20 of New Zealand’s Best Views

Since arriving to New Zealand just over ten months ago, I’ve published loads of destination specific New Zealand backpacking advice. I still have plenty of New Zealand experiences and advice to share  – yet often I find this is a country that is best described through a photo.

It’s a great place for aspiring photographers. Why? Almost every direction you turn, every road you drive down, and every new destination you visit, you’re greeted with a stunning vista, a snow capped mountain, a rugged beach, or vast expanses of green rolling hills.

It’s a pretty great place to take pictures.

Below you’ll find 20 of my favorite New Zealand views.

1) Raglan Sunset

Raglan is an epic little surf town found about 90 minutes south of Auckland. It’s home to the world’s largest left hand break and has a great bohemian feel. Raglan is a town where you can go to the supermarket, pub, or cafe barefoot and not one person will judge you.

2) Tasman Sea from a Toyota Hiace Campervan

Campervans are easy to buy and a cheap and efficient way to get around New Zealand. I’ve found that some of my favorite memories in Aotearoa come from the time I spent cruising around NZ in my now deceased 1986 Toyota Hiace, Max.

3) Bungy Jumping in Lake Taupo

If you have any interest in throwing yourself off a bridge or out of a plane, then New Zealnd is the place for you. Pictured above is the Taupo Bungy which is the home of New Zealand’s highest water-touch bungy. Why wouldn’t you want to touch the water after jumping from 47 meters?

4) New Zealand Traffic Jam

There are no shortage of sheep in New Zealand (we’re talking over 30 million), so don’t be surprised if you find yourself dealing with the odd road block of sheep.

5) Emerald Blue Waters of the Marlborough Sounds

To get from the North to the South Island of New Zealand, you’ll have to cross the Cook Strait. Your budget-friendly option is crossing the strait with Interislander. The crossing is billed as one of the most beautiful ferry rides in the world – you’ll understand why on a clear day.

6) Marlborough Vineyards

New Zealand is home to some excellent wines – specifically the Sauvignon Blancs of the Marlborough Region. There is no better way to take in this region than by a wine-tasting tour on a bike.

7) White Sands of Abel Tasman

The South Island’s Abel Tasman National Park is filled with plenty of beaches very similar to this. The Abel Tasman Coastal Track can be experienced as a great one-day walk.

8 ) Big Franz Josef Glacier

The Franz Josef Glacier is the world’s fastest moving glacier and moves at speeds of up to one meter a day. This budget travel video tells you the best ways to experience this fascinating area of New Zealand.

9) View from a Caravan

Caravans such as this one seem to be everywhere in New Zealand’s countryside. Every house you pass seems to have one parked out back – the perfect opportunity for a Kiwi weekend escape. I was lucky enough to live in one on New Zealand’s West Coast for three months. All its inconveniences aside (slightly smelly, leaky, had to run inside through West Coast rain storms to get to toilet/shower/kitchen/living area), you sure couldn’t beat the view.

10) West Coast Sunset

Step outside the above caravan at sunset and this was your view. Not bad, eh?

11) Snow Capped Southern Alps

Take a helicopter ride or a plane ride above New Zealand’s Southern Alps and this is your view – not a budget activity, but well worth the memories.

12) View of Mount Tasman

A day trip on the West Coast should include a trip to Lake Matheson which will give you stunning mirror lake views of Mt Cook and Tasman. This shot was from just outside the cafe near the lake – a great place to relax after your hike around the lake.

13) Evening Sky Over the Pacific Coast

Kaikoura on the South Island sits at the base of the Seaward Kaikoura Range on the Pacific Coast.

14) Pacific Coast Sunrise

Wake up early on the Pacific Coast and you stand a chance of catching a sunrise shot similar to this one.

15) Geothermal Rotorua Lake

Rotorua is a bubbling hotspot of mud pools, boiling geysers, and smells strongly of sulfur. It’s a geothermal wonderland and worth no more than a day of your time.

16) Sperm Whale in Kaikoura

Whale watching in Kaikoura is a must on your visit to the South Island. If you’re quick enough at the draw, you stand the chance of catching a shot like this.

17) Rugged West Coast

The rugged, windswept West Coast of the South Island is home to glaciers, rainforests, and views of the Tasman similar to this. A drive down the West Coast is one of New Zealand’s 5 Best Drives.

