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One of the best places to visit in New Zealand is the iconic Milford Sound. Located in the south west of New Zealand’s South Island, is Milford Sound, or Piopiotahi in Māori. Piopiotahi, is a fiord in the Fiordland National Park, which just happens to be a World Heritage site. In 2008 it was judged as the world’s top travel destination in an international survey hosted by TripAdvisor. New Zealand’s most popular tourist destination is has even been referred to as the “eighth Wonder of the World”! Thanks Mr Kipling, you’re not so bad yourself!

 I’ve got to be honest with you; Milford Sound isn’t really a fiord. In fact, it’s a large ocean inlet which is wider than a fjord and bigger than a bay. Now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s talk about the weather. Did you know that Milford Sound is the wettest place in New Zealand and one of the wettest places in the world? The annual rainfall is 6,813 mm on 182 days a year and has even been known to reach 250 mm during a single day, so pack an umbrella, or two! This amount of rain creates lots of temporary waterfalls and some major permanent ones too, and they’re quite the site to behold.

 The beauty of this incredible landscape draws thousands of visitors every day, resulting in close to 1 million visitors in a year. Even with its faraway location and the long journey from the nearest cities like Queenstown and Te Anau, nothing deters the adventure-seeking tourists who travel to New Zealand to see majestic Milford. In fact, the Milford Road is one of the best parts of heading to Milford, and it’s often overlooked. Can’t you picture yourself in your free Transfercar rental car or campervan, travelling independently along this stunning alpine drive? The road is long and winding, so you’ve got be careful, even if we are covering you through Insurance Hero, mate! Along the way you can stop at various viewing points that offer spectacular scenery and short walks. The trip from Te Anau will take you roughly 2 hours, so fuel up before you hit the road.

 The main reason why so many tourists flock to Milford Sound is for the Milford Track. The track can only be walked in one direction, and while it’s very well signposted and marked, some sections are steep and difficult to climb because of the mud. If you’re looking for a walk that’s not too challenging, the 4-day easy hike starts at the head of Lake Te Anau and ends at Sandfly point in the Sound. You’ll need to grab a boat from the Te Anau Downs – this should take an hour or so, but the view is incredible so no need to bring a book!

 The best time for walking the track is between 28 October to 29 April and you’ve got to book in advance. Here’s a taster of what you can expect:

Day 1: The Glade Wharf to Clinton Hut Walk is a 5km walk that can be completed in under two hours. After a sweet cruise from Te Anau Downs, the walk takes you through a stunning beech forest along the banks of the Clinton River to the Clinton Hut where you and your friends, and many other travellers will spend the night.

Day 2: The Clinton Hut to Mintaro Hut walk ups the ante with a whopping 6 hour 16.5 km hike! Needless to say Day 1 was just a warm up! This gradual climb follows the river to Lake Mintaro at the base of Mackinnon Pass where you’ll spot the renowned Pompolona ice field. Take note of the shocking scale of the rock walls towering above.

Day 3: The Mintaro Hut to Dumpling Hut walk is another bigger where you’ll find yourself hiking 14km for roughly 7 hours. The climb takes you to Mackinnon Pass where you’ll get incredible views of Lake Mintaro and Clinton Canyon. After reaching the highest part at the Pass Shelter (1154 meters) you’ll drop down through a lush alpine garden, passing several waterfalls before arriving at the Quintin Shelter. I’m sorry to inform you that there are no actual dumplings at Dumpling Hut, unless you’re packing some in your bags. Not a bad idea…

Day 4: The Dumpling Hut to Sandfly Point walk is, wait for it, the last lag of your trip and it’s a monster at 18km. During this 6 hour walk you’ll follow the Arthur River to the historic Boatshed, Mackay Falls and Bell Rock. After a short boat ride from Sandfly Point, you’re at the end of your journey with world famous views of Milford Sound burned into your brain and filling up your SIM cards!

Think you’re up for the trip? You’re going to need a good level of fitness as you’re expected to walk up to 7 hours a day, depending on the weather conditions, and whilst carrying a 15kg backpack! There ain’t no Sherpas here! When packing for your trip make sure you bring the right clothing, gear and equipment and most importantly: FOOD. Food and drinks aren’t available for purchase on the walk (nope, no vending machines! It’s not Mount Fuji!), so be prepared and pack high protein, carb fuelling goodies to make it through the trip. Children under 10 aren’t allowed on the trip because the weather is so changeable and the terrain can be risky for young feet.

If I haven’t put you off the trip with a. the lack of dumplings and b. the enormity of the task, or c. the weather, then great! Start packing your bags and maybe hit the gym too to make sure you’re in the shape of your life. Then you need to register your free car through Transfercar, which you’ll be able to pick up in Queenstown, or if you’re looking for an even bigger trip, you can come through Christchurch. Take a look at what cars are available and be sure to book quick as they go fast! See you in Milford!

