though I’m allergic to mussels, we timed it perfectly to arrive in Havelock at lunch time, so my boyfriend got mussels while I had a delicious fish burger and a mountain of chips! We got these from Mills Bay which I would highly recommend.

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The weather wasn’t too great this day, we didn’t spend too much time outside so stopping at Havelock for lunch was our only stop during the journey to Nelson. There are camping spots and holiday parks in Havelock which you could spend a night at, however I personally wouldn’t think there is too much to do here so we decided not to stay.

Havelock -> Nelson (1 hr)

When your first insight to Nelson is rain, rain and more rain, coupled with people commenting, ‘Oh it never rains here’, then your view on it may be slightly tarnished. That is what happened with us and we didn’t think there was much going on in Nelson to rant and rave about. Howeverrrr we thankfully did manage to have a sunny day here and I can say that I left Nelson liking the city.

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We were heading to Abel Tasman National Park to camp around the national park, so we used Nelson as a hub to update our knowledge on the hike and to prep ourselves with the camping necessities. A must visit to do so is the iSite centre. It has all the information you need and even had information you didn’t think you needed to know. All the staff are very helpful and you can even store your bags in the lockers if you are heading off on the hike around the national park, or else need somewhere to put your bags if you’re only there for the day.

A nice, easy walk to do is to the ‘Geographical Centre of New Zealand’. I have heard people arguing that this isn’t actually the centre of New Zealand, but anyway, it’s the name of the location so I’ll take it as that. The walk is nice and the view over Nelson is lovely on a good day.

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We made the drive up, around and over Takaka Hill to go to Pupu Hydro Walkway and the Te Waikoropupū Springs.

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The hydro walkway is a 6km loop which retraces an old gold-mining water race and the springs are home to the clearest water ever measured.

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These are good things to do to spend a day and the drive over Takaka Hill does show some great views. On the way back to Nelson however, you will be glad you do not have to do that commute every day!

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Nelson -> Marahau (1 hr)

We had looked on the internet for the best way to hike through Abel Tasman National Park and found many different routes you could take and ways to spend our time. Not really having a clue what to expect, we decided on our route based on the amount of nights we wanted to spend in the national park and the distance we thought we could realistically cover in a day. We opted to complete a 2 night/3 day hike, starting from Totaranui and ending in Marahau.

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As with every hike and trip we do, when it’s over we say that we chose the best route to go and we never have any regrets about how we spent our time. Every other blog and post we had read claimed the same; the overall consensus is that there are many different ways to spend your time here and as long as you enjoy it and appreciate every moment, then you will come out thinking it couldn’t have gone any better.

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If you would like some guidance on what to bring on a multi-day hike, see my post here which will explain everything you need (or at least everything I took to survive the hike).

We drove from Nelson to Marahau in time to get the 9:00am water taxi to Totaranui. We thought we had left ourselves plenty of time to drive from Nelson, however morning traffic, a wrong turn and the rain pelting our car meant that we arrived just on time! It was nerve wrecking and in hindsight we would’ve stayed the previous night in Marahau instead of driving from Nelson that morning.

Parked our car in the free carpark provided by the water taxi company (Marahau Water Taxis) and our transport left at 9:00am on the dot. I was very impressed with their organisation and I think this is probably one of the very few modes of transports that I have got that have ever left exactly on time.

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The transport to Totaranui was fun, it was more like a tour of the national park as the driver took us to see the Split Apple Rock and sea lions before dropping anyone off. This was great for two reasons; 1. We had planned to go to split apple rock on our way out of Marahau when we finished the trek but we didn’t need to factor that in anymore to our plans & 2. The rain was falling heavily from above and the longer we spent in the water taxi the better as if we started walking then we’d be soaked right through in under 10 seconds. Also the fact they were cool things to see and our driver gave us facts about the national park was great too.

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During the journey, the driver mentioned the next stop would be Onetahuti which was the campsite we were staying in that night. Thankfully, because a couple on our water taxi had the bright idea to drop their bags here, we quickly done the same which was the best thing we could’ve done on this trip! It meant our bags could stay dry and as long as the rain stopped before we got there, then we could have a dry tent to sleep in too. I will forever be grateful to the couple who had prearranged this drop off and to the driver for taking our bags to the shelter.

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By the time we got to Totaranui (2 hrs after boarding the water taxi), the rain had mostly stopped and we were happy to begin our first day of hiking. The walk to Onetahuti is 14.2km and we had to set off quick as there was a crossing we had to make that could only be completed during low tide, so we had a time limit!

