New Zealand in Winter

The night flight lands in Auckland in the morning. The car is collected and the first day is spent in quiet Birkenhead on the north shore, with nothing booked, so the driver sleeps first. Next day, south by car to the Waitomo glowworm caves, drifting by boat under a ceiling of light, and on to Rotorua for a private cedar hot tub in the forest. Then the National Kiwi Hatchery, a ZORB ride in the afternoon, and Te Puia at night: the Māori welcome, the haka, a hāngī lifted from the ground, and Pōhutu geyser lit up after dinner. The fourth day is Hobbiton, a drink by the fire at the Green Dragon Inn, and the drive back to Auckland.

Waitomo glowworm caves · forest cedar tubs · National Kiwi Hatchery · Te Puia hāngī by night · Pōhutu geyser · Hobbiton

A domestic flight to Christchurch, with the Southern Alps in the right-hand windows over Cook Strait. A second car at the airport, and straight out onto Banks Peninsula without stopping in the city. Over the crater rim, a blue harbour opens up with the French-settled village of Akaroa at the bottom. Next morning, a harbour cruise for Hector’s dolphins, among the smallest and rarest in the world and often right beside the boat, then fish and chips on the wharf. At dusk, Pohatu: a hide in a private bay, waiting as little blue penguins come out of the sea and walk up to their burrows.

Flight south · Banks Peninsula · Akaroa harbour cruise · Hector’s dolphins · Pohatu little blue penguins

Inland from Akaroa on the longest drive of the trip, a little over four hours, done in daylight. Lake Tekapo in the afternoon, milky turquoise, with the Church of the Good Shepherd at the water’s edge, and the open-air hot pools at sunset. Next day into Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park for a helicopter landing on the Tasman Glacier and a guided walk on the ice in crampons. If the helicopter cannot fly, the Hooker Valley Track takes the same mountain on foot, over three swing bridges. At night, back in Tekapo, a guide traces the Southern Cross and the Magellanic Clouds from a reclining chair inside the dark sky reserve.

Lake Tekapo · Church of the Good Shepherd · Tekapo Springs · Tasman Glacier heli-hike · dark sky stargazing

Over the Lindis Pass to Queenstown, and straight up the Skyline Gondola for six luge rides and the whole lake laid out below. Next morning a light aircraft over the Southern Alps into Milford Sound, a cruise under cliffs and waterfalls, and a second flight back on a different line, all in half a day; the Shotover jet boat in the afternoon. Then a cruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm for sheep shearing and a lakeside barbecue, and the lake road to Glenorchy in the afternoon. On the fourth day the car stays parked: a shuttle up to Cardrona and a first-timer ski lesson.

Skyline Gondola and luge · Milford Sound by air · Shotover jet · Walter Peak High Country Farm · Glenorchy · Cardrona

A last coffee by the lake in Queenstown, the car returned at midday, and the flight north to Auckland and the familiar road to Birkenhead. The next day is the only city day of the trip: the Sky Tower for both harbours from above, then Commercial Bay and Queen Street for whatever has to go home. On the last day, a midday flight to Kuala Lumpur, home the same night.

Queenstown → Auckland · Sky Tower · Commercial Bay · Queen Street