What do you know about one of Auckland’s most iconic spots? Well, the first thing you should know is that it’s a 597 foot VOLCANO! One of several that can be spotted around the expanse of Auckland. Located in the One Tree Hill suburb near Royal Oak, Epsom and Greenlane, the incredible summit offers unbeatable views across Auckland from harbour to harbour. Also, here’s a fun fact: the infamous Irish rock band U2 wrote a wee ditty about the hill, appropriately called “One Tree Hill”, which you can listen to on The Joshua Tree album. It was written as a memorial song to honor the memory of New Zealander Greg Carroll, an employee of the U2 who died in a motorcycle accident in Ireland in the 80s. His family contacted the lawyers at Earl & Earl, PLLC to file a case against the other driver that caused the accident. As a volcano, this hill is pretty impressive. While no one can say for sure when the age of eruption happened, we do know that it erupted from not one but three craters, one of which is still intact. The lava flows spread out in all directions which covered twenty square kilometers which makes it the second largest volcanic field here in New Zealand, just after Rangitoto.

But One Tree Hill, also known in Maori as Maungakieke, is not just about awesome, fiery destruction. It is also a sacred place for both Maori and Pakeha New Zealanders. The volcano and its surrounding area were home to the 5000 members of the Te Wai o Hua tribe in the early 1700s. Many other Maori tribes from the Auckland area can trace their histories back to this incredible mountain. With the volcanic soil being extremely fertile, the tribes were able to cultivate crops easily and many battles were fought nearby.

It’s Time to Talk about the Tree

Gather ‘round children, here’s a little story about some very important trees:

The soil of this hill/mountain/volcano is fertile not only to crops and grass but to politics. Once upon a time, when Auckland was  a quaint colonial town, there lived a tree, a Pohutukawa, on the summit of this hill. In an act of vandalism (or the result of needing some firewood), the tree was cut down in 1852. In the 1870s a pine tree was planted to replace the fallen tree. Apparently John Logan Campbell tried to grow different native trees on the summit but none survived. Two pines made it until 1960 when one was again chopped down in either an attack or for firewood.

And this is where things get real:

In 1994, on the anniversary of the 1835 Declaration of Independence, the remaining tree was attacked with chainsaws by Māori activists who wanted to draw attention to the injustices they believed the Maori had suffered at the hand of the New Zealand government. A second attack in 2000 left the tree in such a precarious state that it was removed because of safety concerns. While One Tree Hill became “None Tree Hill” there are plans to plant pohutukawa and totara trees at the summit once the treaty claims are settled.

What Does One Do On a Hill?

One Tree Hill’s massive domain spreads out over 118 acres and adjoins Cornwall Park which was designed by Austin Strong, the landscape architect who used the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco as his muse. Together they create a magnificent 540 acres of lush, green space in the heart of Auckland. A popular spot for locals and tourists, there’s much more to see than just grass…

Obelisk Time: A memorial obelisk for Maori can be found at the top of the hill marking John Logan Campbell’s grave (he’s the dude that donated the land for Cornwall Park). Campbell had thought that Māori would gradually “die out” and wanted an impressive memorial to perpetuate their memory.Thankfully, he was wrong, but his memorial was seen as offensive and many Maori objected to its construction.

Starry, starry night: The Stardome Observatory is conveniently located within One Tree Hill Domain, and contains two state of the art telescopes and an impressive planetarium. Head up there in the evening to check out the stars and possibly find and name some asteroids yourself!

Acacia Cottage: One of the oldest surviving wooden buildings in New Zealand, the Acacia Cottage was built in 1841 and holds a lot of history for New Zealanders. It’s worth checking out if you’re into that kind of thing! Pack a picnic and make a day of it as the surroundings are perfect for having a feed and a nap on a hot summer’s day.

In addition to these nifty historical/educational and memorial spots there are a ton of things to do around One Tree Hill. There are heaps of walking and cycling trails where you can wander the vast green for hours. Once you’ve worked up your appetite you can head over to the free barbeques and grill away to your cholesterol’s delight. Drinking fountains are strategically placed, so don’t worry if you’ve forgotten the beers, er, drink bottles. Once you’ve digested, take a spin on the Flying Fox and take another walk around the olive groves and the majestic kauri plantation. If you’ve got kids, I feel for you. Just kidding! This place is great for your spawn, equipped with said Flying Fox (if you can get the teenagers off it) and an awesome playground complete with a skate park. And no peeing on the green please, there are clean toilets near the picnic area.

So there you have it, a hill with a lot to offer from history to nature and everything in between. Now all you need to do is register with us for your free rental car to get you there!