Foto: View of the Dart River (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
New Zealand - Today, we’re going on a boat trip on the Dart River. First, we need to drive to Glenorchy, about an hour away. Upon arrival, we’re given a wetsuit, wet shoes, a fleece, a rain jacket, and a life vest. In the changing room, I switch into the gear. Down at the harbor, the Jetboat is already waiting. Ethan, the skipper, welcomes me aboard. A Jetboat is specially designed to navigate shallow water, Ethan explains. It only needs ten centimeters of draft. Still, we might hit some rocks in the river, but that’s not a problem. We head out onto Lake Wakatipu. Ethan opens the throttle, and the boat seems to glide over the water. A spinning hand gesture signals we’re about to do a 360-degree turn. Ethan yanks the wheel, and the boat smacks into its own wake. Fantastic. The Dart River flows into the lake from the north. It's very wide but carries little water. Riverbeds full of stones lie everywhere. Only after heavy rainfall does the water level rise. Ethan speeds the boat over the narrow streams, hitting 70 km/h. He clearly knows the river well—a wrong turn would leave us stuck on rocks. We enter the national park. The river winds more here, and Ethan dodges boulders and tree trunks, occasionally adding another 360 spin. I don’t stay dry. After an hour, we disembark at a side stream where the funyaks—sturdy inflatable kayaks—are ready. The group is split into three, each led by a guide. I go with James, who explains how to paddle, steer, and what to do if we fall overboard. There’s a fair bit of wind today, making paddling easier but the water rougher. We mostly drift with the current, though wind sometimes spins us sideways. At tricky turns, James instructs us to stay left or right to avoid strong currents. The scenery is stunning—sunshine and mountains all around. After 45 minutes, we stop at a creek and pull our kayaks upstream. At the end is a narrow rock fissure formed during an earthquake. Carefully, we paddle through. Amazing! We soon hit rapids and have to turn back. After lunch, we paddle a final stretch to Paradise Beach, a frequent film location—including for The Lord of the Rings. On the pebbled beach, we deflate the funyaks and roll them up. A bus takes us back to Glenorchy.
Abel Tasman National Park
New Zealand - At eight o’clock, we drive onto the grounds of Abel Tasman Kayaks. We have booked a kayak tour in Abel Tasman National Park. We are immediately introduced to Balwi. Our guide for today is of Indian origin. He has been living in New Zealand for four ...
Cape Reinga
New Zealand - Several buses are running today. The second one to arrive is ours. Marvin is the driver and welcomes us onboard. Since multiple buses are operating, Marvin first drives all the way to Cape Reinga and then returns via the beach. This does mean we’ll ...
Cathedral Cove
New Zealand - Around half past one, we approach Hahei on the peninsula. At the edge of the town, there is a large parking area for cars. We decide not to use the shuttle bus but to walk to Hahei beach. Hahei beach is often called the most beautiful beach in New Zealand. ...
Milford Sound Fjord
New Zealand - Outside, it is still dark when the alarm goes off. It’s 5:30 a.m. We shower and have breakfast in our cabin. Just before 6:30, we head out. At 9:00 a.m., the boat departs in Milford Sound. The distance to Milford Sound is still 120 kilometers, and it’s ...
Otago Peninsula
New Zealand - In the afternoon, we booked a wildlife tour to the Otago Peninsula. Since the tour lasts until the evening, we decide to eat now at one of the small restaurants in the center. At half past three, Tony picks us up at the hotel. Together with eight other ...
Queenstown
New Zealand - Queenstown is a town with over 10,000 inhabitants, located on the South Island of New Zealand. It lies on the northeastern shore of Lake Wakatipu, with The Remarkables mountain range in the background. We’re halfway along the route to Queenstown. ...
The Glaciers around Mount Cook N.P.
New Zealand - A thrilling day today. Would the glacier tour go ahead? When we wake up, it is cloudy. Yesterday, the weather forecast seemed better. We can call at nine o’clock to find out if the helicopter trip will take place. To be safe, we decide not to do a mountain ...
Thermal Wonderland Wai-O-Tapu
New Zealand - Just about half an hour’s drive below Rotorua lies the Thermal Wonderland park, Wai-O-Tapu. Besides the geothermal pools, the Lady Knox geyser is also located here. Every day at quarter past ten, the geyser shoots water into the air. We leave early ...
Tongoriro Alpine Crossing
New Zealand - At exactly 7:30, we drive onto the grassy field. Several people are already waiting for the 8:00 a.m. bus. It's another 25 minutes by road to the starting point. On the way, the driver tells us that it’s cloudy today and that wind gusts of up to 100 ...
White Island Volcano
New Zealand - At quarter past seven, we check in for the boat trip to White Island volcano. The check-in is at the reception of our hotel, where we can also check out of our room immediately. At the dock lies the Pee Jay VI, the ship that will take us to the island. ...