#campervan spots nz

[yokess]

maui campervan hire auckland auckland new zealand

[first-son-of-finwe]

In more fun things to look forward to, I’m really excited about a road trip I’m planning for the summer :D

I’m turning my car into a small campervan and hitting the road, just finding campsites and camping out. NZ has heaps of cheap and free camp spots, got lots of hiking planned...it’ll be so much freedom, unlike before when I’ve been bound by bus routes and bus schedules.

I’ve spent so much time poring over the map and finding good camp spots, figuring out places to go. I need to get the car cleaned up, fold the seats down and stick a mattress into the back, I’m thinking about installing a cheap solar panel for power....and I also need to get myself a tent. Just, for choice.

It’s so nice planning, but I can’t wait to just wake up that December morning, jump in and go!

[aleyne-stone-blog]

Terror in New Zealand : "Tarrant is a cool calculating person"

>You have to be considerate of other customs and some things you can afford in Germany seem rude or disrespectful in the other country. So it was of course a relief to return to the familiar, free environment. Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here. You cannot buy or download it under a new license. By clicking OK you confirm that this image will only be used under the current license. All information collected by these cookies is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies, we will not know when you have visited our site and cannot evaluate the distribution of visits to our site. Take a look at our topic "Private postage stamps on postcards from abroad" [2], especially the contributions from 5 on, there are some (mostly about Brunei) remailed examples from NZ.

Postcards can be found in many accommodation and souvenir shops in New Zealand. The important thing is that you make sure that the postage is correct - depending on whether you're going to Germany or a closer country.

Stock had saved several trapped people from balconies.

At the beginning of my year abroad I tried to make my choice of subjects as versatile as possible.

You should keep in mind that the owners of a B&B change more often.

Left the letterbox of NZ Post, in the middle Universal Mail and on the right DX Mail (also private mail companies and just as not recommendable as Universal Mail, the two also work together).

I took this picture at the house of Klaus and Elisabethauf. I spent five wonderful days with them and will certainly never forget them. The boats run several times a day, in the high season a reservation is recommended. Apart from cruise ships, there are no passenger ships calling at New Zealand. However, it is possible to charter a yacht in Australia or the Pacific. However, you should be at the right place at the right time and not get too much hope.

literature[edit]

At the beginning of our journey we were a little bit uncertain whether we should decide for a Self Contained Vehicle or not. So with the sticker you are more flexible and you are allowed to stand on all camping spots.

[etherealmxrk]

New zealand: In Christchurch the earth shook - dozens of dead

planning checklist

In conclusion, it can be said that it did not significantly limit us in our choice of spots. If we were on a spot for self-contained vehicles, fortunately nobody was bothered by that. There are also the DOC camping grounds, supported by the NZ government, where you usually pay 6 NZD per person. Mostly you throw them into a mailbox and the next morning a ranger comes to check that everyone has paid. At the departure a "Departure Tax" of 20 NZ$ has to be paid at the airports in Wellington and Dunedin and 25 NZ$ at Hamilton and Palmerston North. All major credit cards are accepted here as well. Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here.

Universal would at least have a lot of round stamps on offer, see [1], so it could fit.

Admittedly I was a bit afraid of it - my grades weren't as good as usual and I had been told that a language test had been done.

The checkout is usually at 10 o'clock.

The cats that sneaked around the house day and night.

Rescue workers and volunteers searched for buried subjects in the rubble. Again and again they had to interrupt their work because of aftershocks. Some of these still reached a strength of 5.6. Simply search for the keyword "1 € in NZD (of course without " ") and you will see the value of one Euro in New Zealand Dollar. Of course, this also works vice versa and with other values. You should note that this rate is the bank rate and not the official rate you have to pay when buying cash. After the purchase, especially from other backpackers, you should do the usually dragged out work like oil change, brakes etc. Unfortunately I can't see the stamp exactly. If you continue to use the website, we will assume that you have given your consent. Register here for our newsletter to receive regular updates on the latest experiential news. Be inspired by our travel modules and round trips and choose your favourites by adding the products to your travel plan. The text is available under the license "Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike". Information on the license status of embedded media files (such as images or videos) can usually be accessed by clicking on them. The content may be subject to additional terms and conditions. Details are described in the terms of use.

[steves-robin-blog]

new zealand holidays: costs for 6 weeks road trip with the camper

most Macbooks exceed the limit of 430 Euro value of goods. This means that you have to pay taxes on entry, legally speaking. You have to declare the amount of tobacco/cigarettes on the import declaration and then go through the red exit in NZ.

How long can you stay in New Zealand without a visa?

Dangerous animals in New Zealand In the countryside there are fewer or, apart from the rare Katipo spider, hardly any dangerous animal species. In New Zealand more than 1100 spider species live from the 40 000 spider species known worldwide so far. Only a few are weakly poisonous.

6. the right first aid kit for Australia and New Zealand

Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here.

We are aware that the travel time is not enough to see the whole country and to take all spots with us.

The New Zealand airline operates codesharing with Lufthansa.

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After the signing of the Waitangi contract New Zealand was administered as part of New South Wales until the country became a part of New South Wales from 31.are very few people who take a classic beach holiday and a purely cultural holiday is not possible, if only because the islands hardly have any bigger cities.

>> There are no special obligatory vaccinations for New Zealand, but vaccinations for hepatitis A and B are recommended.

In the winter months you also have the opportunity to work in the large ski areas in the catering trade, as a receptionist, parking attendant, lift attendant and many other areas. The job offers are often combined with accommodation and free lift tickets. Although tourism in New Zealand is not expected to decline in the next few years, it is likely that in a few years much fewer adventure tourists will visit the country. Yes, of course this is possible, but the prices in New Zealand for single rooms are very high. In those accommodations where single rooms are not available, we will book a double room for you to use alone. At this point, however, you will be charged double. The price for a single room is about

Do I need an international driving licence in New Zealand?

The small airport Dunedin (code DUD) is located far in the south of the South Island and serves mainly as a regional airport. Occasionally it is used as a weather-related alternative destination for Queenstown. Queenstown Airport (Code ZQN) is characterised by a special location - on the edge of the New Zealand Alps.

You don't need to bring more everyday clothes, such as T-shirts, trousers, socks etc., than for a day holiday, even if you want to stay in New Zealand for several weeks or even months. You will have opportunities

[kurammochii]

Milford Sound in New Zealand A boat tour with overnight stay is worth ' leisure photo

Since Peter is not doing so well and we are simply too frozen for a longer hike, we continue towards Te Anau. Then we stand in front of the Homer Tunnel, which leads under a mountain. We have to wait until the traffic light shows green, because the tunnel is single-lane. Driving through clouds with the car, I never would have dreamed of that. This is exactly what is happening here, because they are lying in front of you on the road. It is the middle of the day and yet it is dark and gloomy - here in Milford Sound - everything seems unrealistic. After a felt eternity, where we often stopped to capture the natural spectacle with our cameras, we went through the Homer Tunnel. First climbers were the German physician and naturalist Ernst Dieffenbach and the whaler James Heberley. Whoever wants to can individually climb the majestic peak of Taranaki with its height of 2518 m from/to the ski lodge on this day. New Zealand's most famous hiking trail, the Milford Track, has fascinated visitors for more than 100 years. The fjord landscape is as perfect as ever. The Milford Sound on the west coast of the South Island offers spectacular nature and behind every corner new, breathtaking impressions. The menu is creative and offers high quality besides simple dishes. I had fresh salmon fillet from the Stewart Islands and was more than excited! With 35$ NZ it was the most expensive dish on the menu and worth every cent! You will hardly meet a New Zealand tourist who hasn't had the opportunity to see the remarkable fjord from land. When everybody is back on board, it is not long until dinner.

