NZ: Doubtful Sound overnight cruise

We did an overnight cruise in Doubtful Sound of Fiordland National Park, aboard the Fiordland Navigator.

Just getting to the sound takes a couple of hours; first a catamaran to cross Lake Manapouri:

A catamaran to cross Lake Manapouri

A catamaran to cross Lake Manapouri

Lake Manapouri

Hydro power station:

Power station

Model of the power station:

Model of power station

Then a coach crossing:

Coach crossing

Waterfall:

Waterfall

Peek of the sound:

Peek of the sound

Boarding the Fiordland Navigator:

Boarding the Fiordland Navigator

Our room:

Our room

Our room

Our room

Not a bad view out our window:

View out our window

Heading out:

Heading out

Windy selfie:

Windy selfie

Doubtful Sound:

Doubtful Sound

Doubtful Sound

Doubtful Sound

Fiordland Navigator bell:

Fiordland Navigator bell

Masts:

Masts

Doubtful Sound

Birb:

Birb

Doubtful Sound

NZ fur seals basking on an island:

NZ fur seals basking on an island

Seals

Bar’s open:

Bar's open

Kayaks:

Kayaks

Almost glassy water:

Almost glassy water

Kayak and swimming:

Kayak and swimming

Buffet dinner:

Buffet dinner

Dessert:

Dessert

Dusk:

Dusk

Mooring ball:

Mooring ball

Morning:

Morning

Breakfast:

Breakfast

Breakfast

Doubtful Sound

Doubtful Sound

Twisty:

Twisty

Doubtful Sound

Doubtful Sound

Doubtful Sound

Doubtful Sound

Doubtful Sound

Doubtful Sound

Doubtful Sound

Doubtful Sound

Doubtful Sound

Doubtful Sound

Doubtful Sound

Doubtful Sound

Ship layout (we were in cabin 2 on the main deck):

Ship layout (we were in cabin 2 on the main deck)

Leaving the Fiordland Navigator:

Fiordland Navigator

Then back on the coach and catamaran.

A most memorable trip. So many waterfalls!

NZ: Invercargill to Manapouri

We traveled from Invercargill to Manapouri, where we did an overnight cruise in Doubtful Sound of Fiordland National Park. I’ll do a separate post for that; this is just getting there.

Here’s an interactive map of our route:

Unripe marshmallows:

Unripe marchmallows

Countryside:

Countryside

Farm equipment:

Farm equipment

Brunel Peaks Cafe for coffee and slices:

Brunel Peaks Cafe

Brunel Peaks Cafe

Mountains:

Mountains

One way bridge:

One way bridge

Waiau River:

Waiau River

Another one way bridge:

Another one way bridge

A little sketchy:

A little sketchy

Interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

Parked for our overnight cruise:

Parked for our overnight cruise

Stay tuned for the super-scenic cruise tomorrow….

NZ: Dunedin to Invercargill

We traveled from Dunedin to Invercargill.

Here’s an interactive map of our route, with some potential stops marked:

Narow road:

Narow road

Nice view:

Nice view

We did a guided tour of Larnach Castle:

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Coffee and snack at the castle cafe:

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle

Balclutha Bridge:

Balclutha Bridge

Cafe 55 for lunch:

Cafe 55 for lunch

Cafe 55 for lunch

Arriving at Amble On Inn:

Amble On Inn

Office:

Office

Map:

Map

Then we headed out again; a fuel stop:

Fuel stop

Stirling Point sign in Bluff:

Bluff

Bluff

An anchor chain sculpture:

Anchor chain

Small lighthouse:

Lighthouse

McDonalds Big Arch burger for dinner:

McDonalds Big Arch for dinner

Back at the campground, Jenn did some laundry:

Laundry

Our site:

Our site

NZ: Twizel to Dunedin

We traveled from Twizel to Dunedin.

Here’s an interactive map of our route, with some of the stops marked:

A cat visited our site:

Cat

On the road:

On the road

Waitaki Dam:

Waitaki Dam

Takiroa Rock Art:

Takiroa Rock Art

Takiroa Rock Art

Takiroa Rock Art

Takiroa Rock Art

Takiroa Rock Art

Flying Pig Cafe in Duntroon for a morning coffee and slice:

Flying Pig Cafe

Morning snack

Duntroon exhibits:

Duntroon exhibits

Duntroon exhibits

Duntroon exhibits

Duntroon exhibits

Duntroon exhibits

Moeraki Boulders:

Moeraki Boulders

Moeraki Boulders

Moeraki Boulders

Moeraki Boulders

Moeraki Boulders

Moeraki Boulders

Moeraki Boulders

Moeraki Boulders

Moeraki Boulders

Moeraki Boulders

Moeraki Boulders

Moeraki Boulders

Moeraki Boulders

Moeraki Boulders

Lunch at the Moeraki Boulders cafe:

Lunch at the Moeraki Boulders cafe

Katiki Point Lighthouse:

Katiki Point Lighthouse

Flowers

Cow

Shag Point

Dunedin architecture:

Dunedin architecture

Dunedin architecture

Dunedin architecture

Arriving at Portobello Village Tourist Park:

Portobello Village Tourist Park

Our site; very unusual in that it had a sewer hookup:

Our site

Our site

NZ: Rakaia to Twizel

We traveled from Rakaia to Twizel. A very scenic drive.

Here’s an interactive map of our route, with some of the stops marked:

Morning snack:

Morning snack

An art:

An art

Southern Alps:

Southern Alps

Lake Tekapo lupins:

Lake Tekapo lupins

Lupins

Selfie

The iconic Church of the Good Shepherd at Lake Tekapo:

Church of the Good Shepherd

Church of the Good Shepherd

Church of the Good Shepherd

Scenic lunch in the van:

Scenic lunch in the van

Looking at Aoraki / Mount Cook across the lake:

Aoraki / Mount Cook

Aoraki / Mount Cook and lupins

Bumblebee:

Bumble bee

We arrived at Twizel Holiday Park to check in before they closed:

Arriving at Twizel Holiday Park

,,,but the office had closed early, so we just grabbed the map to our site:

Campground map

Then we headed to Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park:

Road to Mount Cook

Mount Cook

Road to Mount Cook

Snow

Fuel stop in the park:

Fuel stop in the park

Park map:

Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park map

Park visitor center:

Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park visitor center

Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park visitor center

Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park visitor center

Relief map:

Relief map

Predator free NZ:

Predator free NZ

We walked partway along the famous Hooker Valley Track:

Hooker Valley Track

There are three swing bridges along the track, but the second one was damaged, so the track was closed at that point (which was fine, since it was further than we wanted to walk anyway):

Buiding a new bridge

The first swing bridge:

First swing bridge

First swing bridge

A monument:

Monument

Selfie

Aoraki / Mount Cook viewpoint:

Aoraki / Mount Cook viewpoint

Pizza for dinner in Twizel:

Pizza for dinner

Pizza for dinner

Jelly Tip ice cream for dessert back at our site:

Jelly Tip ice cream for dessert

Our site

A very scenic day. But not the last!