New Zealand: 1 ~ 2 ~ 3

Page 1: Overview & southern South Island

Above: A pretty sunrise illuminates the curious tors and tarns (crags and ponds) on Hump Ridge, Fiordland National Park, South Island, New Zealand.

New Zealand Overview:

New Zealand is one of my favorite countries to visit. Scenery in this South Pacific country varies dramatically in short distances, perfect for touring by car, bicycle or feet. New Zealand is bigger than the UK, smaller than Japan, and about the size of Colorado. Fully 30% of New Zealand is preserved in parkland, very attractive for wilderness lovers. 75% of New Zealand's plants are found nowhere else.
     I especially enjoy renting a car (or campervan), staying in comfortable motor camp cabins, and hiking (or "tramping") to mountain huts. Planes, buses, jet boats, & water taxis efficiently assist one-way hikes or tours. Most cities have an excellent "i-Site" or tourist office with free highway maps, pamphlets, lodging & campground directories, and free bookings.
    New Zealander culture is very friendly, neighborly and down-to-earth. Visiting here can be as comforting as "going home to Grandma" or as exciting as bungy jumping. New Zealanders, or Kiwis as they call themselves, speak English, so you can experience the culture more deeply than in a country where language is a barrier. Their soft accent is endearing, such as when they say "yis" for yes and raise the end of most "sintinces" (sentences) like a question, in a polite tone.
    Carol and I loved our 25-day honeymoon in January 1998 on the South Island. After 100 miles of hiking in varied wilderness scenery (with a hilly 16,000 feet of total elevation gain), we felt strong and invigorated. From February 12 to March 27, 2007, we returned for an equally enjoyable 6 weeks on both islands, tramping 175 miles. On an earlier trip in 1992, a friend and I drove for a pleasant two weeks on North Island, exploring the "Walkways" & staying in motor camp cabins. For my first trip overseas, in 1981 I "tramped" and bicycled for a memorable two months with family on the South Island, based at my parents sabbatical-year home in Christchurch.

Left: The kea is an alpine parrot unique to New Zealand, commonly seen in the Southern Alps.

History & Economy:

According to some Māori mythology, Polynesian navigator Kupe discovered New Zealand around AD 925. Most Polynesians arrived in their waka (sea canoes) about ~1350 AD. They mainly settled North Island, because South Island was too cold. Over about 100 years, they hunted one of earth's largest known birds, the moa, to extinction, which also extinguished the world's largest eagle. The Polynesians in New Zealand were not known as Maoris until after the arrival of the Pakeha, people of European descent. British and Maori leaders signed the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, founding New Zealand along with Maori rights. In 1893, New Zealand became the world's first country to grant women the right to vote. New Zealand became independent from Britain in 1947.
     Currently 15% of the population call themselves Maori, a group which is experiencing a renaissance of new respect and improved land rights. Half of New Zealand has been domesticated with pasture & farmland. Sheep outnumber people by about fifteen to one, yet agriculture contributes only 17% of the economy. The nation is more urban than ever now, but Kiwis still love their parks and feel a strong connection with nature. New Zealand's 4 million people mostly work in service, tourism & manufacturing industries, and depend heavily upon exports (29% of Gross Domestic Product/GDP).

New Zealand Geology:

General New Zealand Trip Planning:

• For trips of 1 to 2 weeks, I recommend driving a loop on the South Island, which offers more wilderness than the more populated North Island.  If you love wilderness, go to South Island. See North Island later on a separate or longer trip.
• For trips of 3 weeks or more, save half price on transportation: I highly recommend flying from Auckland to Christchurch, then renting a car or campervan one-way from Christchurch to Auckland  (Scotties Rental Car, link to their site). This one-way vehicle relocation deal is discounted 50% when traveling south to north, and also cuts flying cost in half by eliminating a return flight. We really enjoyed 6 weeks.
  
• For all the glorious planning details of our 6 weeks of tramping, nature & culture on both islands, click here for our 2007 itinerary & travel tips (18 pages).
  
