New Zealand

At the end of 2018 we visited New Zealand for the first time. Looking back at that trip we dare to say that we made a “beginners mistake” during that trip. We travelled both the North Island and South Island in 4 weeks. Basically we drove from Auckland across the North Island to cross the Cook Strait to the South Island. Then we drove around the South Island and eventually crossed the Cook Strait again and returned to Auckland. It is doable, we dit it, but we would not recommend to do that with the knowledge that we have now. It is definitely a lot of miles in a relative short period of time. But the seeds were planted and we knew that we would return one day to take more time and explore New Zealand slowly and more relaxed.

In 2023 we ‘finally’ returned. The pandemic was over and travelling to New Zealand was possible again. From the end of January 2023 until the end of April 2023 we travelled around New Zealand in a van that we purchased in the Auckland area.. We first spent a few weeks in the region north of Auckland, in Orewa to be more precise. There we did a housesit which gave us time to search for the campervan that we bought. After we had succeeded in buying the campervan and finished the housesit we headed South to explore again.

The plan was to first explore the east coast on the North Island. However, at the beginning of February 2023, the North Island and especially the east coast was hit by a cyclone. As a result, the area was no longer accessible. We then descended the North Island along the west coast. On February 28th we had the ferry from Wellington to Picton in the South Island.

Here we first travelled along the west coast and had a few wonderful days in Kaikoura. North of Christchurch we crossed the Great Alpine Highway and through Arthur's Pass to the west coast. After a few days in Hokitika we moved further south. A visit to the remote but beautiful Okarito brought us to the area of the glaciers, the Franz Josef and the Fox. From Haast we went inland again towards Wanaka.

Wanaka was wonderful to stay for a few days, and we hiked Roys Peak. Then we drove to Mount Cook village on the north side of Lake Pukaki. Here we did the Hooker Valley Track hike in ideal conditions. Because it started to get colder we went back to the east coast. Here we visited Oamaru, Geraldine and we were on Banks Peninsula for a long weekend.

After this we did a shorter housesit in Christchurch. It was ideal because after almost 6 weeks of very basic living in a small campervan it gave us the opportunity to wash the campervan and also give ourselves some “maintenance”. After this we were ready for one last round before we left this beautiful country. From Christchurch we headed north to hike in Hanmer Springs for a few days.

The plan was to move all the way to the north of the South Island via the interior road through the mountains. But the weather was against us so we headed north via Kaikoura. We had already been there twice, and in 2018 and also this tour. But we think it's a very nice and beautiful village so it was completely fine. On our way north we made a stopover in Cable Bay, we had already been here in 2018 but then the weather was bad.

In the end, the last week of this New Zealand trip we spent almost a week in the far north, in Pohara and in Puponga. From here we could visit the Abel Tasman National Park and the northernmost tip of the South Island, Cape Farewell. Close by is the beautiful Wharariki Beach and the vast Farewell Spit.

On April 19th we drove back to Christchurch where we parked our campervan on April 20th for the the Southern Hemisphere winter. In the fourth quarter of 2023 we would return for another New Zealand tour, because there was still a lot on our wish list.

So, who can say they have done two New Zealand tours of both three months in one calendar year? If you can say that like we do, there is only one conclusion possible, we are the lucky ones! And it is immediately clear how much we have come to love New Zealand. It is a beautiful country, there are few countries in the world that can compete with New Zealand.

In the first months of 2023 we had already done a tour of almost 3 months and at the end of that tour we had stored the campervan that we had bought in Christchurch. This is just as easy as in the Netherlands, for very reasonable prices. At the end of September, after spending the winter in Australia, we went back to Christchurch and picked up the campervan for another almost 3 months.

Because we had not been able to do a number of things we wanted to do on the North Island during the first tour, we decided to go to the North Island “quickly”. That also had to do with the weather because in the New Zealand spring it is often slightly warmer on the North Island. In the first days we drove from Christchurch to Auckland (just over 1000km) with a few nice stops in between.

We made the first stop in Kaikoura on the east coast of the South Island. That is one of our favourite places in New Zealand. This is because of the beautiful location on the coast, the wildlife you can admire and the relaxed atmosphere. From Kaikoura we drove to Waikawa which is close to Picton. From Picton you take the ferry across the Cook Strait to Wellington. From Wellington we basically drove straight to Auckland along the highway 1 from where you have magnificent views of the central mountains on the North Island. Before we travelled all the way op North we visited our friends Janice and Barry, we had been sitting their dog and house earlier in 2023 in Orewa.

North of Auckland you have a beautiful part of the North Island and we had never been all the way up North. So we visited Mangawhai on the East Coast there before we settled for a few days in the amazing Bay of Islands area. From there we went to the northernmost point of New Zealand which is Cape Reinga. There was a strong storm when we were at Cape Reinga so unfortunately we could not do the hiking we had planned. On our way back South we drove along the westcoast and had a fun stop in the small town of Ahipara. We also visite the pictoresque village of Omapere before we decided to take a longer drive to the Coromandel Peninsula. The weather was turning in oor favour so it was a good time to visit this region, of the most visited in New Zealand.

Via the Blue Sprongs, just west of Rotorua, we moved on to the east of the North Island. Earlier in 2023 that region was inaccessible but now you could travel again. Although there were still signs of the cyclone that ripped through the area and there was still significant damage you could travel well. We had a few fantastic days in this region, specifically on the far Eastcape. At the eastcoast we spent some time around the towns of Gisborne and Napier and spring was kicking in beautifully. By that time we could say that we had done quite some things on the North Island except for one that was on our list. Hiking the Tongariro Crossing. This hike is quite weather permitting, when you have fog, rain or snow it is not so much fun. We followed the weather for a few days and as soon as we had a good spell for a few days we travelled via Taupo on Lake Taupo to the small village of Whakapapa. From here most people start thier Tongariro adventure. Finally on a cold but clear Sunday the weather was good and we had a fantastic hike in clear and fresh conditions.

After Tongariro it was time to move South again, leave the North Island and do our last tour of the South Island. Yes, we had seen a lot and done a lot but there are always things that remain. After we had the ferry again, this time from Wellington to Picton, we drove a bit inland to the northern part of the westcoast. Unfortunately the weather was terrible those days and after a few days we decided to cross the South Island again via Arthur’s Pass to the eastcoast. And with a few stops we basically drove straight down to the southern part of the South Island. The sun and the spring returned and we had a fantastic week in the Catlins National Park in the far South.

From there it was just a small trip to Blufff. This is almost the southernmost point on the South Island. There was a reason to get to Bluff, from there you can take the ferry to Stewart Island. This is a relative small island, an hour south of the South Island and a paradise for nature lovers. There only live 300 people on the island and it feels fery remote. But despite the rapid changing weather conditions, sometime 4 seasons in one hour, we had a fantastic time, doing a lot of hiking. The ferry back to the mainland was really rough but ofcourse we made it.

After that it was time for our last visit to the Fiordland National Park. This is mostly known for the beautiful Sounds, or Inlets, of Fjords as we call them in Europe. From Manapouri we visited Doubtful Sound for the second time (2018 was the first time) and we visited Milford Sound for the first time. Yes, many visitors go to Milford Sound immediately after they arrive in New Zealand. It took us three tours to get there! But is was all worth it. Before this third tour came to an end we relaxed for almost 10 days in Queenstown and Wanaka and it was time to sell the van. That turned out to be a smooth process and so it was time to leave New Zealand afthe three tours and almost 7 months in total in this country. Yes we have seen a lot of this fantastic country but something tells us we will be back again one day.