We made the crossing in plenty of time, we even got to enjoy the sights along the way and didn’t feel rushed at all which was good too.

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Arriving at Awaroa early afternoon, we stopped at the lodge there for a drink and to celebrate our success so far. As if we needed an excuse to stay in this beautiful place, the rain had just started again when we arrived so we made ourselves comfortable to wait it out until we could start the hike again.

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The walk from Awaroa lodge to Onetahuti is 7.1km and isn’t too strenuous, so we arrived at our campsite that evening around 4pm. Thankfully the rain had fully stopped and the place was starting to dry out pretty quickly. We pitched our tent and I loved this campsite as it is practically on the beach so you can fall asleep listening to the waves crash against the sand.

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The voluntary campsite officer came around to check our reservations were correct and he gave us some helpful tips to make our stay comfortable and to protect the national park; ensure we do not leave any food out or even in sight for the wekas to see, as they will do everything in their power to get that food. Even if it is to try eat through a tent to get it, which we witnessed one attempt to do. He also recommended that we go into the cave at the end of the beach to see the glow worms, warning not to shine a light or torch on them as that harms them.

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After watching a colourful sunset and cooking our first meal of pasta, we got into our tent and ended our first night listening to the calming waves out one ear and the deafening cicadas in the trees out the other ear. Welcome to nature, I wouldn’t wanted it any other way!

Distance covered – 14.2km

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Our destination this day was to get to Anchorage, 13km away if we timed the 2 tidal crossings well. If we didn’t then our walk would turn into a 17.9km one. We checked the low tide times and it landed well so that we didn’t have to rush and we could make both of the low tide crossings, so we set off happy and raring to see the beautiful sights as the sun was now splitting the stones.

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We arrived at Bark Bay in 45 minutes, even though the signs stated it would take us another hour on top of that. Happy to see the beautiful beach, we put down our bags and jumped into the water – there’s something so satisfying with being able to jump in the sea when on a multi-day hike.

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We lay in the sun for an hour and ate our lunch, then topped ourselves up with sun cream and got on our way. We took our time during the hike and followed signs to all the viewpoints, which I would highly recommend as the views are amazing and it’s great to catch your breath whilst looking at such beauty.

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Arriving at Torrent Bay village and being envious of the holiday homes that are there, we had just half an hour before the cut off point to walk across the estuary. That didn’t stop us taking in the views of the lovely beach here first!

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It was great to arrive at Anchorage knowing we didn’t have any more walking to do that day and the sun was at a perfect height in the sky so we could set up our tent then relax on the beach.

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As the day drew to a close, it was great that the beach emptied out with the day time tourists catching the last of the water taxis back to Marahau. We felt as if we were on a private beach and enjoyed catching the last of the sun.

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Another meal of pasta cooked and ate then we got another night’s rest before the final day of the hike.

Distance covered – 13km

It was great to wake up knowing that we didn’t have any low tide crossings to make or transport timetables to adhere to, we just had to walk back to our car and continue with our trip of the South Island.

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The walk to Marahau is 12.4km, with nice views along the way and some beaches to stop at too. We took our time and made the easy journey back. Marahau is a small town with a few cafes dotted around, however after 3 days of walking and only 1km left it does feel a lot longer than it is.

Distance covered – 12.4km

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The 3 days we spent in Abel Tasman National Park were great, we got very lucky with the weather and timed our journey well. The hike from Totaranui to Marahau was amazing and we never felt too rushed or that we didn’t have enough time to appreciate the sights. As I always say though, you could spend weeks in this national park and still feel that you could spend longer exploring the many beaches and walks.

Marahau -> Saint Arnaud (1 hr 45 mins)

We were recommended to go to Saint Arnaud and even though it wasn’t on our list at first, when you get a recommendation you most certainly check it out! It turns out this was a brilliant recommendation and we had a lovely time camping at Kerr Bay campground by the lake.

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There isn’t much here, essentially it’s just a campsite at a lake. That’s not a downside though, this was one of our favourite spots in the South Island as it’s so peaceful and relaxing…apart from getting attacked by sandflies at all times!!