Milford Road: The dangerous but beautiful road to Milford Sound

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Sure a place with full flexibility and don't miss any offers.you are planning a boat trip in Milford Sound, you should bring a lot of time with you for the journey.

>>If this should not be the case, we will inform you accordingly.

On the other days you can have breakfast partly in the hotel or go to nearby cafés.

Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here.

And for the sweet conclusion there is the rich dessert buffet with many delicious little things. We picked up our ticket in the morning and were then allowed to go on a boat which took us to the bus (Unmotivated worker on the boat). Then we went with a bus over the pass. He explained everything to us on the way and stopped again and again at the best spots. With another boat we went through the Doubtful Sound.

From Queenstown via Lumsden to Te Anau

The turquoise water with the forested mountains and the blue sky make for a fantastic sight and a wonderful end of our tour. We have been recommended several times to take one of the numerous coaches to Milford Sound, as the route is one of the most dangerous roads in New Zealand. There are several accidents along the Milford Road every year.

[gattaraii-blog]

credit card for australia

As soon as you pay online with your credit card, the app will ask you to confirm or reject the purchase with one click in the S-ID-Check app for security reasons. The prerequisite is that the merchant also offers the so-called 3-D Secure security procedure Mastercard® Identity Check™ (formerly Mastercard SecureCode™). You can obtain more information on this directly from your Sparkasse. Not all banks charge fees for cash withdrawals abroad. Similarly, you can usually only get discounts on petrol at the major markets. If you exceed a certain purchase sum, you can get a discount on the price per litre of fuel at selected petrol stations, such as Shell. If you are on the road a lot, it pays off!

Abandoning controls [Edit

Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here.

The changes take effect after reloading the page. By continuing to browse this website, you consent to the use of cookies. KiwiBank is closely linked to NZ Post and has a good network of branches nationwide.

However, a scandal already occurred in the year of the new introduction, when counterfeit 10-AUD notes came into circulation.

With a self-contained vehicle you can even drive to free parking spaces.

Payment with Euro can not be done in the region.

In countries with soft currencies it is recommended to change money on the spot.

You can pay with cash, get cash at various ATMs during your holidays or exchange Euro into Australian Dollars in the banks.

You have to reckon with about $2.00 per liter for gasoline and much less for diesel. If you are renting a diesel vehicle, please note that you will have to take into account the RUC (road user charges). This is the state diesel tax that is charged to you when you rent a vehicle.

Which bank in New Zealand?

Many travellers exchange their first Euros for Australian dollars before they even start their journey. Traveller's cheques are exchanged for cash at most banks in Australia. It is important that traveller's cheques are made out in Euros or US dollars.

For Australia, this meant slumps in the export market, which led to strong fluctuations in the Australian dollar. The RBA tried to contain this and made many transactions in the foreign exchange market to stabilize the exchange rate. The central bank interventions included buying or selling the US dollar according to the situation. Overall, the RBA now intervenes on an average of only 5% of all trading days. One campaign to explain the new system was the Dollar Bill campaign, which was launched in 1965 [11] The introduction date of the new decimal currency was the 14th day of trading.

Can you pay in Australia with US Dollars?

In general, fees range from 3 Euros to 5.50 Euros per transaction. However, huge amounts of cash are usually not necessary, because Australians love credit cards. Whether Mastercard or Visa. Credit cards are accepted as a means of payment practically everywhere in Australia.

>/div>>/div> Depending on which bank provides you with the credit card, fees of between 2 and 4 percent are usually charged, often even a minimum fee of 5.00 euros. You can find out how high these fees are from the card-issuing bank.

[dan-planets]

best time to travel New Zealand

>>h2>become part of the community One New Zealand dollar consists of 100 cents. Coins are available in 10 cent, 20 cent, 50 cent, 1 dollar and 2 dollar versions. Coins for the amounts 1 Cent, 2 Cent and 5 Cent are no longer available. The official currency is the New Zealand Dollar (New Zealand Dollar NZD/). In October it already becomes springlike. In many parts of the country nature is in full bloom and the newborn lambs are everywhere.

What is the currency in New Zealand?

If the driver's license is not in English, a certified English translation is required. Foreigners can also legally drive in New Zealand for up to 12 months if they carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) issued or translated into English. Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here. We personally find the jet lag after flights to the east far more bearable than the other way around. Ask for the nearest hospital or follow the signs to find an emergency room. Do not leave valuables or things that identify you as a tourist lying around visibly in your car (a car with a separate trunk is recommended).

sightseeing, excursions & tours in New Zealand

So it is possible that there are waiting times or "problems" at the customs, it probably depends on the employees on duty.

In the high altitudes they often fall as snow.

We want to go to NZ in 2018 with our son.

If the value of the goods ordered is less than 22 Euro, no fees are due.

>/ul> I am Daniel and I am writing here about my experiences around the world. I prefer to travel on my own, that means without a booked tour or something like that, I want to explore nature and countries by myself and be as independent as possible. When we arrived at the airport in Auckland we took a shuttle to the city, because we picked up the car in the city 2 days later. Shark attacks are very rare, of less than 50 unprovoked attacks each, just over 10 were fatal. Most shark incidents took place in the colder waters of the South Island.

Dogs and cats can be imported into New Zealand, but must then be kept in quarantine for at least 30 days. In addition, an import permit is required for each animal, which can be applied for at the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS).

When is Australia warmest?

New Zealand import regulations for money / foreign exchange The import of local and foreign currencies to and from New Zealand is permitted, but requires a declaration if the value of the cash, cheques or securities carried exceeds 10,000 New Zealand dollars (about 5,835.33€ Last update: 27.11.2019).

With both of them no actions noticed, the Globetrotter is a lot cheaper. We are still in the planning phase, also regarding taking away or buying on the spot. The New Zealand costs per day I have kept almost to the Euro. As you could see the three biggest items were the activities, the hostels and the car. Especially with the activities you can let yourself go.

[hirowilbur]

USA Motorhome rental: Motorhome price comparison

To save costs, make sure that you don't pay more than $ 18 per person and that the campervan hire NZ (hot) showers are free. Often they have to be paid separately ($ 2 per person). At the same time, a camper offers sufficient comfort and the freedom of independent travel planning, hotel room and car in one. In addition, the compact campers of the Vany Class and Activity Class are also ideal for campervan hire NZ for the young couple on longer holiday trips to Scandinavia or southern Europe , While you often plan your trips in great detail, perhaps the most important thing about a camper road trip is that you don't have to have a plan. Hitchhiking is the cheapest way to travel through New Zealand. It is completely free and you get to know interesting people - provided someone takes you with you.

