Hi Friends,
I’m just shy of two weeks back (in Australia) from my first trip to New Zealand and have lots to share.
When I knew that I would spend most of the first half of 2024 in the Southern Hemisphere, based in Melbourne Australia, I knew I would need to visit New Zealand. I have never been and have read much about its beauty, natural wonders, lack of predators, plethora of incredible birds, and delicious food and wine. Sold!
I spent the summer (here in Australia) planning to “chase autumn” in New Zealand for 3 weeks in April.
Since I don’t drive on “the other side” (as opposed to US/Europe) I am pretty dependent on public transportation or walking while traveling down here. I decided to break my trip up into 3 sections moving around the country.
FIRST STOP: Landing in Wellington, NZ
I had been told by many Aussies that Wellington is considered the “Melbourne” of New Zealand in that it is hip, has a good community vibe, a buzzing arts scene, and great coffee and food. I decided to book an Airbnb there for 10 days to kick off my trip.
My flight into New Zealand from Melbourne, on Air New Zealand, was quite comfortable and easy. The views of the islands as we began to make our descent were quite stunning and I was so excited for the sparkling blue waters off of Wellington. It is a quick 15-minute taxi from the airport into Wellington and I was at my flat in no time.
My flat was very centrally located and in a great area to walk in. I would find that I could easily walk to many places within minutes (restaurants, groceries, shops) or up to 30 minutes at most (Oriental Bay) and that was fantastic. My Airbnb itself was not my favorite. I will just say that it was “tired” and needed some updates but it was serviceable clean and affordable. Not my preference as I like a bit more from my flats but I made it work.
I quickly found that some of the very best coffee in town was right across the street from me; the best grocery store was a quick 10-minute walk and several bookstores stores 10-15 minutes away.
I was only about 20+ minutes away from Oriental Bay, which I loved, and I think I would stay in this part of the city if I were to visit again. It is certainly where I would recommend others to stay if they didn’t mind a bit of a walk to town.
I had booked a walking tour of Wellington through Airbnb Experiences for the 3rd morning and I am so glad I did. If you have been reading me for a time you will see that I book walking tours, as available, in most cities, I visit. I find that booking them upon arrival will help you find the “best” places to spend time and learn so much about the city/area and what it offers. I have had the very best luck with these tours (you can read about a couple outstanding ones in Italy here and here) and the one with my host, Louis, was no exception.
The morning I met Louis it turned out I was his only guest and so I got a private tour! I like meeting other people so I am always happy when it’s a group but having a private with Louis was very fun. We spent three hours together and covered a LOT of ground. Some of the walk included the history of the city, politics, nature, very lovely points of interest, food, and coffee.
One of the very best things Louis shared with me was Zealandia: the incredible eco-sanctuary that sits in the hills above the city. I promptly put Zealandia on my must-visit list and was so grateful to Louis because I didn’t know about it prior to my arrival and our tour.
ZEALANDIA - the highlight of Wellington
Zealandia became the highlight of my Wellington visit. A lush forest of rare native wildlife it is a fully fenced urban eco-sanctuary that has a 500-year vision to restore the valley forest and freshwater ecosystem to pre-human state. Truly inspired and inspiring.
There is a free shuttle from the Wellington Cable Car Museum, which sits at the top of a very steep climb from town. I walked from my flat to the shuttle and then was off to the 500-acre sanctuary. Once there you can decide if you would like to walk the sanctuaries 32 kilometers of trails (where wildlife roam free) with a map or you can opt for a guided tour.
I opted for a guided tour, as the additional fees help support the sancturary, and it turns out I was the only one on this tour and ended up with a wonderful private guided tour. I cannot recommend a guided tour for a first visit more. I so appreciated all the great information my lovely guide shared and we had a wonderful time bird and animal spotting. I was very lucky to experience an encounter with the very endangered Takahé - a bit of a prehistoric bird with wonderful feathers, who is making a comeback thanks to combined conservation efforts. I enjoyed all the incredible animals but highlights were the Bell Bird, which has the purest bird song (it is magic), and the Titipounamu who are teeny and spectacular.
Zealandia is a very special spot and I can honestly say if I lived there I would be member and spend lots of time there. Highly recommend.
My days in Wellington were chill and relaxed. I hadn’t planned any outside excursion even though you could train and ferry to Marlborough Wine Country for a guided tour (if without a car). I was happy to just spend my time in nature there for my visit. My flat sat between two excellent cafes - Customs and Swimsuit. There was a wonderful market at the [beautiful, incredibly walkable] waterfront on the weekend I was there with excellent food stalls, music, and a farmers market that I quite enjoyed.
NEXT UP: 11-HOUR TRAIN RIDE THROUGH THE NORTH ISLAND
I had decided to do a train ride as part of my visit to New Zealand. The beautiful landscapes were such a draw for me and I adore train travel so what could be better?
Great Journeys NZ offers several routes throughout the north and south islands and I decided to go to Auckland, which is New Zealand’s biggest city (by almost double compared to Wellington) by train to spend a week exploring.
The train from Wellington to Auckland takes 11-hours. I was not daunted by this but excited to spend time soaking up the scenery and having a relaxed travel day. The train was quite nice, had comfortable seats panoramic windows, and an open-air carriage but the real gem was the bar car.
