Jess is a Wanderer cycled just under 50km on a round trip from Duntroon to Kurow. Following part of the infamous 'Alps 2 Ocean' track, you pass farmland, a vineyard and follow parts of the main road on an extremely well-maintained track. The most important part is making sure that your bike does NOT have a flat tyre but DOES have brakes thirty minutes before departure. Yep, that's right. No brakes and a flat tyre just as we were leaving. Fortunately, I was able to source a ba

Jess is a Wanderer headed out to Aoraki/Mount Cook and what a place! Perfect, clear views of the mountain and a very manageable, very well-maintained track to Hooker Lake. Despite being busy with tourists hiking the famou route, this was a fantastic way to spend a day. 10km return, it's suitable for all fitness levels and, if the weather is good, you'll thoroughly enjoy yourself. We did try to get around Hooker Lake and to the base of the mountain. A tricky endeavour that end

Jess is a Wanderer spent four days cycling the 152km Otago Central Rail Trail from Clyde, near Alexandra to Middlemarch with Trail Journeys. Hopefully this post will tell you why you should too! The Otago Central Rail Trail is a cycle path that follows the route taken by the original Central Otago Railway. Following the Gold Rush of the 1860s 42 years were spent building the line from start to finish. Today, with thanks to the Rail Trail Trust and Department of Conservation,

Jess is a Wanderer was continuing down the West Coast from Hokitika to Queenstown when we stumbled across the town of Whataroa. Pulling over to have breakfast, we found ourselves at a helicopter landing pad. Moments after eating, we'd booked onto a trip and were waiting for the pilot to return. I wouldn't normally part with such a significant amount of money so spontaneously but this seemed like to much of a good opportunity to pass up. With almost perfect weather, not long t

Jess is a Wanderer battled a winding, unsealed road, a puncture, a flat tyre, a 26km return hike and some hotter-than-expected spring weather to get to Panekire Bluff overlooking Lake Waikaremoana. The lake is manmade but beautiful. The Goblin Forest that you walk through to get to Panekire Bluff is magical. Literally, you could expect little fairies to pop out at any moment. From the carpark to the first main lookout point is a steep 45 minute climb. Doc recommends that the

Jess is a Wanderer headed off the grid for the long weekend. Lake Waikaremoana is located in Te Urewera and has so much to see - lakes, waterfalls, caves and some spiffy hiking tracks. The trail around Onepotu Caves is around 2km and has plenty of rocks, boulders and crevices to navigate around, between and over. Perfect for big and small kids alike, you could easily lose a couple of hours admiring the views and exploring the caves. #caves #northisland #NewZealand #lake #adve

Jess is a Wanderer had planned a relaxing weekend. Then found an offer for whitewater rafting with Rotorua Rafting for just $55. Despite having done the trip before, this time was even better: more water, bigger rapids, stronger currents and a capsized raft! #whitewaterrafting #adventure #northisland #NewZealand #rotorua

Jess is a Wanderer tried mountain biking for the first time! The Timber Trail is an 85km mountain biking track that runs from Pureora to Ongarue pretty much in the middle of New Zealand's North Island. After falling off not far past the 10km mark, the rest of the journey went without drama. Except a few complaints. Here are the highlights! #mountainbiking #cycling #adventure #northisland

Jess is a Wanderer decided to take on the challenge of blackwater rafting. Kiwi Cave Rafting offer an incredible experience that involves abseiling, crawling through some tight spaces, rafting in the dark and rock climbing all for a bargain price. The area of Waitomo is literally littered with caves and many are open to the public for various elements of exploration. Kiwi Cave Rafting is the cheapest company and they even provide photos for free! This trip is great because th

Jess is a Wanderer had been waiting over six months to hike to the Pinnacles hut in Coromandel Forest Park. Finally, the weather was on side and the hut was booked. It was time to conquer this track. Unfortunately, we had to wait until Sunday for any photo opportunities for as soon as we arrived in the carpark, the rain began. Despite letting up for most of our three hour ascent, the clouds hovered blocking any sort of view for the majority of the hike. We were promised by Wa

