· AmchePayn · New Zealand  · 3 min read

Glentanner to Te Anau: Peter's Lookout, Wanaka & That Wanaka Tree

A relaxed, random and totally perfect travel day. Peter's Lookout, a sweet little lab, Puzzling World, That Wanaka Tree and Roaring Meg, all on the way to Te Anau.

A relaxed, random and totally perfect travel day. Peter's Lookout, a sweet little lab, Puzzling World, That Wanaka Tree and Roaring Meg, all on the way to Te Anau.

Today was all about going with the flow. No plans, just vibes 😎

We packed up the camper at Glentanner Park Centre and set off for Te Anau, stopping wherever curiosity took us.

Peter’s Lookout

Our first stop was Tātakitaki a Mahaka / Peter’s Lookout, above Lake Pukaki. You cannot drive past that milky blue water without stopping. It looks fake in photos and even more so in person.

Lake Pukaki stretching towards cloud-covered mountains from Peter’s LookoutLake Pukaki from Peter’s Lookout. That blue is real!

Panorama of Peter’s Lookout car park and Lake Pukaki under a big cloudy skyPeter’s Lookout, with Lake Pukaki stretching off towards the mountains.

The open road south through the mountainsThe open road south. We kept pulling over.

A curving road lined with golden and red autumn trees and a Lindis Pass road signGolden poplars all along the road south.

A little bridge and a lab

Then we randomly pulled over by a cute little bridge over the Clutha River at Luggate, and were greeted by the sweetest lil lab 🐶 We ended up walking along the river under the golden poplars for a while.

Panorama of the Clutha River at Luggate with a bridge and golden poplarsThe little bridge over the Clutha River at Luggate.

Selvin on the bank of the Clutha River with a brown labrador beside herOur new friend by the Clutha River at Luggate 🐶

Selvin walking along a path covered in yellow poplar leavesWalking on a carpet of yellow poplar leaves.

Puzzling World

Next up was Puzzling World near Wanaka, where we basically lost our minds in the illusion rooms 🤣🌀 So much fun on a long driving day!

JP pretending to hold up the giant tilted tower outside Puzzling WorldMy husband holding up the leaning tower outside Puzzling World. Strong man 😉

JP posing with his arms up in an illusion room at Puzzling World where he looks giant-sizedMy husband the giant! In this room, everyone looks huge.

A giant green face and the word BITTER lit up in an illusion room at Puzzling WorldOne of the illusion rooms at Puzzling World.

That Wanaka Tree

Of course, we couldn’t miss the famous #ThatWanakaTree, the lone willow standing out in the lake. With the golden autumn poplars along the shore, it was even prettier than we’d hoped.

Honestly though, there is a more eventful tree in North Epping. We might do a post on that one and make it famous instead. 😉

That Wanaka Tree standing in the lakeThe one and only That Wanaka Tree.

Us under the golden Wanaka poplarsUs under the golden Wanaka poplars. Autumn here is something else.

Roaring Meg

We wrapped up the day’s stops at Roaring Meg in the Kawarau Gorge, a powerful stream that feeds a hydroelectric station 💦⚡

Roaring Meg stream falling into the fast turquoise Kawarau River beside a small power stationRoaring Meg tumbling into the Kawarau River, with the power station on the right.

On to Te Anau

Then it was the long drive into Te Anau, our base for the grand finale. A relaxed, random and totally perfect travel day! ❤️

Note: Te Anau is the gateway to Milford Sound, and most cruise tours pick up from here. We booked our Milford trip from Te Anau. More on that next.

Next up, the trip’s big finish: Milford Sound and the Coach & Nature Cruise.

Categories: New Zealand, Places Tags: Wanaka, Lake Pukaki, road trip, Puzzling World, autumn

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