Take a trip around some of the great spaces of the New Zealand with us
IN THIS ISSUE Glacier Adventures Aoraki Mt Cook Visit Moreaki Boulders with Travel Blogger Jessy Travel Adventures Our stay at Mt Vernon Lodge, Akaroa Winery Adventures in the Waitaki Valley with River-T Estate Wines Not All Those Who Visit Matamata Are Lost with Exploring Kiwis Cover Image Pete Williams Page Image Neil Protheroe
AND MORE
Kia Ora and Hello Welcome to our latest Travel Magazine, the time has flown by I have been away down to Lake Wanaka and Queenstown on an adventure that you will hear more about in the next Issue. It reminded me of the amazing beauty of New Zealand’s Central Otago Region all over again, man I love this country. We have been busy organising our next Tourism and Travel Showcase for June too and A Night of Astrophotography with our event partners and Mark Gee of the Art of Night Photography, we hope you are inspired to learn from us all the tips and ideas coming so grab your ticket and lock it in. Enjoy & happy travels Rachel
Editor, Rachel Gillespie NZ TRAVEL MAGAZINE QUEENSTOWN TO KAIKOURA NZ LIMITED
EDITORS NOTE Rachel Gillespie is a Mum of 3, she started KaikouraNZ 5 years ago which has now grown into the Queenstown to Kaikoura NZ Travel Trail and NZ Travel Magazine. Her philosophy is to collaborate with other leading creatives and share these amazing places for all to enjoy.
Images Rachel Gillespie Top left: Wanaka Scene Bottom Left: Tekapo Springs fun Above: view to Mt Sefton - Aoraki Mount Cook
COME AND RIDE THE ALPS TO OCEAN CYCLE TRAIL
Mt Cook Ski Planes & Helicopters by Rachel Gillespie
Glacier Adventures
by Rachel Gillespie PART ONE IN THIS ISSUE
Now and again there is a place deep in your heart you have travelled to that leaves a mark on your life, for me this place is Aoraki Mount Cook, it is my mountain as the NZ Maori culture would ask you when you meet someone new, where are you from, what is your Munga (mountain) what is your Awa (river) and what is your Waka (vehicle or how did you get there). I grew up in the South Canterbury countryside on a farm, we spend most of our holidays and weekends in the Mackenzie Country at the Lakes and in the Mountains around Mount Cook, camping, fishing, hunting and exploring. For us as a family we didn’t think about how lucky we were to spend so much time around the area, it was just our place. Having travelled away around the world before returning home to New Zealand I was drawn back to live here and spend time again in this magical place, my home.
So this story for me is a very special one. Last year I was lucky to be introduced by my friend Lee Cook to Pete Williams a pilot at Mount Cook Ski Planes and Helicopters. Pete is an amazing pilot with so much experience in mountain flying and that is in my opinion a very special thing to find in aviation. I started working with the company on various projects and have since spent a bit of time in Mt Cook on some of New Zealand’s most rugged mountains. The experience landing onto the Glaciers to me is absolutely breathtaking, and it’s so much more than just a flight, I have flown many times before in tourism destinations, this place is special, it is almost scared. There is a respect that goes with flying into a place like this, and the added bonus of exhilaration to go with it. It is one of those experiences that makes your re-evaluate what life is all about. Images - PETE WILLIANS
The Tasman Glacier is just beautiful with its iceblock type features in view as you fly over and up the Glacier, and the opportunity to go out and explore with the guides to ice caves or ski down the Tasman is second to none in the world and something I am yet to do. My heart skips a beat flying over the Plateau Hut, landing there sometime will be one of my great achievements to stay overnight in the hutt at the base of Mt Cook, still on the bucket list as last year’s weather was not kind enough to me each time I attempted to go there, you can’t get much more gnarly than that. One of my spiritual favourites is the landing onto the West Coast just across the mountain to Franz Josef Glacier, flying back over that side of the alps almost looks like you are in another place, the forever changing landscape of New Zealand’s environ-
