Hokitika to Albert Town
- Heidi Hewett
- Mar 4
- 2 min read
After a relaxing night at the beach in Hokitika, we were ready for another day of adventure. As we continued our journey south toward our next destination, we visited Hokitika Gorge, enjoyed a picnic lunch at Lake Ianthe/Matahi, explored Westland Tai Poutini National Park, and ate dinner at the Hard Antler in Haast. After dinner, continuing south along the Haast Highway, the setting sun lit up the perfectly clear peaks of Mt. Tasman and Mt. Cook, which had been completely obscured just hours before. It was quite late when we finally reached our vacation rental in Albert Town and we were happy to stay there for two nights. During our stay in Albert Town, we also visited nearby Wanaka.
Exploring Hokitika Gorge
Hokitika George was our first stop after leaving our vacation rental in Hokitika. It was a bit out of our way and added several hours to the itinerary that Sierra had planned for us but it was well worth it. Hokitika Gorge was one of the highlights of my trip thus far. The water seemed to glow with a neon turquoise color which, combined with lush vegetation, rugged rock outcrops, and wonderful suspension bridges, was absolutly gorgious.
Visiting Wanaka
Wanaka's claim to fame is the iconic "Wanaka Tree" which is a lone willow tree standing in the water of Lake Wanaka. We, of course, had to visit the tree to pay our respects. But, in addition to being home of the resiliant willow tree, Wanaka is a charming little town with spectacular views of Lake Wanaka and the Southern Alps. While visiting Wanaka, we enjoyed lunch at Alleyway Emporium then wandered through the many tourist shops. We ended our visit to Wanaka with beers and a competitive game of Rummikub at Rhyme X Reason Brewery.
You can view the Wheels Up for New Zealand 2026 trip page to see all my blog posts, photos, and Wanderlog info.
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