• For a thorough slide show, see my three galleries from our 2007 trip: South Island-A (108 images) , South Island-B (59 images) , North Island-C (81 images) [require Adobe Flash]
• Guidebooks recommended: New Zealand, and Tramping in New Zealand, both by Lonely Planet Publications. Moon Publications are also good. For easy walks on North Island: AA Guide to Walkways, North Island, Lansdowne Press (AA is the Automobile Association of New Zealand).
• Food: We bought most of our food in big-city groceries and cooked it in the public or private kitchens in the Holiday Parks & campgrounds. Bring or buy a collapsible cooler (or portable "chilly bin") to store perishable items on ice in the car, then transfer to the refrigerator found in most rented rooms. Buy ice at petrol stations or some grocery stores. Renting a campervan has the advantage of a built-in refrigerator.
• A campervan (also known as a caravan, camper, motor home, mobile home or RV) will let you stay in more places spontaneously, but will cost more than a car per day for rental & gasoline. A campervan lets you experience the outdoors more intimately and can be very fun. (A tent is even more intimate with nature and the cheapest option, but much less comfortable due to wind and rain.)
  
• Economy car plus lodging: When you add up the cost of vehicle rental, gas, lodging & campgrounds, driving an economy car is cheaper than a campervan. Holiday Park tourist flats or cabins typically cost from NZ$40 to $150 for a double room (in 2007). Car rental is especially cheaper than a campervan per day when you will be staying in mountain huts away from the vehicle for a week or more. Cheapest car rentals may be in town away from the airport, such as used-car rentals -- check the internet (Scotties Rental Car, link to their site).
  
• Holiday Parks or motor camps (campgrounds) offer great value in lodging everywhere in New Zealand, usually cheaper than traditional motels or "Bed & Breakfasts". You can choose from the following options, all of which can use the public self-service kitchens and bathrooms:  tent sites; or campervan sites with optional hook-ups; or cheap dormitory; or nice cabins, many with ensuite bathroom and/or kitchen; or "self-contained" high-end Tourist Flats.
  
• Advance Bookings: You should reserve rooms 3 or 4 days ahead in high season (December-February) in popular areas such as Queenstown and Wanaka. Reserving a site for your campervan is not as critical as for booking a bed, since rooms sell out much quicker than campsites. In 1997 we brought a tent as a back-up, but never used it, since we always stayed in motor camp cabins & motels, spontaneously booked sometimes one or two days ahead. Compared to our earlier trips, lodging in 2007 was noticeable tighter in most major tourist areas, requiring booking two days ahead, or more during festival events. If you don't book far enough ahead, the last rooms in town tend to be the most expensive.
  
• i-Sites: You can reserve your lodging in advance with no fees at the very helpful tourist "i-Sites" or other tourist offices found everywhere in New Zealand. Pick from an astounding array of excellent free highway maps & detailed guides. i-Sites charge you no fees because they get 10% from lodging providers.
  
• Phone cards: For easy calling within New Zealand (and to phone numbers abroad) at the cheapest rate per minute, buy a prepaid rechargeable phone card such as CheapChat, at any motor camp or tourist office. (Dial an 0800 number and enter a pin code then dial the number.) Don't buy Telecom's expensive card. Phoning ahead to reserve your lodging directly as needed can be more convenient than trying to find the next i-Site during open hours. Alternatively, you could get by without a phone card, and just book all your lodging through i-Sites.
• Driving tips: Drive on the left side of the road in New Zealand. In roundabouts, yield to the car approaching on your right. Allow plenty of time for driving on the curvy roads, which average about 75 kilometers per hour across the country. Road surfaces were maintained in excellent condition everywhere in 2007. Most roads are two-lane, with frequent single-lane bridges, some shared with railways - watch for yield signs. Drive slowly & defensively, and watch out for aggressive drivers and animals in the road.
• Overnight Tramping/Hiking Trips:
• On the many tramping tracks (hiking trails), we enjoy the self-service huts, where you carry your own sleeping bag & food, cook using the hut's stoves, and sleep in a shared dorm-room on mattressed beds. Self-service huts are much more comfortable than the tenting option (where you must carry your own stove, fuel, tent, & sleeping pad), and much cheaper than the full-service huts (which provide meals, hot showers, and guides). Some hikes such as Hump Ridge, Nydia Track and Queen Charlotte Track offer private rooms and hot showers.
  
• Bring rain gear that can withstand long downpours.
  
• Gas cookers (stoves) are provided in peak season on the Tuatapere Hump Ridge, Tongariro Northern Circuit, Routeburn, Kepler, and Milford Tracks, and at Aspiring Hut (NZAC).
  
• For free recreation brochures, check i-Sites first, since DOC offices charge for info sheets. (For example, at Stratford's i-Site, we picked up the free Pouakai Track pamphlet published by Venture Taranaki, which is much better than DOC's sheet.)
  
• DOC offices (the national Department of Conservation, which runs most parks) are the best places to prepare for overnight tramping trips, reserve huts, and to buy excellent topographic maps. Most tracks are very well marked.
  