ment continually blows my mind, although I have spent most of my life here it still makes me feel like I am seeing it with different eyes every time. As a tourist I can only imagine how it must feel for you to experience our beautiful country and want to come back and bring your friends and family. We are certainly very lucky to reside here and be the caretakers of this amazing country, they are now saying we even have our own new continent called Zealandia! If you love adventure, snow and the mountains then this is a place for you to definitely put onto your itinerary. MORE INFO AT www,infliteexperiences.co.nz
Franz Josef Glacier RACHEL GILLESPIE
Tasman Glacier PETE WILLIAMS
IMAGE RACHEL GILLESPIE
Glacier Guided Walks PETE WILLIAMS
Glacier Guided Walks PETE WILLIAMS
PETE WILLIAMS
Ski Plane Glacial Landing
PETE WILLIAMS
Aoraki Mount Cook National Park
NEW ZEALAND PETE WILLIAMS
AORAKI MOUNT COOK NATIONAL PARK NEW ZEALAND PETE WILLIAMS
Glacier Landing Spot
PETE WILLIAMS
FRANZ JOSEF GLACIER
PHOTOGRAPHY OF MARK GEE OF THE ART OF NIGHT
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Cape Pal liser
BY JESSY SAGER
@JESSYTRAVELADVENTURE
Mystical Moreaki Boulders of the South Island
If you drive through Otago you will be amazed by the variety of scenic landscape. You have everything. Wild beaches and rough coastline, wildlife, mountains and super romantic sunsets and sunrises
But there is one little spot you definitely shouldn’t miss on your roundtrip through the beautiful South Island. It`s the beach and the lighthouse of Moeraki. So you want to have great sunsets and sunrises? Great go to Moearaki Boulders! You want to make fun videos or pictures? Awesome, go to Moeraki Boulders! You want to have a glimpse on yellow-eyed-penguins and seals? Sweet as! Go to Katiki Point Lighthouse! You want to see a rough coastline? The Lighthouse is your place babe! Let’s start with the more famous Boulders. You will find the Moeraki Boulders approximately 40km south from Oamaru on the Koekohe Beach which is on the east coast of the South Island. But be aware, you can only see the Boulders at low tide. So plan your visit around those low tide times. I decided that I want to see the boulders with the rising sun. Why? Because first there is low tide and second sunrise always covers the environment in spectacular colors and vibes. You can park your car at the DOC parking spot and then walk a few minutes over the beach to the boulders. It`s just a magical place! Flat sand beach and those not-from-this-world looking boulders. Incredible how Mother Nature can form herself! I would truly recommend you going there earlier than the official “sunrise time”. Because it`s just amazing! You can see the sky turning from a dark black to blue and then you see this small red line and you know that the day will take over the night.
Images Jessy Sagar
What I really love at sunrises are, that there is something special about it. The vibes are different in those 1-2 hours. It`s just crazy how the sky is changing each minute. All around you everything is covered in soft colors. The waves are calming your soul, the air is smoothing your thoughts, the colors are touching your heart! I truly found peace at this place. The gentle waves, the warm sun, the incredible view. It’s such a magical place, you have to see it on your own to understand, what feeling it creates in you.
JESSY SAGER
@JESSYTRAVELADVENTURE
But Moeraki offers you more. There is this little Peninsula with its Lighthouse. It`s about 5 minutes drive from the Moeraki Boulders. The Katiki Point Lighthouse is such a beautiful place. You can see the coastline, different bays, and cliffs. And best of it: yellow-eyed-penguins and a lot of seals plus heaps of bunnies and birds – for free! The penguins will come on land after they had a busy day offshore. So I recommend going there in the afternoon. Two paths will guide you to different spots. The one on the left is going into a little cabin, where you can spot some penguins – but not too close. The path on the right is more the one I would go if I had to decide. So this one guides you to a place where you can go fishing. But there are also heaps of seals and a lot of penguins. And you can see them really close because the path is above the bay where the penguins and seals are staying in for the night. So you will see them really good. You can only see those yellow-eyed-penguin in the south of New Zealand and some in the Antarctic islands. So you should really schedule a stop at a place like Moeraki or any other places where you can see them. Because they are rare. And so cute! I mean who doesn’t love penguins?
