How do we summarize our three months in this amazing country? We started by trying to make lists of our favorite hikes, beaches, experiences, etc., but there are way too many to make it an enjoyable read. If you followed the blogs you got most of the details. (We didn’t try to fit everything we did in the blogs; they are already summarized highlights.) So we picked our top 10 below.
The best highlight were the friendly, helpful, and curious Kiwis (New Zealanders) themselves. It is an easy country to explore and we felt safe everywhere we went. We met many wonderful and interesting people on our journey that made the trip very special.
And yes, we have to go back! Even 3 months was not enough time.
There is a map at the bottom of this post if you want to see our stops on this journey
Highlights of the Highlights
South Island
- Milford Track + Sutherland Falls Track – Our entire trip was built around our Milford Track reservation, and it did not disappoint.
- Doubtful Sound overnight cruise – This place is magical with the sound of birds, warm water for swimming, and spectacular views.
- Rob Roy Glacier Track & Mt Cook/Aoraki National Park – Stunning views of glaciers and icebergs.
- Paragliding in Queenstown – It is amazing to fly with the birds in the mountains, we are thinking about taking lessons!
- Swimming With Wild Dolphins – We were in their habitat but they wanted to visit with us. Incredible.
- Stewart Island and the Kiwi Tour – Finding and observing wild kiwi at night was amazing. Living on an island where no one locks their doors and keys can be left in your car.
North Island
- Russell and the Bay of Islands – Between our sailing experience and our Airbnb host we ended up feeling like locals and really enjoyed this special little town.
- Waiheke Island – With the Man O’War Winery and the beautiful beaches it is a fantastic place to relax.
- Tongariro Alpine Crossing – Very interesting and different from the many other hikes we enjoyed in New Zealand.
- Diving Poor Knights – Plentiful fish, bronze whaler sharks, and a great dive operator made this an amazing experience.
- The Black Abyss – Rappelling, ziplining, tubing, swimming, and scrambling in glow worm caves.
Overall
- Beaches – We love a good beach and there are so many that are beautiful, have good swimming and we had them pretty much to ourselves. Little Palm Beach on Waiheke and Cannibal Beach in the Catlins are two that stand out.
- Food – There was an excellent diversity of food, an we had many great meals all across New Zealand. Some that stand out are Cool Change in Martinborough, lamb shank at Awatuna Lodge, Groper Garage in Kaikōura; Walter Peak BBQ in Queenstown, Shucker Brothers in Auckland, Schnappa in Tutukaka, Duke of Marlborough in Russell, and Lumberjack Cafe & Restaurant in Owaka.
- Hiking – New Zealand is a hiker’s (tramper’s) paradise with many great options. I almost 60 hikes on AllTrails and there are so many more to do. The Milford Track, Tongariro Crossing, Hooker Valley Track and Rob Roy Glacier were outstanding.
- Culture – We got a great education in the history of New Zealand and the Maori culture through various interesting experiences. Te Pā Tū was a great evening of native culture and food and walking with a Māori guide at sunset among the ancient Kauri trees of the Waipoua Forest was incredible.
- Nature – New Zealand has unique species of flora and fauna that are really fascinating. Add a dynamic geography to the mix and is all interesting to explore. Fjordland (with the Milford Track and Doubtful sound), Stewart and Ulva Island, Waitimo Caves, Abel Tasman National Park, and Mt Cook National Park were remarkable.
Summary
We feel very fortunate to be able to go on this type of trip and that we are compatible enough to enjoy each other’s company 24/7. The trip was a combination of a lot of upfront planning and flexibility as we went along. We also got extremely lucky with fantastic weather and only had a few days where we had to make minor adjustments our plans. We would highly recommend a visit to New Zealand/Aotearoa!
Kia ora,
Dave + Diane
Index: Map of our trip