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The lake is beautiful with the backdrop of the mountain ranges, before the clouds come to cover them up. Even though the air was cool, we couldn’t resist jumping into the lake off the jetty and thankfully to our surprise, the water was nice and warm! We were here in summer so I can’t say if it’s this temperature all year round, but I’m sure a cool photo of you jumping off the jetty would be worth the slight brainfreeze anyway.

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There are walks you can do all around, ranging from 30 minutes to all day. We just walked around the lake and didn’t venture too far as we were here to relax and rest our legs.

St Arnaud -> Hokitika (4 hrs)

The journey inland to the West Coast began for us here and of course with the West Coast comes rain, rain and more rain. We had a few stops on our list to make during the journey to Hokitika, so it broke up the drive around the windy roads.

The first stop was due to another recommendation we had been given, which was to go to Tutaki Bakery in Murchison. Murchison is a small town with not a lot going on, but we got out in search for this bakery as we wanted our morning coffee.

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We were looking for a building but the bakery in fact was a little caravan parked at the side of the road and we spotted it due to the sign at the footpath! If a recommendation wasn’t enough to get us to purchase something from here, we timed our visit just as a regular customer was placing her order. She couldn’t speak more highly of the pies and bread and even though it was 9am, we couldn’t stop ourselves placing an order.

The owner of the bakery is from England and we explained how we heard of his business. After hearing we lived in Wellington he put extra, extra effort into our coffee and he was delighted with our story.

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We somehow resisted eating the pies until lunch and I can say they were delicious! Flaky pastry with ample filling and no soggy bottom, what more could you want.

The next stop we made was Punakaiki to see the pancake rocks. The walk is a short 10-15 one and the rocks are cool to look at. I wouldn’t have gone far out of my way to go to this place, but when passing by it is a great stop to make.

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There was another, unplanned stop we made just outside Hokitika which was on the side of the road due to the torrential rain not allowing us to see the road in front of us! It was crazy and after 15 mins it died down, we were glad to see the welcome to Hokitika sign shortly after that.

Hokitika is a lovely beach town which is good to spend a night or two. There is a cool sign on the beach made out of sticks and the beach is a great place to watch the sunset.

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The Hokitika Gorge is a short drive from the centre and it is a good trip to make. We tried to go on our first evening here, but after all the rain the road was flooded and we had to turn back. Thankfully we got out to it the next morning, but instead of the gorge being a lovely aqua colour as per Google, the rain made it turn grey and murky! It was still nice though and good to see.

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We visited cafes for coffee and cake, then went to Fat Pipi Pizzas for dinner and it was delicious! It’s fair to say we ate well here and even though the weather may not be the best, there is always something to eat to make the day better.

Hokitika -> Franz Josef Glacier (1 hr 50 mins)

The drive between these places is tedious enough, windy roads and rainy weather. The rain was still pelting down when we got to Franz Josef, so we did what we do best and went to Full of Beans café to wait it out with coffee and cake.

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The iSite here is useful, the employees are great and I don’t know how they stay so enthusiastic all day. We got information about walks to do here and in Fox Glacier, as the two places are only a 30 min drive apart.

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As the weather had been bad, some of the walking tracks were closed. We walked to view the glacier and got to see a waterfall on the way too. It was nice enough, but I guess if you do a helicopter tour or walking tour on the glacier that would make it much better!

Franz Josef Glacier -> Fox Glacier (30 mins)

We had planned to spend the night here and I’m glad we did; this place is more enjoyable to spend the night than Franz Josef is.

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The weather started to brighten up as the evening drew close, so we walked to a pub for a few pints and then seen a lovely sunset on the way back to the Top 10 Holiday Park we were staying.

We woke early to walk around Lake Matheson as we had read that the best time to see the reflection of the mountains on the lake were dawn and dusk, as they are the most likely times that the water will be still.

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There are a number of lookouts around this lake which are all lovely to stop at and take photos. We got to the main spot as the morning was getting brighter, which is called Reflective Island. There were many people there with their professional cameras and tripods!

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The morning dew and fog was rising from the lake so the view wasn’t as spectacular as we hoped. We walked back to the start sooner than we thought, so we decided to do another lap around the lake.

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This was a great decision as the sky had brightened up and the reflection on the lake was amazing. I’ve never taken as many photos of a lake in my life!

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The extra lap was worth our time just for the exercise, never mind the beautiful things we got to see on the way. We then treated our great decision making skills to a coffee at the lakeside café on our way back to the car.

