Day 5: Te Anau to Wanaka via Queenstown

You may be wondering why we travel in a loop and don’t rush to all places. Some context might help: we’ve traveled in the South Island four times already and have pretty much explored all the places. This time around, we only wanted to visit two places: Milford Sound and Mount Cook. These two are my favorites, especially Mount Cook. With a young kid, we also didn’t want to exhaust ourselves with long driving times, as tiredness can quickly elevate anxiety.

The magic of travel lies in the unexpected moments. These photos were captured during a toilet break near Lowburn Harbour Camping site, close to Cromwell. The interplay of light and water, coupled with John’s research paper (which extended our breaks as he finalized it during the first half of our journey), unveiled this natural beauty.

Day 6: Wānaka to Mt Cook via Lindis Pass

We are traveling from Central Otago to the Mackenzie Basin via Lindis Pass. We’ve seen this alpine area of tall, tussock-covered mountains in every season, but we can’t resist taking more pictures each time. This time, we did a little more—exploring the undulating terrain by walking on the slope for half an hour. The view is splendid.

Tip 10: Although there are no formally marked tracks in the Lindis Conservation Area, everyone is welcome to explore the undulating terrain. It’s also possible to walk, mountain bike or horse ride across private land to the Lindis River via Smiths Creek. This route begins is on the Tarras side of the pass – look for the parking area.Remember that this is an exposed alpine area and the weather can be unpredictable. Ensure you carry warm, windproof clothing and appropriate footwear.

As we passed through Twizel, the largest town in the Mackenzie region, we made a stop at High Country Salmon to buy a few fillets for tonight’s dinner. We know our favorite place just around the corner—White Horse Hill Campground, where we’ll be camping tonight.

Dinner was fulfilling, and the view was just unbeatable! We even watched the moon rise. As night approached, the sky and the mountains revealed their mystery and romance.

Good night and sweet dreams! Tomorrow is going to be a big day!

To be continued…