The Long Way Around - BEAR’s Guide to New Zealand’s South Island

THE LONG WAY AROUND

BEAR’S GUIDE TO NEW ZEALAND’S SOUTH ISLAND

Here is a collated piece detailing all eighteen (!!) recommendations provided throughout the series. Seven weeks of recommendations has brought us a bumper Location Guide to New Zealand’s South Island! Every article is linked in the respective headings, so find yourself in a tangle of goodness! All of these locations are a byproduct of a two-week winter holiday in New Zealand. At some stage, I will get around to writing up my first trip to New Zealand - because that is a whole new set of recs! For now - enjoy the first addition!

EAT

FERG - Queenstown

The nasty side of the internet tells you that Fergburger isn’t worth lining up for, but I'm here to tell you that side is wrong! We visited Fergburger multiple times in a two-week span. I tend to be a creature of habit, and once I find something I love, I’ll order it over and over again. ‘The Codfather’ was that for me. Containing South Coast Blue Cod, tempura batter, Ferg’s dill tartare, lettuce, tomato, red onion (which I always remove) & aioli. It was delicious, the only critique I could give, is that I prefer shredded iceberg lettuce over a piece of iceberg lettuce! Liam tried the Ferg Deluxe, and the Sweet Bambi. The Sweet Bambi came out on top for him - Wild Fiordland deer, brie cheese, boysenberry & caramelised onion chutney, lettuce, tomato, red onion & aioli.

PIO PIO - Piopiotahi / Milford Sound

As the only restaurant in Milford Sound, Pio Pio is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. While they technically hold the monopoly, this is not somewhere that relies on convenience alone. It’s a destination in its own right, and absolutely worth planning ahead for. Book early - popularity here is understandably no surprise.

After a day of being exposed to the elements, the feeling of sitting down in a warm and inviting space is indescribable. The contrast between the untamed landscapes and the thoughtful, refined food on the table is deeply satisfying. We arrived cold, tired, and hungry (the trifecta for a grumpy girlfriend - sorry Liam), and left warm, well-fed, and satisfied. The best part? The walk ‘home’ afterwards is roughly 60 seconds.

PALOMA - Wānaka

Paloma Taqueria offers authentic Mexican cuisine. They make their tacos from scratch - from locally sourced whole yellow corn kernels (ordered by the tonne - striving for sustainability). Every single day the team at Paloma boil the corn in pickling lime to remove the skin (nixtamalization), before grinding it into a dough in their fancy grinder all the way from LA. The dough is then rolled through another fancy machine to press it flat and cut it into perfect circles. The circles are then cooked on a grill, ready to be used as tacos! A very fun thought is that the tacos at Paloma are never more than a few hours old!

AYRBURN - Queenstown

Ayrburn is its own little ecosystem! They describe it as “Queenstown’s food and wine playground” which is pretty accurate! There is a place for everyone - Billy’s, The Woolshed, The Bakehouse, The Manure Room, The Burr Bar, The Barrel Room, R.M Prime Produce, The Dairy, & The Dell (whoah). Ayrburn is worth exploring in full, but this guide will help to cut through the confusion. Deciding where to settle can be a little overwhelming (hint: you don’t have to pick just one spot). The biggest piece of advice I could offer is go with a growling tummy and time to spare - Ayrburn can easily be a whole day activity!

STRAY

ROYS PEAK - Wānaka

We weren’t expecting much of a view because of the thick cloud above us, but as we passed through the cloud layer via a few hairpin bends, we came out on top - literally and figuratively. We could see the stars (!!) and a skinny orange glow hugging the horizon - sunrise looming. Nothing keeps you putting one foot in front of the other more than the promise of sunrise at the peak. Roys for sunrise is something you want to time to perfection - if you start too early, you’ll spend too long at the peak and freeze, start too late and you’ll miss the sunrise from a random bend under a thick layer of clouds. It’s a fine line.

