Feb 24, 2017, Friday:
Hokitika is the Jade Capital of New
Zealand and has arts, crafts and natural West Coast beauty. The stunning Hokitika Gorge, views of Mount Cook and
the Southern Alps, lakes are attractions, bushwalks, Hokitika was first settled in
1860, after the discovery of gold on the west coast.
We stayed at a lovely apartment at Mountain Jade Backpackers
Hokitika Gorge:
This is the map of the day's drive
https://goo.gl/maps/zw7VyR5jdKULnf6p9
Early in the morning we checked out, set off in slight drizzle to the gorgeous Hokitika Gorge. Totally worth the 30 km ride
This beautiful blue
river is about an hours drive from Hokitika! People say the brilliant blue color of the water
there goes muddy and brown after a lot of rain. We enjoyed the short rain forest walk, the swinging bridge and the bright turquoise
colored lake.
Our first intro to the horrible sandflies was here... we covered up, slathered on our babyoil, Deet mix in the exposed areas and were safe from the bites
After the viewing platform scrambled down as well for awesome views...
The
milky blue color of the water is due to glacier ground rock floor. ,, great explanations in the boards...
We had a picnic meal at a scenic spot on the way
Assembled sandwiches with cream cheese, tomatoes, avocadoes and a dash of garlic salt. Juice complemented the meal.
Earlier we had been to Hokitika Glow Worm Dell, but it had become day break and we could not see the glowworms on the bank. We had been too tired to make the short 3 minute drive the previous night... oh well, we had seen plenty at the Waitoma caves!
On our return , we looked around the jade shop... lovely jade and Maori woodwork, Bought some loose stones.
Had a brief stop at the lovely beach.
We had been apprehensive to start this hike late in the day... had glorious weather and the light was on the glacier.... AWESOME! Pics are so bad... no justice!
Love this high-five-guy... who waits for us at the end of the glacier hikes...
We returned to the hotel, and were mighty happy we had had such great weather for our late hike.
We started off early in the morning and reached Fox glacier village. I saw a lady with her trekking poles and realized our poles had been left behind. Son went to the Bella Vista hotel and asked if he can use their phone to check with the YHA about the poles. He offered to pay for the call. The lady said it would be long distance on the hotel phone but her cellphone has unlimited plan and she let him use her personal phone. So very nice of her!
YES, the poles were propped up in the corner of our room behind the curtain, We drove back and got them. Some precious time was lost in this backtracking and a valuable lesson learnt... to be more thorough... it had been because of the parking issues but who needs explanations/excuses?
We were very grateful it ended well. The poles were of great use to me and the hikes would have been difficult without them
Here's our high-five guy telling us today's conditions...
Weather was blustery for a while, then we warmed up with the walk. These green poles kept us on track...views were good, the camera has not picked it up... the accompanying rive was a lovely pale green , the hills a lush green
It was a shorter hike than Franz Josef and our high-five guy was soon met...
The glacier was hidden by a stubborn cloud... we sat around for some 10 minutes but it did not lift...
Slight glimmer of the glacier here... it was 1.30 and we had a long drive ahead of us... so we reluctantly left...
Had our picnic meal at the car park... it was pretty scenic with high cliffs all round and a green morainne lake... sandflies were kept off with a slather of our home made repellant... baby oil-dettol mix.
Ship's creek... with a ladder for a lovely lookout...
Setting sun adding his magic...
We had a picnic meal at a scenic spot on the way
Assembled sandwiches with cream cheese, tomatoes, avocadoes and a dash of garlic salt. Juice complemented the meal.
Earlier we had been to Hokitika Glow Worm Dell, but it had become day break and we could not see the glowworms on the bank. We had been too tired to make the short 3 minute drive the previous night... oh well, we had seen plenty at the Waitoma caves!
On our return , we looked around the jade shop... lovely jade and Maori woodwork, Bought some loose stones.
Had a brief stop at the lovely beach.
YHA FRANZ JOSEF GLACIER
We were then off to Franz Josef
Glacier... Reached YHA right at the foot of the glacier,.. LOVELY...
After
check in started off to the car park for the glacier view point hike... hikes from the village of course add more time!
