kaikoura
There are several great walks in Kaikoura. One of the best known is the long track up to the snowy Mount Fyffe, which begins with a trail through lush native New Zealand forest. We explored the surrounding area, and took to the skies to photograph the beginning of this track from above.
Following a whale-watching flight over the Kaikoura coastline, we also took the opportunity to watch these giants from up close. An early morning cruise with Whale Watch provided several sightings of Sperm whales, the world’s largest toothed predator. These giants of the sea were commonly hunted in the 19th and 20th centuries, which inspired the classic novel Moby Dick. Now the species is protected throughout most of its territory, but there is still work to be done to fully protect them.
Kaikoura, only a couple hours’ drive from Christchurch, is one of New Zealand’s best kept secrets. The town and its surroundings are full of unexpectedly beautiful landscapes. During our visit, we stumbled upon this bit of coast along Beach Road. As always, I like to think that the images speak for themselves!
One of my best memories of Kaikoura was taking a whale-watching flight with Wings Over Whales. Although circling the whales did get me a little dizzy by the end, it was amazing to see these marine giants from the air, where you can get a true sense of their scale. During our flight, we saw two sperm whales and a humpback whale, and as a bonus we got to enjoy the view of the surrounding mountains and ocean from the air also.
During my visit to Kaikoura, I made my way up to the Kaikoura Lookout a couple of times, to catch both sunrises and sunsets over the harbour. The lookout provides stunning views in all directions, over the town, the ocean, and the countryside. Below are some of my favourite images from this special place.
Kaikoura is another one of New Zealand’s hidden gems. It is less popular than other nearby tourist destinations, but is nonetheless a fantastic place to visit. This is one of the few places in the world where you will see a snowy mountain chain as a backdrop to a white sandy beach. Here are some of my favourite images of my first day on the beaches, capturing some of this unique landscape.
