New Zealand - A stunning country with inspirational people

Blog4NZ, running March 21-23, is a social media initiative organised to bring awareness to New Zealand tourism in the wake of the recent Christchurch earthquake. Travel bloggers will be sharing memories, photos and stories from New Zealand during these 3 days in order to encourage travellers from around the world to visit this amazing country.


I had the chance to visit New Zealand in January 2011. This was the country of my dreams and this memorable trip exceeded all my expectations. There is so much to see and experience. You will come back feeling amazing and wishing you could stay longer. If you love the countryside and natural beauty, you will be spoilt for choice from the beginning to the end of your journey. This country has so much to offer. Don't wait to see it for yourself. It is so worth it.

Lake Wanaka

Lake Rotoroa

Blue Lake near Rotorua

As you can tell by the pictures above, I love lakes. New Zealand has so many in both the south and north islands and there are all stunning. New Zealanders are very proud of their country and they look after its countryside very well. Ecotourism is a way of life and we should follow their lead.

Have you travelled to New Zealand? What was your favourite area?

6 things you should know before visiting New Zealand

New Zealand is a fabulous destination if you enjoy outdoor activities and nature. The best way to discover this country is in a campervan. Having the freedom to drive from one place to another at your own pace is ideal. Being able to spend time up a mountain, by a lake or simply admiring wildlife is indeed magical.


Before you set off, there are a few things you should know, which hopefully will make your stay even more enjoyable.

1. Cashpoint machines: when you visit the South Island, it can be tricky to find a bank. Make sure you have enough cash to last you at least a week.

2. Fuel: if you hire a car or a campervan, make sure you fill up with petrol regularly. Distances can be deceiving on the map and when the petrol is low, it can be pretty stressful to find the next petrol station.

3. Groceries: again, in the South Island, towns are very small. Grocery stores have a limited choice to the point that it can be difficult to find enough ingredients to prepare a meal. When you come across a supermarket, get enough reserves just in case. Tins can be pretty handy at times.

4. Nightlife: If you stay in campsites, nightlife after 10pm is very limited. People tend to go to bed early and get up early. It is worth knowing this as it can be surprising if you are not use to this way of life.

5. Sandflies: New Zealand is a very safe place but if you go sea-kayaking in the Milford Sound, make sure you take insect repellent with you. Sandflies are vicious there. If you get bitten, the spots can last up to two weeks and are very itchy.

6. Distances: New Zealand is a big country. Don't plan to do too much otherwise it becomes a race and no longer a holiday. Enjoy what you see. Make the most of the areas you come across. Follow the signs off the main roads as they are well worth the detour.

If you have visited New Zealand and wish to share some of your tips, please feel free to add a comment.

Through the lens - Tiptoe Traveller in New Zealand

Top 10 favourite landscapes from the south and north islands of New Zealand

Lake Wanaka

Pass between Queenstown and Wanaka

Lake Rotoroa

Milford Sound



Queenstown and lake Wakatipu

   

Pass between Queenstown and lake Wanaka

  

Between Blenheim and Picton

 

Near Bleinhem

 

Pass outside Wellington



Blue lake near Rotorua



Do you have any pictures of New Zealand you would like to share. Feel free to post your link below. 

New Zealand - A dream comes true (Part 2)

North island - Maori culture, volcanic activities and sandy beaches

My previous post covers our itinerary in the South island of New Zealand where we sent 2 weeks. Unfortunately, we only had one week left to spend in the North island. And no need to say that choosing our itinerary was difficult. We were fortunate to have some friends in Wellington who recommended the east side of the north island and we were not disappointed. We did not have enough time to reach the top of the island where you can find the best beaches. We decided to slow down to explore the countryside and we happened to find the Karangahake gorges. This site used to be a gold mining site. It is in fact an outdoor museum set in a peaceful setting surrounding by natural beauty. Simply stunning!

The map below shows our main stop overs.

Photo diary


The pass just outside Wellington



Napier - The Art Deco town



Waimangu volcanic valley - can you spot the steam at the top of the mountain



Geyser in Rotorua

A Maori ceremony

 

A Maori ceremony



Karangahake gorges: historic mining site

Once again, I am pleased to say that as far as ecotourism is concerned, New Zealand is such an inspiring country. All sites are extremely well looked after. The staff working in the tourism industry seem to be very proud of their country and keen to protect it. Educating the public is important. To give you an example, in the space of 3 weeks, we have only noticed 1 plastic bag in a river. Everywhere else was amazingly clean. Very inspiring indeed!

In my next post, I will be sharing our top 10 best photos of our trip. Enjoy!

New Zealand - A dream comes true (Part 1)

New Zealand has always been a dream destination for me. "The land of the long white cloud", as it was called by the Maori when they first discovered it, offers amazing landscapes, beautiful mountains, forests, lakes and gorgeous beaches. Although tourism is an important income for the country, I felt that New Zealanders are very proud of their land and wish to protect it the best they can through ecotourism initiatives. 

Some people might comment on the fact that this was far from being a green holiday. And I agree. My aim is to pursue my travels in the most environmentally friendly way possible when options are available. In this case, I will probably visit New Zealand once in my life and 2010 was the right time for me to fulfil that dream.

Our itinerary

We spent 18 days travelling across both south and north islands. Obviously, we had to select the areas to visit as several months would have been needed to visit the whole country.

Our method of transport and accommodation was a campervan. We did manage to get a good deal but we ended up with a pretty old vehicle. It did survive the trip (just!).

Although this method of transport involves a lot of driving, it is a fantastic way to discover a country which has so much to offer. Being able to park up and spend the night wherever we fancied was amazing.

View from our campervan, in a DOC campsite

The advantage of having a campervan is that you can stay in a campsite or freedom camp where allowed. Some areas are against freedom camping particularly around Wanaka and Queenstown. So you need to check the signs. We have stayed in both basic campsites which offer toilet facilities and fresh water only (no hot water and no showers) and modern campsites which offer a whole range of facilities.  

We decided to spend 2 weeks in the South island and 1 week in the North island. Below is our itinerary.

South island - A chance to re-connect with nature



         

Photo diary

Lake Wanaka

Lake Wakatipu

Milford Sound

Climbing Fox Glacier



A scenic route between Queenstown and Wanaka

Blenheim - The wine region

Whales watching in Kaikoura - Magical!

In my next post, I will share our itinerary for the north island. Feel free to ask me any questions if you are planning a trip yourself. It really is a beautiful country, just like I had imagined it (and much more!).