Travel by bus from Christchurch to Queenstown with a stop tour to Mount Cook
20 November 2007

A trip by bus from Christchurch to Queenstown offers beautiful views on the Southern Alps, mount Cook, lake Tekapo and lake Pukaki.

(Click on a picture to see an enlarged version)

In order to reach Queenstown from Christchurch, I take this bus operated by Newmans and making several stops along the way to have a rest and take pictures. The full trip requires about 11 hours.

 

Geraldine, New Zealand
The first stop is at Geraldine, a charming town famous for typical cheeses made locally.

 

Then, the bus continues towards lake Tekapo and the Southern Alps.

 

Tekapo lake New Zealand Tekapo lake New Zealand Tekapo lake New Zealand
The shores of Tekapo lake, made even more picturesque by the flowering lupines.

 

 

Tekapo lake New Zealand Tekapo lake New Zealand
Tekapo lake New Zealand Tekapo lake New Zealand
Other view onto Tekapo lake.

 

Mount Cook New Zealand
Shortly, the bus reaches lake Pukaki, made very blue thanks to debris carried by glaciers. Far away, the first sights of Mt. Cook.

 

Lake Pukaki, New Zealand
Other views onto Pukaki lake.

 

Mt. Cook, New Zealand
The bus is now continuing toward Mount Cook.

 

Mt. Cook, New Zealand
Mount Cook, New Zealand
The bus finally arrives at the park entrance, from where there are beautiful views of Mount Cook, with its three summits and the glaciers on the sides.

 

The valley and the other mountains around Mount Cook.

 

Sir Edmund Hillary
A statue of Sir Edmund Hillary, the known explorer and climber, who was the first to reach, together with a Sherpa guide, the top of Mount Everest.

 

A typical kiwi traffic jam.

 

Mt. Cook, New Zealand
Other views onto lake Pukaki taken from the bus.

 

Queenstown, New Zealand
Queenstown, New Zealand
Queenstown, New Zealand
Late in the evening, I finally reach Queenstown, a charming town on the shores of a lake.

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NEW ZEALAND PICTURES - SUB ANTARCTIC ISLANDS PICTURES

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