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We didn’t do any more walks in Fox Glacier as we felt the glacier here was similar to the one at Franz Josef and also, as we’d been to the best glacier in the world (Perito Moreno Glacier in El Calafate), then we rathered get on the road to Wanaka.

I thought I may as well dedicate a section to the road leading from Fox Glacier to Wanaka as there are many beautiful stops to make along the way with plenty of photo opportunities.

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The walk to the Blue Pools is a 30 minute round trip and you can jump into the water if the weather is hot and you need refreshed before continuing the drive.

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There are lots of stops to make on the rest of the journey, they are well signposted and warn you when you’re 800m away, so you can just decide if and when you want to stop. Stretching your legs and getting good views at the same time is always welcomed.

Fox Glacier -> Wanaka (3 hrs 30 mins)

Wanaka is a lovely place and feels like a ‘mini Queenstown’, even though it is growing and getting bigger by the year. The sun was shining when we arrived and so we were happy to dander around the town to stretch our legs after the long drive.

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Walking along the water, the scenery is beautiful with the mountain ranges all around. We got to ‘That Wanaka Tree’ and to be totally honest, I do not see the hype around it at all! It is just that, a tree in the middle of the lake – to be fair you may get a good photo when the lighting is good and the sky is clear, but there is so much more to Wanaka than that.

We wanted to go to Francesca’s for dinner but we weren’t quick enough to reserve a table so they were fully booked. We went to Bombay Palace instead, quickly changing our minds from wanting Italian food to Indian food and it was v v tasty! I highly recommend this restaurant, it’s in Queenstown as well and we’ve been there too.

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We woke up early the next day to climb Roy’s Peak. We decided against getting up earlier to be at the top for sunrise, as this isn’t really a thing we like to do. We were happy we didn’t, as the haze was only lifting when we were hiking up to the peak and it didn’t fully lift until after we reached the summit.

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This walk is long and windy, but not very difficult if you don’t have much experience hiking. It’s just a path that zig zags up and up until you reach the summit. The way down is obviously better, coupled with the fact you get to look at the amazing views the whole way down. The total length is 16km return, we managed to climb to the top in 2 hours.

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The view from the summit is amazing, looking out all over Wanaka and the surrounding mountains. It is well worth the early rise and couple of hours walking out of breath.

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There are plenty of other things you can do in Wanaka; rent a paddleboard or kayak to go out on the lake, visit Rippon Winery which has a lovely backdrop of the lake and mountains, go to Glendhu Bay and Bremner Bay to chill at quieter spots by the lake.

There are also more hikes to avail of, if you stayed longer in Wanaka and couldn’t get enough of the views; Brewster Hut (3km each way), Rob Roy Glacier Track (10km round trip), Isthmus Peak (15km round trip), Mount Iron (4.5km round trip), Rocky Mountain (7km round trip). We didn’t go on any of these hikes due to time restraints and also our legs were tired after Roy’s Peak, but I have read they are good hikes and if I ever return to Wanaka, I will tick them off one by one.

Wanaka -> Queenstown (1 hr)

Queenstown is one of my all time favourite cities, not only in New Zealand but in the whole world. There is just such a great buzz around this city and it is beautiful all year round – from the snow capped mountains in winter, to the sunny lakeside activities in the summer, you’ll be guaranteed a good time no matter what!

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The drive here from Wanaka is lovely, we done this drive during winter and summer and both journeys were lovely with different scenery to appreciate. The drive in winter is a tad more daunting, depending on the weather conditions and the frost on the roads.

There is soooo much to do in Queenstown, I could go on and on and on with all the activities, walks and drives to avail of it would take forever to read. I will try (emphasis on the word try) to shorten this for you by listing what we done on our trip in summer, in order of most enjoyable.

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Onsen Hot Pools – after seeing someone post being here on Instagram, I immediately had to organise a trip here. You get a private hot pool for an hour, with a brilliant view as well as a drink and snack.

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This is pure bliss and it’s great if you want to rest the legs after a hike or if you just want to treat yourself as you most likely deserve it. They offer free pick up and drop off around Queenstown also, so you can go even if you don’t have access to a car.

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Ben Lomond – this hike is brilliant and is an easy enough hike, right up until the last kilometre, where the ascent steepens and you have to go on all fours at some parts. It is well worth the trip though for the 360 view you are greeted to when you reach the top.

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It is an 11km round trip from Bob’s Peak (the top of the gondola). You can walk all the way from Queenstown centre to the summit, however we gave our legs a rest and our eyes a feast and got the gondola ride up and started the hike from there.

