Aoraki/Mt Cook Alpine Lodge South Island
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Mount Cook Village, Aoraki South Island, New Zealand, +64-3-435-1860
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Travel Blogs by Travelers Who Stayed at the Aoraki/Mt Cook Alpine Lodge South Island
The morning was fantastic. We went to the Tasman Lake by boat and saw iceburgs and the Tasman Glacier. The weather completely cooperated, which was a pleasant surprise. It had rained hard all night, so most of us thought the trip was going to be cancelled. Thankfully not! In the afternoon, the weather decided to change. But, we hiked anyhow, and took the Hooker Valley Hike, which was about 5 hours. We saw snow, rain and, eventually, some sunshine! The day was great--only, we never really saw ...
Mt. Cook Village, South Island, New Zealand alyttle
Our destination today was Mt Cook. After checking out of the NOT-recommended Kingsgate Brydone Hotel, we drove back to the Blue Penguin Colony, bought souvenirs and took some pictures. Of course, the penguins were all out to sea but we enjoyed looking at their beach, huts, and the amphitheatre where we'd seen them come ashore the night before. We drove around Oamaru and noted that the Bella Vista Hotel looked like a winner (we totally wished we'd stayed there instead). So we got on the road t...
Mt. Cook Village, South Island, New Zealand herewegoagain
Well, what can we say about Mount Cook apart from it was very, very white!
Our guidebook had recommended taking the time to stop and look at the vivid colours of the adjoining glacier lakes on the way up to Mount Cook Village. To be honest, just locating the lakes would have been a small feat due to the very low cloud cover so if anyone out there knows where they are....
When eventually we got to Mount Cook Village (which is pretty small and in the middle of nowhere), the snow d...
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... bit of frantic driving around, finding another couple of closed places Jason managed to find a small hotel to take us in. I was in the dog house until I made him a cup of tea and went to the vending machine and bought him a Kit Kat - he could have got more out of it as did feel quite guilty but what he doesn't know....
My "I told you so" t-shirt just wasn't sufficient - disappointed to now find I could have got more mileage out of it!
... worth the four hour round trip (well that's what I tried to convince nicola of anyway!). Another two hour drive back in the right direction and we arrived at Franz Josef just in time to book our trip the following day onto the glacier.
Up early to leave the campsite (that we paid for honest!) to go and get some brekkie before our hike. 'Full of Beans' no not Nicola that's the name of the cafe we went to and had a large eggs ...
... the town which knocked up a nice garlic bread and Denver Leg Venison Medallions seared and roasted rare, on a herbed sweet potato and pumpkin mash, Portobello mushroom and whole wild blueberry jus washed down with Rockburn Pinot Noir 2007 – this convinced me that there was somewhere in the South Island where fine dining was not just eating with a knife and fork! For the first time since Hong Kong I am now up to date with my blog!
Franz Josef, South Island, New Zealand hadwin
Day 47
Today we arrived at Franz Josef. Where we were staying we were in an amazing place, surrounded by the glaciers and Franz Josef Glacier. They were phenominal to look at, stunning. Lisa made me a spagetti carbanara, which was awesome (although not as good as yours mum!!) and then we chilled out watching Braveheart in the evening and met up with James, Lloyd and their friends and chilled out. I got an early night in preparation for the ...
... Swiss cheese, avocado and tomato). We decided to pass on the delicacies and instead tended to the animals caged outside. We fed a deer, met our first marsupial and Eric learnt what a goat looks like –he kept confusing them with alpacas.
The bus rides are not all that bad; they provide hours of much needed relaxation and reveal undeniably gorgeous scenery. It must be said that this country is ****ing beautiful ...
... you had to drive through Haast Pass - which is the lowest point you cross the Southern Alps. We went past a beautiful river and, as the day went on and it kept raining, more and more waterfalls either side of the road. We got to Haast around 4pm and Fox Glacier was on about 1.5 hours away so after a sandwich we kept on the road. The rain got heavier and ...
Franz Josef, South Island, New Zealand wollifer
... our next stop and again off the plane and back through customs the stay this time approx. two hours and the plane refueled. Sydney the next port of call and finally Christchurch total traveling time round about 25hrs. We gave Ron a call at Russley 302 and he promptly came to take us to his farm stay a beautiful and welcoming ...
South Island, New Zealand mikeandavrilSearch South Island Hotels |
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