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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Okarito ▷
Okarito Kiwi Tours
5.0/5
A highlight of a fantastic holiday.
As a NZer I knew how elusive kiwis are so was blown away by actually seeing 3 in the wild, going about their usual evening routines as though it was perfectly natural for them to be there. (Yet they are the rarest kiwis in NZ).
This was only made possible by the knowledgeable,personable guidance of Ian Cooper. Somehow he managed to teach our group of 7 how to move silently together to the exact right spots to see the birds. It was the combination of being taken to the right place, shown where to look, and being shown how to sneak along quietly that allowed something so exceptional to work.
The location was of course stunningly beautiful (like all of Westland) in the rainforest with a fantastic starry sky at the end.
Another great part was learning more about the kiwi (facts I didn't already know!) and about the conservation programme from Ian as we walked along. His friendly and interactive style kept the whole tour fun and interesting - not just the jaw dropping moments when we actually saw them trundling across the track or having a nice long stretch after waking up from their day's sleep.
As a NZer I found Ian's genuine, passionate dedication to the kiwi and its conservation very inspiring, especially considering he didn't even grow up here. It's great to know people like him are looking out for our national bird!
One of the great things about the tour is that a proportion of the cost goes directly to the kiwi recovery programme, which from what I learned that night is doing a great job (with the help of people like Ian) of getting the bird numbers up.
Overall this was a truly incredible, memorable experience, and a really genuine "non-touristy" NZ experience that my daughter and I feel very lucky to have had, easily one of the best parts of an all round amazing trip around the Sth island.
Monika, Wellington
Monika and Maya - blimey, another spectacular night. It seemed to good to be true. 3 Birds seen before the sun lost its glow ! Amazing. Lots of calls, duets and activity. I wish every night was as easy !
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South Island ▷ Queenstown Region ▷ Glenorchy ▷
Glenorchy Camping Ground
3.5/5
Overall I was pretty happy with this facility - although it wasn't flash it was great value for money.
We stayed in a cabin, pretty basic with nothing but the beds and a table with a chair and shelf, but the surroundings were pleasant, there's plenty of space, relative peace and quiet, and the usual amenities like shower and kitchen. In addition there was a shop out the front which had most basic supplies you'd need with not too much of a ridiculous price markup and a pretty comprehensive info area with huge map on the wall where you could buy tickets for different tours etc, quite useful.
Glenorchy is a beautiful place to spend a relaxing few days, not many tourists seem to actually stop there so it has a really nice quiet feel.
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South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Golden Bay ▷
Paines Ford Scenic Reserve
5.0/5
the ultimate place to go rockclimbing - beautiful surroundings, a swimming hole nearby, campground nearby, small town with great eateries nearby, challenging climbs more in the upper grades, steep and
slopy limestone. Perfect day in summer - climb all day, go for a swim, go into town for a meal, then back to camp for some beers. RIP Willy.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Haast ▷
Lake Paringa Campsite
4.5/5
Absolutely beautiful scenery, classic NZ west coast.
The campsite was really full when we arrived at 8pm on a Wednesday evening. The sandflies were very persistent - as bad as it gets. The dew was very heavy at night, anything not under cover got completely saturated.
The milky way and other stars at night were absolutely spectacular.
Unfortunately some extremely ignorant and rude visitor had left an unpleasant souvenir under a tree by the stream - very poor etiquette.
The day we packed up was unbelievably stinking hot.
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South Island ▷ Queenstown Region ▷ Glenorchy ▷
Routeburn Track
4.5/5
Brilliant walk.
The only drawbacks were the relatively large amount of co-trampers (which is expected and understandable) so that moments of true solitude were few and far between. But the reason for doing the tramp is the stunning scenic beauty - for solitude you need to go elsewhere - and it more than lived up to my expectations of that.
Pretty easy walking and the walking times quoted on signposts were pretty accurate (or even quite generous).
The track is very well maintained and the facilities were of a really high standard.
The hut warden talks every night were an added bonus and certainly helped relieve the evening hut monotony! Especially being entertained at McKenzie hut by Clive's tall stories and laconic style.
I would definitely recommend proper hiking boots for getting over some of the rocky parts, and don't forget that although the track is made and maintained to a high standard the actual terrain and environment is potentially very harsh and unforgiving, so treat it with respect and bring adequate gear.
We didn't go up conical hill (cloud cover, didn't seem like there'd be much of a view) but key summit was a side trip from howden hut well worth doing, the views are spectacular and the alpine vegetation and tarns on the summit are amazing.
Once again am really impressed with what DOC does for us in this country, thanks very much.
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North Island ▷ Northland ▷ Whangarei ▷
Adventure Forest
5.0/5
A fantastic day.
It was my daughter's birthday and even though it wasn't in their usual opening hours they let us join onto a pre-existing private booking. These people subsequently cancelled due to rain early in the day but the adventure forest operators still let us come out in our small group of 3 which was greatly appreciated. Wonderful couple of hours going through the adventure course, my daughter absolutely loved it.
The staff were very friendly and helpful but unobtrusive. We had a comprehensive safety briefing but were not "nannied".