• The "Great Walks" include the Milford Track, Routeburn Track, Abel Tasman Coast Track, Kepler Track, Heaphy Track, and Lake Waikaremoana Track, which all require advance reservations for overnight huts. For popular huts, you often must reserve weeks or months in advance, which means you take your chances with the weather. But the restricted number of hikers on the trail makes the trip less crowded & more pleasant. 
• As of 2007, you don't need reservations for huts on the Tongariro Northern Circuit or Rakiura Track (Stewart Island) - both of these Great Walks have dormitory huts which are first come, first served.
• The best parts of the Routeburn, Abel Tasman Coast Track, & Lake Waikaremoana Track can be hiked in a day with no reservations, or as single-night adventures bookable on shorter notice.
• The "Great Walks" are very popular and well maintained, but don't forget that New Zealand offers many other excellent hikes on well-maintained trails, such as: Hump Ridge, Nydia Track and Queen Charlotte Track.
• Some excellent but tougher overnight tracks that require some scrambling include: 1) Crucible Lake Hike from Siberia Hut, and/or 3+day Wilkin-Young Circuit ; 2) Pouakai Track on Mount Egmont/Taranaki. If you like long walks in remote wilderness with few people, try the Dusky Sound Track. 

South Island Tips:

I rate the following activities as *** must do, ** do, or * maybe do. I list these activities in order of a general loop starting at Christchurch, looping west, south, then ending in the north at Picton, where you can ferry to North Island. 

• Christchurch:
  
• ** Fascinating International Antarctic Center (link to their site) exhibits next to the airport, with multi-media show & sea spider aquarium.
• ** Arthur's Pass National Park: day hike Avalanche Peak
  
• West Coast:
  
• *** Paparoa National Park, Punakaiki Pancake Rocks. Easy walks. Or hike Inland Pack Track starting at Fox River mouth, visiting Upper Fox Cave, overnight at The Ballroom, and explore Dilemma Creek as a day hike.
  
• Westland / Tai Poutini National Park: Fox Glacier & Franz Josef Glacier
• *** Lake Matheson boardwalk trail (2.5 miles round the lake; just west of the town of Fox Glacier) has spectacular reflections of Mounts Cook & Tasman on a calm day.
  
• ** Walking to the tongue of Fox Glacier is an easy & rewarding 4 miles round trip.
• * Roberts Point Track: This slippery and rocky track traverses some fun suspended boardwalks through lush forests of tree ferns, taking you to nice views of Franz Josef Glacier. If you like vigorous exercise in beautiful native forest away from the crowds, you may like this track.
  
• Mount Aspiring National Park (Wanaka & Queenstown):
  
• *** Siberia Hut & Crucible Lake: I recommend to fly in to Siberia Valley from Makarora (NZ$160 per person) and jet boat out (NZ$60 per person). Day hike the spectacular but extremely steep & rooty track to Crucible Lake, and overnight at Siberia Hut. . The easiest one-day option is "The Siberia Experience" (link to their site): fly in then hike out to the jet boat in 2.5 hours. The non-powered, backpacking alternative is to tramp 3 to 4 days on the scenic Wilkin-Young Circuit, with two cautious river crossings
  
• *** Rob Roy Valley Track (easy 8 miles, 900 feet gain) is one of our favorite day hikes in the world. From Wanaka, you drive up the Matukituki Valley to the trailhead. Great hanging glaciers, crashing streams & waterfalls, swing suspension bridge & kea parrots. You can also hike onwards to Aspiring Hut overnight (easy, with good views). Spectacular French Ridge Hut adds a second night, up a very steep scramble on a rooty track.
• *** The Routeburn Track is a very scenic alpine traverse with expansive views, accessible from Queenstown. In 1998 we booked the Routeburn several months in advance, with a bus to The Divide and 3-day hike to Routeburn Shelter. We enjoyed it despite rain and mist obscuring views, though we had to return in 2007 for sunshine & best views. In 2007, we day hiked to the impressive Harris Saddle & Conical Hill highpoint, from an overnight stay in Routeburn Flats Hut, booked on two days notice to catch good a weather forecast (recommended). Try to book Routeburn Falls Hut, which is more spectacular but fills up months in advance.
  
• ** The spectacular Cascade Saddle is easiest approached via the Rees-Dart Track, a 5 day backpack with huts, & optional jet boat to help shorten the trip. Start with a base in Queenstown or Glenorchy. You can also hike Cascade Saddle via a dangerously steep track from Aspiring Hut - watch out going downhill on slippery vegetation.
  

