Top 12 experiences from one year of travel in New Zealand
We arrived in New Zealand March 24th, 2015 and a year later today, we start travelling in Australia and two months later onwards to Bali and Bangladesh! We are a little nervous, mostly excited, super happy and grateful to have had such amazing travel experiences in New Zealand. We are also a little bit sad to be leaving our home by the sea, our very own ‘paradise bubble.’
First time we saw St Heliers Beach March 25th 2015! loved living opposite this past one year 🙂
Last swim at St Heliers Beach March 21st 2016
If you have been following our blog for a while, you will have seen our many posts of all the travels we did around North and South Island. We did three campervan trips, several road trips, one flight (just me, guilty of doing that) and several ferry crossings. We have lived like locals in Auckland and can recommend several great place for good food, where to get the best coffee and which local sightseeing are fun for families. We have become quite the expert on planning road trips lasting 4 days to 2 weeks. We have a lot of local information and knowledge on accommodations, attractions, restaurants and where to go. Drop us a line if you need help planning your New Zealand trip, we would love to help and have much knowledge on how to plan a the perfect vacation – for all kinds of travel style – budget, outdoor based, adventure, and luxury.
The four of us have sat down the last couple of days, reminiscing our year of travel in New Zealand and what were our highlights – which ones were those unique experiences that we have not encountered anywhere else in the world, many that were a first for all of us. We went from our top 5, to top 10 and finally settled at top 12 🙂 For further details on why these magical spots and adventures were the most memorable, you can click the link and have a read, perhaps you might want to do many of them yourself when you visit New Zealand!
Steamy Waterfalls of Kerosene Creek
2. Skiing for the first time at Mt Ruapehu
skiing at Mt Ruapehu
3. Jumping off the rocks at Pelorus bridge, Havelock
4. Foraging for our food from the Sea – Tua picking along the Karikari Peninsula, Northlands
5. Scenic Flight over glaciers, mountains and lakes with Air Safari, Lake Tekapo
Aoraki/Mt Cook at 3754m
6. Hiking to Mt Doom – Our epic 20k hike at Tongariro Alpine Crossing
7. Living by the sea, St Heliers Beach – have swam, kayaked, boogie boarded and chilled by the beach more times this year than all times before this one year!
8. Wild Camping and our favourite campsite, Kaikoura
9. Seeing dolphins, whales, seals and wide variety of birds
Visiting Cathedral Cove Off Season
Local Bush Walks around Auckland
11. Pristine beaches of Northland region
Matauri Beach
Karikari Peninsula
12. Milford Sounds, Fiordland National Park
Milford Sounds
All these were just a glimpse of all that we experienced in this one year of life and travels in New Zealand. By the time this post comes out, we will be in Melbourne from where we start our 2 month epic road trip around Australia. We hope you continue to follow us on our travel adventures around Australia and continuing onwards to Asia!
Goodbye New Zealand, thank you for the amazing one year of travel, adventure, laughter, family bonding and countless memories, it’s been magical 🙂
Most recent shot of us, farewell dinner in Auckland
12 top highlights of New Zealand
Linked to #MondayEscapes
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It looks like you had a great time. I love the idea of ‘travelling as a local’ especially being able to visit the same place in different seasons. Welcome to Australia – I hope you enjoy it as much as you did NZ.
WOW, New Zealand has never looked so incredibly enticing! I especially love that you foraged for food by the sea. Those photos of the glaciers were also so amazing! What a year of travel for your family, fantastic journey!
I loved seeing your journeys in New Zealand and can’t wait for more from the road in Australia. Have a great time!
A year in New Zealand, oh you’re so lucky! What a great idea to look back and make a list of all your highlights. It will be so useful to people planning a big trip there. It all looks amazing. I’m a big fan of slow travel too, when you can do it. Visiting from #TheWeeklyPostcard
That scenic flight over Lake Tekapo looks amazing!
This is awesome guys. All of you rock! Keep traveling, learning and having a good time. Love to follow your adventures.
Thanks Ruth 🙂 Enjoying all of it!
Wow! What an amazing year you have had! Your photos are absolutely breathtaking! Looking forward to follow your future travels!
I like the concept of slow travel. Glad you were able to embrace that with your family
Love to see your pictures, especially the attraction no.5. The view of the lake is really very awesome due to the reflection of light in water. I wish somehow I can be there in future…
What a neat collection of experiences! You were truly blessed to have such an opportunity and I’ve been blessed by your stories.
Not to detract from your epic Australian road trip, but I’m excited for you guys, going to Bali and all. We lived there a few years ago and enjoyed it immensely. How long do you plan to be there?
Just amazing. I am so jealous and I am keeping these for myself. Because we MIGHT go next year whoop. Everything from the camper vanning to the scenery just sings to me and such a fantastic family adventure. I am not jealous one bit… Thanks for sharing on #MondayEscapes
Absolutely stunning photos! I’ve just come back from 2 weeks in New Zealand and I’m sooo jealous that you got to spend an entire year there! Your post shows me all the things we missed out on! We did make it to Kerosene Creek and Milford Sound though 🙂
That’s great you made it to those two, loved them both!