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backpackingmatt August 17, 2012

The 7 Most Stunning Lakes in New Zealand

What follows is a guest post from a fellow Yank and friend who until very recently called New Zealand home. Jeremy has spent months exploring New Zealand and was based temporarily in Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown. He’s crossed the ditch now to Australia, and I look forward to one day again sharing a Black Shag with him at Dux de Lux on the shores of Lake Wakatipu (not as it sounds, you must visit Queenstown to understand…).

New Zealand is a land of picturesque lakes, often painted and photographed for their arresting elegance and tranquil resplendence. The raw beauty of New Zealand has remained intact over the years, its natural glory still relatively unaffected.

Aotearoa (the native Maori word for “New Zealand”) is far removed from the rest of the world and its incredible geographic history has put it on the map (and the internet!) for its astounding landscapes and scenery. Here are 7 of the Most Stunning Lakes in New Zealand.

Lake Taupo

Lake Taupo is located smack dab in the middle of the North Island. Not only is it New Zealand’s largest lake, but it is the largest freshwater lake in Oceana. Lake Taupo sits in a caldera of a volcano, Oruanui, which erupted 26,500 years ago. This type of volcanic formation is very typical of New Zealand’s North Island, where many volcanoes remain active.

Lake Wakatipu

Lake Wakatipu, New Zealand’s longest lake, gained its notoriety because it abuts the famous Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world. Thousands of visitors come to Queenstown each year to pump adrenaline and marvel at its scenic beauty. The Remarkables, a mountain range and ski field famous for its part in The Lord of the Rings, rises impressively behind Lake Wakatipu, creating a stunning backdrop for this natural beauty. This shot looks from Bennets Bluff towards the quaint town of Glenorchy at the head of the lake.

Lake Tekapo

Located on New Zealand’s South Island, Lake Tekapo is a popular tourist destination and, with the exception of Lake Wakatipu, it might be New Zealand’s most famous lake. Tekapo’s blazing turquoise color comes from glacial sediment that was left behind when the lake’s basin was originally formed. Lake Tekapo is fringed by the Southern Alps and, on a clear day, from the right angle, Mt. Cook, New Zealand’s tallest mountain, can be seen in the distance.

The Emerald Lakes

Emerald Lakes, New Zealand (North Island)

Embedded in its volcanic terrain, the Emerald Lakes are a part of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, New Zealand’s most popular tramp in Tongariro National Park. This is a highly volcanic region and the landscape reflects this. The lakes, which shine an impossible emerald, have been colored by dissolved volcanic minerals. Among other things, this area also boasts lava flows, boiling hot springs and steam geysers.

Champagne Pool

Wai-O-Tapu is a geothermal area in the North Island’s Bay of Plenty region. Only 30km from Rotorua, this volcanic landscape is host to boiling mud pools, geysers and multi-hued rocks and pools. The world famous Champagne Pool got its name from the effluence of carbon dioxide, hence, Champagne! Wai-O-Tapu is New Zealand’s most geothermic site.

Lake Wanaka

Left behind by a glacier from the last ice age, this charming lake sits next to the quaint town of Wanaka. Just as this small city is Queenstown’s little sister, so are the two lakes. This body of water breathes serenity, and many locals and tourists alike spend their days lounging on the gravel beach, enjoying the tranquility this lake brings.

Lake Pukaki

Another glacial feature of New Zealand, Lake Pukaki boasts a distinctive blue color, created by the byproduct of glacial erosion. These sediments are fed into the lake by the Tasman and Hooker Glaciers. With Mount Cook standing proudly in the background, Pukaki is one lake not to miss, its rocky shoreline creating a contrast of colors one won’t find anywhere else in the world.

As you can see, New Zealand is a vast and contrasting land of glacial and volcanic craters, formations, mountains, valleys and lakes. Its small population and a low level of tourism makes certain that, for years to come, this iconic country will remain preserved. And what a blessing that is!

Good work, New Zealand. I’m officially impressed.

Born in America, Jeremy, an IT specialist by trade, packed up his belongings and left home on an open-ended trip to Australia. Years later, he’s still on the move and exploring other countries. He is now a mobile cocktail bartender and the head writer for travelFREAK! Check out travelFREAK.net, follow Jeremy on Twitter, and love him on Facebook.

backpackingmatt July 17, 2012

A Winter Walk on the Routeburn Track

New Zealand, Travel Photos 20 Replies

Planning a trip to New Zealand? Don’t forget to check out my Planit NZ travel guide for help in putting together the perfect itinerary.