• Fiordland National Park:
  
• *** Our favorite track is the privately-run Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track (new in 2000) in Fiordland NP, which has excellent new dormitory huts, breakfast included, with optional hot showers & private rooms***. You can also helicopter your pack for a fee. This track has it all: lush wilderness, excellent footing, extensive boardwalks, alpine views, ocean beaches, history, and a walk across the world's largest existing wooden viaduct. We recommend taking the 4WD Track Transport, which shortens the track to a more comfortable 27 miles over 3 days.
  
• *** We also recommend the 3-day Kepler Track, which we reserved within a couple days notice in 1998, allowing us to fit into a perfect weather forecast. This high alpine ridge hike has expansive views, insect-eating sundew plants, pretty rainforest with tree ferns, and great new huts, with playful kea (mountain parrots) that like to slide down the roof.
• ** The Milford Track is a fun 4-day hike, starting from a boat launch on Lake Te Anau, wandering through glaciated valleys and over an alpine pass to Milford Sound, an impressive glacier-carved fiord. You can optionally stay an extra night and tour Milford Sound via a one-day kayak trip **. Return to Te Anau via bus. The track cost NZ$120 per person in 2007, including transportation to and from the Milford Track, with dormitory hut accommodation, gas cookers provided (bring your own food & sleeping bag). Add NZ$50 for optional Milford Sound boat tour 1 hour 40 minutes. (Kiwis spell the word "fiord", which is more commonly spelled "fjord" elsewhere, such as in Norway.)
• * Dusky Sound Track: a long adventure of 8+ days by boat across Lake Manapouri, hiking through remote rain forest over Centre Pass to Dusky Sound and back. Can also route via Lake Hauroko.
  
• Southeast coast:
  
• ** The Catlins are fun to explore, including Nugget Point, Cathedral Caves, and waterfalls.
• *** Moeraki Boulders:  Fascinating rock spheres up to 2 meters in diameter scattered along the seashore. These calcite concretions formed slowly 65 million years ago and were tectonically uplifted.
  
• * If you like birds, the colonies of blue penguins and rare yellow-eyed penguins are worth visiting, such as at Oamaru, Dunedin and Otago Peninsula (Sandfly Bay). We didn't see these little New Zealand penguins because we had already seen other penguins in Australia and Antarctica.
• * Royal Albatross Colony (link to their site), Otago Peninsula, best December through February. See the world's largest flying seabird and world's smallest penguin (blue penguin) in one place.
• ** Stewart Island, Ulva Island: best chance to see or hear kiwis and other native birds in the wild
• *** Mount Cook National Park, Mt. Cook Village: 
• *** Hike easy & very scenic Hooker Valley Track (6 miles, 850 feet).
  
• *** Hike Sealy Tarns (5 miles, 1700 feet, steep). Or hike further to spectacular Mueller Hut, optional overnight, booked at DOC, requiring a sleeping bag.
• The Copeland Track:  In 1981 my brothers and I hiked this fantastic 3 day adventure over the shoulder of Mt. Cook one way to the rainforest side and relaxing Welcome Flat Hot Springs, requiring bus/car shuttle. But as of 1995-2007, this is a dangerous scree traverse on unstable moraine due to a landslide wiping out the trail. Copeland Pass is now hiked by very few people from the Mount Cook side, but is still accessible via the West Coast trailhead to Welcome Flat Hot Springs & Hut. Check with the DOC (Department of Conservation). Requires rental of ice axe & crampons.
• The prevailing Westerly winds dump most of their moisture on the West Coast, leaving Mount Cook Village with a sunnier climate, east of the Alps.
• A double room at the YHA Youth Hostel (link to their site) at Mount Cook village (link) is a good value. If you have a vehicle, staying at nearby ** Glentanner Park (link) (cabins & caravan sites) is easier to book.
• Northern end of South Island:
  
• ** Nelson Lakes National Park: the Honeydew nature trail is informative about the non-native wasp problem. A day hike of ** Robert Ridge would be very scenic, I hear.
  
• ** 2-3+ day backpack from St. Arnaud: water taxi to the south end of Lake Rotoiti (or hike there in a day to Coldwater Hut or Lakehead Hut), hike Cascade Track to Angelus Hut for 1 or more nights; hike back to St. Arnaud over Robert Ridge (or take Speargrass Creek Track if weather turns bad). Good wilderness hiking through native forest & alpine views down to wild Lake Rotoiti.
  
