sixteen days . twelve towns . five national parks . two countries
2023 Adventure Trip to Australia and New Zealand
Monday, February 6 to Tuesday, February 21, 2023
02.06.23 . Day 1 – Fly to and stay in Melbourne.
02.07.23 . Day 2 – Chase Waterfalls in Great Otway National Park. Stay in Apollo Bay.
02.08.23 . Day 3 – Drive Great Ocean Road. Hike segment of Great Ocean Walk. See Koalas in Kennet River. Stay in Port Campbell.
02.09.23 . Day 4 – Explore Port Campbell National Park. Loch Ard Gorge, Twelve Apostles, The Grotto, London Bridge, and more. Stay in Port Campbell.
02.10.23 . Day 5 – Journey back to Melbourne via Timboon and Lava Plains. Night flight to Christchurch, New Zealand.
02.11.23 . Day 6 – Drive to Lake Tekapo. Hike Mt. John Summit Trail. Visit Lake Tekapo Regional Park and Church of Good Shepherd. Stargaze. Stay in Lake Tekapo.
02.12.23 . Day 7 – Drive to Aorkai/Mt. Cook National Park. Hike Hooker Valley Track. Visit Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Center. Stay in Mt. Cook Village.
02.13.23 . Day 8 – Hike Sealy Tarns and Tasman Glacier River Walk. Drive to Wanaka. Explore town and find ‘the tree’. Stay in Lake Hawea.
02.14.23 . Day 9 – Sunrise Hike up Roy’s Peak. Swim in Glacier Lake. Drive to Mt. Aspring National Park. Visit Blue Pools and Thunder Creek Falls. Stay in Lake Hawea.
02.15.23 . Day 10 – Drive to Queenstown. Mountain Bike at Queenstown Skyline Bike Park. Explore City. Stay in Queenstown.
02.16.23 . Day 11 – Bungy Jump off AJ Hackett Kawarau Bridge. Drive to Te Anau via Lindis Pass. Explore Town. Stay in Te Anau.
02.17.23 . Day 12 – Drive to Milford Sound. Explore. Take a cruise. Drive back, stay in Te Anau.
02.18.23 . Day 13 – Drive to The Catlins. Explore Petrified Forest, Curio Bay, McLean Falls, Purakaunui Falls, Nugget Point and more. Watch for Penguins at Roaring Bay. Stay in Glenomaru Valley.
02.19.23 . Day 14 – Nugget Point for Sunrise. Drive up coast. Visit Dunedin and Otago Peninsula. Explore Tunnel Beach, Sandfly Bay, and Moereki Boulders. Stay in Oamaru.
02.20.23 . Day 15 – Look for Penguins at Bushy Beach. Drive to Christchurch. Visit Sign of the Kiwi Cafe and Explore. Stay in Christchurch.
02.21.23 . Day 16 – Fly home.
When and with whom
This trip actually started with a 5 day stay in Hawaii to visit my sister. Stopping half way across the Pacific broke up the journey nicely. We decided to go in February as it’s after peak tourism time in New Zealand and the local kids are back in school. So, it was less crowded, less expensive, and still great weather. February is also peak whale watching season in Maui, Hawaii.
Scott and I visited Australia and New Zealand with a fun group of friends 4 years previously. On this return visit it was just the two of us and we visited different regions of both countries. Our activities mainly focussed on getting outside hiking, visiting parks, and seeking wildlife. With our long Wisconsin winters, escaping somewhere warm with long daylight hours is a true treat.
