Karen Garvin
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South Island ▷ Fiordland ▷ Te Anau ▷
Fiordland National Park
Helpful staff with information on hiking and tramping, lots of written guides available for a low cost.
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South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Mount Cook ▷
Hooker Valley Track
Great for a 3 hour hike.
Beautiful views the whole way. Trail being re-built - new sections are lovely, old sections rougher but easy enough. Really rewarding.
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South Island ▷ Southland ▷ Owaka ▷
Purakaunui Bay Campsite
So beautiful!
Stunning location on the ocean with nearby cliffs, fascinating forest and a small river flowing to the sea. Informal site - just random but worth it. Slightly sketchy road in.
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South Island ▷ Coastal Otago ▷ Dunedin ▷
Royal Albatross Centre
Penguin guided viewing - great experience despite small numbers seen that night.
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South Island ▷ Coastal Otago ▷ Oamaru ▷
Moeraki Boulders
Even on a rainy, blustery, overcast day, this was a 10 out of 10 experience - moody sky, ocean, really framed the boulders well.
Fascinating and unique!
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South Island ▷ Coastal Otago ▷ Dunedin ▷
Royal Albatross Centre
Excellent facility and great guide for Albatross viewing - well worth the cost.
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South Island ▷ Coastal Otago ▷ Portobello ▷
Albatross Viewing at Taiaroa Head Carpark
You can walk around the viewing boardwalks and lookouts for free - totally worth it!
We saw numerous Albatross flying above our heads, seals on the rocks below. Pounding oceanwaves - breathtaking and free!
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Fox Glacier ▷
Gillespies Beach Campsite
Another gravel parking lot - nicely sheltered by trees and shrubs and flax, short walk to beautiful beach.
Despite huge warning sign, the road (unsealed for 12km), was excellent.
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South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Mount Cook ▷
Tasman Glacier Lake walk
Beautiful surroundings but the destination was a bit of a let-down as the glacier has receded so much and no icebergs - likely due to time of year.
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South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Mount Cook ▷
Aoraki / Mt Cook National Park
Friendly and helpful staff, beautiful new facility - worth a visit and a nice alternative to the too costly Sir Edmund Hilary Centre.