This is the third and final installment of my New Zealand travel series. I wrote two previous posts: one about the North Island and one focused on Wellington. This one chronicles our final leg of the trip to the South Island: Te Waipounamu.
Queenstown
We flew into Queenstown, which is the adventure capital of New Zealand. It is tucked into a tiny space, surrounded by mountains and Lake Wakatipu. Queenstown is next level gorgeous, but also very, very crowded with adventure-seekers. You can do just about anything you’ve ever wanted to in the Queenstown area: skydiving, paragliding, jet boat rides, bungy jumping, etc. The crowds made it our least favorite place. I wouldn’t spend more than a few hours in Queenstown next time unless I had to. If you do go there, make sure you stop and try the Fergburger, a burger CNN once called the “best burger in the world”. (Yeah, it was probably the best burger we’ve ever had!)
On our first night in Queenstown, we took a cruise to the Walter Peak High Country Farm for dinner. We took the TSS Earnslaw, a 1912 touring steamship to get there. The farm dinner was delicious and we learned about sheep culture and sheep dogs from the local farm staff afterwards. That trip was worth it just for the views!
The next day, we rented bikes and rode our way to three wineries and one brewery. Along the way, we passed over the bridge where bungy jumping was born (in the town of Bungy). The weather was perfect the whole day and the experience at each of the wineries was unique. This region has wonderful Pinot Noir (my favorite!). What a great way to spend the day!
Milford Sound
The next day, we left Queenstown and traveled to Milford Sound along one of the most scenic drives in the world. Milford Sound is part of Fjordland National Park, home to a rainforest that still houses wild kiwis. There are ample hiking opportunities along the road. We stopped a couple of times to hike and let sheep pass, of course.
We spent two nights at Milford Sound Lodge in a riverside chalet with a beautiful view and nearby hiking. The restaurant at the lodge is well worth the trek out to it. They served the best food we ate all trip.
The next day we cruised Milford Sound and did two dives in drysuits because the water is fairly chilly. The water in the sound is unique in that it is salt water, but there is a layer of freshwater on top that comes from the many waterfalls that surround the sound. Plants grow in the freshwater, blocking out the light so that animals who normally live in much deeper water live closer to the surface. We saw a lot of rare black coral, rock lobsters, New Zealand fur seals, and dolphins.
Milford Sound was the perfect end to a wonderful trip. The next day we drove back to Queenstown and flew home. Two months later, I still miss New Zealand. We’re working on plans to get back there soon. This time, we’ll take the kids!
