Jon Algie 
You’ve probably heard of the Hooker Valley Track, by far the most popular hike in Mount Cook National Park. While that hike deserves all the praise it gets, there’s heaps more to explore in the land of New Zealand’s tallest mountains. The Red Tarns Track, a steep two-hour hike (return) from the valley floor, is … Read more
Central Christchurch is home to a variety of attractions, including beautiful old buildings, the meandering Avon River, street art, the botanic gardens and various reminders of the Christchurch earthquakes. It’s a strange mix of the old, the new and the soon to be demolished. A fun way to explore central Christchurch is on the historic … Read more
One of my earliest memories was driving through the lion enclosure at Orana Wildlife Park and seeing lions wandering around outside the car. You can’t do that anymore (that all ended in 1995), but it was exciting to return to this place after so many years. Orana Wildlife Park has a great selection of animals to … Read more
Lake Tekapo, the tiny town with an old stone church by the lake of the same name, is the perfect place to relax after hiking in the Mount Cook / Mackenzie Basin region. After a long day of hiking it’s hard to beat a relaxing soak in the Tekapo Springs hot pools. These pools look … Read more
In small town New Zealand there generally isn’t much to do when the sun goes down. That’s not the case for Lake Tekapo though, as it sits in New Zealand’s only dark sky reserve, meaning it’s ideal for stargazing. Dark Sky Project (formally Earth and Sky) invited us to do the Mount John Observatory stargazing … Read more
This underrated hiking track, just a 30 minute drive from Twizel on the road towards Mount Cook and Tekapo (from Dunedin), features sweeping views of Lake Benmore and the Waitaki Valley. Hiking the Benmore Peninsula Track only takes an hour or two and it’s easily one of the best things to do in the Waitaki … Read more
Have you ever been to a place so beautiful that you can’t work out why more people don’t know about it? For us that’s the Hakatere Conservation Park / Ashburton Lakes District, a stunning collection of tiny lakes and scenic roads surrounded by snow-capped mountains. It’s a dream to drive through, and there are heaps … Read more
Hiking to tiny Lake Emily, set amidst golden tussocks and surrounded by snow-capped mountains, is one of the highlights of any trip to the Hakatere Conservation Park. This region of the Canterbury High Country is part of the wider Ashburton Lakes area and has that perfect combination of stunning views and thin crowds. Thinking about … Read more
In case you haven’t heard already, a little film series known as the Lord of the Rings trilogy (as well as the less well-loved Hobbit trilogy) was filmed in New Zealand. There are heaps of filming locations all over the country, and Mount Sunday, a little rocky hill thing surrounded by snow-capped mountains, is one … Read more
There are some places in New Zealand that will never be the main destinations for tourists. Lake Ruataniwha is one of those. You’ll pass it when driving between Queenstown / Wanaka and Mount Cook / Lake Tekapo and it makes for a nice place to stop for a quick rest or a picnic. If conditions … Read more