AN ADVENTURE AROUND NZ’S SOUTH ISLAND

Column October 2018

I mainly came to New Zealand with the intention of improving my English. However, even more important to me is getting to know my host country. That’s why, shortly after my arrival I booked a two-week South Island Tour taking place in the spring holidays.

In Nelson two fully loaded tour buses were waiting for us. After a brief introduction with the guides and four other exchange students our road trip finally started. The first destination was Picton, where another 25 excited peers joined. After a rather long bus ride we arrived in Kaikoura, a little village right next to the Pacific. To experience Kaikoura, you have to get on the water. Therefore, kayaking was our activity for the evening. We saw many seals either sleeping on the rocks or swimming around our kayaks. The little town became famous the previous year, because a seal had smashed an octopus into a kayaker’s face. Fortunately, that didn’t happen to us though. The next morning, we were able to swim with about 100 wild dolphins out in the ocean. This was definitely a unique experience!

The following evening, we set up our tents on a sheep farm in Rangitata. The biggest difference to most other student tours was that we didn’t stay in hostels but in tents and cooked our own meals. For me, this was the main reason that made me choose this particular trip. The cosy sleep in the middle of bleating sheep was followed by a white-water rafting session on the Rangitata River. With level 5 rapids and drops up to eight meters high, this is one of the most difficult rivers to commercially raft in the world.

After beautiful glacial lakes, New Zealand’s highest peaks and visits to various cities we reached Fiordland, the largest National Park in the country, at the end of the first week. There we explored Milford Sound, the only fjord in the National Park accessible by car.

The main destination of our tour was Queenstown, which is the birthplace of Bungy Jumping and at the same time the most touristy place in all of Aotearoa. We stayed there for three days. So, one French, an Italian, a Chilean guy and I had the crazy idea of paying 250 dollars to jump off a gondola about 140m into the deep. And I can tell you one thing: It was worth every cent!

Many students flew home after our adventures in New Zealand’s adventure capital, but we carried on with only 17 students left on the road. Unfortunately, the weather was rather wet, but that didn’t stop us from relaxing in the hot pools at Franz Josef anyway. Passing rock formations which look like a stack of pancakes, we drove up the West Coast until we reached the Abel Tasman National Park. With no clouds we were able to enjoy the last days of our journey swimming in the ocean, sunbathing at the beach (covered with sunblock, cause we’re good kids ;) or kayaking out in the Tasman Bay.

After 3000 kilometres on the road we had to say goodbye to each other. Since we’re from all around the globe, some of us might never meet again. But one thing remains forever: the shared memories of an unforgettable adventure! 

South Island STUDENT TOUR - New Zealand (with Flying Kiwi)

A short montage of the two-week trip around New Zealand's South Island with 30 other exchange students from around the world.