Fiordland tramp

We wanted to make the most of the Christmas break, so decided to take another trip to the south island. Our itinerary included a circuit from Queenstown, the 3 day Routeburn track, Te Anau, and back to Queenstown.

We spent our first two days relaxing after a busy year. The beautiful vistas, great coffee, and inviting food helped soothe our tired minds.



Southern alps



Jetset Han



Fish and Chips by Lake Wakatipu



G&H with the remarkables

The Western arm of Lake Wakatipu

The Routeburn track is a 3 day, 2 night, 33km hike over the mountains separating Glenorchy from Milford Sound. It crosses an alpine saddle, and we stayed in department of conservation huts.



Starting the track





Swing bridges galore



Scenic toilet trips





Routeburn flats





Routeburn falls hut (our first night's accommodation)



Yummy dinners in foldable bowls (thanks Geraldine and Aloys!)



Waking up to a cold wet morning - but our spirits weren't dampened!



Mt Cook Lily - alpine flowers on the track





Day 2 - climbing up to Lake Harris saddle



Lake Harris



Its snowing!



Storm's a clearing







Hollyford valley





Lake MacKenzie






In Lake MacKenzie Hut (our second nights accommodation)




Waterfalls on the 3rd day



Lake Howden



Trampers with style



Obligatory finishers photo!



Our trusty boots

We completed the walk on New Years Eve and headed on to Te Anau, where we celebrated with a nice bottle of wine and an early night (after all the fresh outdoor air)!





Lake Te Anau



Road back to Queenstown









View from Queenstown Gondola



Preparing for our luge ride (wheeled sledges on a downhill racing track - great fun!)





Enjoying dinner back in Queenstown



The sun sets on our amazing holiday!