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The gondola doesn’t start until 9am and we still had plenty of time to hike up to the summit, take in the views and get back down before 2pm.

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Gondola & Luge – whether you take the gondola up to Bob’s Peak during the day or at night, you will be stunned with the view either way. We experienced it at both times and I can’t even say which one was nicer, all you have to ensure is that you do this when in Queenstown.

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The luge is very fun for all ages, probably the older you get the more enjoyment you take from it. We had a great time zooming down the track, time after time after time.

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Glenorchy – if you have a car here or can get access to a car, a drive out to Glenorchy is a lovely way to spend half a day. The drive is beautiful with Lake Wakatipu by your side the entire way.

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There isn’t a whole lot to do in Glenorchy itself, but there are lovely walks to do around and the backdrop of the mountains and the water is lovely.

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Arrowtown – a lovely, lovely little antique town outside Queenstown. You can take a bus here for $2 (remember to get a Go Card first, or else pay $5 per person in cash on the bus instead). We spent an afternoon here just walking about and going to a couple of the nice pubs.

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There are lots of restaurants to choose from here, my favourite being Slow Cuts. The food here is delicious, they specialise in burgers but do other meats and chicken dishes too. Plenty of beers on tap and a wine list, you could spend a good chunk of an evening wining and dining.

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The buses return to Queenstown frequently until around 10:30pm/11:00pm, so you will be in no rush to leave this place.

If you wanted to stay somewhere quieter outside Queenstown, but close enough to be able to explore the surrounding area during the day, then this is most definitely the place for you.

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CookieTime shop – Oh I have a lot of love for this place and the beautiful cookies it produces. There is always a queue here which is no less than a good thing and if you’re lucky, you’ll time your visit perfectly to try some fresh cookies out of the oven!

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Everything cookie-like you can get, from shakes, ice-cream/cookie dough sandwiches to a good old fashioned choc chip cookie. They are all a delight and we visit this place multiple times every time we’re in Queenstown.

Millbrook Resort – this resort is in Arrowtown and it is a luxury 5 star golf resort. Why is this in my things to do in Queenstown might you ask? As I’m not made of money, I didn’t get the opportunity to stay here, but they do offer passes the public can buy which gets you all day access to their gym, pool, sauna and outdoor hot pools for just $30 per person.

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We treated ourselves (yet again) to this luxury and it was perfect to relax and rejuvenate from the busy-ness of Queenstown.

I had been to Queenstown two other times before this visit; the first time was for skiing and the second was to run the Queenstown marathon. The marathon was the hardest physical challenge I have ever completed, with the constant hills and narrow trails it was very difficult. Very pleased to have crossed the finishing line that day and that’s as much as I will say on the marathon. If you want to run a marathon and want to do it somewhere which does have nice scenery (even though it’s hard to appreciate it whilst struggling to breathe), then sign yourself up!

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Skiing however, I can talk more highly of that. We came for 2 days of skiing and were joined by my sister and husband who were on their honeymoon. Not knowing anything about skiing as I had never been before, after talking to travel guides and researching we decided on the Cardrona ski field for two day trips as the runs are wide and good for beginners.

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We booked everything with Peterpans Adventure travel, which was the handiest thing to do as we got our gear, travel and ski passes all in one go. The journey from Queenstown on the bus takes about 1.5-2 hrs so you leave early in the morning to get there for when the ski fields open. Also that means the bus leaves bang on time on the way back to Queenstown, so you have to be organised to ensure you don’t keep everyone waiting.

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Cardrona ski field is actually closer to Wanaka than Queenstown, so you could stay in Wanaka for the ski trip. It’s just up to you whether you want to do that, or if you were like us and wanted to experience the best of both Queenstown and skiing.

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There are other ski fields closer to Queenstown – Remarkables & Coronet Peak. All the ski fields are extremely popular throughout the season, so just make the decision for yourself where it is you want to go. Whether you’re an avid skier, or have never put a pair of skis on in your life, you are guaranteed to have a great time.

Queenstown -> Te Anau (2 hr 15 mins)

Te Anau is also known as the ‘Gateway to the Sounds’. You could take a day trip to Milford Sound/Doubtful Sound from Queenstown if you were short on time, but I would recommend travelling to Te Anau and staying there a night or two, then taking the trips to the Sounds from there. We done it that way and even at that, I thought the day trips from Te Anau were tiring enough.

