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ISLAND

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ISLAND

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& CENTRAL OTAGO

FIORDLAND &
SOUTHLAND

DUNEDIN &
OTAGO
PENINSULA

MACKENZIE:
MT. COOK &
LAKE TEKAPO

CHRISTCHURCH & CANTERBURY

WILD & FIERCE westland: WILDLY NATURAL, WILDLY REMOTE, FIERCELY BEAUTIFUL, FIERCELY INDEPENDENT.
PHOTO CREDITS: tourism New Zealand (Punakaiki rocks, glacier plane, ALPINE PEAKS);
home at first (driftwood beach, feeding elk, wild Tasman coast, HOMESTEAD BEDROOM, JACKSON BAY, ALPINE FOOTHILLS).
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The remote & rugged wild west coast: glaciers, rain forest, lakes, lagoons, beaches, & alps. Hiking, birding, fishing, hunting, & shopping for Maori jade too.
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Attractions North to South in Westland:
• THE BULLER GORGE: the rugged earthquake fault
   canyon entrance to Westland from Nelson
   offers New Zealand's longest suspension
   footbridge, jet boating, gold panning,
   walking, and zip line thrill rides.
• THE WILD TASMAN SEA COAST: the cold ocean
   churns into milky foam by currents and
   winds: great for surfers and driftwood.
• PAPAROA NATIONAL PARK & THE PANCAKE ROCKS:
   northern Westland's own coastal park with
   views of the strange Punakaiki (Pancake)
   Rocks.

The Tasman Sea whipped white by strong currents
and winds attracts surfers and delivers driftwood.

Maori fishhook jewelry
from Westland.

• GREENSTONE JADE JEWELRY & CRAFTS: the wild rivers of
   Westland are a great natural source for Maori greenstone
   jade available in craft shops up and down the coast.
• GLOW WORM FORESTS: giving the whole family a new reason
   to take an after-dinner walk together.
• THE WHITE HERONS OF OKARITO LAGOON: eco-tours by boat or
   on foot through this singular New Zealand habitat for
   kotuku—great white herons.
• WESTLAND NATIONAL PARK—FRANZ JOSEF AND FOX GLACIERS:
     two great glaciers fall from between the highest alpine
   peaks west into the rain forest and almost to the Tasman
   Sea. See them, fly over them, land on them, hike and
   climb them (see: FOX GLACIER).

   
• THE HIGH SOUTHERN ALPS: the great spine of the Southern
   Alps separates Westland from the rest of the South
   Island. Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft offer scenic
   flights up, over, and on to these snowcapped coastal
   giants.
• HAAST PASS: the highest and most dramatic road
   crossing of the Southern Alps takes Highway 6 south
   from Westland to Wanaka, Central Otago, and
   Queenstown.
• JACKSON BAY: the coast road ends at this lonely outpost
   of far South Westland on a grand natural harbor
   backed by the peaks of Mt. Aspiring National Park.

Activities in Westland: Hiking, mountaineering, fishing, hunting, shopping for crafts, bird watching, gold panning.

Guided hikers explore Fox Glacier
after being dropped off by helicopter.
 

Lodgings: Top quality bed and breakfast lodgings, like West Coast Homestead, ideally located for sightseeing, fishing, hunting, hiking, birding, glacier flights, and other authentic Westland activities.

Located about mid-way in the Westland region,
Home At First's West Coast Homestead makes
an ideal intermediate stop between the Nelson
and Queenstown regions. More importantly,
its central location permits seeing all of
the principal attractions of Westland.

Getting to/from Westland: Home At First guests will arrive in Westland by rental car, normally coming south from Nelson or north from Queenstown, a 6-8 hour drive from either of these points.

Getting around Westland: Use of a rental car is essential here. The primary road, Route 6, parallels the Tasman Sea coast and the Southern Alps, is very scenic, and usually lightly traveled.

 
The torturous Haast Pass, which snakes
steeply up this canyon to cross the
Southern Alps well above tree line, is a
challenging road in the best of weather.

BACK TO SOUTH ISLAND PROGRAM PAGE

HOME AT FIRST IS A DESIGNATED "KIWI SPECIALIST"
TOUR OPERATOR BY THE NEW ZEALAND TOURISM BOARD.


AFFORDABLE DREAM TRAVEL WITH ALL THE COMFORTS OF HOME.