Posted by: Jonathan
Upon arriving to the southern end of New Zealand,we decided on an overnight boat cruise through the Fiordlands as the ultimate way to experience them. We based ourselves in Te Anau the night before and prepared for our excursion into Doubtful Sound.
Upon arriving to the southern end of New Zealand,we decided on an overnight boat cruise through the Fiordlands as the ultimate way to experience them. We based ourselves in Te Anau the night before and prepared for our excursion into Doubtful Sound.
Doubtful Sound is a bit harder to get to (extra boat/bus combo) than the other more popular sounds (Milford Sound) making it less traveled and therefore perfect for viewing the awesome landscape in peace. This part of the world is so spectacular that the bus ride to the dock will unhinge your jaw.
Once we boarded the Fiordland Navigator we immediately settled into our spacious estate suite (read: closet sized room with two bunk beds and a shared bathroom at the end of the hall).
Fiordlands are created by ancient glaciers that carved their way through mountains leaving behind shear cliff walls, hanging valleys, and waterfalls. From the moment the boat pushed off we were in awe of the landscape.
After a few hours of sailing the boat stopped for us to get a more active and personal experience of the fiord's by either kayak or tender rides. Jenn and MB opted for a ride in the tender craft since the kayaks weren't motored kayaks (i.e. two person ones with Dad and me paddling). Dad and I went with the kayaks and paddled along the impossibly tall walls and under waterfalls.
As the day progressed we found our way out of the sound and into the open expanse of the Tasman Sea. We passed several rocks along the way, some home to seals, some to penguins, and some to both.
That evening we were served an all you can eat buffet of beef, lamb, salmon, chicken, veggies, soups, salads, pastas, rice, potato wedges, baked potatoes, and a plethora of seasoning sauces all the while we floated peacefully below 4000 foot cliffs.
Does it get any better than this you might ask? Why yes it does, dessert buffet of home made pies, cakes, and cobblers. I think I put back the 25 pounds I lost while traveling on this overnight tour alone.
After a brief informational presentation on the flora and fauna of the fiorldands (MB fell asleep in class) we hit the hay in anticipation of an early rise to continue exploring the awesome landscape.
We were up as the sun rose and the moon set...eating, yet again. This time an all you can eat breakfast feast complete with eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, four choices of cereal, fruit, and yogurt.
We were up as the sun rose and the moon set...eating, yet again. This time an all you can eat breakfast feast complete with eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, four choices of cereal, fruit, and yogurt.
We pulled up anchor and navigated our way deep into several arms of Doubtful Sound. The calm, still waters perfectly reflected the snow capped peaks while the boat drifted silently being serenaded by a choir of song birds.
As the boat made its way back a pod of dolphins tailed us, showing off their hang time.
Overall an awesome tour. The boat and crew were fantastic, the food was mouth watering (and endless), the weather awesome, and the scenery was unbelievable. New Zealand delivers again.
After disembarking the boat we made our way to Queenstown and settled into a lake view hotel room by mid afternoon. The girls spent the remainder of the day catching up on some "much needed" shopping while dad and I watched rugby.
After disembarking the boat we made our way to Queenstown and settled into a lake view hotel room by mid afternoon. The girls spent the remainder of the day catching up on some "much needed" shopping while dad and I watched rugby.
The next morning we slept in (for the first time in what seems like two weeks), before making our way to Bob's peak on the edge of Queenstown. A quick gondola ride to the top and we were looking out over the lake backed by Remarkable mountains, no I am not running out of adjectives, that is what they are called, The Remarkable Mountain Range.
On Bob's peak you have the option to take a chair lift further up and ride a cement luge down that twists and turns past breathtaking views.
At first this might look like it's below our adventure thresh hold but looks can be decieving. You can get out of control fast on the straight aways and put the cart on two wheels on the bends. Jenn and I enjoyed it so much that we went again, but this time on the advanced track!
Just as we were about to head down the mountain we passed a booking agent for zip line tours from platform to platform down the mountain. Since Dad and MB had never done this before we sprang on the opportunity. Within five minutes of spotting the zipline tour building, we were secured into full body harnesses and clipped into the first cable.
MB was a little intimidated at first but by the fourth line she was pulling a "look mom no hands!"
They even let us zipline upside down.
The last line was the longest and most scenic as the breaks in the trees gave way to picture perfect panaramas. Luckily Oprah 2.0 got over her fear of heights and captured some video footage.
We walked back from Bob's Peak to our hotel room to get cleaned up and changed for dinner. We chose an Italian resaraunt and sat near the fire place which also was conveniently facing the flat screen T.V. to watch the Rugby World Cup semifinal between NZ and Australia.
We indulged in dessert about the same time NZ indulged in their victory, although I am not sure which was sweeter.
The next morning we packed our bags and made our way to the airport to see Dad and MB off. We had an incredible time and experienced some amazing things with our two week whirlwind tour. Thanks Dad and MB for coming and seeing us, glad we could spend another awesome vacation together.
The maps below show the journey we completed in two weeks with Dad and MB.
The maps below show the journey we completed in two weeks with Dad and MB.
I won't lie, right after they left Jenn and I fell into a slump. It began raining the moment their plane's wheels left the tarmac and we spent the entire day in McDonalds doing a blog post and trying to find direction for our last two weeks in New Zealand. That night we drove through the downpour to a campsite and christened The Peacock Fighter (TPF) in the ways of the budget backpacker. Up until now TPF enjoyed nights to himself while we ate dinner out and slept in comfy hotel rooms. Needless to say, he was a bit overwhelmed when we ignored the 4WD only access signs, cooked on his carpet, and slept on his seats all in the same night.
Even though our first night in TPF could be described as uncomfortable at best, we at least had secluded lake front property that we caught glimpses of in the continued rain.
Abandoning our lake campsite well past noon, we made our way back into Queenstown to entertain ourselves. What better way to pass a rainy day than indoor interactive mini golf.
This was easily the most elaborate putt putt session of my life. Each hole had a different themed location and either moving gates, paddles, or conveyors which you had to time their movement with your putt.
We had such a good time playing the 18 hole corse that we played 17 of the holes a second time (the last hole keeps your ball so it is hard to play it twice).
Thirty five holes later I enjoy the spoils of victory.
Thirty five holes later I enjoy the spoils of victory.
From Queenstown we retraced our tracks south into the Fiordlands but instead of Doubtful Sound, we had our sights further north on Milford Sound.