• ** Nelson: WOW, the World of WearableArt & Classic Cars Museum (link): a visual feast. The WOW live show (link) is a world-class nouveau art event, held yearly in Wellington, North Island, September 20-30, 2007. Be sure to see the video at the museum if you cannot go to the live performance.
• ** Nydia Track, Marlborough Sounds: The best part can be done as a day hike from the Duncan Bay side over to Nydia Bay and back. We hiked the full two days with help of water taxi & bus; an good hike if you have time.
  
• ** Queen Charlotte Track, Marlborough Sounds: The best part of the Queen Charlotte Track can be walked as a day hike round trip from Picton via water taxi: drop off at beautiful & historic Ship Cove, and walk to Furneaux Lodge for pick up. The remainder of the track is clear cuts alternating with forest, mostly not wilderness, but you get sweeping views of Marlborough Sounds from the ridge walk. Most people have their pack transported via water taxi from hotel to hotel on this comfortable track.
  
• * Abel Tasman National Park: If you like beaches and don't mind sharing with lots of hikers & boats, the Abel Tasman Coastal Track is an easy jaunt along former logging roads through green forest. However, the native forest throughout the park needs another 100 years to recover from logging that ended in the 1970's. Most of the ecosystem is in stage 2 of the 4 regrowth stages, so you won't see much old growth forest - Carol and I were not impressed. Our day hikes to Separation Point and Anapai Beach were pleasant, but we prefer the purer wilderness of Fiordland and Mount Aspiring National Park.
• If the South Island summary above leaves you wanting more glorious details, click here for our 2007 itinerary & travel tips (18 pages), for 6 weeks of tramping on both islands.

** Kayaking: 

• Spontaneously booking with one-day notice gives you a more accurate wind/weather forecast. Beware of wind & waves. Our Milford Sound kayaking day trip was difficult pulling into a strong wind; but the next day was perfect weather!
  
• In warm Abel Tasman National Park, you might enjoy Kaiteriteri Kayaks (link to their site) "Soul Food" day trip, or multi-night options (or other companies).
• When doing water sports, I recommend using a water resistant camera. A less expensive solution is buying a waterproof housing ($160 and up, available for many popular cameras), which lets you operate the camera buttons under water. (When enclosed in its underwater housing, the tiny Canon Powershot SD700 IS makes an excellent waterproof camera.)

*** Bicycling:

• Motor camps offered convenient accomodation at good intervals almost everywhere. Be prepared for very hilly terrain. If you take your bicycle on a jet, be sure to pad it very carefully to avoid damage. Be prepared for delayed luggage. Within New Zealand, you can also ship your bicycle ahead via bus.
  
• With my brother Jim in 1981, I rode 500 miles in 10 days from Lake Te Anau to Christchurch past beautiful lakes, rolling hills and pastoral farms, in the rain shadow of the glacier-clad Southern Alps. 
• My brother Dave and I bicycled an exciting, steep mountain route from Christchurch over Arthurs Pass to Paparoa National Park.

Southern South Island:

Below are my favorite images. For a more complete set from our 2007 trip, see my galleries: South Island-A , South Island-B , North Island-C  [ requires Adobe Flash ]

Fiordland National Park:

Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track:

The Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track is our favorite track in New Zealand because of its scenic variety and comfortable huts, with optional private rooms and hot showers.

Above: A pretty sunset illuminates the curious tors and tarns (crags and ponds) on Hump Ridge, Fiordland National Park, South Island, New Zealand. (Panorama stitched from 4 images.)

Above: A pretty sunrise illuminates the curious tors and tarns (crags and ponds) on Hump Ridge, Fiordland National Park, South Island, New Zealand. (Panorama stitched from 5 images.)

Above: Tom explores the Hump Ridge Track.

Below: A morepork or ruru (small native owl, Latin name Ninox novaeseelandiae), on the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track, in Fiordland National Park, South Island, New Zealand.


Above: Lake Poteriteri, Fiordland National Park.


Above: sunset on the Hump Ridge Track.

Above: sunrise over Ta Waewae Bay, seen from the boardwalk viewpoint above Okaka Hut, Hump Ridge Track.

Above: Historic Percy Burn Viaduct, built for logging in 1923 (36 meters high and 124 meters long), is now an attraction on the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track, in Fiordland National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Above: Blowholes Beach, on the Southern Ocean, along the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track, in Fiordland National Park, South Island.