18) View over Queenstown

Queenstown is one of New Zealand’s most epic towns. This shot from the top of the Queenstown Gondola gives you a good taste of the town’s setting.

19) Undiscovered Caitlans Coast

The south coast of the South Island is home to one of New Zealand’s best kept secrets – the Caitlans Coast. Vast expanses of green rolling hills, unpopulated surf beaches and marine wildlife are only some of the reasons you should make sure you spend some time here.

20) Majestic Aoraki

Aoraki/Mount Cook is New Zealand’s highest peak at 12,316 feet and stunning to see on a clear day form the shores of Lake Pukaki.

Have you been to New Zealand? Do you recognize these views? Or what is your favorite view in the Land of the Long White Cloud? Leave your comments below.

Technorati Tags: Backpacking Advice, Backpacking New Zealand, New Zealand, Travel Photos

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Friday Travel Photo: Layer of Clouds

After a week long hiatus, today’s Friday Travel Photo brings you to a pull-off on the Queenstown to Glenorchy Road.

On a clear day, it’s an epic 45 minute drive from busy Queenstown to the quaint little village of Glenorchy. The road twists, turns, and skirts along the shores of Lake Wakatipu with excellent views of Afton Peak and the surrounding mountains.

Once you arrive in Glenorchy, there are heaps of hikes in the area and the Routeburn Track starts 20 minutes outside of the village. After your hike, warm up by the fire with a pint of Speights at the Glenorchy Hotel – a great South Island pub.

On most days, this view would show the mountains in the distance rising from the vivid blue waters of Lake Wakatipu.

On the evening I snapped these shots, the clouds had dropped to the lake level resulting in this stunning series of photos.

It was an epic, if not freezing, place to watch the sunset.

Do you have a photo you’d like featured here? Drop an email to matt <at> backpackingmatt <dot> com, and I’ll gladly feature it with a link back to your blog.

Technorati Tags: Friday Travel Photo, Lake Wakatipu, New Zealand, Queenstown

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New Zealand’s Top 5 Backpacking Destinations

New Zealand. The Land of the Long White Cloud. Aoteroa. Whatever you call it, NZ is a country that heaps of backpackers flock to each year.

And for well deserved reasons.

New Zealand is easy to travel around, offers up fascinating landscapes in a compact sized area (think glaciers, rainforests, and beaches within a twenty minute drive of each other), and is home to a variety of thrilling adventure sports (think skydiving, bungy jumping, river sledding, and jetboating). If your idea of adventure isn’t jumping out of airplanes or off bridges, New Zealand will win you over with its world famous wine or scenic drives.

So you want to come on a backpacking trip or a gap year to New Zealand. I don’t blame you. Yet where should you go? What should you see?

If you’re planning a trip to New Zealand, these are 5 places I don’t think you can miss.

1) Bay of Islands (North Island)

The Bay of Islands north of Auckland are a must see on your backpacking trip to New Zealand. Think blue-green waters, white sand beaches, sun, and (you guessed it) tropical islands.

The main town in the Bay of Islands is Paihia and is an ideal spot to base yourself for your time in the Northland. Paihia is a busy little town with plenty of hostels, heaps of bars, and sits directly on the bay. You’re within a days drive of 90 Mile Beach and can escape the resort like feel of Paihia with a quick ferry ride across the bay to historic Russell.

While you’re here you’ll have no shortage of things to do – spend your days sailing around the islands, dolphin watching, diving, kayaking, or simply soaking up the sun on the Paihia beachfront. To get a taste of everything the Bay has to offer, consider an overnight cruise on The Rock.

2) Coromandel Peninsula (North Island

The Coromandel Peninsula is quick one hour long ferry ride or three hour drive away from Auckland. It’s a welcomed escape from the busy (and I’d argue) characterless city of NZ’s North Island.

Coromandel offers up a varying combination of beaches, quaint fishing villages, and has great hiking options with the mountainous spine splitting the peninsula in half. A visit here isn’t complete without sampling Coromandel town’s famous smoked mussels, soaking the day away in your own private and personally dug spa at Hot Water Beach, or getting a real taste for Kiwi ingenuity at the Driving Creek Railway.

3) Lake Taupo (North Island)

Smack dab in the center of the North Island is New Zealand’s (and Oceania’s) largest freshwater lake. Lake Taupo formed thousands of years ago after a massive volcanic eruption and is simply a crater filled with water. A very deep crater with its deepest point being over 600 feet deep. On the North Shore of the lake is the town of Taupo – a busy little town rightly worn onto New Zealand’s backpacker trail.