How much does a camper in New Zealand cost?

Motorhome rental New Zealand: rental stations in the area rent a camper New Zealand address Britz, Maui, Mighty – Auckland 36 Richard Pearse Drive 2022 Auckland (Mangere) Jucy Rentals - Auckland 15 Jimmy Ward Crescent 2022 Mangere Britz, Maui, Mighty – Christchurch 159 Orchard Road 8053 Christchurch 3 more lines

The prices for campers are very different. Depending on which camper type you choose for your trip and at what time you rent. From there it's all about the island. Stop in Marlborough for a successful end to the day. 20% discount, one-way fee and free ferry crossing for the vehicle for rentals from August to October. Visa As a German tourist in New Zealand you do not need a visa if you want to stay in New Zealand for less than three months. But you need a valid passport.

Some parking spaces - especially those that are advertised for Freedom Camping - are only permitted for these specially certified vehicles.

Outside a town, you may drive a maximum of 100 km / h.

For insurance reasons, there must be 24 hours between the long-haul flight and the takeover of the Campers lie.

Find out more about rental prices according to the season.

Mighty offers reliable campers for everyone who pays attention to his small change.

Discover our models and designs of ADAC caravans. Find out more about rental rates by season. In this case, the best way to travel is by bus. A cheap alternative and a good way to get to know other travelers. Popular bus companies are e.g. Turn up the music as loud as you like and stay where it is most beautiful! From Great Ocean Road in Australia to Highway No. 1 in the USA - with us you will find the perfect camper that meets your needs and travel budget and you're on the road. The ideal round trip for those with an insatiable thirst for adventure! The combination of unique landscapes and action-packed activities and hikes promises the ultimate kiwi experience. It starts with a top-class adrenaline kick at a bungee jump in Auckland. There you can enjoy the wonderful view with a delicious meal. You also have a great view from the Auckland Harbor Bridge. You can climb on them, just like on the Harbor Bridge in Sydney, and experience a unique view.

Car rental New Zealand

What is the climate like in New Zealand?

As a result, the New Zealand seasons are opposite to those in Europe and North America. Summer is from December to February, autumn from March to May, winter from June to August and spring from September to November.

The steering wheel is on the right side and it will be overhauled on the right side. If you have never turned left, you should approach slowly. The nice thing is that in New Zealand there are numerous cheap or free overnight accommodations for (selfcontained) motorhomes. Here you can campervan hire New Zealand from NZM Rentals find all information about Freedom Camping in New Zealand. Your penultimate stop is in Cambridge, a city in the Waikato region. Near the city is the Lake Karapiro, where residents and tourists can row perfectly. After a tour across the lake you will finally travel to Hamilton. Queenstown is on the Southern Scenic Route. A particularly well-known tourist attraction is Milford Sound. The 14 km long body of water belongs to the Fiordland National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can even spot dolphins during a boat trip.

[lillelund09mcmahon-blog]

Hire individual campervans within Clean Zealand

Extravagant looking at Fresh Zealand towards greatest in direction of backside (nicely just about)? Tools up your campervan apartment within Fresh Zealand and examine with liberty! This getaway incorporates a little bit of nearly anything. Southern lakes, mountains, rugged shorelines and cultured towns. Carry on your motorhome condominium NZ vacation by way of crossing the Cook dinner Strait toward the interesting South Island upon 1 of the vehicular ferries that depart versus Wellington Harbour. Fresh Zealand’s most important metropolis, Auckland, is located around the final of the North Island and is a productive hub of sport. Whether or not you’re into artwork and background, bush walks and trails, great eating upon the city’s Terrific waterfront or soaking up the sunlight upon just one of the innumerable seashores, there is loads towards do and view inside of this productive city. Auckland is too the major hub for global push, and a Great point in the direction of start off your motorhome seek the services of trip. We in addition get the ecosystem genuinely and are the to start with business within just the region in the direction of incorporate its camperans individually emissions confirmed.

Purchaser rankings for Ridiculous Campers

If the liberty readily available via a camper use inside of Contemporary Zealand appeals nonetheless you’re a minor doubtful how towards transfer pertaining to creating your vacation, this is the suitable destination for on your own. Under you’ll track down all the written content oneself want in direction of craft the NZ motorhome condo trip of your needs. In opposition to within-element itineraries in direction of guidance oneself choose the place in the direction of move and what toward watch in the direction of a glimpse at the situations yourself can capture and actions on your own can love together the direction, examine upon toward deliver your holiday planning a breeze. For campervan hire New Zealand specialized information and facts upon variables that package immediately with Clean Zealand campervan rentals, which includes wherever in the direction of come across dump stations and loosen up pieces, simply click the Upon the Street tab about. Based upon the measurement of your motorhome apartment, by yourself may possibly be lawfully demanded towards push at slower speeds upon the open up street. With the independence and versatility towards examine Fresh Zealand at your personal tempo, by yourself can remain inside just one Room for as extended as your self which include. Considering that on your own make your mind up the tempo, the just agenda on your own include in direction of do the job toward is your particular. Take towards the wide variety of maui campervans that sleeps up in the direction of 2, 4 and 6 folks – best regardless of whether oneself are travelling as a handful of, family members or local community of good friends.

Move out of your campervan and into the indigenous forest, ocean, beach locations or anyplace your self make a decision in direction of make contact with property that working day. Not absolutely sure options you’ll require any time oneself retain the services of a campervan? Here’s a easy advisor in direction of the entire Britz employ fleet, and a comparison of all our campervans.

Some contracts upon Refreshing Zealand motorhome rentals exclude unsealed roadways, as a result if yourself need to have in the direction of generate upon this kind of oneself might consist of in direction of seek out even further insurance plan include.

The most significant, Place Road A person, operates against the idea of the North Island towards the backside of the South Island.

Be positive toward brain out of Christchurch town in just your campervan condo Fresh Zealand and check out the Canterbury countryside.

In opposition to lesser 2-3 berth campers suitable for partners toward greater 4-6 berth campervans great for households needing additional spot.

A different issue in the direction of program for is the prospect of exhaustion.

Both direction, oneself have to have towards try the rate of gasoline each time budgeting your holiday.

A street getaway during Northland toward Cape Reinga is a outstanding route toward pay out the summer months finding out minimal metropolitan areas together coastal drives. Deciding on up a campervan apartment inside Fresh new Zealand indicates oneself can little by little generate your direction up the coastline, avoiding in just getaway parks and nicely-in a position campsites alongside the course. With an prolonged variety of motorhomes and campervans towards lease near Fresh Zealand, there is a camper in the direction of suit each individual traveler’s require and style and design.

Campervan Seek the services of Fresh new Zealand – Check out Aotearoa within a motorhome

What is the common price tag in the direction of hire an RV for a 7 days?