I often wonder how an Iowa born and bred boy like myself could develop such a passion for the mountains. Needless to say, snow-capped peaks aren’t a common sight anywhere in the midwest, and this is certainly true in my homestate of Iowa.Yet after two years of living in a mountain-town on New Zealand’s South Island, I’ve developed a love for the hills – a passion for exploring, climbing and simply getting amongst the New Zealand backcountry. With literally dozens of tramping tracks and mountain bike trails in the very close vicinity to my home, it’s an easy addiction to fulfill.

I enjoy the quiet solitude that comes from walking through the bush, climbing up mountains or pedaling my bike. It’s times like this that allow me to decompress, relax and reflect on life.

Last weekend, I was in definite need of some of this relaxation and decided to spend a day walking and running in the mountains. I was in need of the mountain cocktail – crisp and fresh air, sun, sweeping views and a bit of exercise. I found it on the Routeburn Track.

The Routeburn Track is a “Great Walk” – one of nine multi-day tramping trails scattered about New Zealand. It’s arguably one of the most popular Great Walks in New Zealand and offers a fantastic combination of native bush, towering mountains and alpine lakes. At 32 kms, most trampers choose to tackle this over two or three nights. Given its close proximity to Queenstown, it’s also an excellent choice for a day walk. From Queenstown to the trail head, it’s about a 90 minute drive – while you could get there slightly quicker, the drive warrants no short of a dozen photo-stops. Leaving Queenstown, you’ll follow Lake Wakatipu all the way to Glenorchy, some 45 minutes away. With views like this – it’s not a trip you’ll want to rush.

Queenstown - Glenorchy Road — Queenstown – Glenorchy Road

After arriving at the Routeburn Shelter and the trail head, you have a 1.5 – 2.5 hour walk to the first hut on the Routeburn Track – the Routeburn Flats Hut. The majority of this walk is through the bush – in the winter, this is almost entirely in the shade and the result is ubiquitous permafrost and incredibly fresh and crisp air.

Glimpses of Snow-Capped Peaks

On the way to the Routeburn Flats Hut, the track meanders its way through native beech forest. It gradually undulates with few hills for about 7kms.

Track-Side Icicles

It was incredibly still and peacefully quiet with fresh snow on and around the track. Perfect snow-flakes.

As you near the Routeburn Flats Hut, you sense getting closer and closer to the sunlight with more snow-capped peaks towering above you.

The Routeburn Flats Hut is the first hut you’ll come to. Huts in the New Zealand backcountry run from incredibly well-kept, clean and comfortable to various stages of disrepair. With a bunkroom, a kitchen and a sitting room with a wood-burner, the Flats Hut is a pretty cozy spot to spend the night. And the view isn’t bad either…

A view down the Routeburn Valley…

Past the Routeburn Flats Hut, the trail gets significantly steeper for about an hour as you climb through the bush and up towards the Routeburn Falls Hut. Midway along, you reach a point where a slip (i.e rock/land slide) has cleared the trees resulting in an epic view of the Humbolts Mountain Range.

It’s an idyllic spot, and a fantastic place to sit back in the sun and take in the awesomeness of the South Island’s Southern Alps.

The Routeburn Falls Hut sits about 20 minutes further on. It’s a large hut that is an incredibly busy place in the summer months. In the winter, it’s another peaceful place to reflect on the views.

Over the winter months, it’s dangerous to go too far past the Routeburn Falls Hut. From here, it’s an alpine pass over the Harris Saddle and is known for frequent avalanches. I opted to go 15 or so minutes past the hut to the Routeburn Falls.

From here, another fantastic view back towards the Humbolts and down the Routeburn Valley…

Humbolts from Near the Saddle — The Humbolts Again (Pano, click to enlarge)

This day walk on the Routeburn Track took me just about four hours – yet this included me jogging about 50% of the time. If you were only walking, you’d want to allow 7 – 8 hours. Have you found the perfect mountain cocktail in New Zealand? Let us know in the comments section below. Interested in more walking or hiking opportunities in New Zealand? Check out these other NZ hiking experiences:

backpackingmatt July 9, 2012

NZ Adventure Experience: Paragliding in Queenstown from Coronet Peak

New Zealand, Travel Photos 16 Replies

It’s now been a full week since my first experience paragliding in Queentown, New Zealand, and I am still riding a high.

Paragliding. In layman’s terms, paragliding is running off the face of a mountain with a parachute strapped to your back.

