“Simply Magnificent! Wow! Stunning! Impressive! Spectacular! Blessed! A site to see! You have to experience yourself to believe it” – These are all catch phrases that were said during my trip to New Zealand. Everyday, I literally saw a rainbow! New Zealand is truly the land of rainbows!
New Zealand is very clean, sustainable and where the old meets the new seamlessly. A lot of things that they have done with this country such as energy efficiencies and super clean outdoor toilets, other countries are still trying to figure out including the United States. NZ is a great example for this modern take on sustainability that works for them!
The best way to see NZ is by flying into Queenstown, renting a campervan and driving from Queenstown to Christchurch in the South Island or if time permits go up to Auckland in the North Island. You will need a good week to see each island but definitely start with South Island!
And don’t forget to take your best camera and action video camera as this is definitely the place to bring it out. I recommend investing into the latest YI Technology Mirrorless Digital Camera with (2) lightweight lens and/or 4K Action Camera with a gimbal stabilizer.
By far the best thing to see is Milford Sound, anytime of the year, but best in the summer time when it’s a bit warmer. Take one of the many ferries available in and around the fiord (Milford Sound), particularly the Southern Discoveries Cruise Line as this one will take you near and into one of the waterfalls for a splash of fun! Keep in mind that New Zealand is located in the South Hemisphere of the world so the seasons are flipped from that of the Northern Hemisphere (US, Europe, parts of Asia).
Anyways, take a look below at the itinerary I used to get around the South Island but you can do this trip anyway you want.
Here’s my 8 day itinerary:
Queenstown
- Wait in line for 25 mins and eat a delicious burger at the famous Fergburger
- Lamb shoulder take out dinner at Pedro’s House of Lamb
Fiordland National Park
- Park overnight at the Holiday Park here and power up the campervan while get refreshed at the showers here.
Mt. Aspiring National Park / Te Anau
Milford Sound
- Take a ferry trip (Southern Discoveries) down the fiord and make sure to get splashed under the waterfalls!
Wanaka
- See #thatwanakatree. A tree located out in the middle of the lake. Not sure why this is a sight to see but it is.
Mirror Lake
Mt. Cook
- Hike up one of the many trails along Mt. Cook for spectacular views and photo opps
Lake Tekapo
- See the beautiful blue glaciered water in Lake Tekapo and visit the small Lake Tekapo Church along side the lake.
Jackson’s Retreat – Holiday Park
- See the Glow worms at the Jackson Holiday Park
- Get powered-up again and refreshed at their showers
Mt. Te Kinga
- Hike up Mt. Te Kinga for about an hour hike or longer.
Hanmer Springs
- Take a dip for a couple of hours at the Hanmer Springs heated pools. You will certainly come out rejuvenated and refreshed.
Christchurch
- Show your respect to the Christchurch 2010 Earthquake Memorial Site that killed 185 people
End the trip by opening up a bottle of champagne and toasting to an amazing trip! Drop off the campervan to the Christchurch or Auckland airport location on your way out of town. If you would like more information, please comment below.