The regular RV apartment for each working day price tag may differ dependent upon the system and the age of the RV. Frequently, your self can hope in the direction of watch charges together with this kind of: System A: $175-$275/evening (10+ yrs or more mature); $350-$450/evening (more recent) Program B: $100-$200/evening (10+ decades or more mature); $200-$350/night time (more recent) Although diesel is more cost-effective, on your own are most likely toward include towards spend a “Road Intake Charge” of in between NZ$62 in the direction of NZ$68 for each 1,000km travelled. For lots of Those people, Christchurch will be the initially protect against upon their epic South Island still this metropolis is added than precisely a launching reality for much larger outings - it’s a 1st price tag spot inside of and of alone. The World-wide Antarctic Middle is a just one of a form charm that specifically attention-grabbing for individuals with children. With an range of global exhibitions, a snowstorm simulator and the possibility toward buy up conclude and specific with penguins, it will demonstrate irresistible towards lots of. Orana Wildlife Park, upon the other hand, makes it possible for yourself toward perspective unique pets roaming within just a enormous habitat, the place cages are for people simply - whether or not you’re hand feeding a giraffe or status encounter towards experience with a white rhino, Orana features a significantly a lot more organic physical appearance at these kinds of amazing creatures. If yourself are an avid camper and are applied in the direction of tents and all the discomforts that arrive with sleeping upon the floor, any campervan by yourself make your mind up will seem to be damn around deluxe. And if you’re employed in direction of sleeping in just hostels, you’ll enjoy the privateness that will come with your private spot. Even if oneself determine the smallest, most inexpensive, oldest campervan, oneself will nonetheless contain a optimistic year. Nevertheless, touring inside of a campervan is a Wonderful route towards help save dollars throughout your vacation for the reason that on your own can prepare dinner your personal food stuff (considerably less expensive than taking in out!) and by yourself can even obtain campsites for no cost (much less expensive than becoming within just resorts!). Monitor out Motorhome Republic towards examine alternate campervan services inside invest in in the direction of track down the specifically car for on your own and your dates. Located within just the ultimate of the southern island between the a lot of nationwide parks, Locate NZ bargains a selection of shuttle providers toward obtain your self towards innumerable of the distinguished and town airports in the direction of their campervan condominium. Not just can behind a camper van be a little bit complicated at 1st yet behind upon the still left facet of the street in just a place with alternate street signs or symptoms and other legal guidelines particularly provides toward the strain. Produce absolutely sure your self examine up upon How towards Commitment within just Refreshing Zealand in advance of hitting the highway.

[countrygrlswrld]

New Zealand: Then and Now

“Only the mountains know where they have come from and where they are going and what will happen when we are gone.” —Brian Turner, “Listening to the Mountain” (1985) as seen at the Sir Edmund Hilary Mountaineering Museum

The electric blue waters are still electric blue. The peaks still tower above. The rolling green hills still conjure images of hobbits and orcs, but a lot has changed in New Zealand since Spanky and I first visited a decade ago on our inaugural trip around the world and then again just five years ago when we spent two months of the South Island alone. We returned this time for six weeks on the South and were both comforted by the sameness and shocked by some of the major changes over the years.

So, what’s changed?

Bigger vans, less freedom camping

Ten years ago you’d be hard pressed to find anything other than one of those rapey-looking Wicked campervans (made rapey-er still by sayings such as “Let’s take off our pants and cuddle”). Now, the van rentals are taller, longer, have a more sterile, hospital appearance and usually come with a Mercedes-Benz logo on the front. The hippie backpackers are still around, but as is the case in so many places in the world, the gap seems to be widening—and the travel climate is a perfect metaphor. You’ve got the rich, gray-haired travelers with their $10,000-per-month Maui and Britz vans juxtaposed by the dirt poor, 20-something Euro backpackers who bought some shitty, no-name van for $3,000 and will sell it back after their visa runs out in a year for $2,000. They’re the ones dropping trou in the parking lot to change out of the harem pants they’ve been wearing for the past 17 days; you know ‘em when you smell ‘em, I mean, see ‘em. The in-betweeners like Spank and I are becoming a rare breed, though mid-range Jucy vans like the one we rented for $2,500 for six weeks are pretty common (renting one also comes with the very serious duty of waving happily and flashing your lights every time you pass another bright green and purple van on the road #jucytribeforlife). Still, there aren’t a whole lot of 30-somethings out on the road, which is exactly why we excitedly accepted the offer of Jaeger shots from a pack of four American guys in Queenstown—uh, only someone who hit their drinking prime in the early 2000s orders Jaeger shots; it’s basically a telltale sign of someone well on his or her way toward a midlife crisis. That and getting way too amped when 50 Cents “In Da Club” comes on at the pub.

Aside from the upgrade in van sizes, New Zealand has cracked down a bit on freedom camping. We went back to some of our old off-the-road parking spots and they now have “No overnight camping” signs in where we once set up our picnic table and chairs. It’s sad, but I understand that they don’t want tourist dumps all over the place. I don’t blame them one bit, especially considering most tourists are from the city and don’t know how to properly dispose of their dumps. I mean, hello, have you ever been to San Francisco? If not, this is your courtesy warning: Watch your step; that wasn’t Fluffy.

Better beer

No, we didn’t just drink Jaeger shots and Sauvignon Blanc on this NZ trip. We also dabbled in hops, and what we found were IPAs and APAs and, heaven forbid, Sour Gose! That’s right, New Zealand has arrived on the beer scene. Just five years ago you were lucky to find anything other than a pilsner or lager—think Bud and Coors. Not only are their beers more varied now, but they’ve got the whole locale down. In Wanaka we stumbled on the brewery Rhyme & Reason bumping 90s gangsta rap and sandwiched next to a CrossFit gym in the industrial part of town. Wait, are we in America??

More rich people—more people, in general

With the campervan shift comes a shift in the demographic. Not only are there more travelers, but there are just more people in New Zealand than when Spank and I first visited a decade ago. It’s one of those heartbreaking realities when your special little spot is discovered by the masses. Thanks a lot Frodo. I blame you and your hairy, hobbit feet. You just had to go tramping all over Aeotera pretending it was Middle Earth and showing everyone how raw and unique it was. “Frodo!” (*In the voice of Jerry Seinfeld cursing his nemesis Newman.)

There aren’t just more people; there are more people with coin to throw down. They put a Louis Vuitton on the Queenstown waterfront overlooking Lake Wakatipu for sobbing out loud. Bleh. And, the housing market has followed suit. There are new houses and condos being built by the Chinese tourist busloads, which is to say there are a lot and they just keep coming. And, we heard a Kiwi throw out a figure like “the average Kiwi makes $40,000 and the average house is $1 million.” There went our dreams of buying a house in New Zealand—it’s as bad, or worse, than the California housing market right now. Plus, the Kiwis apparently passed legislation to keep us outsiders from buying property. Again, I can’ blame them. They are struggling dearly to keep their Kiwiness in tact, and having one hell of a time doing it.

It’s lost a little luster

All this to say that New Zealand will always have a special place in our hearts, but it has lost a little of its luster. It probably didn’t help that we hiked in the Himalayas and Chile’s Torres del Paine then drove the Canadian Rockies to Alaska and back two years ago; those sights didn’t totally trump the natural gems of NZ, but they did give it a good run for its money.