It sounds incredibly dangerous, exhilarating and addictive, and after going on a tandem flight with Coronet Peak Tandems, I can assure you it’s (the latter) two of those.

While I wasn’t hugely familiar with the sport before moving to Queenstown almost two years ago, it’s something I’ve grown accustomed to seeing each day. I’ve got to believe that you couldn’t find a better spot to paraglide than here on New Zealand’s South Island. Leaving directly from town is the Skyline Gondola which places you at the top of Bob’s Peak – where, if you’re inclined, you can strap on your glider, go for a flight and get right back on the gondola. Fly. Repeat. Etc.

A common feature of the Queenstown skyline is paragliders flying back to terra firma. Whilst you can fly tandem from the gondola, I opted for a more alpine feeling flight from just outside of town at the Coronet Peak ski field – where, in winter, you get about double the elevation for essentially the same price.

After riding the chairlift to near the summit of Coronet Peak, we began a short hike to what I would find to be our takeoff point – also known as, a reasonably steep hill down the side of the mountain. I was hugely excited at what was come, and whilst I was slightly nervous I felt at ease with my pilot Angus.

The Runway - Literally — The Runway – Literally

Helmet on, check. Harness on, check. Smile for the camera, check.

Excitement ... Nerves ... Smile! — Excitement … Nerves … Smile!

After that, the takeoff was surprisingly simple. I was attached to Angus who stood behind me. After a quick countdown – three, two, one – I was asked to power walk down the hill. As I walked forward the glider inflated and …

… one, two, three steps and we were airborne – soaring high above the snowcapped Southern Alps of the South Island.

It’s impossible to describe the sensation. Cruising high above the snow and tussock covered ridge was absolutely blissful. It’s cliche perhaps, yet I could quite literally not wipe the smile off my face. I somewhat expected the flight experience to be slightly uncomfortable – imagining hanging from my harness as you would while rock climbing. In fact, it was the opposite – lounged out, legs stretched in a bucket seat that could just have easily been a recliner in your living room – albeit, one with million dollar views.

We followed a ridgeline which would lead the way to our landing area. During warmer periods, it’s possible to catch thermals – warm winds that result in you gaining altitude, extending the flight as opposed to flying back towards solid ground. We didn’t catch these in the high of winter, and instead continued cruising to high above the landing area.

And from behind…

I was beginning to think I’d get away from the flight without the stomach-dropping twist maneuvers you often see the pilots doing – seemingly defying the laws of physics by turning sharply, swinging up and down and back up over your glider. I didn’t. And I’m glad – this put the thrill in the experience and was an excellent way to finish.

See that in my mouth? It’s my stomach.

Brilliant.

Our landing was the worst part of the flight; the worst, only because I didn’t want the flight to be over. We came in slow over the paddock (aka field, aka the landing area), Angus hammered on the breaks and before I knew it I was back on solid ground – and still smiling.

Paraglding in Queenstown – The Basics.

A tandem flight with Coronet Peak Tandems is $205. This includes digital photos and transportation to and from Queenstown. You’d want to allow about two hours for the entire experience, with the flight itself lasting about 20 minutes. In the winter, you’ll fly from the top of the Coronet Peak chairlift – the views back behind Coronet are stunning – snow-covered mountains as far as you can see. During winter, you’ll have double the elevation to work with when compared to flying from the Skyline Gondola – more elevation, more time in the air.

This paragliding flight stands out as the highlight of my adventure experiences in New Zealand; it was quite simply fantastic. After my flight last week, I’m determined to learn how to fly. Be warned: this is the most dangerous aspect of paragliding – its hugely addictive rush. Yet go on, I’m convinced you’ll love it too.

Angus and Gitti at Coronet Peak Tandems provided me with a complimentary flight, but these opinions are – as always – my own. To book, call them on NZ Freephone 0800 46 7325 or visit Tandemparaglding.com. Until then, like them on Facebook.

backpackingmatt June 8, 2012

6 Highlights from a Trip Home to Iowa, to South America and Back Home to New Zealand

New Zealand, South America 10 Replies

It’s been a whirlwind five weeks since leaving New Zealand that has seen me on 11 different flights, two long-distance buses, a road trip from Iowa to Illinois, and a cargo ship up Chile’s West Coast. I’m writing this quick update after again returning to the Land of the Long White Cloud – New Zealand.

As I sat down on my Santiago to Auckland flight, the Argentinean seated next to me asked, “So, are you heading home?” I thought for a moment, and then replied – “Yes, I guess you could say that.”

