The Milford

Anonymous

 The video below is a grand view of the waterfalls we were able to see! It rained hard, but it was totally worth it because without rain, there are no waterfalls.

 

This is at the top of our journey through the Milford Track! The view was breathtaking and we were informed by a guide that it is only sunny and warm 4 out of 10 days! We really lucked out with the rain and sun!

Ah YEAH!

Anonymous

Bungy = awesome. We had a fantastic time this morning bungy jumping and everyone had safe jumps!

Queenstown Bound

Anonymous

We've passed the halfway point on our trip but the fun hasn't stopped yet! We have finished the Abel Tasman Coastal Track and we are currently on our way to Queenstown, the adventure capital of New Zealand! Today we hiked on the Franz Josef Glacier. It was an awesome experience, and one that was very unique.



We will be spending a day and a half there. Different people will be bungy jumping, white water rafting, jetboating, and all kinds of other activities. Afterwards we will be heading out for the Milford Track, possibly the biggest challenge of our trip.

Banks Peninsula Track: Conquered

Anonymous After 4 days of adventure we have successfully completed the Banks Peninsula Track, the first of our 3 major hikes. We were split into two separate groups because of the small hut capacity. My group tramped with 4 locals who are part of a tramping club and we learned quite a bit about the local area from them. They were quite a pleasure to have on the trip!

Now we are safely back in Christhurch for one more night. Tomorrow we will head out on an all-day bus ride bound for the Abel Tasman track in the northwestern part of the South Island. Look for more pictures after that!

A New Beginning in Christchurch

Anonymous
We've finally arrived! After what seemed to be days of flying (we left on the 4th and arrived on the 6th), we have touched down in New Zealand. Our journey begins in Christchurch where we will take in the sights and go for a small hike or two. The picture above is only a small sample of things to come. It is a view of the town of Littleton, overlooking a harbor used by the English during early colonization.

We hope that everything is going well on the homefront! Keep checking back for more photos and updates!

Location:Christchurch, New Zealand

Preparing for the Trip

Anonymous

I'm sure I speak for all of the students in the group when I say that preparing for this trip has been an arduous task. Whether it is finding the right gear, coming up with the money to buy that gear, or getting in shape for long days of hiking, everyone has been hard at work. My roommate Scott and I have been excited for the trip since we found out that we were accepted, and it's hard for us to believe that it's finally here! We've done some great hiking before the trip, but we know that it won't compare to the trails we will tramp in New Zealand.

Keep an eye out for more photos and videos from our trip!