Foto: Yellow-eyed penguins on the peninsula (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
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 tourists, we drive to the peninsula. We start right at the tip with the albatrosses. While driving along the coast of the island, Tony stops several times to point out birds in the water. Especially the shags, the black swan, and the stilts are swimming in the water. At the visitor center near Taiaroa Head, some fellow travelers go inside to see the albatrosses up close. We chose not to do that. Tony takes us to the viewing platform. The wind is favorable today, he explains. The albatrosses fly back to their nests via this side. It doesn’t take long before the huge birds fly past. Their wingspan can reach a width of three meters. With these wings, the birds sail in the wind. They can cover hundreds of kilometers per day, Tony tells us. Dozens of albatrosses fly by. It’s almost unimaginable that this group of albatrosses is threatened with extinction. After about an hour, we continue driving with the van to the east side of the peninsula. At Papanui Beach lies a private beach used only by the tour operator. When we arrive, I see sea lions lying on the beach below. The New Zealand sea lion is an endangered species. Only a few thousand sea lions remain. On the beach, several adult males rest while the pups play with each other. Curiously, they watch us as we approach. An adult sea lion can grow up to three meters long and weigh 400 kilos. On the other side of the beach, I see penguins walking around. These are the rare Yellow-eyed penguins. We carefully walk through the dunes toward them. Unlike the sea lions, the penguins are afraid of people. If disturbed, they return to the sea, which prevents them from feeding their chicks in the nests in the dunes. From a special viewing hut, we can safely observe the penguins. Several penguins stand on the beach or just inside the dunes. New penguins swim ashore from the sea. Tony says he rarely sees more than ten penguins together on this beach. It’s unique. When a sea lion stretches, several penguins quickly run back to the sea for safety. False alarm—the sea lion lies down again. Shortly after, the penguins return. Finally, we visit the seals. On the rocks on the other side of the bay, dozens of seals lie around. Young seals roam everywhere. Some play in a water pool; others stay safely with their mothers. Tony explains that the young seals stay here until they are fully grown, which can take up to a year. Here they are safe.
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. ...
Jetboat and Funyak at the Dart River
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. ...
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 ...
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. ...