Treading the Milford Track
To reach the trailhead of the Milford Track, dubbed “the finest walk in the world” for its spectacular vistas, we cruised for an hour on Lake Te Anau, past mountains streaming with waterfalls and an array of rainbows.

Hearty trekkers take four days to complete the legendary 34-mile trail, but with limited time we opted for Trips ‘n’ Tramps day-long adventure. Our 6.6-mile loop wound through beech tree forests feathered with mosses and ferns, past huge rimu trees, to a lunch spot alongside the fast-moving Clinton River. A boardwalk trail through wetlands opened up into a fairytale-like glade rimmed with the green peaks of the Castle and Wick mountain ranges. Te Anau, a small lakeside town, serves as the base for Fiordland National Park explorations.

Milford Track: Trips ‘n’ Tramps: ($69 per person, includes picnic lunch; +64.3.249.7081; www.milfordtourswalks.co.nz)
Te Anau Hotel & Villas: ($188 USD per night; +64.3.249.9709; www.teanauhotel.co.nz)

Adventure and relaxation collide in the heart of the Southern Alps, at the luxurious Grasmere Lodge (courtesy, Grasmere Lodge)