Stop 1: Christchurch
What to do and where to stay in Christchurch
With my time in Hanmer Springs and Kaikōura done, I now went to focus my attention on Christchurch, a city that I didn’t stay in per se, I stayed at quite a nice place by the ocean, Spencer Beach Top 10 Holiday, but a new experience and place visited, that held more fun activities and place to witness. I will say that there is not a whole lot to do in Christchurch itself, or if there is I didn’t spend enough time in the area to be able to properly explore it, however, from what I did see and do, it’s defiantly worth checking out and I recommend staying in the area for 3 days at most. As I mentioned before, Spencer Holiday Park for mind is the pick of the bunch for me, simply because the park itself is 20 minutes from Christchurch city, covered by 70 hectares of forested reserve, and just 500 metres from the beach, which is fantastic for me as I love the beach, so it the perfect blend of seclusion and quietness with a layer of peacefulness.
The beach itself boasts a 4-hr walking trial too, that blends the bushland with the open ocean, which can provide you with an elongated walk to kill some time while being calmed with all those splashing waves, making for a great walk and, in summer, an ideal swim spot close o home. For just $23 a night for non-powered sights and $25 a night for power (WIFI is an additional cost where you pay for the amount you want, e.g. 5 GB for 4 days) it is pretty affordable and conveniently positioned while offering a bit more activity if you find yourself looking for things to do while you’re visiting Christchurch.
(Ocean view from one of my walks alongside Spencer Beach)
Castle Hill: What it is like to explore NZ Boulders
(Castle Hill rock formations)
The first activity I did, was visit Castle Hill, a 1 1/2 hr drive from Christchurch, along old West Coast road (SH73). Why I say this should’ve been left to last is, if you are deciding to head over to the West Coast of the South Island, then this sceptical is a perfect stop-off point for a quick rest and walk around while being enabled the chance to visit a historic site as the location is more heading out of Christchurch.
It’s right along the major road, and while you zig-zag through the mountains, you drift further away from the city, so it acts as a convenient leaving point rather than a stand-alone day activity that sees you head back into Christchurch, as it’s a 3 hr round trip if you decide to do it like that. Castle Hill is also only a 45 min loop track in total, that sees you walk around the boulders, which is something I didn’t know at the time, and if you couple that in with the drive, then maybe it’s more suited for being a leisure activity for the next phase of your trip.
(On top of Castle Hill)
(Overlooking the landscape)
While you have enough time to look around and not stick the path yourself, it is generally said that you could spend up to 2-3 hrs here, having a picnic and getting lost in the surroundings, as I did above, with it being quite adventurous and grand, the landscape itself was quite amazing. With rolling hills and cascading mountains in the background, you will be truly treated with an experience that feels like out of the LOTR movies, as the sweeping landscape looks otherworldly, which should be cautioned that it can get quite windy here depending on the weather. It is a great way to start this portion of Christchurch.
Goodly Head Loop Track: What to expect?
(Godley Head loop track viewpoint)
The next day saw me walk alongside Godley Head Loop Track, a 47-minute drive from Spencer Beach, and a nice 3 hr loop track with some history behind it. This section of the coast was used as a WWII defence battery, built in 1939, it was aimed at defending the coast from potential air attacks, where alongside the track you’ll be able to see gun emplacements, old military buildings and tunnels where men were stationed in the events of reporting back to the 400 people stationed in this section during the time. The earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 caused damage to the site, and ultimately closure to the tunnel track, though since then has been re-opened to the public, however, while I was there, sections of the walk were closed, and still are, so the full walk may be unable to be experienced. Despite all that, it is still a magnificent walk, with Godley Head being ranked in the top 10 New Zealand coastal defence heritage sites.
(One of the gunman’s viewpoints)
(A WWII gun tariff along the trail)
The walk starts from Godley Head carpark, or you can start at Taylor’s Mistake Beach carpark, and just like on Waiheke Island, you are treated to beautiful coastal views everywhere. The track snakes around the coast itself, where you can come across some of these artifacts seen in my photos. The walk itself is moderate in difficulty, and quite nice for a day stroll, getting super windy, although if you’re looking for just a nice, easy activity to do, then this should fit the bill. Picturesque and a day that, if you are right into history or just want to embrace the surroundings, will be one that should not disappoint.
After heading back to the carpark, I made my way back to the beach, where I did another walk around the beach, relaxed and got ready to make my way over to the West Coast of the South, where I had a couple of nights lined up at Franz Josef, an almost 5 hr drive from Christchurch, so rest was needed to plough forward with the trip, and with that, my time in Christchurch was over.
