Wanaka is a lovely town on the shores of Lake Wanaka and we were greeted with beautiful views as we came out of the pass towards the lake.
Quick stop at Maude Vineyard to admire the view and sample the local wine. Sauvignon Blanc reigns on the north end of the island but the Pinot Noir is the main grape toward the south.
We made our way down to the lake to relax in the late afternoon sunshine.
This was apparently the best tree-climbing town of the trip!
Naturally, we had to take care of our feathered friends here as well.
Subway with a view!
Finally, we made our last stop at Wanaka Kiwi holiday park. It was a little bittersweet knowing it was our last night in the campervan because it was great fun and a terrific base from which to explore all around the south island. I think we were all ready for showers in the same building as our beds, though.
After some breakfast and one last jump on the trampoline, we packed up the RV for good and made our way to Queenstown to exchange it for a rental car.
The drive between Wanaka and Queenstown is one of my favorites. First, rolling hills covered in wildflowers in the summer....
....then the amazing Kawarau Gorge, home of the original bungee jump.
The gorge also had wineries, cheese markets, and delicious ice cream stops.
I loved the proprietor at the Chard Farm tasting room!
A few more turns through the gorge, and we made our way into Queenstown.
The campervan looked pretty nice without our big mess in it!
We made some wonderful memories in this little home for a week!
Umm...we didn't fit quite so well in our rental car. We amassed quite a bit of food and had spread out more than we realized when we tried to pack everything in.
We passed through Queenstown and headed up Lake Wakatipu to Glenorchy, which is basically a dead end at the neck of the lake. I'd heard that it was stunning but on our first trip we were so tired of driving we didn't want to do an extra 2 hours to see for ourselves. This was the one place I really wanted to visit this trip and I was not disappointed.
At the end of the road, we could easily see why people love it here - snowcapped mountains in almost every direction you look!
And fields of wildflowers blooming where the clear river meets the lake.
After driving through the tiny town, we settled into our first cottage of the trip and it was so exciting to have separate bedrooms and a washing machine!
The view from the porch was pretty awesome. Many an hour was spent relaxing here.
We cooked in both nights and had lovely dinners on the porch. This was definitely the coldest place we stayed and the weather was so refreshing! Even though it's their summer, I considered it my winter weather.
Our big event in Glenorchy was a day of horseback riding.
We couldn't wait to saddle up and see the sights!
Our morning ride was down into the river valley.
It was so incredible enjoying nature on horseback, so we could soak in all the sights.
This area is part of the Paradise Trust and was used many times to film Lord of the Rings and other movies.
We made several river crossings, which were lots of fun. Maybe not as much for the horses because the water was pretty cold.
Amazing!!
Alex and Slick, who is a movie star himself. He was recently used in the upcoming remake of Mulan, so we'll be looking for him when the movie comes out.
My boy Bailey, who was great fun as long as no one was behind him. He had no patience for other horses and I loved his attitude.
Ben and Scar, who loved snacking on the flowers.
We went back to one of the two cafes in Glenorchy for a hearty lunch, then headed farther into Paradise Trust for our afternoon ride.
These horses were older and quieter, so we didn't see as much of their personalities. My horse did have a serious case of gas, which was kind of hilarious and embarrassing.
We had showers passing through the entire time but it didn't spoil anything for us, thank goodness.
We meandered through the forest where the final battle scene was filmed in Fellowship of the Ring.
The horses did all the climbing for us as we made our way up the side of Mt. Alfred for better views.
Incredible views! This was the location for Isengard tower.
Such a beautiful afternoon!
I was hoping we didn't make a mistake by signing up for 5 hours in the saddle in one day but it was completely worth it and no bottoms were too sore. I'm so happy we did both rides and saw the mountains and the valley.
We enjoyed a second morning on our porch and the peace and quiet of Glenorchy.
Matt and I walked a few blocks for a coffee and enjoyed the morning sights on the water as well.
Before we left town, we all walked the trail along the lagoon at the head of the lake and loved seeing the black swans.
Thanks for the memories, Glenorchy!
We made our way back down the lake to Queenstown, this time to stay and play for several days.
