New Zealand - North 2016
Rena and I spent a month in New Zealand in March 2016. We flew to Auckland, near the top of the North Island. It is New Zealand's largest city, with a population of about 1.5 million people. All of New Zealand has only 4.5 million people. We rented a car and drove south. We ferried across the Cook Strait which separates the two Islands. We turned in our rental car in Queenstown near the bottom of the North Island and flew back to Auckland.
Hiking was a top priority. We did a 4-day backpack and two 3-day backpacks, staying in national park huts. The remainder of our lodging was in hostels where we rented private rooms with shared bath and had access to a kitchen. So we cooked most of our meals.
Our favorite city, Wellington, was enhanced by spending time with Heather Hepata, our friend and travel writer who lives there. I thought that Milford Sound was one of the most scenic places I have ever been. It ranks up there with Patagonia, Alaska, and the Southwest.
The dollar was strong while we were there. Renting a car saved us money and gave us flexibility. So the trip was much more economical than we had anticipated.
This photo report covers only the North Island where we spent about half of our time. A second report covers the South Island.
ITINERARY
Day 1,2 - Fly from LA and cross international date line
Day 3,4 - Auckland - visit museums and parks
Day 5 - Rotorua - Whakarewarewa Thermal Village
Day 6 - Taupo - hot springs
Day 7 - National Park Village
Day 8,9,10,11 - backpack Northern Tongariro Circuit. Stay in National Park Village again the 4th night
Day 12,13,14 - Wellington
Day 15 - cross Cook Strait to South Island in ferry, stay in Picton
Day 16,17 - Hokitika on West Coast
Day 18 - Haast on the West Coast
Day 19 - Makarora near Wanaka
Day 20, 21, 22 - backpack in Mount Aspiring NP - Stay with friends in Queenstown the 3rd night
Day 23 - Queenstown - adventure capital of New Zealand
Day 24 - Te Anau - the gateway to Milford Sound
Day 25, 26, 27 - backpack last part of Routeburn Track. Stay at Milford Sound Lodge the 3rd night
Day 28 - Glenorchy - the setting of the Lord of the Rings
Day 29 - Queenstown
Day 30 - fly back to Auckland
Day 31 - fly to Sydney where we stayed for 8 nights before returning to LA. See separate Smugmug report Sydney 2016.
Read MoreHiking was a top priority. We did a 4-day backpack and two 3-day backpacks, staying in national park huts. The remainder of our lodging was in hostels where we rented private rooms with shared bath and had access to a kitchen. So we cooked most of our meals.
Our favorite city, Wellington, was enhanced by spending time with Heather Hepata, our friend and travel writer who lives there. I thought that Milford Sound was one of the most scenic places I have ever been. It ranks up there with Patagonia, Alaska, and the Southwest.
The dollar was strong while we were there. Renting a car saved us money and gave us flexibility. So the trip was much more economical than we had anticipated.
This photo report covers only the North Island where we spent about half of our time. A second report covers the South Island.
ITINERARY
Day 1,2 - Fly from LA and cross international date line
Day 3,4 - Auckland - visit museums and parks
Day 5 - Rotorua - Whakarewarewa Thermal Village
Day 6 - Taupo - hot springs
Day 7 - National Park Village
Day 8,9,10,11 - backpack Northern Tongariro Circuit. Stay in National Park Village again the 4th night
Day 12,13,14 - Wellington
Day 15 - cross Cook Strait to South Island in ferry, stay in Picton
Day 16,17 - Hokitika on West Coast
Day 18 - Haast on the West Coast
Day 19 - Makarora near Wanaka
Day 20, 21, 22 - backpack in Mount Aspiring NP - Stay with friends in Queenstown the 3rd night
Day 23 - Queenstown - adventure capital of New Zealand
Day 24 - Te Anau - the gateway to Milford Sound
Day 25, 26, 27 - backpack last part of Routeburn Track. Stay at Milford Sound Lodge the 3rd night
Day 28 - Glenorchy - the setting of the Lord of the Rings
Day 29 - Queenstown
Day 30 - fly back to Auckland
Day 31 - fly to Sydney where we stayed for 8 nights before returning to LA. See separate Smugmug report Sydney 2016.
