The Final NZ Chapter: Mt Cook, Lake Tekapo & Akaroa
Another long drive, yet another great cafe stop. Honestly, the ability of New Zealand to keep coming up with unexpectedly good food in terrific little cafes is ridiculous and after all these weeks we still haven’t found a bad one. Today, eggs benedict and a long black in Kurow, delicious as ever, served with a smile and, wait for it, a 15% surcharge because it’s Easter Monday.
We’re en route to Lake Tekapo but detouring to Aoraki Mount Cook, the highest of all of New Zealand’s mountains at 3,724 metres above sea level and another of this country’s iconic sights. Unfortunately the cloud cover is stubbornly thick and the famed peak hides somewhere way above it, staying out of view throughout our visit despite our patience, but unbeknown to us its neighbours are about to give us an unexpected thrill.
As we arrive after a half hour trek to a renowned viewpoint and admire the blue lake below, a rumble similar to rolling thunder grows in intensity and reverberates around the valley. We turn – and there, before our eyes on the slopes of Mount Sefton, an ice fall, or avalanche, is powering down the mountainside. To hear the power, see the unstoppable movement of ice throwing boulders which crash hundreds of feet below, is as dramatic as it is spectacular. We hoped we might see Mt Cook, we had no expectations of anything like this.
From Mount Cook to Lake Tekapo the lakes are beyond beautiful, deep blues, greens and turquoises competing for best colour, flat surfaced waters reflecting the mountains in perfect splendour. We spend just one full day (two nights) at Lake Tekapo, the town itself is an uninspiring creation built simply for tourism but the surrounding scenery is yet again magnificent, classic mountain and lake territory. The views from the top of Mount John are absolutely stunning, over what seems like hundreds of miles of rolling scenery painted around those huge and beautiful lakes.
Sadly we’re nearing the end of this kiwi odyssey, with just one proper call left via one last long drive back to the coast, this time to the north east and out on to a spectacularly unusual headland. The four hour drive takes us through more agricultural land (read: more wide open spaces) and, as we skirt the city of Christchurch without seeing a single hint of it, along the flattest, straightest roads we’ve encountered on this trip where everywhere else has been twists, turns and hairpins. In time we reach the water, turning left towards that unusual peninsula.
The pretty seaside village of Akaroa sits within a remarkable geographical feature, its unusual position highlighted on the map below:-
The almost circular sea inlet here is actually a caldera created millennia ago by a succession of giant volcanic eruptions. Over time the constant pounding of the Pacific Ocean breached the outer caldera wall, flooding the entire crater and forming the highly unusual setting we now find ourselves enjoying. The highest point of the peninsula is a dramatic 2000ft above sea level – taking a drive along and around the aptly named Summit Road affords magnificent views, often with the ocean on both sides. The road itself is fun too, a truly terrific drive.
But of all the fabulous scenery of this beautiful corner of the world the star of the show is the French influenced Akaroa village – this may sound impossible but this is one of the loveliest places we’ve found in Aotearoa New Zealand and, believe us, that really is saying something. Curved around its long natural harbour and effectively split into two by cliffs and shoreline, Akaroa is a quietly seductive village where the pace of life is, implausibly, another notch down from the rest of the country.
Top quality restaurants look out to the sea (if you come here, eat at AIHE!) while waves rendered gentle by the 16-kilometre long inlet softly caress the stony shore. Seabirds and waders feed on the endless supply left by the ebbing tide and a strong sense of peace envelopes the whole village, as if the gentle waters dictate the mood. Don’t come to Akaroa for nightlife: as we wander home at 8:30pm after another sumptuous meal there is barely another soul to be seen, tables are being stacked and everyone is presumably tucked up early in readiness for tomorrow’s sunrise.
Taking what is to be our final boat trip of this NZ adventure, we spot yet another mammal which is new to us, namely some Hector’s dolphins playfully feeding just outside the caldera in the open seas.
We have absolutely loved New Zealand, so to find yet another wonderful corner, one which in some respects tops them all, is both a massive bonus and a fitting end to a magnificent trip. Oh, Akaroa, we have loved you.