One more thing: There are still sandflies...and I still hate them.

Still, a lot has remained the same...

Natural beauty and Kiwis ideas of conservation

People love to idealize Kiwi concepts of conservation without really understanding them. Sure, they want to preserve their native species, but the ones that aren’t native? You dead. I mean, they mow down red deer, tahr, opossum and stoat with extreme prejudice. Good for them. Kiwis realize which critters were here and which ones were brought over later on, and they don’t try to protect the ones they knowingly brought over. They could care less about those, really. Plus, they aren’t too proud to say, “Yeah, we screwed up when we were trying to play God.” Americans, however, tend to want to protect everything—native or non-native. In every hut along the Routeburn Track we heard about the nuisance of the stoat and the traps set out for them. The hut wardens were unapologetic about snapping their little stoat necks to save the precious native birds; I admired their transparency and lack of political correctness.

Kiwis also treat timber as a renewable resource, a crop that is cut down and replanted. Drive around and you’ll see neatly lined rows of Douglas Fir all the same height ready for harvest one day. It’s like one giant tree farm. Again, we want to save, save, save to the point that a fire comes along and happily gobbles up the whole lot that has not been thinned or taken care of, and boom, it’s gone just like that, but that’s another soap box for another time. Don’t worry, I won’t even touch immigration or gun control with a 10-foot pole right now.

Of course, what I love the most about New Zealand is the natural beauty, and though the throngs of people ruin that for me a bit, you can still escape and get off the beaten path and away from the masses. It’s all about choosing places that aren’t listed on every tourist site (i.e. the Hooker Valley Track at Mt. Cook that was just overrun with people) and choosing longer hikes (the longer the hike the fewer people up for the challenge, which means more high-altitude sights all to yourself!)

Incredible amount of access to the outdoors

Despite the restrictions on some freedom camping, there is still so much access to the outdoors. You can’t throw a stone and not hit one of those little yellow and green Department of Conservation signs. You see them wherever you go, and they signify a track or conservation camping area but most of them mark out tracks aka hiking trails. New Zealand just recently opened a nearly 2,000-mile thru-hiking trail from the North to the South Island on top of the huge amount of trails they already have. They continue to add new Great Walks, all of which have fantastic hut systems for overnighting backpackers. In total, New Zealand has nearly 1,000 huts so people can explore and enjoy the outdoors.

Kindness of Kiwis

I hope they never lose this, but as countries “progress” toward consumerism and what ultimately just feels like the almighty goal of Americanness and thus sameness, people seem to care less for each other and more about getting ahead. I still didn’t feel that overwhelmingly in New Zealand, but it’s a slow fade. It sneaks in. Plus, we spent next to no time in the larger cities, where I tend to feel that fade the most. All in all, we still sense that Kiwi hospitality. Backpackers still hitchhike without fear of being abducted or mugged and they still open their homes to perfect strangers, as we experienced with the gracious Kiwi couple from Nelson that we met at the Hokitika Wild Food Fetival amongst another group of friendly Kiwis. Even in Queenstown, where there are very few born-and-raised Kiwis, we met a group of timber guys (i.e. loggers) from NZ and hit it off right away. Before even speaking they were buying us a favorite spirit and cozying up next to the fire with us for a chat about politics, which went rather well, considering we shared many of the same views. I just hope these Kiwis can withstand the change of time and not end up on the endangered list like their national bird.

[joenvs3000-2018-blog]

How to Plan a Trip

In August, I travelled the north and south islands of New Zealand for 3 weeks with my sister and mom, and I wanted to take this opportunity to free write to talk about it! 

 After being thousands of kilometres away from each other for over 7 months, suddenly, my sister, mom, and I found ourselves squished every night on a two-person mattress in the back of a van. Fortunately, it was winter in NZ, and as I lay cocooned between the two of them, I was quite thankful for the body heat. Not to point any fingers, but my mom had chosen a non-self containing vehicle (aka not the best winter home). 

(Our noble steed/kitchen/bedroom) 

 My mom had always dreamed of going to NZ, but she’s not the best at planning trips (she’s really indecisive and also sucks with maps), so I knew it would be up to me to plan everything out (I love planning trips). For months my mom would send me videos of seals and penguins, and I read blogs and asked friends who had gone for tips. The advice and recommendations I got from people were indispensable. I knew we had only 3 weeks to see as much of both islands as possible, and began creating a plan almost down to the hour of the activities, driving times and which campground to sleep at. However, talking to my friend Virginie changed my mind. She had planned out her entire trip, but her first day a local warned her of a snowstorm that would ruin her trip, and recommended that she do her trip backwards. She followed the advice and had great weather the entire time! I decided to plan out the first 2 days, and have a rough idea for the rest of the trip. Every night I would plan out the next day, and I used an offline map to plan out where we stayed at night (an app called CamperMate; it shows you the price, utilities, and reviews!) 

My first approach was to browse through the Contiki tours available in NZ. Someone had done the research on what the best tourist spots were, and how to see them all in 2 weeks. Then I added all the recommendations and ideas from friends, blogs, and my moms research. Then, I read a guide book. This is something I had never done before; it felt like an outdated method of travel. But my friend Laurent (who lived in NZ for 3 years) sent me the pdf version of the best guide book I have ever read. And I’m not just saying that because it’s the only one I ever read. It’s called NZ Frenzy by Scott Cook, and its well organized, easy to read, and puts each spot on a scale of obscure to popular. This guy has been travelling NZ for years, and after reading the book I felt like I knew as much as he did. He had such a detailed and honest way of describing each spot that I was inspired to keep a detailed log of our trip, something I hadn’t tried before. I wrote how many hours the map (an offline map called Maps.Me that works all over the world and has all the features of an online map) said it would take to get somewhere vs how long it actually took, what we ate and where we slept (and my opinions on that), how much things costed, what we did, what we did right and recommend, as well as what we should do instead next time. I’m always pretty terrible at keeping my travel journals updated, and this time I finally did it & it felt great! 

The attractions that are popular are popular for good reason. There wasn’t any natural landscape in NZ that hadn’t taken my breath away, but the obscure ones were extra special, maybe because they felt like a hidden treasure. Our favourite spots were all one’s I had read about in the guide, rated obscure. Amongst them was Abel Tasman National Park (north western part of the South island), with attractions like Rawhiti Caves (pronounced Ra-fi-ti) and Wharariki (Fa-ra-riki) Beach.  

Some pictures from my phone:

(Moeraki Boulders, south-west on the South island)

(A yellow-eyed penguin at the Katiki Point Lighthouse; I saw over 15 there, plus a bunch of cute seals!)

(A campground on the way to Milford sound, the building you see was a 4 star vault toilet)

(we waited around at the completely empty Monro beach in the hopes of spotting the world’s second rarest penguin; the Tawaki/Fiordland-crested penguin. No luck + we got absolutely chewed by the sand fleas, but we saw a breathtaking sunset which I captured much better on my DSLR)

(We hiked a hidden trail to find the obscure walk-wire bridge, and walked down this beautiful tree root staircase that made me feel like Snow White)

There were so many beautiful spots and I cannot wait for another chance to see them again. Has anyone else used a guide book to plan a trip? Do you have any recommendations? Do you keep a travel journal? 

