New Zealand South Island: Catlins, Glaciers, & Milford Sound

Part 1: Arrival, Christchurch & The East Coast Beginnings

After the excitement of Las Vegas, we flew across the Pacific to New Zealand. The flight was a marathon: Los Angeles to Fiji to Auckland to Christchurch—around twenty-four hours in total.

We landed in Christchurch, a city still visibly recovering from the devastating earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. The resilience of the people left a deep impression, particularly the innovative shipping-container mall built from sea cans. We spent a few hours at the earthquake experience centre, learning about what the city endured.

We rented a car and began adjusting to driving on the left side of the road—a quick adjustment that made the beautiful drives feel like freedom again.

Our road trip officially began as we drove north to Kaikoura on the Pacific coast. Known for whale watching, we opted for a 12-kilometre hike along the Kaikoura Peninsula trail. The highlight was the large seal colony, watching them snooze and yawn on the rocks above the ocean.

From Kaikoura, we drove to Hanmer Springs, a small mountain town reminiscent of Jasper, Alberta, famous for its thermal pools. We soaked for hours, letting the tension melt away, and enjoyed the hostel community, chatting with travellers from Germany, France, and Australia.

Our next destination was Methven, serving as our base for a pilgrimage to Mount Sunday. Despite the grey, drizzly weather, the rain paused upon arrival. Mount Sunday was the filming location for Edoras, the capital of Rohan in The Lord of the Rings. We hiked the short trail to the top for free, soaking up the moody, evocative views.

Part 2: High Country, Penguins, and Geological Wonders

After the climb, we continued south to Lake Tekapo. The drive hinted at the region's beauty, even under slate skies. We then drove on to Aoraki/Mt Cook. With the mountain hidden by rain, we hiked up to the Tasman Glacier viewpoint. While the glaciers we’ve seen this year have set a high bar, the raw, desolate landscape of Aoraki still felt deeply impressive despite the gloom.

Pushing to the coast, we reached Oamaru, home to colonies of blue and the rare yellow-eyed penguins. We watched the yellow-eyed penguins from a cliff-top lookout as they shuffled on the beach far below—a quiet joy.

We timed our arrival at Moeraki for low tide. The perfectly round boulders—formed over millennia—sat scattered across the sand like giant cracked soccer balls. Strange, beautiful, and worth the detour.

We based ourselves in Dunedin for the long Easter weekend. The city felt like the Edinburgh of New Zealand, with Scottish echoes everywhere. We enjoyed the Speight’s Brewery tour and focused on the Otago Peninsula Wildlife. Though the albatrosses didn’t show, we found basking fur seals and caught sight of yellow-eyed penguins climbing toward their nests. At Sandfly Bay, we hit the jackpot with more penguins and several sea lions, two of which had a brief, snarling dust-up straight out of a nature documentary. We also walked Baldwin Street, the self-proclaimed steepest street in the world.

Part 3: Deep South, Fiordland & The Wild West Coast

Leaving Dunedin, we drove south into the Catlins. We visited Nugget Point, where the lighthouse overlooks scattering rock formations. At Surat Bay, we were greeted by a single sea lion lounging on the sand. We also explored Jack’s Blowhole and timed our visit to the incredible Cathedral Caves for low tide, walking through the tall, echoing caverns carved by the ocean. We hiked to MacLean Falls before reaching Slope Point, the southernmost point of New Zealand's South Island, feeling truly at the end of the world.

After days of rain, we pushed toward Milford Sound on the promise of one clear day. We endured a hot, crowded dorm room, but the decision paid off: our 9 a.m. cruise under a blue sky was breathtaking. Milford Sound was framed by towering cliffs, cascading waterfalls, and calm, reflective waters. Afterwards, we hiked up to Key Hill to see the alpine Marion Lake.

From Te Anau, we drove through Queenstown—the adventure capital—opting for peaceful walks and garden visits instead of bungees. Our journey continued to the West Coast. By sheer luck, we made it across the last bridge on the road between Haast and Fox Glacier just before it closed for storm repairs—the very last car allowed through.

Under a clear sky, we hiked to the face of the Franz Josef Glacier and to Mirror Lake. Later, we stopped at Punakaiki to see the famous Pancake Rocks—strange, layered limestone formations—and shared a picnic with bold little weka birds.

We arrived in Ruby Bay to begin a week of house-sitting, caring for a dog and cat near the beach. We took a day trip to Golden Bay, hitchhiking with two French travelers, to visit Te Waikoropupu Springs and Farewell Spit, where we saw seal pups resting on the rocks. We ended our South Island journey by driving to Picton, ready to catch the ferry to the North Island.