Today, we're inviting you to join us as we are getting ready to travel to New Zealand with Brightwood Photography. New Zealand is undoubtedly the most intriguing country we could think of. Hiding so many gems in its wilderness, waterfalls and mountains, New Zealand will steal your heart away.
For those of you who recently got engaged, and plan a special and memorable adventure together, open your heart to the land of the brave men, boldness of Mother Nature, and colorful sunsets which will leave you speechless every evening.
About the trip: What comes to mind when thinking of New Zealand? An abundance of sheep and Hobbits? Well you may be right, but there’s also a world of adventure and freedom that you’re missing. Having spent 6 months studying in Wellington a few years ago, I fell in love with this country and had togo back. My girlfriend and I had toyed around with the idea of taking a trip there, but we were never serious until this year. Somehow we decided this was a good idea, so we put life on hold and decided to take a little adventure - 5 weeks in New Zealand. We couldn’t have made a better choice.
We rented a tiny car and spent two weeks making our way down the North Island and the remaining three weeks traversing through the South Island. We felt like nomads. Sleeping in the car, showing up to campsites late at night, waking up to sunrises at the edge of lakes, watching the sunset from high up in the mountains, and aimlessly walking around tiny towns. Life couldn’t get better. This tiny country is packed with so many different opportunities that it can sometimes be overwhelming to choose from.
Here’s a quick rundown of my favorite memories from our journey.
North Island:
- Sailing and swimming with dolphins in Paihia (Bay of Islands).
- Floating through caves of glow worms in Waitomo and discovering a massive waterfall up the
road.
- Walking the Tongariro Crossing (Mt. Doom from Lord of the Rings).
- Taking the cable car up to the botanical gardens in Wellington and sitting on top of “Trippy Tree” (A giant circular tree with views that look out over the whole city).
- Strolling around the water in Wellington and stopping to get some ridiculous gelato at Kaffee Eis.
South Island:
- Mueller Hut track in Mount Cook National Park (hardest walk I’ve ever done, but so worth it).
- Waterfalls galore along the Catlins coastline.
- Watching the sunset from atop a steep cliffside at Nugget Point.
- Jumping out of a plane in Queenstown followed by the best burger of my life at Fergburger.
- Spending a rainy afternoon in Glenorchy.
- Starring in awe of Milford Sound.
- Traversing along mountain tops in the clouds on the Kepler Track in Te Anau.
- Watching a movie at Cinema Paradiso in Wanaka, where you sit on couches and eat homemade ice cream + cookies during intermission (ever movie theater should be like this).
- Ocean kayaking in Kaiteriteri (Abel Tasman National Park).
- Sleeping at our favorite hostel, Wharariki Beach Holiday Park where they compost everything and have all sorts of animals walking around.
- Running out to the beach and watching the sunrise over the rocks at Wharaiki Beach.
Photographer: Brightwood Photography