It’s on our penultimate day in Akaroa that news starts to filter through that New Zealand is poised to be hit by a major storm in the shape of Cyclone Vaianu, racing towards the North Island and due to make landfall on Saturday evening/Sunday morning. Fearing cancellation of our first flight, we are relieved to make it from Christchurch to Auckland…but, next, Auckland is due to be in the eye of the storm in the 20-odd hours we are here. What we will witness, and whether our flight to Hong Kong will get off the ground, remains to be seen. As we touch down on Auckland runway and everyone switches on their phone, the cabin fills with the sound of severe weather alerts buzzing from every row, including our own phones (see the screenshot of the alert below). We were prepared for anything… yet it all passed without interruption and our flight to Hong Kong did after all depart on time…
21 Comments
Eha Carr
Michaela and Phil – thank you for still blogging, thank you for taking us along. I first went to New Zealand for part of my first honeymoon a lifetime ago . . . and did not see or learn a fraction of what you have shared with us from your journey. You were not very lucky with the mountainous areas (my first foray was to Mt Cook 🙂 !) but the wonderful shots of your journey again today make one forget the crazy happenings in the news on the same day you posted. Methinks everyone lucky to scan the post will want to be there. The Heavenly Powers have blessed the land in more ways than one. Safe and happy trip home . . . and next time you venture forth . . . please may we come along again 🙂 ! Oh . . . my favourite pic – sugar, not of scenery but of a little girl being part of Mummy’s and Daddy’s special day . . .
Phil & Michaela
It’s been a really great trip, Eha – we’re still in Hong Kong, flying home Friday. Wanted to enjoy a few days in HK and it’s been full on!
Eha Carr
Rarely get to IG at the moment but saw you there yesterday – you DID get an awful lot done . . . bestest!
Toonsarah
Apart from not seeing Mount Cook you seem to have finished your trip with more close-to-perfect days. Fancy seeing an avalanche! And Akaroa looks and sounds very special 🙂 I’m glad your return flights went smoothly too, despite the hurricane.
Phil & Michaela
Yep, just enjoying a few full on days in Hong Kong now!
Heyjude
And what a sunrise to end on.
Phil & Michaela
Akaroa is a very special little place, Jude.
Lynette d'Arty-Cross
Wow! Such a collection of gorgeous photos of a gorgeous region. I really enjoyed looking through them. Glad to hear that you made your flight; it sounds like the storm wasn’t as bad as feared or it changed direction. Cheers.
Phil & Michaela
We were prepared for a delay so to get away on time was a bonus, so we’re still enjoying Hong Kong just now
restlessjo
You lead charmed lives! Almost a shame to go home? We have a friend who for years has been trying to sell his Algarve home and join his son in New Zealand. There were lots of obstacles but he’s finally succeeded. Easy to see why he went to all the effort xx
Phil & Michaela
Definitely, it’s a country with an awful lot to offer Jo
Lookoom
There are some beautiful landscape photos. I also took that road on my way to Akaroa and was equally captivated by the scenery there. Perhaps it’s the steeper slope of the ancient volcano or the sparser vegetation. I remember a large, majestic tree, standing alone in the middle of a vast meadow. I did, of course, check out the French side of Akaroa; it’s a bit artificially maintained for tourist purposes, but it’s still an amusing story.
Phil & Michaela
It is, yes…I was going to include it in the narrative but there wasn’t enough space to do the story justice!
grandmisadventures
what an incredible travel chapter to add to so many others. New Zealand has always been on my list, but all the more so now after following along with you 🙂
Phil & Michaela
Definitely recommended!
Steven Mark Berger
Thanks for the great pictures and wonderful descriptions of New Zealand. We’re actually visiting the south island right now and the fall colors are just fantastic – very similar to what we see in Colorado. The sheer beauty of the whole south island is quite unbelievable. People told us how incredible it was but until I saw it for myself I didn’t understand. The word spectacular doesn’t even do it justice. I wish we could see some of the places you visited but, alas, there’s only so much time and there’s so much to see. And at least I saw your pictures!
Wishing you good health.
Stay safe,
Steve
Phil & Michaela
It really is a magnificently beautiful country isn’t it
WanderingCanadians
Bummer about the cloud cover while visiting Mount Cook. Glad to hear you managed to visit Akaora. It’s such a beautiful area. Love the views from Summit Road. Thank goodness the cyclone wasn’t as bad as they were predicting and that you made your flight to Hong Kong on time.
Phil & Michaela
The avalanche made up for the cloud in a way but on the whole the NZ trip was absolutely fantastic!
Alison
What a fabulous trip and the sunset of all sunsets to finish it off. Have fun in Hong Kong
Phil & Michaela
It was, and we did! In fact it was so full on in HK that we haven’t had time to do a post yet!