After a month alone in Australia, Denise’s parents, Bea and Michi, joined us in New Zealand. Our itinerary covers both islands, starting in Christchurch and finishing in Auckland. In total, we drove almost 4,000 kilometers.
Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukaki and Lake Ohau are three alpine lakes running in New Zealand’s South Island. All three lakes were formed by melting glaciers, which filled their respective valleys.
Lake Tekapo
We drove from Christchurch to Lake Tekapo, a beautiful lake with crystal blue waters. Famous for its clear night skies, the shores of Lake Tekapo house a world-class research observatory. It is lying at the foot of the Southern Alps, a mountain range that extends along much of the length of New Zealand’s South Island.
A scenic road leads to Mt Cook, the highest mountain in New Zealand (3,724 m).
Lake Wānaka
We drove further south to Wānaka, a small locality set on its namesake lake and an excellent destination for skiing during the winter months. It was pleasantly quiet when we were there due to the summer break. There were plenty of nice places to eat, including a food truck village that offers international food.
We stayed at Wānaka Homestead Lodge and Cottages, a little sanctuary just a short walk away to downtown Wānaka. We found the house decorated for Christmas on our arrival, which was a great surprise. Christmas in Germany is all about carol singing ! This made it easier for us to feel the holiday spirit far away from home.
We took a water taxi to Mou Waho, a remote island only accessible by a 30 minute scenic boat ride. This predator-free nature reserve contains an interesting wildlife with rare native birds that are extinct on mainland New Zealand. A short hike led us to a hidden lake, which sits at the top of the island.
An island on a lake on an island on the sea.
Leave a Reply