 **(Re-reading my post, I feel like I’m really ragging on my mom & I just want to say that I love her to bits. She’s a crazy lady and a great person to travel with since she’s super adventurous and down for anything). Plus she had done all the research on which campervan would be best. We had an Apollo, but I would recommend the self-containing one)

[abetterlifenz]

Riding the Hauraki Rail Trail

The Hauraki Rail Trail is described as the easiest of the 22 NZ Cycle Trails, because it is mainly across the flat as a pancake Hauraki Plains, and the trails are wide off-road, mostly gravel surfaced with excellent signage.  The only complication comes from the occasional haphazard measurement of distances.

The Trail has a hub and spoke arrangement with Paeroa at the hub, so there are many ways to cycle the Trail, with and without the assistance of shuttle services to start your day or return you to a vehicle.  We camped at Paeroa, a very campervan friendly town, which is the home-town for the world famous in NZ drink, L&P.  Two days we rode there and back, on the third longer day, we booked a shuttle to start our day and rode back to Bella.

Day 1: Paeroa to Te Aroha and back again, 3 August 2018

On the first day, misty weather made for a slow start.  It was mid-afternoon by the time we were in the saddle so we chose the shortest leg to begin with and set off fast across farmland to the delightful Te Aroha. The domain has a number of charming original Edwardian and Victorian spa buildings, the most original buildings of any spa town in NZ.  However, worried by the fading light, rather than lingering to explore the spa buildings, we rode back even faster than we came, across the flat farmland.  Our ride was enlivened by the occasional bridge or cattle stop, and delayed only by the beauty of the sunset enhanced by the silhouettes of wintry trees..

Day 2: Miranda Shorebird Centre to Paeroa: 4 August 2018

Day 2 got off to an early start with a shuttle transfer, to Miranda on the Firth of Thames where there is a wonderful Shorebird Centre.  The drive north began in mist which gave a wonderful eerie atmosphere to the still water at Miranda where the shorebirds congregate.

2700 wrybills live there, 65% of the world’s total population of wrybills.  They were a delight to watch, as they feed relentlessly, darting their wry bills into the estuary first to the left, then to the right, hopping about energetically.  The stilts and godwits seem positively dignified in contrast to the wrybills, feeding at a much more sedate pace.  

By the time we tore ourselves away from watching birds, and the wonderful book shop in the Bird Centre, it was nearly mid-day.  The ride across the bottom of the Firth of Thames was rather mundane.  Though the first few kilometres provided some excitement from navigating soggy patches caused by the big storm of 5 Jan 2018 (which had caused us csuch difficulty on our summer Coromandel cycling trip). There was a great deal of nothing much to see, although we knew the sea was only a few hundred metres away, it was mostly out of sight.  

As there seemed unlikely to be anything of great interest materializing, we ate lunch by the side of the road, with nothing much in sight and pressed onto Bugger Café, Pipiroa which had been recommended by our shuttle driver.  There were many photographs of bugger moments to entertain and the food and coffee were splendid.

The scenery improved after this, as we rode alongside the Piako River, framed by the hills of the Coromandel.  

At Kopu, where we were thankful to be finally past the half way point, there is an interesting historic bridge with a section which opens to allow ships through, the last remaining in NZ.  

When Captain James Cook arrived in 1779 he sailed right through to Paeroa, which you can’t do any longer as the river is silted since the forest has been cleared and turned into farmland.  At Kopu the track turned inland and heading back south down the Hauraki Plains for another 27 km to Paeroa.  This was similar terrain to the day before – farmland, herds of cows in churned up fields, bridges and cattle stops.

Day 3: Waihi to Paeroa and back again:6 August 2018

After an intervening rainy day where we explored Waihi and shifted Bella (our campervan) to Waihi Beach, the day dawned crisp, clear and sunny after the previous day’s consistent rain. Our plan was to drive to Waihi and ride to Paeroa and back again.  On the recommendation of a friend we had hoped to catch the historic train one way from Waikino to Waihi, but alas the train was off for a fortnight, so riding all the way was our only option.  

We had high expectations of this section of the Trail as a number of people had told us that the ride through the Karangahake Gorge was the absolute highlight of the Hauraki Rail Trail.  Our expectations were met, and then some.  Every aspect of the Trail was an improvement on previous days: the scenery was a dramatic improvement enlivened by being beside the river for most of the day; there were interesting interpretation boards informing us about the industrial history of the areas we were riding through; the trail was a better surface for riding on; the route was much more interesting riding as the terrain offered much more variety.

The first part of the day’s ride, which we began at Waihi Railway Station, was beside a reasonably placid river, with some interesting swoops up and down and tranquil sections beside the fast running river, fringed with wintry trees.  I do love the shape of trees without any leaves, as we only see them in winter.  So architectural in their shapes.  

We zoomed along, enjoying the more interesting scenery that riding beside the river offered compared to the farmland we had spent the previous couple of days amongst.

The section from Waihi to Waikino was not following the railway line, which still exists as a functioning railway.  There were segments of it that we would have sworn were former cuttings from a former railway line, lined with ferns and dripping gently.

At Waikino we headed across the bridge and under that highway to check out the Railway Station Cafe, which had a great reputation.  We judged it well deserved – the café is atmospheric with the main room in the former stationmaster’s office, adorned with historic photos of Waikino in it’s industrial heyday and railway memorabilia and cheered by a bright fire.  The food and coffee were excellent as well.

Next stop was the Owharoa Falls which we had visited the previous day when they were running furious, brown and angry looking.  Now that the rain had stopped, the Falls still had plenty of energy, spraying positive ions around, tumbling energetically towards the river below.

The section between Owharoa Falls and the Karangahake Tunnel was a delight.  Ross particularly enjoyed the track surface, which supported a good fast riding pace, while I enjoyed the forest most of all.  

We stopped awhile at the Karangahake Tunnel to read the information boards about the engineering feat of building the 1086m tunnelcutting which was started in 1900 and finished in November 1905. It was built to help transport mining material and gold in and out of Waihi quickly instead of the old pack horses.   The tunnel is so straight, that it’s no challenge to see the light at the end of the tunnel and torches are not necessary for the downhill ride which requires no effort beyond steering your bike.

The two elegant steel bridges on ether end of the tunnel were built and transported from Christchurch. 

From Karangahake it’s a straightforward run through to Paeroa, passing right by the house of the friendly bike mechanic who advertises his services as 24/7 and was happy to fix Ross’ broken spoke on a Sunday morning.  We ate our lunch in Paeroa, sitting beside the giant L&P bottle, entertained by the visiting groups who came for the classic “I’m in Paeroa” photograph.

On our way back we stopped at the wonderfully quirky Talisman Café which served delicious food and had the best garden with Asian influences in the plantings and in the carvings.  A spot of tranquillity that matched the beautiful natural surroundings rather than the turbulent industrial history of the area.

