We arrived in Auckland early Tuesday morning (having left late Sunday night from LAX...Monday did not exist) and then ran over to the domestic terminal and caught a flight to Christchurch. Upon landing, we took it easy the rest of the day and walked around a still recovering downtown Christchurch. It's a nice city - here is a representative photo:
After eating lunch we drove our rental to Victoria Park, repeating "keep left, keep left" at each intersection and turn. The park overlooks the city and offers lots of nice walking/biking/running trails. I scrambled up this rock wall, braving serious exposure:
I was able to glissade down the other side (the rocks lead up to the slide, although there are stairs and a gentle grassy slope on the other side for less hearty souls than myself).
Our first real adventure was the next day. We headed out to Arthur Pass NP, stopping at Castle Hill in the Kura Tawhiti Conservation Area first. It was an easy walk on mostly unofficial boot paths around these large limestone pillars, which are a popular rock climbing destination. The area is in the foothills of the Southern Alps, which can be seen in several of the photos donning a fresh cover of snow.
After exploring Castle Hill for about an hour we headed 35 minutes west to the Bealey Hut track, which like many NZ hikes is an out-and-back. This trip totaled around 8 miles and 1800' EG.
Nice views near the start of the track:
Views of the Waimakariri River valley approximately 2/3 of the way to the hut. Several of these photos were taken after a short off-trail adventure. Should you ever find yourself on this hike, look for a rusted and mostly downed fence running perpendicular to the trail and leading into a small grove of trees. Once past the thin tree line you'll find a large grassy slope with expansive views.
Looking farther into the tall peaks of Arthur's Pass NP:
The hut at the end of the hike. It is publicly available on a first come-first serve basis and longer trips along the spur and deeper into the park are possible:
For our second day, we splurged just a bit and chartered a flight aboard a small Cessna to Milford Sound (which is really a fjord) in Fjordland NP. Once there we took a 50 minute boat cruise up the fjord, briefly into the Tasman sea, and then back. It was unabashedly touristy but still fun and very scenic. For the record, I did not wear flip-flops (it was too cold). The first set of photos below are of Milford Sound followed by pictures from the flight over the Southern Alps to and from Christchurch.
Mitre Peak looming over Milford Sound:
Looking back into the sound from the tour boat, with Sterling Falls visible in the lower left:
View into the sound from the Tasman Sea, before the boat returned into the sound and visited the waterfalls.
Boat included for scale:
Our sweet ride for the day:
A rather attractive alpine lake, seen from the flight:
Glaciers!
Mt Aspiring:
Aoraki/Mt Cook, NZ's highest peak:
Day 3 started with an early drive out of ChCh to the small but comfortable Mt Cook Village inside Aoraki/Mt Cook NP (buy groceries before you get there and stay in a place with a kitchen). It took about 5 hours including stops but was an easy drive. We arrived with enough time for a quick hike on easy and well-traveled Hooker Valley track (about 3 miles and maybe 500' EG):
There are three rather impressive suspension bridges on the track - here is one:
The views of Aoraki/Mt Cook are the main highlight of the hike:
The mountain with the debris covered Hooker glacier and frozen terminal lake in the foreground:
The clouds on the left of this photo inched into the valley throughout day and proved to be the leading edge of a storm that brought steady rain to the village and snow at higher elevations through most of the next day.
Day 4 marked an end to the previously cooperative weather. We attempted a hike up the Ball Flats route but the driving rain and wind deterred us and we settled for a cloudy view of the Tasman Glacier and its terminal lake before retreating to the indoors and Edmund Hillary Alpine Center:
We woke up with the sun on Day 5 and drove to the French-settled town of Akaroa on the Banks Peninsula, located southeast of ChCh. Although the south island doesn't have the volcanic activity of the north, the Banks Peninsula is an ancient volcano whose idled crater was long ago flooded by the ocean, forming Akaroa Harbor. This map nicely shows the geography. It is a beautiful place that might be a bit off the radar for non-local tourists, but is well worth visiting. There is a multi-day "great walk" that traverses much of the peninsula as well.
Aoraki/Mt Cook in the morning sun on the drive out, with Lake Pukaki in the foreground:
We hit some traffic:
First view of the peninsula and harbor, from the winding and occasionally terrifying highway 75:
This photo provides a nice view of Stony Bay Peak - the flat, rocky high point in the center of the photo. This was our destination the next day.
Upon arriving in Akaroa we explored the town and water front, including a quick trip to Stanley Park where sheep were freely grazing (with the town and harbor in the background):
On day 6 we hiked the Skyline Circuit, which clocks in at around 2600' EG and over maybe 8 miles). The hike starts right in downtown on Rue Balguerie, and heads off into pastures before hitting the summit of Stony Bay Peak. From the summit there are views over Akaroa and its eponymous harbor, the Pacific Ocean, the rest of the peninsula, and even the snowed in Southern Alps. It was my favorite hike of the entire trip.
At the start of the trail proper (i.e., after leaving town and paved roads behind) with the peak in view:
Looking back toward the town and harbor from the trail:
In lieu of mountain goats, I offer this sheep:
Much of the track winds through active pastures and these step-stool like boards have been installed to let hikers climb over the gates and fences separating grazing lands (there is a wire fence coming to about my knees in the picture):
Nice colors for late fall/early winter:
First views out the Pacific from just below the summit:
Akaroa and the harbor from the summit:
Looking east over the rest of the peninsula:
The Southern Alps in the distance. Although this is zoomed in they were visible without aid:
As a note about trail conditions, the skyline circuit is generally in amazing shape until just before and after the summit, where it becomes overgrown and a bit muddy. There are also spiky death bushes lining the trail, which I discovered after slipping and reaching out to catch myself. I did successfully arrest my fall, but also impaled my right hand on one of the bushes. I still have five splinters stuck in my hand (free souvenir!) out of the dozen or so I started with. Muddy pants would have been preferable.
Don't touch these:
We made this hike a loop by taking Stony Bay Road back into town. Don't let the road walk dissuade you however; the views remain amazing and it feels more like a wide trail than road (e.g., Silver Star on the north side).
Fall colors on the way down:
Back at the "trail head" looking up to Stony Bay Peak above the homes:
That was our last full day in the south before heading back to ChCh and flying to Auckland. Thanks for reading. Of course, NZ is a popular destination so perhaps these TRs will prove helpful if anyone makes the journey. A north island report is forthcoming.
