The first week in New Zealand we stayed in a small cottage in the small settlement of Kaukapakapa. It is located about 30 km north of Auckland.

The cottage was on a small farm and it was wonderfully quiet and green. From Kaukapakapa we could start our orientation for buying a campervan. And we could go out and about in the vicinity of Kaukapakapa. Among other things, we visited Karekare Beach on the west coast.

Incidentally, we had to deal with heavy flooding in the first week in Kaukapakapa. In 4 hours it rained for 3 months totals and for us it meant we got stuck with the car. But luckily we didn't have any damage or personal injury so it all turned out not too bad in the end.

Kaukapakapa

After the first week in Kaukapakapa, we moved to Orewa for a housesit. Orewa is located about half an hour's drive from Kaukapakapa on the east coast north of Auckland. In the more than two weeks that we were in Orewa, we sat Beau, a very enthusiastic 2-year-old Snoodle. We took him to the beach every day to play for an hour or let him run.

The town of Orewa is a small but cozy town on the coast where there is plenty to do. And we were able to successfully complete our search for a campervan during this period, so that we also had time to make desired adjustments.

Unfortunately, there was also less good news. In the last days we were in Orewa, the North Island of New Zealand was hit by Cyclone Gabrielle. In Orewa and the surrounding area, the damage was not too bad, but the damage was enormous on the east coast of the North Island and west coast to the north.

Housesit Orewa

As mentioned, we also used the time in Auckland to buy a campervan and prepare it well. And in the end it turned out to be a wise choice to take the time for this. It ensures that you have the right information and have the time to make a good and not a hasty choice.

We looked at at least 10 different possible campervans and found a campervan that met almost all our needs. After making some adjustments we were completely happy and ready to tour with it. For example, Ella made adjustments to cushions, curtains and bed, and Geert painted the entire inside.

In a separate blog we have explained for those interested what you should pay attention to and comply with if you want to buy a campervan in New Zealand. And at the moment that is quickly cheaper than renting, it depends a bit on how long you want to stay in New Zealand.

Buying a Campervan

After we had purchased the campervan and most roads were accessible again after Cyclone Gabrielle, it was time to hit the road with the campervan. In 2018 we also visited New Zealand and then we visited Rotorua and Lake Taupo on the North Island. Now the plan was to go down the eastcoast to Wellington and from there take the ferry to the South Island.

Unfortunately, the east coast was hit the hardest by the cyclone. The area between Gisborne and Napier/Hawke's Bay was particularly inaccessible. That meant we changed our plan and headed down the westcoast towards Wellington. Because we had already been to Raglan in 2018, we initially drove to Kawhia and from there descended along the westcoast via Egmont National Park.

The official name of the New Zealand national park that encompasses Mount Taranaki is Egmont National Park. The park was established in 1900 and covers an area of 33,543 hectares on the west coast of the North Island.

The park is named after Mount Taranaki, which used to be known as Mount Egmont. However, the mountain was officially renamed Taranaki in 1986 to recognize its cultural significance to the Maori people, the indigenous people of New Zealand. Despite the mountain's name change, the name of the national park has remained as Egmont National Park.

We ended up being close to Egmont National Park for 3 days and the intention was to “attack” Taranaki. However, the weather decided otherwise, rain and wind meant that we had to limit our hiking activities to a beautiful walk in the national park.

Egmont National Park

After about 10 days on the North Island we took the ferry from Wellington on the North Island to Picton on the South Island. However, that was no sinecure.

Throughout New Zealand's southern summer of 2022/2023, ferry traffic between the North Island and the South Island was chaotic. There are two companies sailing and both had technical problems with their fleet. In addition, the weather was bad on several occasions and there were a lot of ferry cancellations. For example, the ferries are the only way for freight traffic to go from North to South and vice versa.

We finally managed to get a spot with the campervan and we were lucky. Our ferry left on the scheduled day, the boat left on time, the weather was beautiful and the sea was calm. 4 out of 4 and as a result a wonderful crossing.

The Cook Strait ferry crossing is a scenic way to travel between the North and South Islands of New Zealand. The strait is located between the capital city of Wellington on the North Island and the town of Picton on the South Island, and is considered one of the most treacherous and unpredictable waters in the world due to the strong winds, currents and waves.

The ferry crossing takes about three and a half hours and is operated by two main ferry companies: Interislander and Bluebridge, we sailed with Interislander on a sunny and calm day.

The crossing itself is known for its stunning scenery, with views of the rugged coastline, picturesque bays, and the surrounding mountains. You may also spot a variety of marine wildlife, including dolphins, whales, and seabirds. We mostly enjoyed the part through the Marlborough Sounds on the north part of the South Island.
After spending the day near Picton after the ferry trip, we drove via Blenheim and the east coast to Kaikoura to stay there for a few days. The drive from Picton to Kaikoura is beautiful, especially the last part about 80 kilometers along the coast.