Lake Taupo presents plenty of opportunities for the backpacker. It’s the most famous spot in New Zealand to skydive and you can only imagine the view of Lake Taupo from 15,000 feet. If you’re still keen to defy gravity, consider the Taupo Bungy which at 47 meters is the highest water touch bungy in New Zealand. Your visit to Taupo arguably wouldn’t be complete without a go at trout fishing. Lake Taupo and the rivers feeding into are home to the best trout fishing in the world.

With heaps of hostels, plenty of outdoor activities, and a busy nightlife scene, chances are you might spend a bit longer in Taupo than you originally anticipated.

4) Kaikoura (South Island)

Kaikoura sits in an absolutely epic spot at the base of the Seaward Kaikoura Range. While the town itself leaves quite a bit to be desired, its picturesque location and the nearby marine wildlife make up for anything the town itself is lacking.

Thanks to a combination of ocean currents and a unique continental shelf found offshore, Kaikora’s coast is home a a huge variety of marine mammals – think bus sized Sperm Whales and playful Dusky Dolphins. Whale Watch Kaikoura guarantees you’ll spot a whale on their whale watch tours (otherwise they’ll give you a hefty refund) and a couple companies will take you swimming with the dolphins.

The main street in Kaikoura offers up a couple decent bars for you to spend your evening in and the bakery does a bloody good Kiwi meat pie for your breaky the next morning.

5) Queenstown (South Island)

Queenstown sits in a unbeatable location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu and offers up stunning views of The Remarkables mountain range. This small resort town offers up something to please even the most dedicated of thrill-seekers – you can do it all in Queenstown, just make sure you bring enough cash.

You’ll want to add bungy jumping at one of AJ Hacketts three bungy jump sites to your list as well as a trip on the famous Shotover Jet. If you’re keen to relax, consider a scenic hike up Queenstown Hill or go for a drive to sample some of the famous Otago Pinot Noir from nearby wineries.

The nightlife scene in Queentown is sure to satisfy the backpacker looking for a good night out. With new bars and clubs popping up monthly, don’t be surprised if you’re coming home at 5am after drinking and dancing the night away.

New Zealand is bound to impress you regardless of where you travel. It’s a country with fascinating landscapes everywhere you turn, friendly locals, and is extremely backpacker friendly.

Have you traveled to New Zealand? Add your favorite destination in the comments section below.

Technorati Tags: Backpacking New Zealand, Budget Travel, New Zealand, Queenstown, Top 5 Backpacking Destinations, Travel Advice, Travel Tips

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A Day on the Routeburn Track

Throughout New Zealand there are a series of Great Walks that allow hikers (called trampers in New Zealand) to take in some of the most remote and untouched landscapes in New Zealand. These multi-day Great Walks are exceptionally well maintained and have basic backcountry huts for accommodation along the way.

The Routeburn Track stretches 32 kilometres through the Mount Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks and along the way passes a huge variety of landscapes. The three to four day Routeburn Track offers up fantastic views and is one of the most popular tracks in New Zealand.

You could argue – in fact – that it’s too popular. Walk the Routeburn Track during the high season and you’ll not realize you’re miles away from civilization as you’ll be sharing the track with hundreds of others seeking New Zealand’s untouched wilderness.

I didn’t get that feeling when I walked a day hike on the track recently. As it’s nearing the end of winter, we met all of maybe four people throughout the entire day. It was great to escape Queenstown’s busy resort town feel and be reminded of one of the many reasons New Zealand is such a fascinating place to visit.

Here are some photos from one of New Zealand’s Great Walks – the Routeburn Track.

A stream near the start of the track.

One of the many swing bridges found along the track – while these weren’t tricky to walk across, you felt slightly odd on your feet after getting back on solid ground.

It was a perfectly clear day with some well needed sun. We started early in the morning and these clouds hadn’t yet burned off.

The track starts through thick Mountain Beech forest before opening up at the Routeburn Flats.

Looking down towards the Routeburn Flats.

After walking along the Routeburn Flats and passing the first hut on the track, you quickly begin to gain elevation. While the track becomes a bit more physically challenging, it’s still not difficult. At about 900 meters you reach a point where a massive slip has totally cleared out the native forest.

