A week ago, I returned to the mountainous terrains of New Zealand’s South Island to tick horse riding off my bucket list, something I’ve been wanting to do ever since I was a little girl.
As a huge fan of the Lord of The Rings, it was a dream come true to ride through the plains of Dart Valley at Glenorchy, the very place that provided the scenic backdrop for the Misty Mountains and Isenguard!
This week’s #RoadTrip series in New Zealand brings us to the southeast coast of the Wairarapa, a region I had never explored previously even though it’s only a two hour drive from where I live.
It was a splendid day to be out and about, with us taking a drive through the valley along the winding coastal road, making stops at a couple of places whose landscape made perfect postcard material.
Oh, we also found ourselves a large seal colony!
A great summer activity that you could do in New Zealand is to be outdoors taking a hike, literally. There’s plenty of bush walks or tracks to explore if you drive a short distance out of town, but one of the more popular ones up at North Island is the Tongariro Crossing.
Out of the two occasions I’ve walked this trail, I’ve been extremely lucky both times to get cloudless, sunny weather that showcased just how beautiful the surrounding scenery the walk has to offer.
For someone who did not grow up in New Zealand, I along with the rest of the world have probably heard the occasional mention of how scenic this country is, but really, it was the filming of the Lord of The Rings that propelled many of us to bookmark this place as a must-travel destination.
The Hobbiton Movie Set in North Island is one of the most iconic landmarks for the filming of the famous trilogy, and as an avid fan myself, I absolutely had a ball of a time visiting this place!