We had already been to Kaikoura in 2018 and we really liked it. But because we were only there for 2 nights and there were still a few things on the wish list, we wanted to come back. The weather was great so we relaxed for a day, visited the town and made a great hike to the Kaikoura Peninsula.

Cook Strait crossing

Kaikoura is a small laidback coastal town located on the east coast the South Island, known for its unique and abundant marine life. The town is nestled between the Kaikoura Mountain Range and the Pacific Ocean, providing stunning views of both. The coastline is also dotted with rocky outcrops and coves, making for some picturesque landscapes.

Kaikoura lies next to the Kaikoura Peninsula, home to large colonies of fur seals, which can be seen lounging on the rocks along the coastline. We did a hike around the Peninsula which can be done at low tide. There are many more great hiking opportunities in the area as well.

Ofcourse Kaikoura is one of the few places in the world where you can easily see giant sperm whales year-round. We already did a boat tour to get up close to these magnificent creatures in 2018 but were unlucky, so we skipped it this time.

Kaikoura

From Kaikoura we decided to cross the South Island, from east to west. Actually, in the South Island there are three ways to cross from east to west or vice versa. The northernmost route is from Hanmer Springs to Greymouth. In the south the route is from Timaru via Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki to Wanaka and then on to Queenstown and Fjordland.

If you are near Christchurch the most logical route is the Great Alpine Highway. It officially runs from Christchurch to Kumara Junction near Hokitika. In two days we drove along the route, stopping at all the beautiful places along the route and there are quite a few.

The Great Alpine Highway is a road that runs from Christchurch on the east coast of the South Island to Kumara Junction near Hokitika on the west coast. Much of the road runs through Arthur's Pass National Park.

The Great Alpine Highway is known for its breathtaking scenery, with snow-capped peaks, glaciers, rivers and forests and has many viewpoints and hiking trails, such as the Devil's Punchbowl Falls and Castle Hill.

We took two days to drive the road so that we could let everything sink in. We start in Springfield, just past Christchurch. On the way we parked the campervan in Jacksons at a lovely campground in the valley.

One of the first small towns you will encounter on the west coast after the Great Alpine Highway is Hokitika. At least that is the case if you drove south after Kumara Junction, as we did. Hokitika is a small town on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is located at the mouth of the Hokitika River and is surrounded by beautiful nature including a rugged coastline and dense rainforest.

Great Alpine Highway

The small town of Hokitika only has a population of approx. 3.000 but is very attractive to visit, with Hokitika Gorge being one of the highlights. The gorge is known for its bright blue waters, which are fed by glacier meltwater, and can be viewed from a swing bridge that crosses over the gorge.

Hokitika has a rich history, with a strong connection to the gold rush of the 1860s. The town is also known for its arts and crafts scene, with many local artisans making beautiful jewelry and other handmade goods. We stayed there for a few days where we visited Hokitika Gorge and Lake Kaniere and relaxed by the laidback vibe of Hokitika.

On our way from Hokitika to the glaciers along the west coast we made a stop in Okarito. It is a small hidden settlement on the west coast on the ocean and Okarito river and Okarito lagoon but it is beautiful and is definitely worth it. Even if you do not want to stay there the night, take the exit off the main road and pay Okarito a visit.

Hokitika

We visited Okarito because we heard some positive stories about this small little village. Nestled on the rugged west coast of New Zealand's South Island, it is one of the most remote and beautiful places in the country. With a population of just over 30 people, Okarito is a hidden gem that offers great hiking and camping opportunities.

We parked the campervan at the Okarito Campground, small, cozy and with good facilities and had a great time, despite the horrible rain overnight. The Okarito Trig hike up the hill was good fun and provided brilliant views of Okarito and the Okarito Lagoon and even of Franz Josef glacier in the distance. Beware of the sandflies, there are a gazillion of them in Okarito.

Okarito

From Okarito it is only a short distance to the "popular" glaciers on the west coast of the South Island. Then of course we mean the Franz Josef glacier and the Fox glacier.

Geographically, these are close to each other and both also have a village named after the gelcher. Right, Franz Josef village and Fox village, villages that are actually completely geared to and exist from tourism around these glaciers. We chose to camp at a commercial campsite for a few days and explore the area from there.

If you want to visit the Franz Josef glacier and Fox glacier, you actually have to do that from the west side. From there, there are hiking tracks that lead you to viewpoints to view the glaciers from a respectable distance. But despite the distance totally worth it.

There are also other more spectacular options, such as a helicopter flight from Franz Josef village or Fox village, which may or may not be combined with a glacier hike. Because there wasn't much snow now, we'll save that for the end of 2023 when it's spring and we're going to do another tour.

By the way, let's not forget that close to Franz Josef village is Lake Mattheson, also called Mirror Lake and also definitely worth a visit.

Franz Josef and Fox