Franz Josef Glacier:
Franz Josef Glacier was first explored
in 1865 by geologist Julius von Haast, who named it after the
Austrian emperor who sent him on the mission to travel the world and
find great sites. Sadly the Emperor never got to see the place
himself .
The glacier is five kilometers from the town of the
same name. From the glacier car park, we can hike to a choice of
lookout points for a bigger view of this river of ice.
While
glaciers around the world are retreating, the Fox and Franz
Josef glaciers still flow almost to sea level. The temperate
climate at this low altitude means these glaciers are among the most
convenient to visit in the world. Easy walks to the foot of the
glaciers pass along ancient river valleys with steep sides bearing
gigantic horizontal scars from when the glaciers have retreated and
advanced over millennia.
We hiked in forested trail before we come out to the moraine valley floors... nice waterfalls and gurgling river flowing by...
We had been apprehensive to start this hike late in the day... had glorious weather and the light was on the glacier.... AWESOME! Pics are so bad... no justice!
Love this high-five-guy... who waits for us at the end of the glacier hikes...
There was no parking at our hostel, the compound was full. We drove into the village and parked on the street. Got permission from the guy who was entering his home... he was sweet about the parking. We gathered our stuff and walked back to the hotel
Feb 25, 2017, Saturday:
Our drive map is as follows... 289 km but we covered 72 km more than this map as we backtracked from Fox village to Franz glacier YHA to pick up our hiking poles we had left behind
https://goo.gl/maps/cLFJqmfSoXDzz5as7
TREKKING POLES LEFT BEHIND:
YES, the poles were propped up in the corner of our room behind the curtain, We drove back and got them. Some precious time was lost in this backtracking and a valuable lesson learnt... to be more thorough... it had been because of the parking issues but who needs explanations/excuses?
We were very grateful it ended well. The poles were of great use to me and the hikes would have been difficult without them
FOX GLACIER:
We started our glacier viewpoint hike... murky weather but pleasant conditions...After the sandfly bites at Hokitika gorge, I was extra careful in covering up with my bangle and watch keeping the shirt sleeves tightly closed. [I had been bitten in the car after taking off the layers... after escaping the flies at the gorge with our babyoil, dettol mix]
Here's our high-five guy telling us today's conditions...
Weather was blustery for a while, then we warmed up with the walk. These green poles kept us on track...views were good, the camera has not picked it up... the accompanying rive was a lovely pale green , the hills a lush green
There were streams to ford, some over bridges, some over stones...
It was a shorter hike than Franz Josef and our high-five guy was soon met...
The glacier was hidden by a stubborn cloud... we sat around for some 10 minutes but it did not lift...
Slight glimmer of the glacier here... it was 1.30 and we had a long drive ahead of us... so we reluctantly left...
Had our picnic meal at the car park... it was pretty scenic with high cliffs all round and a green morainne lake... sandflies were kept off with a slather of our home made repellant... baby oil-dettol mix.
Fox Glacier to Haast:
Fox Glacier to Haast 122 km (76 miles) was the first part of our drive with short halts at Lake Moeraki and Monro beach. The whole drive was pretty scenic.
Sand fly repellant was a must-do on all halts...
Ship's creek... with a ladder for a lovely lookout...
Going up the ladder gave a great vantage point
We reached Haast visitor center...
Haast to Wanaka 139 km (87 miles) was the next and final part of the drive for the day.
Had a scenic halts and short walks to lovely falls... Roaring Billy here, then Fantail falls, Thunder Creek Falls, Gates of Haast,
Ship's Creek and Knight's Point Lookout...
Views were stunning through out ...with snow covered mountains and glimmering lakes...
Setting sun adding his magic...
We reached Wanaka at 9 PM... a lovely room awaited with a gorgeous view of the lake....
WHAT A DAY!!
Our days 9 and 10 at Wanaka and Te Anau are covered in the next post:
http://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2017/03/new-zealand-trip-report-day-9-wanaka.html
Our days 9 and 10 at Wanaka and Te Anau are covered in the next post:
http://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2017/03/new-zealand-trip-report-day-9-wanaka.html
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