The slip occurred in 1987 and had the result of opening up this remarkable view of The Humbolts. It’s a great place to drop your pack, grab your lunch and really allows you to appreciate where you’re at.

Check out this photo album on Flickr which features many photos of this exact view taken from different people hiking the track.

Still from the slip, looking slightly to the left.

Looking back at the Routeburn Flats again.

Here is a bridge which was taken out. My guess is it was a massive boulder which came tumbling down the creek valley after a heavy rainstorm.

River along the track.

If you’re keen to do the whole track (and I’m told it only gets more impressive), it has become so popular that a booking system is in place.

Bookings are required during the high season from October to April and it will cost you $45/night to stay in the huts along the track – quite pricey given your hut accommodation is a bunk in a very large room. In the low season, you’re not required to book in advance yet you’re still required to pay $15/night to sleep in the huts.

If you don’t have three or four full days to commit to walking the whole length of the Routeburn Track, I highly recommend you do single days walk as a day trip from Queesntown. You’ll have to start early as the start of the track is just past Glenorchy, or about an hours drive away from Queenstown. We walked from the Routeburn Shelter to the Routeburn Falls Hut (17.6 kms) in about 7 hours return yet spent a lot of time taking in the views from the slip.

It’s a truly impressive area of New Zealand and the day hike offers an excellent taste of one of New Zealand’s famous Great Walks.

Have you done any hiking in New Zealand? Leave your experiences in the comments section below.

Technorati Tags: Backpacking New Zealand, Great Walks, Hiking New Zealand, Queenstown Day Trip, Routeburn Track

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5 Best Drives in New Zealand

New Zealand is a country that begs to be explored via road trips. It’s small, has well maintained roads, and cars or campervans are cheap to rent or even easy to buy. Most importantly, New Zealand is home to some of the world’s most beautiful natural scenery – all in an extremely compact area. Drive for three hours and you’ll pass white sand beaches, thick rainforest, glaciers, and towering snow-capped peaks.

While New Zealand isn’t a cheap place to travel to, a road trip is by all standards a pretty budget friendly activity. The views are free and will defiantly last a lifetime. If you’re backpacking or traveling around New Zealand, these are five of the best drives that I don’t think you can miss.

1) The Rugged West Coast from Westport to Greymouth

The SH6 skirts the rugged and wind-swept West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island and along the way passes some of the greatest scenery in New Zealand. If coastal drives are your thing, then you definitely won’t be disappointed after driving from Westport to Greymouth.

Along the way you’ll have the mighty Tasman Sea pounding the coast on your right and the majestic snow-capped Southern Alps on your left. Aim for a sunny day, yet be flexible and realize that this is the one of the wettest areas of New Zealand. If you’re keen to wait for the sun (and you should), break up the journey and spend the day in Punakaiki where you can check out the fascinating Pancake Rocks which (as the name suggests) appear to be layered pancakes.

When you get to Greymouth, you can continue on the SH6 down to the Franz Josef Glacier or hop on the Trans Scenic Railway which crosses the Southern Alps on the way to Christchurch.

2) Te Anau to Milford Sound Highway

This is often described as one of the greatest drives in the world. After driving the two hours from Te Anau to Milford Sound, you’ll understand why. The road cuts through thick rainforest, passes mirror lakes and towering, moss-covered mountains, and runs along sheer cliff faces. They measure rain in meters in this area of New Zealand, so don’t be surprised if it rains for a week. The drive is equally impressive after a rain as from the heights of the mountains come some truly amazing waterfalls.

One of the most impressive parts of the drive is the section right before you enter the 1200 meter long Homer Tunnel. As you sit at what must be the world’s most remote traffic light, you realize you’re in a massive glacier carved amphitheater with towering, sheer rock cliffs on either side of you.

3) Wanaka to Queenstown via the Cardrona Pass

This drive is in the Southern Lakes region of the South Island – it’s New Zealand’s playground with skiing, white-water rafting, bungy jumping, and other adventure sports all on offer. The drive from Wanaka to Queenstown over the Cardrona Pass is one of the South Island’s best.

Leaving Wanaka, the road slowly climbs before passing through picturesque Cardrona which is home to the most photographed pub in New Zealand. The Cardrona Hotel is featured on a Speights advert with dozens of sheep outside the front door. As you leave Cardrona the road becomes steeper, twists and turns and soon you’re granted a stunning view with Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu, and The Remarkables mountain range in the distance.