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A fun fact we learned on our trip was that it rains 2 out of every 3 days in the Sounds, so expect rain and lots of it! We drove from Queenstown to Manapouri (half an hour outside Te Anau) and went on the afternoon Doubtful Sounds boat trip with Real Journeys.

This trip involved getting a boat, bus and another boat around the Sounds then the same on the way back again. Of course it had poured from the heavens in the morning so thankfully by the time our trip started, the sun had come out and we had brilliant weather.

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It is hard to explain how mesmerising the Sounds are, we took many, many photographs but they just don’t do them justice!

As our boat was going along the Sounds, we came to a stop. I wondered why we had done this, then started to see dolphin after dolphin jumping out of the water. I’ve never seen as many in my life, there were around 25-30 of them and I could have watched them all day long.

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Real Journeys are a brilliant company to experience the Sounds with, their knowledge is great and they are very friendly people as well. Also, if you book 2 trips with them at the same time e.g. Doubtful Sounds & Milford Sounds, then you get a discount.

This trip lasted around 7hrs in total and it went by in a flash. Time really does fly when you’re having fun.

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We stayed the night in Te Anau and then got up early the next morning for our trip to Milford Sound. The road to Milford Sound had gotten badly flooded the few weeks prior to us arriving, so the road was closed to the general public and only tour buses could drive on it. It was crazy seeing the damage done and hopefully they will fix it up soon so that everyone can enjoy the sights.

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Our trip with Real Journeys therefore involved a bus journey and then the boat around the Sounds. Unsurprisingly, the weather this day was much worse than the previous day at Doubtful Sound, so we experienced this trip in the rain.

It was still beautiful regardless and we stayed out on the deck of the boat the whole time as well. It was worth getting wet with the lovely views and the unlimited tea and coffee kept our hands warm.

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With a lot of rainfall comes waterfalls and Milford Sound wasn’t lacking on that front. There were some waterfalls that couldn’t reach the bottom as the wind was blowing all the water back up toward the top! I had never seen that before so it was a cool thing to witness.

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We are happy we chose to take a trip to both Doubtful Sound and Milford Sound as they are so different and you will be equally amazed at either of them. It was interesting to hear the history behind both Sounds and the many facts the Real Journeys staff had.

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Te Anau itself is a nice little village. There isn’t too much going on but it is nice to walk around, with happy hours for an afternoon tipple after your trip to the Sounds. There is a cinema which plays a film called ‘Ata Whenua – Shadowland’, which is a movie made about the Sounds and the camera takes you through them. It would be cool to watch this after visiting the Sounds.

Te Anau -> The Catlins (2 hr 40 mins)

I didn’t know anything about The Catlins before planning our trip – it seems to be a place that many travelers miss due to where it is in the South Island. In my opinion, I think it is worth the drive here and it is a great scenic route to get from Te Anau to Dunedin.

We planned to stay one night, so we seen most of the sights we wanted to see on the first day, then finished the rest on the second day on our drive to Dunedin. We had lovely weather here and it is well signposted to drive between the different scenic points.

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The roads are typical New Zealand country roads, which I loved as they reminded me of my home (the countryside in Ireland). Don’t be in a rush when you’re here, relax and take in all the nice sights and walks. I have listed below the spots we went to and in the order we visited them, coming in from the Invercargill side:

Waipapa Point – park your car up at the car park and just a short walk away is the Waipapa Point lighthouse. There are obviously nice views over the water (as that is where lighthouses are built) and of course the wind hits you hard.

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Slope Point – ‘the most Southern part of the South Island of New Zealand’ and it even had a signpost to prove it. The walk from the car park to here is around 10 minutes across a field and the wind here is even more fierce than at the lighthouse. Be sure not to blow away here!

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Curio Bay – this place is where you could see dolphins and penguins, however we were not lucky enough to do so. There are nice walks around so it is a nice place to visit anyway. An interesting find was the 180 million year old Jurassic fossil forest – one of only three such accessible fossil forests in the world. There are signs which tell you the history of this better than I can explain, so you’ll just have to go and see for yourself.

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McLean Falls – the tallest in the Catlins area, these falls are only a short 20 minute walk away after driving 4km down a dirt, unsealed road. They are nice however and provide you with a lovely picture.

