Waking up on Day 3 of the Routeburn Track, one of the world’s classic treks, in beautiful New Zealand feels just like waking up on Christmas morning for these two hiking enthusiasts. And what do you know? It is Christmas morning! (more…)
Tag: Routeburn Track
Routeburn Track, Day 2: Lake Mackenzie Hut to Routeburn Falls Hut
So it turns out that sleeping in a room with two dozen or so other people doesn’t necessarily produce the best night of sleep. Go figure! Matt says that a man a few beds down from us started screaming in his sleep in the middle of the night. His wife settled him down. Somehow, I manage to sleep through that, but, as soon as the first hiker in the room starts to stir, I am wide awake. I play possum for a while hoping to will myself back to sleep, but there’s no hope. (more…)
Routeburn Track, Day 1: The Divide to Lake Mackenzie Hut
Our first taste of New Zealand’s Great Walks is the Routeburn Track, a 3-day 32.1-kilometer trek that is often touted as one of the country’s finest. In a country known for spectacular hiking, that’s quite an endorsement. It also happens to be considered one of the world’s “Classic Hikes,” so you know we are all over this one! (more…)
Cruising Milford Sound
It’s practically unheard of to visit the South Island of New Zealand and not go on a cruise in Fjordland’s magnificent Milford Sound. With sheer cliffs rising dramatically out of the deep blue waters, frolicking seals and dolphins and more breathtaking waterfalls than you can keep track of, Milford Sound is a must-see destination on practically every visitor’s list. (more…)
New Zealand Dreamin’
For as long as we can remember, New Zealand has been at the very, very top of our travel wishlist. This rugged island nation tucked far away in the southern Pacific has long captured our imagination, and, after seeing Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films, we knew we would have to visit the land of Middle Earth at least once in our lifetimes. With its majestic snow-capped mountains, lush-green forests, ice-blue rivers and fiery volcanoes all on full display in the movies, our desire to photograph and hike in these stunning landscapes only grew more intense with the release of each subsequent film. Yet, for one reason or another, we never pulled the trigger. (more…)