For variety, we chose the route beside the Ohinemuri River, through the Karangahake Gorge.  

The path is narrow, and in many places, we needed to walk our bikes.  Absolutely worth it – the Gorge is dramatic, especially with the river running fast and high.  

The area is full of interesting remains of the industrial past when the gold from Waihi was processed in this area.  Victoria Battery is an atmospheric place, with ghosts of its important industrial past when it was considered the largest and most advanced facility to crush quartz in New Zealand.  

These huge tanks contained cyanide which was used in the processing and may be the reason for these modern day signs.

It was most active during the Great Depression when men (and they were all men) were grateful for any work, no matter how hard or dangerous it was.  The working conditions looked atrocious, although the company made good returns for its owners.

The rest of the ride was an uneventful retracing of the route we had followed in the morning, back to Bella at Waihi Station.  A great day’s ride to finish up the Hauraki Rail Trail.

[ingetjetadros]

Another beautiful spot discovered 🙌🏼 and so close to home. Can’t express how happy we are with our Campervan and to be able to go for small adventures here in New Zealand, it truly keeps us sane as going overseas is still not a real option. So we embrace what we have 🚐.#happylife #nz #nzlifestyle #nztravel #newzealand #newzealandlife #newzealandphotography #offwegoagain #roadtripnz #travelingram #travelgram #travelmore @ingetje_tadros (at Wainui Bay Abel Tasman Coast Track end) https://www.instagram.com/p/CWHLDB1Bf4A/?utm_medium=tumblr

[williamfloodug]

Whangamata NZ - Your Insider New Zealand Holiday and Travel Guide Including Tips For Visitors

New Zealand is an incredible objective for a campervan occasion. New Zealand is known for its staggering view. There are uncontrollably differentiating scenes - from volcanic mountains to ideal sea shores, from ice sheets to mountain lakes, from rich tropical jungle to moving fields and you can get from one to the next moderately effectively by street in a short space of time. In case you're driving, you will encounter the changing scene as you move starting with one staggering zone then onto the next. The fantastic landscape isn't just at the objections yet it's en route also!

Thus, in the event that you're arranging a New Zealand excursion, at that point genuinely consider leasing a campervan/RV/RV to make your own excursion experience.

Picking a Campervan

There are various campervan rental organizations in New Zealand offering a scope of vehicles. Practically all rental campervans in New Zealand can be driven on a typical vehicle permit. There are both programmed and manual vehicles. The streets in New Zealand can be tight and twisting (particularly in a portion of the excellent mountains) so in the event that you are not used to a manual transmission, I would prompt that you search for a programmed vehicle.

When choosing size, initially you need to oblige all your voyaging friends. On the off chance that you are a couple and need to have a perpetual bed, as opposed to making one up each night from the parlor zone, you should consider a 4 billet campervan. Simply recall, however, that bigger vehicles will be less simple to drive and manoeuver.

New Zealand has numerous zones where you can free camp (or opportunity camp, as it is additionally known) - nonetheless, to do so you need an independent campervan, so one with an on-board shower and latrine. If it's not too much trouble familiarize yourself with the New Zealand ecological code on the off chance that you intend to free camp.

On the off chance that you plan to essentially utilize campgrounds, at that point a vehicle that doesn't have an on-board shower and latrine is a decent choice and a few organizations have exceptional vehicles that are very little greater than a vehicle, so are extremely simple to drive.

Arranging Your Itinerary

There are lovely places to visit all over New Zealand. In the event that you just have multi week, at that point I would encourage you to pick a couple of spots on one island.

For instance, in the event that you are in the North Island for seven days, attempt this agenda:

Day 1. Get vehicle in Auckland - investigate the city. Visit the SkyTower or the gallery where you can get extraordinary perspectives just as you sit in the area having a cookout

Day 2. Travel to Coromandel Peninsula - plan to go through a night at one of the excellent harbor towns, for example, whangamata shops

Day 3. Investigate Coromandel's incredible sea shores and visit one of the numerous craftsmanship exhibitions facilitating neighborhood specialists. In the event that you need, drive to Tauranga and invest energy investigating Mount Maunganui

Day 4. Drive to Rotorua. Take a drive up to the Blue and Green Lakes, Lake Tarawera and the Buried Terraces or visit one of the other numerous vacation destinations in this geothermal "hotspot". On the off chance that you haven't encountered a Maori execution, try doing as such here

Day 5. Travel to Napier by means of Taupo. Stop at the Huka Falls in Taupo and afterward stop and have a cookout on the shores of Lake Taupo where on a crisp morning you will have the option to see the pinnacles of Mount Ruapehu and Mount Ngarahoe on the volcanic level,

Day 6. Investigate the craftsmanship deco structures in Napier prior to taking off to Wellington (in the event that you have masterminded drop-off there) or back to Auckland. On the off chance that making a beeline for Auckland, you should go through tonight in Taupo or Hamilton

Day 7. Investigate the city (Wellington) prior to dropping your campervan back. In Wellington visit Te Papa, the public gallery or take the trolley for awesome perspectives on the city and harbor. In the event that you are restoring your vehicle to Auckland, attempt and fit in a visit to Takapuna sea shore on the North Shore today

For a multi week schedule in the South Island that gives you an incredible gander at lovely view, attempt this:

Day 1. Get vehicle in Christchurch - investigate the city. Take a ride on the gondola, or have an excursion around the city on a cable car. The Antarctic Center is additionally worth a visit

Day 2. Head over the Lewis Pass to Westport. Travel through grape plantations, at that point mountain passes to the wild west coast

Day 3. Travel down the coast to Greymouth. This is perhaps the most terrific seaside drives in New Zealand. Stop at Punakaiki to see the world-popular Pancake Rocks

Day 4. Drive south through Hokitika and Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers over staggering Haast Pass to Wanaka - this will require a day in the event that you set aside effort to stop and appreciate the view all the more intently in transit, so have some place in Wanaka booked to remain before you leave

Day 5. Travel to Queenstown, the "adrenaline capital of the world" for experience. On the off chance that you lean toward all the more comfortable exercises, take a diversion through Arrowtown and Lake Hawea or simply peruse the vacationer shops in Queenstown

Day 6. Drive north once more, wanting to stop at Lake Tekapo. On the off chance that you have time, you might have the option to take a drive up to Aoraki/Mount Cook, New Zealand's most elevated mountain. When dusks stroll from Lake Tekapo up to the Mount John Observatory to get a stunning perspective on the stars

Day 7. Drive to Christchurch and return your vehicle

In the event that you have fourteen days, at that point you can visit both north and south islands crossing Cook's Strait by means of a 3 hour ship going among Wellington and Picton (around a 4 hour drive north of Christchurch).