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Cathedral Caves – we had intended on going here, but as you can only access the caves at low tide we did not make it here in time. The gates only open for the 2 hours before and after low tide each day, so people aren’t tempted to risk their lives to visit here. I’ve heard it’s a nice place to visit, but unfortunately I can’t tell you for myself what it’s like.

Florence Hill lookout – this place provided us with the best view to effort ratio out of anywhere in The Catlins. Drive to the lookout, park up and the view is beautiful. We drove past here a couple of times and didn’t get sick of the sights.

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Matai Falls – one thing The Catlins doesn’t lack is waterfalls. The walk here provides you with two waterfalls to see – Matai Falls & Horseshoe Falls. It is a short, 20-30 minute round trip so it’s nice for a quick walk.

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Purakaunui Falls – there is a campsite near these falls which would be a nice spot to sleep. We didn’t camp there but if you do, it’s just a short walk down the track to these falls. I think these were the most picturesque falls in The Catlins.

Nugget Point – a lovely walk takes you along the water’s edge to a lighthouse and a great view of the water out in front.

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It is clear why this place is called ‘Nugget Point’, I’ll let you guess why from my photographs.

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Our stay in The Catlins was at The Whistling Frog campsite. This is a lovely spot to camp, the staff are helpful and the WiFi is surprisingly great. The best thing though was stepping out of my tent when it was dark and looking up at the sky. The stars were unbelievable and I actually could have stared up at them all night, it was spectacular!

The Catlins -> Dunedin (2 hr 20 mins)

Dunedin was the city that surprised us the most, for all the good reasons. We had no expectations when we went here, just because we hadn’t heard too many people talk about this place and the few that did just described it as a big student city.

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The weather played its part well for our time here, we even extended our stay a night to enjoy it more.

The first thing on our list to tick off was the Speights Brewery tour – the one thing we came to Dunedin to do and it didn’t disappoint.

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It’s not too different from a regular brewery tour, the guide here though was very charismatic and told the story very well. It was interesting to listen to him tell the history and at the end of the tour, he became our bartender for half an hour allowing us to taste beer after beer.

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The city itself is small enough to walk around, but big enough to feel as if you have personal space. I enjoyed walking around with a coffee and taking in the student buzz. It’s well played on Dunedin’s part that the bars are located together in an octagon shape, so you can conveniently hop from one to another in your night out.

Signal Hill is a short drive from the city centre, giving you a panoramic view out over Dunedin. It is a lovely place to go for a lookout over the city.

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Baldwin street, also known as the steepest street in the world (or at least it was until 2019). It is a very steep street, however I wouldn’t particularly class it a great attraction to go to as it is a residential street and I wouldn’t guess the residents would appreciate people flocking outside their doors every day.

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We drove all the way around the peninsula which was a beautiful drive. The colour of the water was amazing! At the tip of the peninsula there is the Royal Albatross Centre, where you can spot albatross and yellow eyed penguins. We didn’t expect Dunedin to be like this at all, so it was a welcome surprise.

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Tunnel beach is worth the steep walkway down to it then back up to the car again. The cliff edges coming out of the water are great to look at and the beach is lovely too.

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However, with the tide coming in I don’t reckon it would be the safest beach to go to if you were looking for somewhere to relax and spend the day.

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St Clair beach is lovely and a great place to enjoy a beer while watching the sunset. Everyone seems to have the same idea as there were lots of people with their cameras and tripods taking pictures as the sun was setting.

Dunedin -> Mount Cook (3 hr 45 mins)

There isn’t a whole lot to see on this drive to Mount Cook but the roads aren’t too windy which makes it a bit better. About 45 minutes outside Dunedin is Moeuraki Boulders, essentially boulders stuck in the sand at a beach. You don’t have to go out of your way to come here as it is on the road north, so it is nice to stretch your legs and the beach would be lovely on a good day.

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The weather was hit or miss for us in Mount Cook, it was pouring with rain when we arrived but it cleared in the evening then the next day it was very foggy. I’m not sure if you can get reliable weather here, which I wouldn’t be surprised by since it is in the mountains and they always have a climate of their own.

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Mount Cook village itself is very small with not much to it. There are two main hotels/lodges which have a restaurant and bar and apart from that, there’s not much else to do apart from walk and take in the scenery.

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We had a list of walks we wanted to do, so we ensured to get outside as soon as the weather perked up to make the most of our limited time here.

The Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier walk is a very easy one with lovely views of the lake and surrounding mountains. It’s a great place to walk around as it is relatively flat and the path is clear to follow.

