Browsing: New Zealand

Glendhu Bay Track

Have you heard of Wanaka?

When I first toured New Zealand 10 years ago, this little mountain town wasn’t on the itinerary. I had no idea it even existed, let alone packed a serious punch in the Outdoor Adventure department.

house sitting in australia

April was one of those months I’d be perfectly happy to live over and over again. With 3 weeks of settled life in Sydney bookended by 2 trips filled with wine and sunshine, I’m hard pressed to come up with anything worthy of being dubbed a lowlight for the month.

Roys Peak hike

There are a couple of must-do hikes in Wanaka, New Zealand. Rob Roy Glacier tends to be the one locals recommend: a glorious half-day hike rife with alpine scenery, waterfalls, glaciers, and swing bridges… and unfortunately, not a viable option for me because the trailhead isn’t within walking distance from town.

Sunrise at Mt. Cook

I recently spent 3 weeks on New Zealand’s south island. I could have easily been tempted to spend that time trying to explore the entire country, or at least all of the south island, but instead I focused on just the central part of the island around Queenstown, Wanaka, and Mt.

new zealand scenic flight

I spent the final week of my recent trip to New Zealand in Queenstown, so-called adventure capital of the world. It’s the kind of place that’s stupid-stunning from every angle, which tourism has fully exploited by offering just about every adrenaline-inducing outdoor adventure you can think of.

One of the first things I did on my month-long trip through New Zealand was the Tongariro Crossing. Renowned as the best day hike in the country, it takes you on a 12-mile journey through volcanoes, lakes, and a very Mars-like terrain; past active volcano Mt Tongariro, Mt Ngauruhoe, and – most gorgeous of all – the Emerald Lakes.