BOB’S COVE - Queenstown

Bob’s Cove Track is the type of walk that you could do before breakfast! A walk that you can do any time of year, in any weather. We had a moody overcast day in winter with intermittent drizzle and it was beautiful. The start of the track is only 14km from Queenstown. The carpark at the trailhead isn’t signed from the road, however it is on GoogleMaps. We had the track mostly to ourselves, but I’ve heard that in summer it is pretty popular because you can swim at the pebbly beach within minutes of starting the track, or off a mini jetty along the way!

MITRE PEAK CRUISES - Piopiotahi / Milford Sound

Take a chance on “the little guy” - I have been to Milford Sound twice now, and both times I have opted for a Mitre Peak Cruise. A two hour cruise that takes you through Milford Sound, departing twice a day in winter, and four times a day in the warmer months. Milford Sound has some permanent waterfalls, but after even a slight bit of rain hundreds more appear, so brave the weather! The cruise spans the distance of the 16km fiord, out past St Anne’s Point Lighthouse, where the waters meet the Tasman Sea!

KEY SUMMIT TRACK - Piopiotahi / Milford Sound

The Key Summit Track is a section of the larger Routeburn Track that starts from The Divide carpark. Almost immediately, you’re pulled into what feels like a real-life fairy forest. The trees are draped in hanging moss, and there are a number of tree stumps with little hollows that look like tiny doorways for animals! We had a misty, drizzly day which only added to the magic - and given Milford Sound sees rain around 200 days a year, your chances of experiencing that same atmosphere are high.

SEALY TARNS TRACK - Aoraki / Mount Cook

Sealy Tarns track is what I imagine being on a stair-master feels like, but with better views. Don’t let that deter you, this is a walk I would recommend to anyone spending time in the Mount Cook region. The steps range from moderate in size, to needing to push off your quad with your hands to make it up some sections (I’m only 163cm - bear with me). The track is tiring, but the steep ascent allows you to look back on your progress pretty frequently! Make sure you turn around to see how the view changes as you climb (also a perfect excuse for a breather/photo stop). The end of the Sealy Tarns Track marks the halfway point to Mueller Hut, which is on our bucket list for next time - hopefully a summer hike to see a different side of Sealy Tarn.

RED TARNS TRACK - Aoraki / Mount Cook

Red Tarns Track gets its name from the red pond weed that resides in the tarn - a detail that you won’t fully appreciate until you see it!

If Sealy Tarns has been sitting on your “maybe” list but your legs (or confidence) aren’t quite convinced, Red Tarns is a perfect litmus test. It climbs to roughly half the height, offering a satisfying challenge without the full commitment that Sealy Tarns demands. If time and energy allow, do both - they deliver completely different experiences.

The track starts at the public shelter on Bowen Drive in Aoraki/Mount Cook Village. Once you cross the bridge at the beginning of the trail, the climb begins immediately. The track switches between well-maintained gravel path, and steps. It is quite steep, and consistently uphill (as mountains are) but it’s broken up with stretches of flat-ish gravel - just enough to keep morale intact. These stretches were affectionately referred to as “seven seconds of heaven”.

SECRET SAUNA - Wānaka / Lake Hāwea

The Secret Sauna is the perfect reset if you’re having an adventure holiday in New Zealand, or if you’re spending majority of your time hiking or participating in snow sports (us). The Secret Sauna is located only a 15 minute drive from Wānaka at the beginning of The Camp.

The Secret Sauna is a wood-fired barrel sauna that protects you from the elements as your tension melts away. They offer both group or private sessions. If money isn’t an obstacle, opting for a private session would be far more relaxing than a group session, but if you’re up for socialising, a group session is the way to go. They allow 12 people per session and our session was full. It was bumper-to-bumper in the barrel, but we had some good laughs together.

CARDRONA - Cardrona

A little perk we discovered at Cardrona was Vista Bar - If you’re ‘lucky enough’ to get stuck on the chair lift/Chondola up the mountain (probably because some novice rider (AKA me) has kooked it trying to disembark the lift), the lifties will give you a hot drink voucher as a ‘sorry you were suspended mid-air’. It is very important that you don’t cash this voucher at the Main Basin. Take McDougall's Chondola up to Vista Bar and order a hot chocolate there. It comes overflowing with whipped cream and marshmallows (they don’t do this at the Main Basin). The have picnic tables set up so you have views of the slopes - it’s the perfect spot for an afternoon treat.