It’s always a bizarre experience leaving New Zealand for the Midwest USA – the strange feeling of leaving home, to arrive at home – only to again leave and return home.

In reality of course, it’s not that simple – home is many things: family, history, friends, stability and the comforts of sharing a place with others who you share memories with, or those who have similar motivations, passions and outlooks on life. Similar to me and I would guess thousands of others in New Zealand, the Argentinean guy next to me in seat 27F has remained in New Zealand much longer than he anticipated – six years longer, in fact. I often share my passion for this country in this blog, and this passion is shared by many others who now too call New Zealand home.

For now, I’ve one more flight (number 12) before arriving back in Queenstown. Fittingly, I’m arriving on opening day of the ski season at Coronet Peak; the winter season is one of my favorites in New Zealand – a time when the mountains become white with snow, the days shorter but the time in the sunlight all the more meaningful, and a time accented by the continued anticipation of powder.

It’s an exciting time to be on New Zealand’s South Island with entire communities drunk with excitement for the arrival of the white gold that is snow.

The past five weeks have flown by and were complimented by experiences I’ll remember for the rest of my life. I’ll write more about the highlights from South America in the coming weeks, yet for the time being here are some of the high points from the last five weeks.

1) A Wedding in Small Town Iowa

The original motivations behind this five week hiatus from New Zealand were to travel to New Hampton, Iowa, for one of my best friend’s weddings. It was an hugely special day and I was honored to stand amongst other friends beside Chris as he married the love of his life.

An added bonus of the wedding was having time to connect with so many other fantastic friends who I’ve seen very rarely over the past five years since first setting off backpacking in Ireland. I’m pretty sure we nearly drank this small Iowa town out of booze over the course of a couple nights.

2) Learning to Tango in Buenos Aires

Okay, while I didn’t quite master the dance — I spent an evening learning the basics before enjoying a fantastic tango performance. Whilst Buenos Aires (nor the steaks in Argentina) didn’t blow me away, the highlight of the visit to the city was experiencing the national dance – the Tango. A visit to Argentina’s capital city woudn’t be complete without seeing a show that illustrated this huge part of Argentinean culture.

While my lesson was brief, it gave me enough of a introduction to the dance to be blown away by the show later on in the evening. Over a three course meal with friends and too many bottles of Malbec, we observed an hour long Tango show with fascinating dancing and catchy live orchestra music.

3) Witnessing the Power of the Perito Moreno Glacier

I should mention the motivations behind the visit to South America were to connect with my girlfriend Maura who is on a four month backpacking adventure around the continent. After time in Buenos Aires, we headed south to the massive expanse of mountains and flatland that is Patagonia.

The highlight here was a tour of the Perito Moreno Glacier – seeing and walking on this massive and hugely powerful piece of ancient ice was one of the most incredible things I’ve ever experienced in my life. I’ve hundreds of photos from the tour, and will be sharing more of these over the coming weeks.

4) Traveling on a Cargo Ship up Chile’s Coast

I’ve always dreamed of traveling between continents on a freighter ship and in Chile, I had an opportunity to do something similar.

Over the course of four nights and three days, we traveled through the fiords of Chile’s West Coast on a cargo ship. We shared the boat with all of about 12 other passengers and trucks and trucks full of cattle, horses, and other pieces of cargo. It was a brilliant experience in many respects; a highlight was simply being disconnected from the internet or a cell phone for so long. I’ll review the experience more in the coming days.

5) Chilling Out in a Laid Back Mountain Town – Bariloche

After almost 10 days of solid traveling, I was terribly excited to simply chill out — Bariloche in Argentina’s Lake District provided a perfect opportunity for this. This town in many ways reminded me of Queenstown – glacial lakes, mountains and loads of terrific tramping opportunities.

It’s a town I liked so much, I’m very keen to return someday to live for a couple months and learn Spanish. Which brings me to…

6) Again Traveling Outside of My Comfort Zone

One of the most addictive aspects of traveling to me is escaping one’s comfort zone. The challenges that come from arriving someplace new and being forced to make your way without knowing the language is something I miss terribly. New Zealand is lots of things, but it certainly isn’t a challenging place to travel as a native English speaker.

I greatly enjoyed slowly polishing up on my very limited Spanish abilities over the course of a couple of weeks. The slow progression of picking up more of a language after being immersed in a different culture is hugely exciting and addicting.

South America, I will be back one day. For now, it’s off to one of the most beautiful places in the world to do a bit of snowboarding.

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