Wheeling it North we traversed the highest road in NZ (1076m) with sweeping vistas over Queenstown and the Crown Range towards beauuutiful Wanaka (mind you don’t miss the second ‘a’ there reader!)
Now, first things first: award winning ice cream. To hell with lactose intolerance, a tub of the most delectable, decadent dark chocolate please. (The kind of stuff you have to eat in utter silence… it’s THAT good.)
The following day (Monday) with the weather a bit dismal we decided to walk to the cinema to watch ‘The Greatest Showman’ because Rich secretly loves a musical relying heavily on my parents’ 5-star review. The walk took us a brief THREE HOURS (at a marching pace) from our campsite skirting the lakeside Glendu Track past #thatwanakatree
so it was a welcome break to finally stop and have a coffee and a seat. Not just any seat mind you. Cinema Paradiso also happened to be the COOLEST cinema we’d ever been to with sofas, comfy armchairs and even an old Morris Minor to sit in AND there was a good ol’ fashioned intermission during the movie AND there were divine, warm, freshly baked cookies AND I loved the movie.
Comfy chairs + Hugh Jackman movie (phwoar) + warm cookies = two happy campers!
The next couple of days brought the wake of Cyclone Gita in the form of rain, rain, rain, wind, rain, rain, wind, rain, rain, aaaaand Rich driving into a rock. (Oops.)
Buuuut fast forward two days when we woke up to a gloriously clear, blue skied, sunny day with a 15cm dump of SNOW on the mountain tops! [Remember February in NZ is the equivalent to August in the UK so this is rare, people!] So, eager to get out, we popped on our walking boots and embarked on the 16km return hike up Roy’s Peak Track reaching ear-popping and eye-popping heights.
A walk up to the snowy summit rewarded us with magnificent lake and mountain views – including sights of the lofty Mt Aspiring (king of Mt Aspiring National Park at 3033m).
We also decided to stride it out the next day on the epic Rob Roy Glacier Track but only after negotiated the most unforgiving, unsealed 30km of “road” complete with NINE FORD CROSSINGS! (Rich did a heroic job steering the wagon to the finish line).
So the walk started in the Matukituki Valley and, I’m gonna put it out there: it was THE MOST EXQUISITE scenery in New Zealand. You gotta go there people! (But maybe in a 4WD.) Back to the walk. After crossing a swingbridge we walked climbed through a forested valley to impressive views of the hanging glacier perched precariously on the mountainside surrounded by waterfalls galore. Click here for video.
Our final day (Saturday) in Wanaka involved another early start and taking part in Wanaka’s first Parkrun! What a privilege! And WHAT a route! It’s got to be the most picturesque Parkrun in the world.
Before we left the town, we hired out a paddleboard each for an hours SUPing on the lake with Paddle Wanaka. My very FAVOURITE form of exercise 👌🏼 SUP yoga next…
A week in Wanaka was not enough. It is a very special place for sure.
Emma x
Our Kiwi Campervan Life 