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@jessytraveladventure
RACHEL GILLESPIE LAKE TEKAPO
RACHEL GILLESPIE AORAKI MOUNT COOK
KAIKOURA BY TRAVIS LEPPI
Mt Vernon Lodge Dream ~ Explore ~ Celebrate AKAROA FEATURE
I recently had the pleasure of staying with Amanda and David the owners of Mt Vernon Lodge in the township of Akaroa, on the Banks Peninsula east coast a short drive from the city of Christchurch Akaroa, a french inspired town is well known for it’s marine life, the little hector dolphin, penguins, wildlife and bird life nestled inside the harbour which was once an active volcanic area. The Lodge originally started out many years ago as a school camp and horse trekking venue it has in recent years since been significantly developed and changed into its own unique venue and mountain hideaway with spectacular views. Many of the guests staying at Mt Vernon now are there attending family weddings and events or on their travels throughout New Zealand. The property boasts 360 degree views with the view onto Akaroa Harbour from the main lodge and a impressive forest of trees behind, it is a beautiful place to breathe in fresh air and reset yourself. Owners Amanda and David have owned the Lodge for the past 18 months and have taken on the venue as owner operators. Between them they bring over 30 years of experience in hospitality. David a coach driver for 17 years taking tours and Amanda in hotels all over the South Island from Queenstown, Franz Josef, Te Anau to
Christchurch. Amanda started out with cleaning and worked her way up along the chain to Middle Management. “We went away from hospitality for a little while says Amanda, but we have always been drawn back in and had this pipe dream of having our own property, so when the opportunity came along at Mt Vernon we we attracted back to hospitality, not only the venue but also the people of Akaroa and the amazing community here.” They decided to make the property into a Wedding and Events Destination after attending a wedding at another destination venue and thought hey we could do that at our place and we think, do it even better. So with their children grown up and living all over the country and a couple in Aussie they decided to give it a go. Their goals are to expand the property and create more capacity because people love the view and the location. “The demand is there.” says Amanda “Long term we are looking to create a bigger place for more accommodation, to service our conferences and weddings. In this industry there are peaks and troughs so we are working towards being able to work more on the business than in it, we have a good base now so it’s time to build it up a bit more.” says Amanda
If you are interested in a Wedding venue, here you can have an unforgettable ceremony, a custom-designed reception, and stylish accommodation for you and your guests, all within the beautiful surroundings of the estate. And the next day, you’ll have time to catch up with old friends, and enjoy the scenery. Mount Vernon’s sweeping lawns, with their stunning views over Akaroa Harbour, offer the perfect setting in which to make your vows. They also provide an ideal backdrop for your photographs, so there’s no need to leave your guests behind
We are looking for staff who understand the nature of small business, and want to grow our social media presence this year.” Amanda’s philosophy is work hard and the results will show and David’s is making sure people have a perfect day, the absolute best it can be. Check out more about Mt Vernon at the website www.mtvernon.co.nz
Your reception can be as formal or as informal as you want it to be – whether it’s a silver-service dinner for 100, or a BBQ on the lawn for 10. “There is a high demand for Weddings, we are getting pretty close to being booked up for Wedding Season for the next 12 months so that is pretty amazing, and have guests already booking into 2019.”
Interesting fact The name Akaroa is Kāi Tahu Māori for “Long Harbour”, which would be spelled “Whangaroa” in standard Māori.
view to Akaroa Harbour Mt Vernon Lodge
Many weddings are hosted at Mt Vernon Lodge
MT VERNON VIEW TO AKAROA HARBOUR
AKAROA HARBOUR
RACHEL GILLESPIE AORAKI MOUNT COOK
Tasman Valley Walkway from the carpark on a recent adventure RACHEL GILLESPIE
TALMAN MADSEN
A Visit to Hobbiton
Not all those who visit Matamata are lost My name’s Morgan, I’m a 22 year old Aucklander, with a history of writing, film & TV obsessing, and a passion for wandering around my beautiful country taking cheesy Instagrams and eating my weight in food! I’ve joined Sarah and Nathan to get my voice out there about what I love about New Zealand, so that you can find what you love too.
