NEW ZEALAND South Island - Turquoise Lakes, Snow-Capped Mountains & Unforgettable Adventures

We left Sydney on 2nd September, flying to Christchurch on Emirates flight EK412 at 8:00 in the morning. We reached Christchurch at around 1:00 pm, where Star RV was waiting to pick us up from the airport. After completing the formalities and collecting our Polaris 6 motorhome, it was already 4:30 pm. Finally, at 5:00 pm, our New Zealand road trip officially began.

Our first stop was the supermarket, where we stocked up on food and essentials for the next three to four days, spent almost 2 hours in the supermarket. We then set off towards Lake Tekapo at 07:15pm. It was already very dark in Christchruch. We had no fixed bookings at any holiday parks because we wanted the freedom to stop wherever we felt like resting along the way. We wanted the journey to be as spontaneous as possible.

Zaid drove almost the entire way to Tekapo, covering approximately 250 kilometres. It rained for almost half of the journey, making the drive feel like a real adventure. By the time we reached Lake Tekapo at around 10:00pm and it was complete darkness all around us. Tried booking Lakeedge Holiday Park for the night but its online bookings for the day were closed. We therefore opted to spend the first night at Mackenzie Waitaki RV Camping. It was free camping area with 2 toilets and a table with a couple of benches. Other than that there is nothing in the camp site. There were about 10-12 vehicles in the campsite.

But the night had a beautiful surprise waiting for us!

Zoya had already read about stargazing in Tekapo, which is part of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, and had added it to her wish list. She was really excited to experience the magic of seeing a sky filled with countless stars.

After dinner, we stepped out of our motorhome and looked up at the sky. We were completely mesmerized. The stars were scattered across the sky like countless diamonds, making us feel as though the universe had come closer to us. There were small patches here and there where we could not see the stars, then we realized these were clouds. We had seen stars at night many times before, but never so many, and never with that incredible feeling of being so close to them.

The surroundings were dark but peaceful, the ground was still wet from the rain water, and the vast sky stretched endlessly above us. It was a magical experience, one we had never experienced before and would always cherish. Zoya's wish had come true, and we stood there enjoying the breathtaking night sky before finally heading to sleep.

The next morning, we continued our journey towards Lake Tekapo. The roads were surrounded by beautiful greenery, and as took left as we assend a small hill, something breathtaking suddenly appeared in front of us.

As we drove along the Fairlie–Tekapo Road and entered Tekapo Regional Park, we took a slight left turn just after the entrance we caught a glimpse of a beautiful turquoise-green patch at the edge of the landscape. We immediately knew it had to be Lake Tekapo. We were so excited that we could hardly wait to get closer. As we continued driving, the lake gradually revealed itself in all its glory. It was vast and breathtakingly beautiful, with its stunning turquoise-green waters set against a magnificent backdrop of snow-capped mountains. It was one of those moments when the beauty of nature leaves you speechless, and we knew we were about to witness something truly special.

We had seen turquoise-green lakes before, but Lake Tekapo felt completely different. Its turquoise-green still waters, towering snow-covered mountains in the background and beautiful pine trees standing along the shore created a scene that looked like a painting. The greenery, the mountains, and the lake came together so perfectly that we couldn't stop admiring the view.

At that moment, we knew our New Zealand adventure had truly begun.

Before heading to the Lake Tekapo viewpoint, we decided to stop at Lake Tekapo Petting Zoo, as it came along the way.  This was another item on Zoya’s wish list - she wanted to feed the animals.

It is a lovely family run farm and zoo, and we had a wonderful time there.  We got the chance to feed the Merino sheep and alpacas.  We didn’t spend much time with the cattle and calves, as we had already experienced feeding and touching them back in India.

The real stars of the visit, however, were the Merino lambs, they were unbelievably white, incredibly soft and adorably shy.  We absolutely loved watching them and gently feeding them.

The young boy who attended to us was very friendly and knowledgeable.  He explained so many interesting things about the different animals and patiently answered our questions, making the experience even more enjoyable.

For Zoya, getting so close to the animals and feeding them herself was another wish checked off her New Zealand list.

After our visit to the Petting Zoo, we headed back towards Lake Tekapo to spend some time enjoying its beauty.  We took plenty of photographs and simply enjoyed the breathtaking surroundings before setting off towards Arrowtown.

On the way, we stopped at the Lake Pukaki Viewpoint for a while. The weather soon turned drizzly, so we decided to move on.

