The Most Scenic Drive? | New Zealand Road Trip

We left Fox Glacier in the rain, ready for an afternoon of driving. Over the course of the past ten days, we had found ways to occupy ourselves on our journeys. Singalongs, ‘would you rathers’, and alphabet listing games were just some of the ways we filled the times where we weren’t busy in our own thoughts or exclaiming about the scenery of the roads.

On our journey to Queenstown, there was a lot to awe about.

We first stopped at Fantail Falls when we saw a sign for it up ahead. The small car park was busy, and as we waited patiently for someone to exit before we would take their space, a van that came in after us swooped in and took it! Luckily, it didn’t take too long for another space to become available. We walked the short track through the trees to where they opened up to a large expanse of grey stones. A river flowed through the centre, and on the other side was the falls, where clear water rushed down dark rocks. 

I continued the drive. So many of the roads throughout New Zealand have twists and ascents and we were accustomed to allowing faster vehicles to overtake us. We were in no rush. Soon enough, we reached breathtaking views of Lake Wanaka. Lake water of so many shades of blue, surrounded by green hills and trees, and there were snow capped mountains too. We parked up to breathe in the air and stand in awe, the wind blustering around us.

We had plans to explore Wanaka after our trip further south to Queenstown and further along to Milford Sound. This was just a taste of things to come.

After the lake we took on a huge ascent. We just had to be patient with our little van - she was doing the best she could. When we got to the top, we got to drive down with the most beautiful view of lush fields in their deep greenery, gently winding tight hairpins and exclaiming at the sight.

We reached Queenstown early evening and parked up at our campsite by the lake. This was the most expensive campsite we paid for, but we understood that it was due to proximity to the city and the beautiful facilities. We made burgers in the large kitchen with the lake view and enjoyed the luxury comforts of decent WIFI and a plethora of plug sockets.

The next day, we drove to a carpark where we could leave the van for a few hours whilst we explored the city. Walking into Queenstown, we saw a sign for 'Çool Stuff' which directed us to a lovely little shop that sold nice souvenirs and crafted goods, yarn, and more. As we reached the city centre we remarked on how town-like it felt. No high-rises, very walkable. There were a strip of luxury shops amongst the travel centres with competing deals. It seemed built for tourists. The lake in the centre was a stunning sight, with ducks bobbing and different types of seafaring vehicles coming in and out of the dock. We watched awhile, and I wandered along the little stony beach in search of "sea" glass.

We decided to get a snack at an icecream shop on the lakeside. which a friend had recommended I try. There, I had my first ever affogato, which was a very generous serving of dark chocolate sorbet and an espresso shot which I poured over it, and then ate with a spoon. It was very rich, and whilst I enjoyed the experience I can't say it's my favourite way to eat icecream.

That afternoon, Esme had booked onto a horseriding experience in Glenorchy. We drove her out there and waved her off, before Eve and I went exploring in the area. We had found several more LOTR filming locations to check out, and Eve navigated as I drove us between them. The weather was inconsistent, with the occasional shower. We walked around one location that was simply a river beneath a bridge, trying to imagine how it tied into the franchise. The most bizarre part of this spot was the lone portaloo cubicle mounted on a small metal trailer - no vehicle in sight. At one point I drove us down a gravel track, everything in the van shaking and chiming uncomfortably. We drove awhile, only to find very little to see through the downpour. Whilst it wasn't Eve or I's most successful afternoon's adventures, we had each other.

That night we had dinner out in Queenstown. Earlier on we had walked past the iconic 'Ferg Burger', a burger place that Queenstown is known for. As a result, it is always busy. We might have gone there too, had the list we received from the bartender in Wellington not suggested we try out Devil Burger round the corner. We ate burgers for the second evening in a row and didn't regret it.

Next we drove to a free camp I'd found online, at the south end of Lake Wakatipu. We arrived before sunset, and caught a glimpse of the beauty that awaited us in the morning...