STAY

SHERWOOD - Queenstown

The Sherwood Hotel in Queenstown has a strong focus on the wellbeing of both community and environment. Sustainability runs through the entire property, with thoughtful recycling practices and a clear commitment to reducing their environmental footprint. Rooms are centred around the surrounding landscape, with options overlooking either Lake Wakatipu or the peaks of The Remarkables. It’s very much a win-win situation. After experiencing three winter stays, Sherwood has proven itself to be the perfect place to return to after a long day on the slopes. It is particularly satisfying to peel off ski gear, step into a room that’s properly warm, and stand under a shower that is hot hot hot until you thaw out.

MILFORD SOUND LODGE - Piopiotahi / Milford Sound

Milford Sound Lodge is single handedly one of the best stays I’ve had. Staying in their newly renovated riverside chalets felt like the perfect synergy between the solitude of an off grid cabin, and the luxury of not having to lift a finger, that comes with a hotel stay. While being in one of the most remote places in New Zealand. The Lodge offered a service where you pop in your breakfast menu for the next day, and it turns up at your doorstep in the hands of their friendly staff. You then simply leave the empty box outside your door, and they collect it mid morning, while resetting the bed and giving the room a quick little spruce. We opted for fresh croissants, muffins, juice, and muesli - A+. Last winter, Milford Sound Lodge upgraded their riverside chalets to include outdoor baths, and it feels like a perfectly considered addition. Quiet luxury that makes complete sense for the landscape.

SKYLARK CABIN - Aoraki / Mount Cook

Skylark Cabin makes it into BEAR’s top stays - this place is incredible. It looks like I’m not alone with this opinion - Skylark Cabin was rated Airbnb’s 2022 Best Nature Stay, and Airbnb’s 2024 Great Kiwi Farmstay. You’re in for something special! Skylark has a mammoth skylight carved into the ceiling above the bed. This means, to stargaze, you don't have to get up. Falling asleep under a sky full of stars, completely snug in a cosy bed, warmed by the wood fire down the hallway, was pretty hard to beat. Tucked away into the tussock grass was an outdoor bath. It’s the perfect place to slow down and have a cuppa.

RUAKAHU LODGE - Aoraki / Mount Cook

Ruakahu Lodge is sister’s with the award-winning property Skylark Cabin. Equally as special, twice as big. Ruakahu also boasts a large outdoor tub, and was used heavily (almost religiously) throughout our stay. While Skylark Cabin sits nestled into the landscape - almost hidden, Ruakahu Lodge stands proud in the middle of the field, she is the view. Although Skylark and Ruakahu share the same land, you would never know the other existed. Both houses were designed intentionally, with privacy and comfort at the forefront, providing privacy without feeling isolated, and wide open space that doesn’t feel exposing. It’s a peaceful escape.

TĀIMA PUREPOD - Tīrau / Cromwell

Perched amongst rocky terrain in Cromwell, Central Otago, Tāima PurePod overlooks Kawarau Gorge and the rugged surrounding mountains - the views are astounding. Sitting 350m above sea level, Tāima PurePod blessed us with low-lying cloud in the morning, transforming our stay into something a little more mythical. The terrain is how I would imagine Joshua Tree to look. Even the entrance to Bannockburn (a neighbouring suburb) had ranch-like charm to it. PurePods are engineered to perfection with double-glazed glass, sturdy insulation, and heating that kept us extra cosy while the outside temperature sat somewhere between brisk and biting. Privacy was also carefully considered and PurePod headquarters, so there’s no need to worry about visitors peering into your little glass sanctuary.

That’s all that I could possibly squeeze out of a two-week trip to New Zealand’s South Island! I truly hope you enjoyed The Long Way Around series. I have grand plans to turn these recs (plus more from my other two NZ holidays) into 5, 7, and 10 day itineraries for those of you who hate getting bogged down in the planning phase. More on that later in the year.

Stray beautiful,

BEAR.

No robots were involved in the making of this journal.