Milford Sound, New Zealand – the world’s top tourist destination
It all started with a special birthday
“So what would you like to have for your birthday?” I asked my dear daughter Ketki. After all, it was her 21st birthday and a very special one for all of us. Having known Ketki for so long, I knew she would flash her carroty smile and say in her endearing tone, “I don’t need anything, Dad… I have everything,” and exactly that happened. You know…the hardest thing my wife Pratibha and I have experienced in our entire lives is nothing more than finding the right birthday present for someone. We always struggle with that. But now the question was my own daughter’s 21st birthday present.
Fortunately, my son Kunal came to my rescue and suggested that we should sponsor Ketki on a holiday trip to New Zealand with a friend of her choice. However, Pratibha did not feel comfortable letting Ketki go to a country she had never been to before, even with her friend, and she said that Ketki should visit New Zealand with her brother Kunal. “Good as gold,” I said, but the matter was not over yet. Now it was Kunal’s turn to express his opinion. “Why don’t we all go to New Zealand as a family, dad, and have a lot of fun? It will be our surprise gift for Ketki on her 21st birthday, which she will enjoy the most.” Pratibha and I decided to take some time to smell the roses. “Come on,” we both said excitedly.
The itinerary was planned, reservations were made, and there we were…on our way to beautiful New Zealand, a place we had never been to before, but one that we were all excited about for some unknown reason. We could easily have chosen somewhere else like Singapore or Fiji to spend quality time together as a family, but apparently New Zealand was His chosen destination for us.
New Zealand is the land of diverse landscapes. As we drove from Christchurch, New Zealand’s garden city, and traveled south to Queenstown, the country welcomed us with open arms. Melbourne, Australia has been awarded the title of “World’s Most Liveable City” multiple times, but New Zealand really blew us away. It was different and unique. We find a very close intimacy with a country that is blessed with the scenic beauty of nature. The air was 100% pure, fresh as anything and the freshness of the air increased our excitement levels even more. The one thing we all noticed upon our arrival in New Zealand was the warmth in the hearts of the people and the tremendous hospitality they literally extended us. The staff members at each gas station made me feel very special by filling my car with gas at whatever gas station we stopped at. It was just the beginning of a true family vacation that we all looked forward to after immigrating to Australia.
The only thing I would recommend to anyone traveling to New Zealand is to take a train or drive around this beautiful country as much as you can, instead of flying by plane. The 300-mile stretch between Christchurch and Queenstown is a real treat for visitors. The Westland mountain ranges look stunning and the unique pink and purple flowers on both sides of the road are very eye-catching, you just can’t miss them.
Depending on the time you have, there are many routes to get to Queenstown, but we took the Lake Tekapo route on purpose. When we arrived at this incredible lake, I realized that we had made the best decision. Rich golden landscapes fringed by brilliantly colored lupins paved the way for our arrival at Lake Tekapo. This turquoise, glacier-fed lake is a hive of activity for all things outdoors. Considered a hot spot for Kiwi vacations, this lake offers scenic flights, walking trails, guided alpine hikes and climbs, mountain biking, kayaking, and much more.
Queenstown – a wonderful experience
The driving distance from Christchurch to Queenstown with layovers is around 7 hours, but well worth it. Queenstown, in my opinion, is the best city in New Zealand. It would seem that nature God has bestowed more blessings on this small rural town compared to others. Surrounded by majestic mountains and nestled on the shores of crystal clear Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown is a South Island location with immaculately beautiful surroundings. This adrenaline/adventure capital of the southern hemisphere is an extremely popular stop on the traveler circuit, especially in the winter months of July and August when the ski team is in town.
New Zealand has always been a popular tourist attraction for Australians. But I guess the sheer beauty of New Zealand was brought to the attention of a worldwide audience by the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, thanks to Peter Jackson. We were lucky enough to visit a few filming locations for this extremely popular movie on our way.
We visited New Zealand after winter, around Christmas, the best time to visit New Zealand. However, we could still experience the snow crowns on the mountain peaks. Kunal said that the mountains looked very elegant from the sky. Queenstown is one of the few places in the world where, in just a few days, you can quench your thirst for skydiving and bungee jumping, experience views of mountains, ancient forests, volcanic landscapes, river spouts, cruise ships, breathtaking coastlines. , ride the Skyline Gondola for iconic views of Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu and much more while spotting wildlife found nowhere else on earth. There is no shortage of things happening in the region with many exciting events throughout the year.
milford sound
Milford Sound is a fjord (a long narrow inlet with steep walls or cliffs, created in a valley carved out by glacial activity) about 6 hours one way from Queenstown. It is right in the middle of a tropical jungle. The journey to Milford Sound is as spectacular as the destination itself. You can also drive to Milford Sound by car, but I recommend taking a cruise, like the one pictured above.