Take some pictures before conquering the road which seems to drop off the side of the mountain. And go slow if you sampled a Speights at the Cardrona Hotel.

4) Christchurch to Marlborough Wine Country

The drive from Christchurch to Marlborough isn’t one that would probably get picked by most as one of the best drives in New Zealand, yet I’m convinced it should be. Leaving the “Garden City” of Christchurch, you’ll pass through flat Canturbury countryside with some great views of the Southern Alps which split the South Island in half. The road eventually makes its way to the Pacific Ocean and skirts the coast into Kaikoura. Pull over a have a look around the rocks and you stand a great chance of seeing some New Zealand fur seals.

Stay the night in Kaikoura before going on a whale watching tour where you’re almost guaranteed to see gigantic Sperm Whales. Continue on then along the coast before entering the arid and Napa Valley like region of Marlborough where you can sample some of the world’s best Souvignon Blancs.

5) Thames to Coromandel Road

The only North Island drive on this list is an excellent one that should be part of your New Zealand travel plans. The Coromandel Region of New Zealand is a chilled-out, relaxed place with mountains, sandy beaches, green rolling hills, and picturesque bays. The drive from the small town of Thames to the smaller village of Coromandel is an epic one.

The narrow roads twists and turns along the coastline of the Hauraki Gulf – an inlet off the Pacific. This drive is most impressive either at sunset or in December when the pohutukawas (New Zealand Christmas tree) are in full bloom. This road eventually climbs and you’re granted some superb views of the island-dotted Coromandel Harbor.

With such amazing scenery tucked into a country so small, New Zealand is ideal for a driving based visit. Rent a car or a campervan and set off to explore New Zealand’s many hidden treasures.

Have you driven around NZ? Leave your favorite New Zealand drive in the comments section below.

Technorati Tags: Backpacking New Zealand, Best Drives, Travel Tips

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Friday Travel Photo: Coromandel New Zealand Sunset

If you’re backpacking in New Zealand, you can expect to see some stunning sunsets and sunrises. Today’s Friday Travel Photo takes you to Coromandel on New Zealand’s North Island. This shot is looking west off of the peninsula towards Auckland (check out these Auckland budget travel tips).

If you’re planning a trip to Cormandel, check out these tips for your time in one of my favorite areas of New Zealand.

Do you have a photo you’d like featured on Backpackingmatt? Email the photo to matt [at] backpackingmatt [dot] com. I’ll gladly feature it with a link back to your blog.

Technorati Tags: Backpacking New Zealand, Coromandel, New Zealand

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Friday Travel Photo: New Zealand Sheep

New Zealand is a country of just about four million people with a whopping forty million sheep. There are sheep everywhere. And they’re delicious. Today’s Friday Travel Photo features one of these forty million sheep.

Her name was Gloria and she lived near one of the greatest hostels I’ve found in New Zealand. Perched at the top of a hill on the South Island’s Catlin Coast, the Catlins is an area of lush forests, rolling farmland, and rugged bays. The greens contrasted with the vivid blues of the sea will remind you what a stunning country New Zealand is.

We were quite shocked when we looked out the front door of the hostel to find this massive sheep looking right back at us. I would venture to guess that Gloria might be the friendliest sheep in New Zealand. If you’re backpacking through the Catlins, stay a night (or three or four) at the Hilltop Backpackers in small little Papatowai and chances are you’ll meet Gloria too.

Do you have a photo you’d like featured on Backpackingmatt? Email the photo to matt [at] backpackingmatt [dot] com.

Technorati Tags: Backpacking New Zealand, Friday Travel Photo, Sheep

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A Budget Travel Option in Queenstown – Frisbee Golf

It’s easy to come to Queenstown – the Adventure Capital of the World – and break your budget. Never mind the budget breaking activities like bungy jumping or skydiving, but Queenstown in general is a pretty bloody expensive place to travel to. Food, drink, accommodation – everything you need as a backpacker is significantly more expensive in Queenstown than it is elsewhere in New Zealand.

There are budget friendly options for the backpacker or budget traveler – take, for example, a day spent Frisbee Golfing in the beautiful Queenstown Gardens.

The Queenstown Gardens are only a five minute walk from central Shotover Street, yet they provide a welcomed escape from the resort town’s busy streets. City parks often do this, and this is especially true in Queenstown.