After the train took off I went to the bar car to get a coffee and found that there were a few seats in the car for guests to enjoy their food/beverages. I was able to sit in a wonderful seat at my leisure, enjoy my coffee, and watch the glorious world go by. The staff was outstanding and I had a magnificent day.
A note about Auckland: I normally do not write “negative” reviews but feel like I need to be honest with my readers: I did not enjoy Auckland. I found it charmless and had the misfortune to get rained out of my excursions to an island off of Auckland that came recommended. I don’t have anything good to offer and would tell any travelers considering New Zealand to skip it. The New Zealand folks I met on my trip shared my opinion saying there is not much to see there - it is just a city with nothing special to note and I tried to make the best of it. I had a view of the water from my very basic flat and it was close to big box grocery stores but there was nothing charming of note nor were there scenic walks. I searched and searched but came up empty. My experience can only be described as a disappointment.
WANAKA & CENTRAL OTEGO - STUNNING & SPIRIT LIFTING
I flew from Auckland all the way to close to the bottom of the south island to wrap up my last week in New Zealand with a stay in Wanaka. My flight landed me in Queenstown and descending the stairs from the plane I already felt lighter: the views of the hills were stunning. I booked an easy and affordable shuttle from Queenstown to Wanaka which is a bit over an hour and takes you through winding mountain roads with very lovely landscapes. The rolling hills very much reminded me of the Scottish Highlands and I would come to find that there is much Scottish heritage here.
When we came into Wanaka, rolling down the hill in the shuttle, the vast view of Lake Wanaka took my breath away. The lake and town are gorgeous.
My Airbnb in Wanaka was located in the hills above the town but was an easy and picturesque 11-minute walk to the lakefront trails and stores, as well as being very close to a small shopping area with a “natural” grocer, several food trucks, and coffee shops. It was cozy and perfect. I loved it.
Wanaka was life-giving and I loved my stay there. My first full day I did a long walk around the lake and went to visit the famous willow tree that grows out of the lake. The trails go for miles and are easy walking and beautiful.
I booked a boat trip to Mou Waho Island with Wanaka Water Taxi and was gifted with the most glorious autumn day for my excursion, along with a very knowledgeable and delightful staff. You take a glorious boat through Wanaka Lake to reach the island, stopping at some notable areas to hear history about the area, which was just fantastic.
Once reaching the dock, you are set free to wander and explore. There is a hike to the very top of the island with the most incredible panoramic views - just incredible. The island also has a crystal sparkling lake at the top! It really is one of the most serene and gorgeous places I’ve visited, anywhere in the world. The hike is mildly exerting if you are a walker and takes about 90 minutes round-trip.
At one point, I just stopped on the trail, no people around me, just wonderful bird song surrounding me. The birds are quite cheeky and would fly close to me and kept singing.
I was tempted to jump in the lake (for real!) but I didn’t have a towel. I did roll up my pants and got in the water and it was QUITE cold but wonderful.
I spent 2 hours on the island and it was perfect. No notes!! Upon returning, autumn sun was out and I sat at a table with a coffee and people watched before wandering the town and heading home.
My other big Wanaka excursion was to visit Central Otago wine country. I had heard so much about this region and the wonderful wines being produced and was excited to explore.
I booked a full-day tour with Michelle at Living the Dream Tours. It turns out Michelle spent time in Napa Valley working in wine before relocating to Wanaka after falling in love with the area and we bonded over the phone while talking wine and the “biz”. She started this tour business in 2023 and I am so grateful to have had her as my host and guide.
It turned out (yet again) I was the only person booked for our day together so I got a private tour. Michelle is an excellent host - very knowledgeable and fully dialed into the region, the best producers, and creating a unique experience for her guests.
Our day together FLEW BY. I was so impressed with the beauty of the region, the wines being produced, the absolute charming wineries, and the people who hosted me.
My favorite places included:
Domaine Thomson - a stunning site, with incredible cool-climate chardonnays and Pinot noirs and wonderful staff. Elegant and delicious.
Cork and Cap - a new “collective” featuring small producers from around the valley that don’t have their own tasting rooms. I had an amazing tasting here with Sigrid, the GM, who poured me one of my favorite wines of the day, a 2013 Riesling. This is a must-visit to get to experience a variety of outstanding wines.
Nanny Goat - the property was so beautiful and the tasting room was cozy and comfortable. I loved the wines, especially their “orange” wine, which is a blend of different white wine varietals seeing skin contact. They offer tasty snacks as well. A winner.
Special mention of Carrick Winery for the darling Armando (my host) and the stunning view I had for my yummy lunch.
The day was crisp, the wines all exceptional and the autumn colors vibrant. My day with Michelle exceeded my expectations and I highly recommend booking her if you are planning a visit.
My time in Wanaka flew by and I wish I had more time to spend in this region but all too soon I had to take the shuttle to the airport and head back to Australia.
I would definitely visit New Zealand again. I’m thinking of putting together an intimate wine and women-focused trip the Central Otago and Wanaka for 2025 - what do you think? Let me know if you would be interested in learning more.
Thanks so much for reading. Have you been to New Zealand or planning a visit? Let’s talk!
Until next time.