The famous English writer, poet and novelist Rudyard Kipling described Milford Sound as the “eighth wonder of the world”. Milford Sound was carved by glaciers during the ice ages, thanks to an incredible phenomenon of nature. This beautiful sound looks incredibly impressive in any weather…a beauty that cannot be put into words. The high cliffs of the fjord rise vertically from the dark waters and remind you of the strong ancient warriors who protect you on all sides. From the cruise, the mountain peak appears to be touching the sky and the waterfalls, some as high as 3,000 feet. waterfall down. It often rains in Milford Sound and these waterfalls multiply to magnificent effect during the rain.
Ranked in an international travel survey as “the world’s top tourist destination”, Milford Sound is hailed as New Zealand’s most famous tourist destination. Breathtaking views along the journey, crisp crisp air, and the majestic beauty of nature offer you a guaranteed “wow” experience. You will experience the true taste of the turbulent waters of the giant sea as the cruise ship enters the sea and makes a “U” turn that takes you back to the origin of the tour. Only then do you realize how difficult it would be to navigate the sea for fishermen who risk their lives every day to earn a living.
bay of islands
After our lifetime experience on the South Island, I have to admit that we were slightly biased about it. We weren’t even sure if North Island would meet our expectations. Even if Internet technology these days offers great information and pictures of places, there is no substitute for experiencing nature for yourself. The North Island did not let us down.
Bay of Islands is the northwestern region of the North Island of New Zealand, not far from the far north of the country. We were lucky enough to get a hotel reservation in Paihia, a bustling seaside town also popularly known as “Jewel of the Bay of Islands.” South Island is more about the majestic beauty of nature, while North Island is about enjoying activities and adventures. Both islands are very different from each other and maintain their uniqueness in all aspects.
One of the “must do” tours in the Bay of Islands is the “Hole in the rock” tour. Piercy Island (often known simply as “The Hole in the Rock”) is located off the north coast of the North Island. This 60ft long, 60ft high hole at sea level was created over centuries by wind and waves, making it one of New Zealand’s most beautiful natural sites. This half-day speedboat tour offers a unique opportunity to watch dolphins and experience the silence in the middle of the sea. When we visited this place, the waters were calm and our boat passed directly through the hole, giving us the opportunity to observe the texture of the rock inside the hole.
If you really want to experience the beauty of the Bay of Islands, you should visit the far north of New Zealand to see how the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet at Cape Reinga. When the turquoise blue waters of these two seas mingle, they create a canvas of unique colors that give a sense of tranquility. So how far are you from New Zealand?
ninety mile beach
Ninety Mile Beach is the narrow strip of sand that stretches along the west coast of North Island. This beach is officially a road, but it is only suitable for 4×4 vehicles. Car rental companies will not allow their cars onto the sand for safety reasons, while private cars are not covered by insurance. Beach activities range from surfcasting and swimming to bodyboarding (slide) down the sand dunes. Both Kunal and Ketki enjoyed this.
The name Ninety Mile Beach is a bit misleading because it’s actually only 55 miles long. When missionaries traveled on horseback, on average, a horse could travel 30 miles in a day before needing to rest. The beach took three days to walk, thus earning its name, but the missionaries did not take into account the slower pace of the horses walking on the sand, thus thinking they had gone 90 miles when in fact they had only gone 55. The “Hole in the Rock” looks beautiful from this beach as seen in the background in the image above.
Another place of interest in this region is the Puketi Forest. It is an ancient kauri forest located in Northland near Keri Keri. With the Omahuta Forest, it forms one of the largest contiguous tracts of native forest in the Northland. The tour guide told us that it has 15,000 hectares of kauri, podocarp and hardwood trees and a rich diversity including hundreds of recorded plant species, some of which are found nowhere else in the world.
The massive tree trunks, some of them as large as 12 feet in diameter, blew me away. I have never seen tree trunks as big as those. One of the shops in Paihia shows a spiral staircase and a large bench to sit on carved from such large tree trunks.
Nothing can be as satisfying as personally experiencing Mother Nature. However, I can only hope that this report has given you a taste of 100% pure New Zealand. I encourage you to post your thoughts on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn. If you or your friends would like to share your experiences of Mother Nature with like-minded people around the world, please submit your articles (up to a maximum of 800 words) to [email protected]. Namaste!!!
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