AUSTRALASIA NEW ZEALAND DESTINATIONS RIGHT:
Queenstown FAR RIGHT:
Champagne
Pool, Wai-O-Tapu BELOW:
Milford Sound
AGENT OPINION
Lynne Hammond, cruise and long-haul specialist, Marion Owen Travel, Hull New Zealand exceeded my expectations, which was down to the knowledgeable drivers and our incredible tour guide. APT has a fantastic reputation – I was ushered through the restaurant for breakfast just because I was wearing my APT name badge. I felt like a VIP. The whole itinerary was outstanding – the TranzAlpine train is a must-do, and the Shotover Jet ride was such a thrill. The tour would appeal to a range of people. They mix the seating on the coach each day, so you get to talk to everyone, which is particularly good for single travellers and helps the group gel from the start.
off tiny pieces of a dark-green leaf he’d just picked fresh from the forest of Mount Aspiring National Park. Gamely, we gave it a go, and within a few seconds, the innocuous-looking leaf had released a chilli-like heat – not unpleasant, but certainly unexpected. “It’s the New Zealand pepper tree,” he explained, used by Maoris as everything from insect repellent to a cure for toothache. Just minutes before, we’d been taking in panoramic views of the Dart River Valley by jet boat – a gentler journey this time, more scenery and sightseeing than high-speed spins. That still left time for a drive past Lake Wakatipu – a regular contender on lists of the most scenic journeys in the world – and a walk through the nearby national park, where it takes only moments to feel like you’re deep in the heart of the forest. And that was just a morning’s activities. Then again, that’s New Zealand,
where scenery, culture and soft adventure come together in a
Scenery, culture and soft adventure come together in a compelling mix, with the added bonus of good food and wine
compelling mix, with the added bonus of good food and wine, and comfortable accommodation for clients who don’t fancy roughing it. Even dinner can be an adventure,
with everything from a cruise across the lake on coal-fired steamship the TSS Earnslaw to dine at Walter Peak High Country Farm, to a trip up on the gondola to the dizzying heights of Skyline Queenstown for a sumptuous buffet with a side of city views and stargazing. It’s the glacier-carved landscapes that are the real star here, though,
with every bend in the road revealing another towering mountain or vast, glassy lake. A cross-island journey on the TranzAlpine train from Christchurch to Greymouth shows the scenery off at its best, allowing passengers to gaze at misty mountains and into deep-cut gorges. Though a cruise through the serene fiords of Milford and Doubtful Sounds – a feature of almost every escorted tour – must be a close contender for the title of the country’s most beautiful view.
w NORTH ISLAND For such a small nation, the terrain varies hugely from South to North, with the latter shaped by its volcanic activity. Nowhere is that more visible than at Wai-O-Tapu – which means ‘sacred waters’ in Maori – near Rotorua. It’s a centre of geothermal activity and a favourite of photographers for its brightly-coloured, sulphur-rich pools, the most striking of which is the Champagne Pool, a steaming hot spring that bubbles constantly
25 January 2018
travelweekly.co.uk 119
PICTURES: TNZ/JULIAN APSE; CHRIS MCLENNAN; ROB SUISTED
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