The trip so far: Christchurch > Tekapo > Lake Ruataniwha > Queenstown > Wanaka
After a cosy night in our AirBnB room with Ann and Molly, Ann's gorgeous Pomeranian dog, we felt rested and recharged ready for a fairly long day of driving. Our aim was to make it through the Haast Pass and on to the West Coast, up to our Top10 accommodation at Franz Josef Glacier. According to Google maps, this is a 4.5 hour drive, but driving in New Zealand takes longer than in the UK, and not only because of all the stops you simply HAVE to make to see all the amazing scenery! The roads are often twisty, windy, and have single-track bridges and so on that require you to constantly slow down, particularly if you don't know the roads. So in all, we were aiming to complete the drive in about 7 hours - a long day behind the wheel, with a few planned stops.
Our first stop was a view point over Lake Hawea, not far out from the AirBnB that we stayed at. This was the start of our 'West Coast Welcome' (rain and grey clouds!) but the view was still breathtaking. To be so close to a town and still have such pure, untouched views, is incredible.
Back in the car, and onwards to the West Coast, after a quick stop at Makaroa Country Cafe for a coffee to keep us fueled (if you're driving out this way, this is a great place to stop - and also your last chance to get fuel for a while!).
The Haast Pass is a spectacular drive; it takes you from Wanaka out to the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island through untouched forest and mountain landscapes, with no villages or settlements until you reach the coast. This means that the drive feels incredibly remote and back-to-nature; it's a real slice of true New Zealand heaven.
There are several places to stop along the route to get out of the car and stretch your legs, and also see some of New Zealand's beautiful nature. Our first stop took us off the main road and further into the forests lining the road. The track to Blue Pools takes about one hour return, and is an easy walk through the beech forest, with a couple of swing bridges to cross. On a good-weather day, the water is a crisp, clear turquoise blue, hence the name. The pools are spectacular; even on an overcast day, (as it was when we went), the water is a deep green/blue, and so clear (a word of caution: cover up and take the bug spray - this is a hunting ground for sandflies and they'll take any opportunity to grab a bite!).
A little further along the road, we stopped again, this time to see Fantail Falls. This is a quick and easy stop to make; the waterfall is less than a five minute walk from the carpark, and is easily accessible, yet still feels like a remote, rugged spot.
In the early afternoon we finally emerged on the West Coast. This part of New Zealand is so special. It is just pure, untouched landscape, and feels like something out of Jurassic Park! Standing on the edge of the coast, looking out over the waves crashing against the beach, and the eerie trees standing tall over the edge... incredible!
As we drove north, the weather cleared a bit and that made for some simply spectacular views. I honestly don't think I could ever get bored of being here. I will always recommend the West Coast to people visiting New Zealand, as I think it is a landscape and experience that you just can't get anywhere else. Sunshine and beaches one minute, glaciers the next!
After more windy roads and viewpoint stops, we finally rolled into Franz Josef Glacier Village just before dinner and in time for an awesome sunset!
Our plan the next day was to get up early and head out to Lake Matheson to catch the sunrise. Lake Matheson is famous for reflecting views of Mt Cook, and the best time of day for this is the morning, on a still day. We set our alarm clocks, excited to get up and see Mt Cook reflected in the clear lake, but unfortunately it was raining - plans scuppered! At least we got another couple of hours sleep.
The weather didn't let up all day, but we decided to do the walk to Franz Josef Glacier anyway. The walk to Franz Josef Glacier starts in a carpark just a short drive from the village itself. It's a fairly easy walk to start with, on well maintained paths, however once it hits the rocky riverbed, the ground underfoot gets more uneven, so don't try the walk in flip flops! It takes around 45 minutes to reach the base of the glacier.
It's spectacular to be up close to the glacier, and also quite a shock to see how much it has receded, even in the last couple of decades. It feels like watching climate change in action. While some of the recession is probably due to the glacier's natural cycle, the fact that the earth is getting warmer and there is less snowfall every year is undeniable when you see how far Franz Josef glacier has receded, even in the last decade alone. You used to be able to walk right on to the glacier, now if you want that same experience, you have to pay for a rather expensive helicopter ride up to the top.