The gardens are accented by towering English oaks, rose gardens, a pond, and fountains – all with the backdrop of the beautiful clear waters of Lake Wakatipu and the majestic Remarkables Mountain Range. Add to this mix 18 frisbee golf holes and you’re guaranteed an excellent – and budget friendly – day out.

Frisbee golfing (or, disc golfing) is a simple game to figure out. Similar to proper golf, frisbee golf takes place on a purpose designed course. Instead of using a golf ball, you use (you guessed it) a frisbee. Add to that a tee box, 18 holes, set pars on each hole, and metal baskets for a target and you’ve got frisbee golf.

It’s an excellent game that can be taken as seriously as you want to. While many dedicated frisbee golfers will have an actual bag with multiple frisbees for each shot situation, you can get by using one multi-purpose fisbee. The frisbee will be significantly harder and somewhat smaller than the typical frisbee you’d throw at the beach – this allows you to theoretically throw the frisbee further.

Frisbee golfing is a great opportunity for you to get out of your hostel and enjoy this beautiful part of New Zealand – without spending a fortune. I’ve spent a couple months here and found the Queenstown Gardens to be a perfect place to get an appreciation for how epic this town is. You gain a whole new perspective on the sheer size of Lake Wakatipu, the Remarkables somehow look even more remarkable, and the gardens themselves are quite peaceful.

If you’ll only be in Queenstown a short time, and don’t imagine you’ll get out and frisbee golf more than a couple times, your best bet will be to simply rent your discs from one of the local shops in Queenstown. I recommend you check out the Shoe Clinic on Beech Street. The staff are extremely friendly, willing to answer your frisbee golf questions, and rent out good quality frisbees for only $7/day.

Days out like this are a must if you’re traveling long term. You have to learn to appreciate the small things in travel: a walk around town, a coffee in a local cafe, or an afternoon in the city park. These activities allow you to gain a unique perspective of the place you’ve traveled to – a perspective that won’t break your budget.

Thanks to Puna and the crew at the Shoe Clinic (2 Beach Street) for the complimentary disc rentals for the day.

Technorati Tags: Backpacking New Zealand, Backpacking Queenstown, Budget New Zealand, Budget Queenstown, Budget Travel Ideas, Queenstown

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The Ledge Bungy in Queenstown, New Zealand (Travel Video)

A trip to New Zealand isn’t complete without a bungy jump – a topic that has been written about often on Backpackingmatt. I’ve reviewed my experiences at the Lake Taupo Bungy and on the Nevis Highwire Bungy.

I put together a quick travel video which outlines the workup to my recent jump here in Queenstown. While we were short on light, and the filming was a bit rushed – in part thanks to my nerves – it should give you a great view and a different perspective on the experience.  Below, you have Backpackingmatt’s second travel video: The Ledge Bungy in Queenstown.

Quick Tips and Facts

• How high? The Ledge Bungy is 47 meters high.
• How much? A single jump will cost you $175. If you’re extra keen, consider purchasing a package which will get you jumps at other AJ Hackett sites with a slight discount.
• The Ledge Bungy is unique as you have the added option of jumping at night – putting a whole new twist on bungy.
• While the typical bungy attaches you at the ankles, on The Ledge you’re attached via a waist harness and therefore have a number of different ‘jumping styles’ to choose from.
• AJ Hackett surprisingly doesn’t pick up the cost of the gondola ride to the site of their jump. Save yourself the cost by hiking to the top. There is a trail that leaves by the Skyline Gondola … it might be a good way to walk off those nerves …
• Read about my jump here.

Full Disclosure: AJ Hackett provided me with a complimentary jump in return for this review on Backpackingmatt.

Technorati Tags: Adventure Activities, Adventure Sports, bungy jumping, New Zealand, Queenstown, Travel Video

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Friday Travel Photo: Helicopter in the Southern Alps

Today’s Friday Travel Photo takes you high into the Southern Alps of New Zealand.

While you have a number of different options for seeing the mountain range of the South Island, a helicopter ride is certainly one of the most epic ways to take them in.

Would you like to see more of the Southern Alps? Check out:

• This West Coast Helicopter Flight … A Photo Essay
• This Franz Josef New Zealand Travel Video where I show you ways to view the glacier and take you for an airplane ride around Mt Cook

Are you interested in having your photo featured here? Email the photo and details to matt [at] backpackingmatt [dot] com

Technorati Tags: Friday Travel Photo, New Zealand

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