Our next stop was Lake Wanaka Beach, where we spent almost three hours. The lake was absolutely beautiful, and we enjoyed the peaceful surroundings. We also visited the famous Wanaka Willow Tree, which stands in the water and has become one of the most photographed spots in the area. After enjoying the lake, we prepared and had lunch before heading towards Arrowtown.

The drive towards Arrowtown brought another unexpected surprise.  As we crossed the Crown Range Road, close to Mount Rock Peak, it started snowing.  We immediately stopped the motorhome, and all of us got out to enjoy the snow.  We played around, took photographs and simply enjoyed the excitement of being surrounded by snow.  It was one of those spontaneous moments that made the road trip even more memorable.

We continued our drive and reached Arrowtown at around 6:00pm, where we spent the night at Hampshire Holiday Park.

The following morning, we took some time to explore Arrowtown.  The town was incredibly charming, with colourful streets lined with trees and plants displaying beautiful autumn colours. We walked around, enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere and took in the unique beauty of this historic little town before leaving for Te Anau at around 11:30am.

We made a few stops along the way, including the supermarket, fuel station and some beautiful viewpoints before finally reaching Te Anau Lakeview Holiday Park at around 3:30pm.

After settling in, we went to a restaurant for lunch and then spent most of the evening around Lake Te Anau, enjoying the calm waters and beautiful surroundings.  As the evening approached, we returned to our motorhome, had dinner and called it a night.

The next morning, Zaid went for a lakeside jog while the rest of us got ready for the day. By around 10:00am, we had finished breakfast and were back on the road, this time heading towards the much awaited Milford Sound.

We had booked a cruise only experience with Mitre Peak Cruises for 2:00pm. We arrived at Milford Sound at around 12:15pm and parked our motorhome at the Milford Sound Public Car Park.  There, we came across a Weka, a flightless bird that is often mistaken for a Kiwi. At first glance, even Zaid and Zoya thought it was a Kiwi.

With some time to spare before our cruise, we enjoyed a relaxing coffee, had a little family chit-chat, and browsed the souvenirs at the Milford Sound Cruise Information Centre and Cafe.  We also took a couple of photos outside the cafe to capture these lovely family moments before setting off on our cruise. 

We then made our way towards the Milford Sound Terminal. Before boarding, we were given tokens, which we had to hand back when boarding the cruise. At exactly 2:00pm, we boarded the boat and our two hour Milford Sound adventure began and what followed over the next two hours, was something we will remember for a very long time.

Our cruise lasted a full two hours, and the experience was simply unforgettable. Milford Sound is actually a fiord, carved by glaciers over thousands of years, with enormous mountains rising almost vertically from the deep waters. From the moment we entered the fiord, we were surrounded by mountains so huge and majestic that it was difficult to take our eyes off them. Some had snow-covered peaks, while others disappeared into the clouds, making it seem as though the mountains continued endlessly beyond what we could see.

What made the scenery even more spectacular was the sheer number of waterfalls cascading down the mountainsides.  Some waterfalls were powerful and wide, while others were nothing more than thin streams dropping from incredible heights.  Some seemed to begin from the clouds and disappear into the fiord below.  Everywhere we looked, another waterfall appeared, making it feel as though hundreds of waterfalls were pouring down the mountains. 

The clouds and mist added another dimension to the landscape.  They seemed to sail slowly between the mountains, with the sky open above and the water open below.  At times, it felt as though we were travelling through a dream or a painting rather than a real place.  The mountains changed colour with the light, rain and clouds - shades of deep green, grey, brown and black, with patches of snow near the higher peaks.

The clouds and mist added another dimension to the landscape.  They seemed to sail slowly between the mountains, with the sky open above and the water open below.  At times, it felt as though we were travelling through a dream or a painting rather than a real place.  The mountains changed colour with the light, rain and clouds - shades of deep green, grey, brown and black, with patches of snow near the higher peaks.

We were also lucky enough to spot seals twice, comfortably resting on the designated seal rocks.  We also saw a beautiful rainbow near Bowen Falls, where the spray from the waterfall caught the light and created a magical view.  It was one of those moments when everyone on the boat simply stopped and enjoyed what was in front of them.

But the most exciting moment of the cruise came when the boat took us almost underneath Stirling Falls.  The roar of the waterfall, the strong wind and the fine mist surrounding us made the experience incredible.  Then the wind suddenly pushed the waterfall spray towards the boat, and within moments, we were completely drenched.