What better way to kick off my debut travel here on Exploring Kiwis than with Hobbiton? After all, for many foreigners, Lord of the Rings is probably the first thing that springs to mind when they think of New Zealand – and I don’t blame them.
fangirl experience I’m looking for. When it comes down to it, Hobbiton really is just a magical experience, and a gorgeous part of New Zealand to explore – with a little production trivia in there that the film degree sitting in my room is very excited about.
In truth, this isn’t my first visit to Hobbiton either – but I could never turn down a second trip! The first time was with my loving partner, Michael, as a birthday gift in winter. This time, I was doing the gift giving, with my family taking my nana for her birthday. Both trips were equally as thrilling, although with it being Summer in NZ now, this time around was a whole lot warmer. You won’t find me complaining about that!
It’s a gorgeous spot, that provides both a look into a hugely detailed film set, as well as a beautiful miniature town, that has you enjoying both the scenery, quaintness, and sheer dreaminess of it. It truly makes you wish this place was real – just so you can spend more time there!
So what is it about this place that has me coming back? I’m not a huge fan of tacky tourist spots, and while reading all of the books (sans Silmarillion) and watching the extended cut of all the movies might make me sound like a mega-fan, I’m actually not crazy about Lord of the Rings. No, it’s not the mere sight of a tourist attraction, nor a
I’m always impressed by the detail that went into it – and without spoiling any of the surprises, I can promise you’ll find yourself looking intently at each little hobbit hole! It’s also fairly interactive at times – it’s not a museum, you can touch almost everything! There’s even a party field where you can play around with some of the party games. But only if the weather’s good.
BY MORGAN OF EXPLORING KIWI’S
Hobbiton
Hobbiton
But more than that, this is a great experience for those hoping to see a slightly embellished version of the Kiwi country life. There are streams, bleating sheep, and a gorgeous mini lake – in fact there’s even beer and meat pies at the end of it all! It’s not all gravy though, I will say this, I wish you could have more time in Hobbiton. The sheer numbers of people who go through the site means that the tour is sped through, and there is little time to dawdle. If it were possible, it would be absolutely wonderful to be able to go at your own pace, and stay in the Green Dragon to drink your pint of mead as slowly as you’d like, or even kick your feet in the lake if you want to. It’s a serene spot – but the speed you have to go through it is anything but!
Unfortunately, if we all had the time to stay as long as we’d like, they’d find themselves overcrowded within hours. Logistical nightmares aside, it’s still a dream I like to contemplate. So would I recommend it? Absolutely! It’s kid friendly (my 3 year old nephew had a BLAST even though he hasn’t the faintest idea what a hobbit is), it’s full of details and film trivia, it’s beautiful, and it’s a great little bit of excitement in a region of New Zealand where you might be wondering, what should we do today? This was my second trip to Hobbiton, but I’m sure it won’t be my last!
Practical Information to Help You Plan Your Trip to Hobbiton If you’re interested in hopping over to Hobbiton yourself, it takes around two or so hours of driving through the gorgeous New Zealand countryside to get there from Auckland. Tour tour itself costs $79 for adults, $39.50 for kids 9 and up, and a gobsmacking $0.00 for anyone younger than that. I’d also recommend getting the tour that starts in Matamata – it’s the same price, but during the bus ride you’ll hear some solid Matamata and Lord of the Rings trivia, which is always nice!