Before we left Franz Josef to drive to our next accommodation, further up the West Coast, we stopped by the West Coast Wildlife Centre to see some Kiwi. The forest around Franz Josef is home to New Zealand's rarest kiwi, the Rowi, and this wildlife centre is the only place to see them not in the wild. The centre runs a hatching programme, and they have a limited number of backstage pass tickets to see the baby kiwis! Unfortunately we missed out on those tickets, but we still got to go through the nocturnal room and see the adult kiwi. They are so cute and FLUFFY! I highly recommend stopping here on your way through.
It was still raining when we hopped back into the car to drive north to our next Top 10 at Ross Beach. We arrived just before dark, cooked some dinner, and got an early night! Our plan the following day was to drive to Hokitika, and see the stunning Hokitika Gorge, famous for the bright blue water but, when we woke up, guess what... yup... It was STILL raining!! I guess when you visit the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island, you have to be prepared for a lot of rain, but unfortunately after rainfall, the glorious blue colour of the water is often dulled by the mud and debris. Given that we'd had several days of downpour, we decided to skip the Gorge and go straight to the town. Hokitika is famous for its Pounamu (green stone), so it's a great place to stop for souvenirs. There's also a fantastic glass blowing studio, for something a little different!
From Hokitika, it's a one-hour drive up the coast to Punakaiki, home to the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. These unusual rock formations were formed 30 million years ago by immense water pressure causing fragments of dead sea creatures and plants to solidify into hard and soft layers, which were then gradually pushed up out of the water by earthquakes. At high tide, and particularly when there is a big swell (not uncommon on the West Coast!), the water is forced upwards through the caverns and holes in the rock, creating the blowholes that this area is famous for. It is quite a spectacular sight! Even with a grey sky.
The walk around here is accessible, well- paved, and short - it can be completed in 20 minutes, though expect to spend longer watching the mesmerising waves and blowholes. Oh, and watch out for Weka near the road! These curious little birds look like Kiwi, but aren't nocturnal, and are attracted to human activity and food. Like the Kiwi, they are flightless, but they are brazen and will walk right up to you and try to snatch your lunch, so keep a tight hold on your picnic! Look at this cheeky fella! So cute.
Our final day, we headed back to Christchurch via Arthur's Pass. Finally, the clouds parted and we had blue skies all the way home! Arthur's Pass is a national park in the heart of the Southern Alps, in the centre of the South Island. The drive is so varied, from the West Coast, with its jungle-like ferns and rainforest, to the East coast, with the wide expanse of Canterbury plains, and the snow-topped mountains of Arthur's Pass in the centre... this drive is simply breath-taking. There's a reason it's often on lists of 'the most scenic drives in NZ'.
It is definitely worth stopping in Arthur's Pass village for a drink, and a stretch of the legs, or even an overnight stay (book ahead if you're coming in Summer, it gets full quickly!). There are a couple of view points just off the main road, which are well-signposted, and plenty of walks, ranging from short 10-minute walks, to full day hikes.
And of course, Arthur's Pass' most famous resident is the cheeky Kea. These beautiful mountain parrots are endangered, and therefore a protected species. They are incredibly intelligent and curious birds, and they are known for their playfulness and ability to learn/solve puzzles. In fact, I was once told that a kea learnt how to prop the door of the aviary open at a wildlife centre, so that it could escape behind the human visitors! Unfortunately, because they're drawn to human activity and food, they are also at risk of the dangers associated with that, such as accidents with cars. If you are lucky enough to see Kea here, make sure NOT to feed them. Feeding them discourages them from foraging and hunting for their own food, which can make them reliant on us. And watch out as you're driving, or pulling away.. Keas LOVE cars, and may be hanging around as you drive away.
From Arthur's Pass we drove back down out of the Southern Alps, towards Christchurch. The road was empty, almost eerily so at some points! Which meant we were able to pull over, stand in the middle of the road, and get some epic 360-degree scenes. Sometimes on this trip, it felt like every turn was a new 'wow' moment.
And that's it! Our week on the road, touring some of the sights of New Zealand's South Island. We saw some truly amazing scenery, and that's why I love the South Island so much. You can drive from beautiful lakes to jurassic jungle, snow-topped mountains to rugged beaches.
Have you been to the South Island? What was your favourite place to visit?
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