Above: New Zealand fur seal, at Blowholes Beach, on the Southern Ocean, on the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track, in Fiordland National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Dusky Sound Track:

The Dusky Sound Track is a long adventure of 8+ days starting with a boat ride across Lake Manapouri, then hiking through remote rain forest over Centre Pass to Dusky Sound and back. You can also access the route via a boat on Lake Hauroko.

Left: My brother Jim crosses a stream in a beech forest, on the remote Dusky Sound Track, Fiordland National Park.

Below right: Jim hikes in beech forest above Tripod Hill towards Centre Pass, on the Dusky Sound Track, in Fiordland National Park.

Milford Track:

The Milford Track is a fun 4-day hike, starting from a boat launch on Lake Te Anau, wandering through glaciated valleys and over an alpine pass to Milford Sound, an impressive glacier-carved fiord. You can optionally stay an extra night and tour Milford Sound via a one-day kayak trip **. Return to Te Anau via bus. (Kiwis spell the word "fiord", which is more commonly spelled "fjord" elsewhere, such as in Norway.)


Left: The glaciated cliffs above the Milford Track reflect in a pond near Hidden Lake, in Fiordland National Park, South Island, New Zealand.

Below: My brother Dave climbs Mt. Hart above MacKinnon Pass, above the Milford Track, in Fiordland National Park. Mount Balloon (6080 feet elevation) pierces the clouds.
More Milford Track images are available upon request.



Left: A hiker on Mackinnon Pass (3520 feet elevation) gazes at Mt. Balloon (6080 feet elevation), on the Milford Track, Fiordland National Park, South Island, New Zealand.

Left: Dave ascends Mount Hart, which is an unmarked side trip above the Milford Track. Mt. Balloon (6080 feet) pierces the rapidly incoming fog.

The Routeburn Track:

The Routeburn Track crosses from Fiordland National Park over the alpine pass of Harris Saddle into Mount Aspiring National Park (hiked in either direction).

Left: Beech tree and Lake Mackenzie, in Fiordland National Park, on the Routeburn Track.

Below right:  Waterfall in Fiordland National Park on the Routeburn Track, South Island.


Above: A day shelter at Harris Saddle, on the Routeburn Track, which straddles Fiordland and Mount Aspiring National Parks, New Zealand. This view looks across the deep Hollyford Valley to peaks in Fiordland National Park.

Above: Peaks rise high above Hollyford Valley, on the Routeburn Track, in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand. (Panorama stitched from 2 images. On smaller resolution screens, scroll right to see entire image, 1150 pixels wide.)


Above: Peaks rise high above Hollyford Valley in Fiordland National Park, as seen from atop Conical Hill, on the Routeburn Track, New Zealand. (Panorama stitched from 14 images. On smaller resolution screens, scroll right to see entire image, 1800 pixels wide.)

Below: A glacier clad peak rises above the Hollyford Valley in Fiordland National Park, as seen from atop Conical Hill, on the Routeburn Track, New Zealand.

Fiordland NP (above) Index: Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track , Dusky Sound Track , Milford Track , The Routeburn Track

Mount Aspiring National Park:

Rob Roy Valley Track:

Below left: Matukituki Valley, Mt. Aspiring National Park: A long swing bridge starts the gorgeous Rob Roy Valley Track. [Published in November/December 2002 Sierra Magazine, Sierra Club Outings.]

Moeraki Boulders:

These calcite concretions formed about 65 million years ago beneath sea sediments, over a period of about 4 million years.

Above: A photographer is born.

A boulder erodes from a beach bluff.

The Catlins:

Index to the Catlins: Purakaunui Falls , Nugget Point , Cathedral Caves

Above: Florence Hill Lookout in the Catlins district.

Purakaunui Falls:

Above: side view of Purakaunui Falls, in the Catlins District, New Zealand.
Below: time exposure of Purakaunui Falls, in the Catlins District, New Zealand.

Nugget Point:

Below: A lighthouse and sea stacks make attractive scenery at Nugget Point, the Catlins, New Zealand:

Below: Sea stacks and a rock arch make a pretty sight at Nugget Point, the Catlins, New Zealand:

Cathedral Caves:

Above: People explore the impressive wave-cut Cathedral Caves, on the coast of the Catlins.
Below: Ghostly figures leave shadows in Cathedral Caves, in the Catlins. Two separate caves cut into the rock and meet inside the cliff, forming a walk-through V shape.

Index to the Catlins (above): Purakaunui Falls , Nugget Point , Cathedral Caves

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