Trip to New Zealand, an unforgettable experience

This week we have another invited blogger. Francesca Noguera, of Even (Barcelona), tells us his trip for New Zealand. His sleep was to visit Australia and finally it has obtained it: it takes practically one year living there and has been useful to do a trip to New Zealand.

New Zealand is known for being one of the most spectacular countries of the world … and it is true, after spending there 3 weeks to me already, me no doubt fits.

The Maoris (the indigenous people of the country) called New Zealand “Aotearoa“, which means country of the long white cloud. One of the first things that it is necessary to bear in mind is that this is a country where it rains very much and most of the year is cold. I was there in summer (in January, the most warm month of the year) and nevertheless I spent cold and saw more clouds than the sun.

One of the first topics that is necessary to have account on having planned a trip to New Zealand is how to move for the islands. I was lucky to travel with another three persons so we could rent a car and do a route for our account. This way, the transport worked out for us very cheap. For the people who travels alone there is regular infinity of long-distance coaches and also prepared routes as famous Kiwi Experience, full of the young people.

To cover the biggest distances we move in plane. There is a web page where the local companies put his last free seats at low prices. It is a good tool to find flights at very good price, so you do not stop looking: www.grabaseat.co.nz.

Our first stop was Auckland. We devote ourselves to compile information especially what we could visit, but for the most part during the route we continue the ideas of the guide Lonely Planet. Auckland is the biggest city of the country and he is where most of the industry concentrate. The city seemed very modern to us but to the same moment it had very nice quarters that they were worth visiting, like Devonport.

It is necessary to remember that in New Zealand there are volcanoes throughout, even in the cities. That's why in this small and familiar quarter of the city we walk up to the high of a volcano to be able to contemplate a few spectacular conference of the whole sky line of the city. We do not remain great in any of the cities because it seemed to us that it was better to enjoy the nature.

The North Island is less spectacular than the South Island so only we happen there 5 days. We visit a little of beach in the Peninsula of Coromandel. Paradisiac beaches and good weather, any more we could not ask! The north also is famous for having beautiful lakes, so we stop in Lake Rotorua and Lake Taupo. The first one had thermal waters so we could bathe in water …: burning! And the second one, to part of being the biggest, is known for offering the best conference of the world from the air, so there is a big quantity of companies that offer parachuting.

We are useful the day to walk along the Nature reserve of Tongariro. It is an area for montañistas experts and to rise to see the craters of the volcanoes it is necessary to go in group and accompanied by a guide. But on the lower part there are some easiest routes that can be done in a pair of hours. For the fans of the movie The Lord of the Rings here is where there been recorded the scenes of the world of Mordor.

Last night in the north island we spend it in the capital, Wellington. It is a city known by his big culture of the coffee and his holidays. The ambience in Cuba Street was fantastic. We cross two islands in ferry. Only there are two companies of ferry that make the route 4 times a day, so it is necessary to reserve with advance because in summer epochs rapid enough fills.

Once in the south, we come to the Picton port and hence we went to Christchurch, the biggest city of the south. From way we pass to the city for Marlborough, the area most known about production of wine. We could not do any tasting but it is an obligatory stop if you like the white wine (they are the kings of Sauvignon Blanc!). We come to Christchurch on a Saturday evening, so we are useful to go out. Sol Square is a place full good of bars and clubs replete with the people, good drink and topcoat music for all the tastes.

Of the city we went away to the mountains, exactly to Franz Josef Glaciar. To do the walk of 8 hours was spectacular. It seemed that we were in the Antarctica! In the route you must spend for the way of a few walls of ice so narrow that if you do not walk of side you cannot continue, or tunnels that you bring in to four paws of children who are. Undoubtedly the best experience of the whole trip.

After the adventure we continue towards the city of Queenstown. There it is where all the young people meets backpackers to go out and to practise adventure sports. You can give a return for the city any day of the week and you are always going to find bars opened until evening and holidays. If you are a person whom nothing scares, this is your city.

One of my partners about trip only was speaking, since I her knew, of Milford Sound, the fjords. A remote place to the south of the island with a few sceneries that leave you without speaking. Him paying attention, we decide to drive to the most southern area to do a Tour in ship and to see it. There was offers quantity and all the companies were offering different prices but with a similar route, so with little information we decide on one of 3 hours.

To come to Milford Sound it is necessary to drive for a quite bad highway for some 2 hours, but the stops in the way are worth it. There are lakes, cataracts and forests for discovering. The nature in this area speaks herself. Milford Sound won the love of all of us and also we were one day old with the radiant sun that did that the experience was even better.

To finish our trip we visit two more places. We did a stop in Mount Cook, the highest mountain of the whole country. It was still quite covered of snow and the glaciers and lakes were truly spectacular. From way to Dunedin (our last stop), we saw the lakes of the mountains as Lake Tekapo, which has a color turquoise that it had never seen earlier. The city of Dunedin has a little of history so it has a cathedral and a town hall quite ancient. But the best of the area is to go in a Tour to see the wild animals. There we approach to see the penguins of yellow eye, the seals, the marine lions and the albatross.

We leave some points of the islands to ourselves for visiting that they are worth it. They told us that in the north there were paradisiac beaches in the area of Bay of Islands or that the caves Waitomo in the southern area of the North Island have no waste. Other areas to be born in mind would be Nelson and Stewart Island, in the South Island. But I believe that every person is interested in seeing different things, so the best thing is: to create your own route!

Sincerely, to do a trip to New Zealand the sorrow deserves very much. You surprise it in any moment. It is necessary to bear in mind that to save money in accommodation the best thing is New Zealand stays at the infinite cheap hotels quantity. But for me, the most useful advice would be: forget everything and simply enjoy the country!

Thank you Francesca for sharing your trip and your photos with all of us. Do you have planned to make a trip similar? Have you fallen in love with New Zealand? Leave your comment!