Stop 2: Franz Josef Glacier
What to do and where to stay in Franz Josef Glacier
The journey towards Hanz-Josef was quite smooth for the most part. The drive is long and covered with many snow-capped mountains, so the serenity is quite pleasant. Cruising along Arthur Pass until you reach the west coast, you meet with another ocean view of the island. With that said, when you do eventually make it to the other side, as I have previously mentioned, the West Coast receives the highest rainfall due to the air climbing over the Southern Alps, making it quite susceptible to rainfall.
As I made my way to the other side, it started to rain and didn’t stop. While I was there in September 2023, the lakes of Arthurs Pass received between 140 mm and 180 mm of rain, which should be kept in mind when planning activities in those regions. More on that later.
After a long, tiring drive, I finally arrived at Franz Josef, where I stayed at Orange Sheep campervan park. The campsite itself is conveniently located close to the very small town centre, just across the road from Franz Josef Glacier Guides, and just 55km down the road, you’ll be able to pass through Fox Glacier. For just $15 for your first 2 nights, Orange Sheep provides for a cheap and affordable site in town, with some added extras, like WIFI and shower and offers Powered (starting at $39 for 1 person) and Non-Powered (starting at $20 for 1 person) helping with budgeting and allow you to plan your next steps in comfort.
(Franz Josef Glacier viewpoint)
Small in stature, Franz Josef is essentially a stopover town, to do some incredible activities; however, outside of that, there isn’t much more to see. The other downside, as I’ve referred to, is the weather. About 95% of the time during my stay, it rained. I wanted to do the Alex Knob track (8 hrs, 17.2km) while I was there, but that got cancelled. Even my attempt to complete the Douglas Walk (1 hr) and walk through the Franz Josef Valley was met with extraordinary difficulty and wet shoes, so I couldn’t even do half the activities I was intending, and get the photos I wanted, so it can get brutal within the region. It also goes without saying, and I have referred to this before, but it was so bad, that Queenstown experienced 75mm of rain, with Highway 6 south of Queenstown and Milford Sound roads gaining 318 mm, closing those roads for clean-up and causing me a re-route to Queenstown, that went back to Christchurch and down, not ideal but very real to happen, so please beware and cautious.
The first activity that I could do, and wasn’t rain delayed (it did stop yay) wasn’t in Franz Josef, but in Fox Glacier, and that was around Lake Matheson. 5km in length, 1.5 hours in total loop track, this natural glacier lake was formulated 14,000 years ago, which makes for a really pleasant walk and something to do if you’re looking for an easy activity. Starting a few minutes from the car park, just past the café, the trail starts, where you can go either direction, and is best known for its mirror-like reflections, on a nice clear day preferably, with sunrise adding a layer of mysticism to the reflection, and sunset bathing in warm, golden hues, creating a tranquil and romantic setting. The trail is well maintained and quite easy for any hiker’s capabilities, while being quite flat, with not too many stairs or elevation, and a healthy amount of lookout points, so whether you need something more leisurely or adding a few memorable pictures to your trip, this lake is worth a visit as you will fill in whatever desire you want while having a relaxing activity to do.
(What it looks like on top of Franz Josef Glacier)
The main activity that drew me to Franz Josef more than anything though, was the opportunity to hike on top of the glacier, and walk around on top of this natural beauty. You may not be able to do for much longer, and was no easy task to get a hold of, with luck being on my side. As with the weather being bad during my stay, this hike was supposed to be on the first proper day I had in the area, with it being delayed 3 days, due to poor visibility for the Helicopter pilots, as too wicked winds and rain, making it quite unsafe to travel on top. Yes, you read that right, if the weather is not great, then there is a likelihood of this hike being cancelled altogether, with a refund being offered depending on your booking agents’ terms and conditions. While I was on my hike, the staff members even said that the day I went on (it was rain-free and sunny) was the best day they had, weather-wise, in 15 days, which indicates a lot of unlucky people missing out. In 2021, it was also reported that 1 km of the 12-kilometre-long glacier was lost and will continue to do so, with many of New Zealand’s glaciers being prone to disappearing within the decade, which makes the chance to do this incredible activity even more precious, where I recommend you do it if you’re in the area.
(The blue adds such a beautiful aesthetic to the ice walls)
I won’t be going into too much depth about the hike itself, as I have done a video on it, which you can check out here, which takes you through what it’s like with the hike. The hike came and went, as did my time in Franz Josef, as within that day I saw myself jet off towards Queenstown and Wanaka.
As this is the last activity, it draws a little closer to the end of my trip on the South Island, with week 4 looking at my time in Wanaka, Queenstown and Milford Sound, so stay tuned in for the next addition of on the road.
” Travelling leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller” Ibn Battuta – storied traveller.
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