Hobbiton Review Exploring Kiwis Worth the Visit I hope you enjoyed reading my first travel post! Granted this isn’t technically my debut blog. I’m excited to bring my travel experiences to Exploring Kiwis and to get to know you all better. Happy travels. - MORGAN
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT EXPLORING KIWI’S AT WWW.EXPLORINGKIWIS.COM
Exploring Kiwi’s was originally created by Nathan and Sarah, two adventure-seeking Kiwis now living in Abu Dhabi, we now have an enthusiastic team of bloggers, committed to bringing you the best in travel. Check out out website for more stories
Tourism New Zealand has produced a 15 year anniversary video highlighting some major milestones along the Middle-earth journey. Find out which character you would travel through the real Middle-earth as:
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The Night Sky Experience
www.tekapostargazing.co.nz
MARK GEE & NEIL PROTHEROE South Island Photography Adventure - July 2017
Join Mark Gee, Neil Protheroe & Rachel Gillespie for a five-day, five-night photographic adventure in the heart of Southern Alps, the jewel in New Zealand’s crown of scenic landscapes. MAXIMUM 12 GUESTS This is a special all-inclusive photographic workshop open to photographers of all levels of experience and enthusiasm. We will be spending our days in the magnificent alpine landscapes around Lake Tekapo, Aoraki-Mount Cook and Wanaka, and at night, we’ll be out shooting the amazing star-filled skies of the Mackenzie Basin. Expect to be up early, and out late! You’ll be hosted and guided by two professionals who will offer one-on-one instruction, advice or reinforcement of the skills and techniques used in image visualisation, composition, exposure control, and post-processing. Learn how to capture the stars of the Milky Way and create incredible time-lapse movies as part of our astrophotography masterclass. This is a unique photographic adventure in one of the most scenic places in the world. Mark Gee is an award winning photographer & digital visual effects artist based in Wellington, New Zealand. He has worked on many high profile and Oscar award winning feature films. His love of the New Zealand landscape is a big part of the inspiration for his photography. In 2013, Mark won the prestigious Astronomy Photographer of the Year. Not only did he win it overall, but Mark also won the Earth and Space catergory, and the People and Space category which had never been done before in the competitions history. Mark will be sharing his world-class skills by leading the night time astrophotography parts of the workshop. Neil Protheroe is a long-experienced landscape photographer whose work has been featured in a number of international travel magazines, newspapers, journals and exhibitions promoting New Zealand tourism. He describes his photographic style as being simple and natural, with an emphasis on getting things right “in camera”. Neil will lead the daytime landscape workshop activities.
#NZKIWIADVENTURES LIMITED SPACES - MAX 12 GUESTS
Waitaki Valley Winery with River-T Estate Wines by Rachel Gillespie
Recently I ran a Instagram Masterclass in Lake Tekapo and meet a number of wonderful people from the beautiful Waitaki Valley where the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail runs through and there are some beautiful wineries in this region. One of my favourites and new to the market is River-T Estate Wines owned by Karen Tweed and Murray Turner, more on this amazing place in later magazines but here is a small snippet about River-T The Waitaki Valley has a long history of horticulture dating back some 100 years when the first NZ export of cherries and other fruits occurred from the Otiake region. The climate was ideal, water plentiful and the quality of produce outstanding. In the mid 1970’s the Turner family purchased a large apricot orchard at Otiake and a rich history of horticulture growing continued for this family. However it was not until 2003 that wine grapes became a part of the pioneering tradition in the area and the Turner families began an association with the regions grape growing that continues to this day. River-T Estate was planted by Murray Turner in 2007 as a small boutique vineyard with a mix of grape varieties on the banks of the Waitaki River 5 km east of Kurow Township. Murray selected this site for its historic fruit cropping ability, high growing degree
days, rich alluvial soil entwined with limestone and its northerly aspect. It has proven to be a winning combination with consistent crops every year since 2009 and quality grapes that has flowed through into ethereal wines that represent everything about this pristine region. Until 2016 grapes from River-T Estate have been sought after from recognized Otago winemakers like Grant Taylor (Valli Vineyards) who make their Waitaki label from this fruit. This consistent production of top quality grapes meant the time was right for Murray to launch his own brand of wines and together with his partner Karen the River-T Estate brand was born. Boots and all! River-T Estates philosophy is to remain a small, unique vineyard and focus totally on quality from the paddock to the glass. Enjoy the wines, as it’s everything the beautiful region has‌.. in a bottle.
You can purchase online at www.rivertestate.co.nz or purchase at your local Four Square where stocked
“Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.� Ernest Hemingway
www.rivertestatewines.co.nz
Shoot for your Dreams Lake Ellesmere by Mark Gee
Winery Owenrs Karen and Murray
WE SUPPORT THE WESTPAC RESCuE HELICOPTER Image Stan Schofield
Join Mark Gee for A Night of Astrophotography in Lake Wanaka in June MORE INFO