Where to Stay

New Zealand has lovely outdoors grounds and campgrounds. There are likewise numerous spots where free outdoors is permitted. Coming up next are possibilities for you for your New Zealand occasion:

Adjusted Campsites, for example, Top 10, Kiwi Holiday Parks and Family Parks - you can get a rebate with Top 10 in the event that you plan utilizing their campgrounds all through your excursion

Provincial Council parks and campgrounds, especially Auckland Regional Parks and Waitaki Lakes - offices are frequently more fundamental than adjusted camping areas, yet a portion of the areas are breathtaking

Division of Conservation (DOC) campgrounds - these are exceptionally fundamental destinations, which is fine in the event that you have an independent campervan, yet frequently they are in the most excellent areas, so worth a visit

Local Parks - you can join for a little charge. Individuals are given various areas where they can camp, including grape plantations and sheep stations

Free outdoors - you should have an independent vehicle to free camp. Not all regions permit free outdoors so you should follow the signs. Nonetheless, you can get very close with some astounding landscape while free outdoors in New Zealand. Ensure you know about the Environmental Code

A campervan occasion is an incredible method to catch the amazingly lovely view that New Zealand has on offer and is world-celebrated for. It is a financially savvy method of seeing the same number of sights as you can in a short space of time, while as yet appreciating a loosening up excursion.

Maud Meates-Dennis and her significant other, George, own New Zealand Campervan Holidays [http://www.new-zealand-campervan-holidays.com] - an extensive online travel asset with all you require to know to take full advantage of your New Zealand campervan/RV occasion, including itineries, spots to see and activities, campgrounds, New Zealand ecological code data, RV essentials for fledglings and considerably more. You can even get a rental statement from one of our favored accomplices.

[roundtheworldrambles]

Mount Taranaki and Taupo, New Zealand

Day 129 – North Island and Mount Taranaki 

Queen Charlotte Sound

It was a rainy, overcast morning as I headed to Picton to catch the Interislander Ferry. The ferry ride took 3.5 hours to arrive in Wellington, NZ’s capitol and my jumping off point to travel the North Island. Cruising through the picturesque Queen Charlotte Sound, I was reminded of Howe Sound in Vancouver. A gradient of misty hills faded into the distance as we approached the open, rougher water of the Cook Strait. This strait – so named after the explorer James Cook, connects the Tasman Sea to the South Pacific Ocean, is considered to be one of the most dangerous and unpredictable waterways in the world. It is not uncommon for ferries to be cancelled in bad weather, but fortunately there were no issues on the day of my crossing. 

Queen Charlotte Sound

I arrived in Wellington in the early afternoon, and headed straight out of town. Based on tips I had picked up from Meghan and Brendin, the Canadians I had met in Mount Cook, I had decided to make a detour on the North Island to spend the night in Mount Taranaki (also known as Mount Egmont) and I was hustling to get there in good time to make the most of the remaining daylight. I wound up the spectacular Kapiti Coast, following a narrow coastal highway northwest away from Wellington. 

Pouaki Tarns Hike

I arrived in Mount Egmont National Park in New Plymouth with about 4 hours of daylight remaining, and hustled to get on the trail to the iconic Pouaki Tarns. Since I had made a last minute decision to come to Mount Taranaki, I did not know where I would be staying for the evening, but I was keeping my fingers crossed that there were beds available in the Pouaki Tarns Hut, a few hours’ hike away (with a first-come, first-served policy for beds). Since there was no guarantee that there would be a place for me to sleep, I was also prepared to hike down the mountain at night, and packed my headlamp and warmer layers just in case.

The Pouaki Tarns trail was a fairly easy hike, and I wound uphill for about 2 hours through a dense old growth forest. The entire area was a protected Kiwi zone, as many of these endangered, nocturnal birds were living in the area. Along the trail, I would also see occasional rodent traps, intended to trap predators that have been introduced to New Zealand, such as rats, possums and stoats – all of which hunt kiwis. 

Coming over the Saddle at Pouaki Tarns - to this view!

Arriving at the Poauaki Tarns Hut, it was clear that there were no bunks left, and that I would have to hike back down, which I was glad to be prepared for. Continuing upwards over the saddle, I finally caught glimpse of Mount Taranaki, and knew my detour was well worth it! Mount Taranaki is an active stratovolcano, and is a near perfectly shaped cone. It is famous for its resemblance to Mount Fuji in Japan, and is often used as a stand-in for the Japanese mountain in movies. It was perfectly lit by the late afternoon sun, and it was clear that I had arrived just before that magic “golden hour”. I couldn’t believe my luck.

Mount Egmont National Park - Boardwalk to Pouaki Tarns

I continued along a boardwalk, which had been built to protect the fragile alpine scrub, arriving at Pouaki Tarns just as the sun was beginning to set. A “tarn” is the name for a mountain lake or pond that has been naturally formed by a glacier. This particular alpine pond was perfectly still, and reflected the massive profile of Mount Taranaki like a mirror. It was a stunning sight, and I could immediately see why the Canadians had recommended it so highly. There were only a few other visitors at the tarns, one of whom proposed to his girlfriend on the spot! I happily took some photos for them, and we all admired the spectacular natural beauty of the mountain as the sun began to fade. 

Unfortunately I was not able to linger at the tarns, as I had another 2 hour hike downhill ahead of me in the dark. My headlamp easily illuminated the trail on my descent, and I had no issues until it unexpectedly died with an hour left to go!! I was very lucky to have a full charge on my cellphone, and ended up using my flashlight app to descend the rest of the way – not a situation I would recommend one finding themselves in. 

Finally arriving back at my camper, I pulled out my trusty Campermate App to figure out where I could sleep for the night, and headed east to Rotokare Scenic Reserve, arriving very late at night. This reserve is a pest-free sanctuary, which is enclosed by an 8.2km  predator proof fence (with double gates to enter). Millions of dollars have been spent eradicating mice, rats, stoats, and possums (all of which have been introduced to NZ), in order to protect the rare bird species of the area, including kiwis, hihi birds, and tieke. 

Beginning of the Night-time Hike

Day 130 – Turangi and Lake Taupo

I woke up to a chorus of chirping birds, and it took me a moment to remember that I had parked overnight in a bird sanctuary! I cooked up a basic campervan breakfast (usually oatmeal and instant coffee, as I had quickly found that any food requiring refrigeration did not last long my small cooler) and set off towards Turangi and Lake Taupo, my next stops. The five-hour drive took me along rolling green hills and cattle pastures, and I fortunately had good enough cell reception - a rarity in NZ - to make some speakerphone calls back to Canada as I drove. 

Rolling hills and cattle farms along my route

I arrived along the shores of Lake Taupo in the early afternoon, a massive inland lake at the centre of New Zealand’s North Island. This sparking blue lake is spread over 616 square kilometres, and is in the caldera of the Taupo Volcano, which has been inactive for several thousand years. The lake is a popular tourism destination, and is well known for watersports, cycling, swimming, and skydiving. I drove along the eastern shore of the lake to the town of Taupo, where I stopped for lunch on a lakeside patio, watching skydivers parachute into the water after their freefall. I relaxed along the waterfront for the afternoon before backtracking along my route to Turangi, a small town on the south banks of Lake Taupo. Turangi would be my jumping off point to complete the Tongariro Crossing the following day; one of New Zealand’s most famous hikes. As I had an early start the following morning (5:15am!) I had a relaxing evening and headed to bed early.