Every turn of the boat revealed something different, another enormous mountain, another waterfall, another cloud drifting through the valleys or another glimpse of the untouched forest. The mountains, endless waterfalls, ancient forests, drifting clouds, snow-covered peaks and deep waters of Milford Sound came together to create something that was almost impossible to describe in words.

It felt as though nature had created a masterpiece and then left it completely untouched.  We could only keep looking, taking photographs and trying to capture a little of what we were experiencing.  But no photograph could truly capture the feeling of being there, surrounded by such immense, wild and breathtaking beauty.

After the cruise, we started our journey back to Te Anau.  Another memorable wildlife encounter happened on the way back, just before reaching the Homer Tunnel, we spotted a Kea parrot.  This fearless bird was hopping around and approaching the windows of various vehicles, seemingly unbothered by the presence of people.  It was a delightful surprise and another wonderful reminder of New Zealand's unique wildlife.

We stopped at Monkey Creek, Mirror Lakes and Eglinton Valley for photographs and to enjoy the scenery.  Each place had something different to offer.  Mirror Lakes was calm and peaceful, while Eglinton Valley was huge and surrounded by mountains.

There was one thing we missed, and it is probably our biggest regret, the Lake Gunn Nature Walk.  It is a small and easy hike between the Monkey Creek and Mirror Lakes area and could take only around an hour.  But from what we saw of the area, it looked like a walk through untouched, foggy rainforest.  It could have lasted only an hour, but it would probably have stayed in our memories for a lifetime.

Looking back, Milford Sound was not just about the cruise.  The journey from Te Anau, the mountains, the foggy forests, the waterfalls, Weka at the parking lot, the Kea near Homer Tunnel, the seals, the rainbows, the waterfalls, the lakes and the valleys were all part of the experience.

It was a day full of nature, adventure and unexpected moments.  And when we finally stood almost underneath Stirling Falls, with the wind, mist and water soaking us, we realised that we were not just visiting Milford Sound - we were actually experiencing it.

The next morning, we had another exciting experience planned, the Te Anau Glowworm Caves. Our tour was at 11:00am, departing from the RealNZ office at Te Anau Lake.  The journey itself was part of the experience.  We boarded the cruise and travelled across the beautiful waters of Lake Te Anau, surrounded by mountains and greenery, before getting off on the other side of the lake.

From there, the RealNZ staff explained what we were about to experience and gave us some interesting information about the caves, their formation and the glowworms.  We were then divided into small groups of around 12 people, which made the experience feel much more personal and manageable.

As we entered the cave, the surroundings changed almost immediately.  The entrance resembled a small, narrow hollow carved into the earth, tucked away amidst lush green trees and dense vegetation.  As we moved further inside, the cave gradually revealed itself, with the passage becoming so low and narrow that we had to bend almost double to make our way through.

With every step deeper into the cave, the darkness grew more intense, while the sound of rushing water became increasingly loud and thunderous.  A large volume of water flowed beneath the man-made walkway, surging through the cave with considerable force.  Its powerful roar echoed through the confined space, creating an atmosphere that felt mysterious, eerie, and almost otherworldly.

Further inside, we came across a waterfall within the cave.  It was fascinating to see so much water flowing through a place that was otherwise so dark and quiet.  There were only small, dim lights placed at long intervals along the walkway, just enough to help visitors follow the prescribed path.  Beyond those little pools of light, everything disappeared into complete darkness.

Eventually, we reached the most magical part of the experience.  We were asked to sit in a small boat inside the darkest section of the cave.  There were no bright lights, no talking and no distractions.  The guide carefully took us through the cave on the water, moving the boat almost silently by pulling on a chain that hung from, or was connected to, the roof of the cave.

And then we saw them - the glowworms.

In that complete darkness, tiny patches of blue-green lights appeared above us, scattered across the ceiling like little stars in the night sky.  Some were close together, while others appeared as tiny individual points of light, creating the feeling of looking up at a miniature galaxy.  The silence made it even more magical.  The only sound we could hear was the gentle movement of the water as it gave way to our boat.

There was something incredibly peaceful about sitting in that darkness, slowly moving through the cave without the sound of an engine, while hundreds of tiny glowworms illuminated the ceiling above us.  It felt as though someone had taken pieces of the night sky and placed them inside the cave.  It was completely different from anything we had experienced before and became another unforgettable memory of our New Zealand trip.

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