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The Hooker Valley track is a longer walk, which would take 2-3 hours in total. The path takes you to the Hooker Glacier terminal lake after crossing two swing bridges. The weather of course wasn’t the best for us during this walk, but the views were still nice regardless.

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If you had more time here and wanted to do longer walks, the hike to Mueller Hut is meant to be really good and the hut is one of the most famous backcountry huts in New Zealand. Apparently booking is essential for this hut in the summer months, so you would have to plan this one in advance.

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Just outside Mount Cook village is Lake Pukaki, which is a stunning turquoise colour when the sun is out from behind the clouds. It’s good that you have two chances to catch this lake on a good day as you pass it on the road into and out of Mount Cook.

Mount Cook -> Lake Tekapo (1hr)

You guessed right, the lake is the main thing to see in Lake Tekapo! It is a lovely stopover to make on the way to/from Christchurch, looking out at the lake and surrounding mountains will make the stop instantly worthwhile.

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Lake Tekapo is a small town, but there are still plenty of restaurants to choose from which is great. We opted for Our Dog Friday, which is a burger restaurant and it didn’t disappoint. It’s the perfect place to end a walk around the town.

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The Church of the Good Shepherd is probably the most pictured church in the world, at least of which I can guess myself. It is a tiny place, but with a great backdrop. Of course, you do have to respect that it is a place of worship and prayer, so remember that when you’re visiting.

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As Lake Tekapo is situated in an International Dark Sky Reserve, that means it is one of the best places to stargaze. We drove our car out to a quiet place and enjoyed looking up at the sky, even though it was very cold it was worth every goosebump. There are skygazing tours you can book onto, which would be interesting and you could learn about the stars and the solar system.

Mount John Observatory is a lovely place to go to get a nice view out over Lake Tekapo. You pay $5 to drive up to here and there is a café at the top where you can enjoy a coffee with a great view.

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If you’re lucky enough to be travelling around in November/December, then you will see the beautiful Lupin flowers blooming around the shoreline of Lake Tekapo and the surrounding meadows. Unfortunately we weren’t the lucky ones to be here in those months, but I imagine they’d be lovely.

Lake Tekapo -> Christchurch (3 hr 30 mins)

Many travellers we had met or talked to had all seemed to get to Christchurch to get out of there again. I think they did themselves a disservice by doing that because there are many lovely things to see in and around Christchurch.

We had the added bonus of having friends who lived in Christchurch, so having them as hosts and tour guides realllllly helped enhance our experience!

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In the city itself, we had limited time so decided to hop on the Lime scooters and zoom around all the sights. I would definitely recommend doing this, even if you had loads of time as scooters are much more fun than walking.

The Riverside market is a must visit. It is relatively new and can be visited for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s in a great spot in the city so there’s no excuse not to go here and try the delicious food on offer. I can personally recommend the souvlakis from Dimitri’s – enough to feed a small family but of course I ate it all to myself.

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We drove up to the Cashmere Hill lookout and got a nice view over Christchurch, looking out to the sea. This is also a popular spot for mountain biking, if you are into that.

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We also walked a coastal track in Sumner which was a nice walk around the water. It was surprising (in a good way) as I didn’t realise Christchurch had that side to it.

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Having a car or mode of transport around Christchurch is helpful as it is pretty sprawled out. Not only for that reason, but also that you can drive to Hamner Springs for a lovely day trip. There are hot pools here with a few water slides, which was a perfect way to relax and have lots of fun at the same time. It was worth the 3 hour round trip and the little town itself is nice for a wee walk around.

Akaroa is also a nice place to go to from Christchurch – a little French town which apparently does great fish and chips. As we didn’t have much time left on our trip, we didn’t get to Akaroa so I can’t say much more on it from my point of view.

Christchurch -> Picton (4 hr 30 mins)

There aren’t too many places to stop on the way back to Picton from Christchurch. The only stops we done were Kaikoura to fill up with petrol and Mc Donald’s in Blenheim for dinner. Kaikoura is a nice little spot but small enough that you can see it all just passing through. We drove up to a nice lookout which showed a nice view over Kaikoura.

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The drive was a long one after that to Blenheim, but it felt longer than it was as we had to ensure we arrived in Picton on time for the ferry. Pushed for time, the Mc Donald’s stop ended up being a takeaway order and we ate it in the car – thankful as we made it in time for the ferry.