Jess is a Wanderer caught the boat from Whakatane and headed around 50km offshore in search of New Zealand's most active marine volcano - White Island. With earthquakes happening all the time, hard-hats are a must whilst visiting the island. You also get equipped with a gas mask as some of the sulphur vents are particularly toxic and can make you cough or even cry! It's OK though, one of the trusty guides will be on hand with sweets for you to suck in order to relieve the eff

Jess is a Wanderer headed to the old gold mining town of Karangahake to explore the tunnels, caves and bridges. You can wander for hours and the track is suitable for even the tiniest of legs. Start by crossing the bridge - if you're really daring, jump up and down! Then you follow the rock face until you get to another bridge. This one leads to the bottom of 2394425924 steps so prepare for a good workout on your thighs and butt! Once at the top, you can enter into the first

Jess is a Wanderer ventured from Auckland to New Zealand's youngest volcano. Emerging from beneath the ocean just 600 years ago, the Department of Conservation worked tirelessly to restore it to native bush and make it pest free. If you're a morning person (or actually, even if you're not!) catch the early bird ferry with Fullers for $23. Why? Because it will save you $$ and you'll get an amazing view of sunrise over Auckland harbour! What better reason do you need! And there

Jess is a Wanderer is postponing full time travel for a while... it's been over 330 days and the money has finally run out!! Oh dear... see what the plan is for the next few months. ***Spoiler alert*** yes I'm staying in NZ!! #travel #adventure #NewZealand #rotorua

Jess is a Wanderer set sail down the Whanganui River on a five-day, unguided adventure. We hired the kayaks from Whanganui River Canoes and can't recommend them enough. Here’s what happened... If you’re short on time and don’t want to read the whole post, scroll down for the video! It’s a cracker! *WARNING* this is rather a long post but I really have to set the scene for you to get an insight into our five day adventure on the great Whanganui River!! For those who know me, y

Jess is a Wanderer drove along State Highway 43 from Stratford to Taumaranui (over two or three different trips) to explore New Zealand's famous Forgotten World Highway. The highway has some of the most scenic views I've seen across the almost 10,000km that I've driven around the north island of this fabulous country. From sprawling fields to sun-kissed hills and quaint railway tracks - this road will not disappoint. You can even stop in the tiny village of Whangamomona and g

Jess is a Wanderer ventured down to Waitomo Caves for the adventure of a lifetime. Waitomo Adventures offer an Epic Lost World 7 hour tour. It's the perfect way to spend a rainy day - if you've got some serious dollar spare as it's not the cheapest activity but it's worth every penny. The first task is to abseil 100m down into the abyss of the lost world cave. It really does look like a fairytale world or something as it's this misty, murky hole beneath the earth's surface. T

Jess is a Wanderer braved the scolding hot sand of Te Paki sand dunes to have a wild time surfing the great sandy banks on a body board. Whilst the drive to the northernmost part of New Zealand - Cape Reinga - is long and arduous, the scenery is certainly to be admired. If you do find that you are feeling a little sleepy along the way, do stop at Te Paki and wake yourself up with a mouthful of sand and crispy as you hurtle down the mounds at break neck speed. Body boards can

Jess is a Wanderer headed out to the famous pier at New Brighton in order to catch a magnificent sunrise. Fortunately, there was no disappointment as the colours, clouds and silhouettes all blended together to create some beautiful early morning images. #sunrise #pier #beach #adventure #southisland #Brighton #photography

Jess is a Wanderer defied all warnings and climbed over fences in order to access perilous Omanawa Falls. Omanawa Falls are found outside Tauranga. Located before the turn-off for McLaren Falls, you'll see the other curious trampers parked up in their cars and make-shift camper-vans dotted on the side of the road. Perhaps you'll speak to some fellow travellers and ask of their success or failure in getting down behind the falls. We met some chaps who had decided not to ventur