New Zealand // South Island

Simply put, the South Island of New Zealand took my freaking breath away! Hands down the most beautiful place I’ve seen yet in this world. I couldn’t handle it & there’s no way any camera could ever capture what it feels like to be immersed in this beauty.

After cruising the North Island, we took the ferry across the Cook Strait to start our adventures on the South Island. It’s crazy how different the two islands are… they are like two separate countries. We camped in some of the most gorgeous picturesque settings & hiked all over the place. We packed so much into this second part of the trip it and still didn’t see everything we wanted to (which I guess means we just have to plan another trip!). Some highlights for me would be swimming in the crystal clear Pelorus River, swing bridges, wine tasting in Marlborough, hiding in our camper-van from all the dreadful sandflies (yikes), the pancake rocks in Punakaiki, the turquoise glacier waters at Hokitika Gorge, hiking to Franz Josef Glacier, driving through Haast Pass, chillin’ in Wanaka, eating & drinking out way through Queenstown (I want to live here), driving up to The Remarkables, taking the gondola in Queenstown & riding the LUGE!, driving to the Fiordlands & going through the Homer Tunnel, kayaking 20km through Milford Sound & seeing one of these penguins, getting our van stuck on a bike path on the side of Lake Pukaki (oh that was fun! ha), to the golden hills & glacier waters of Lake Tekapo (just to name a few!). This place is amazing & I wish everyone a chance to see it themselves one day!