--- type: "Article" title: "Justine’s tramping boots go on a roadie" description: "Justine's tramping boots were happy travelling with Lucy. She was everything they had ever dreamed of – buxom, powerful, aristocratic… and Italian." resource: "https://travelmemo.com/new-zealand/justine-tramping-boots-motorhome-wanaka" author: "Justine Tyerman" publisher: "Travelmemo" photo_count: 17 tags: ["Landscape", "Rental Car", "New Zealand"] entities: - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/new-zealand" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/landscape" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/vehicle-rental" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/lake" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/sea-travel" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/hiking" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/winter-tourism" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/air-travel" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/culinary-tourism" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/experience-travel" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/itinerary" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/luxury-travel" generated: { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/tyermanj", at: 2026-07-04T14:27:50+00:00 } sources: - id: photos resource: justine-tramping-boots-motorhome-wanaka.md#photos title: "Original photography by Justine Tyerman" author: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/tyermanj" last_modified: 2016-09-05 timestamp: 2026-07-04T14:27:50+00:00 --- # Justine’s tramping boots go on a roadie > A week-long winter road trip through New Zealand's South Island by motorhome, travelling from Christchurch to Queenstown via the West Coast, combining hiking, glacier experiences, and wildlife spotting at a leisurely, self-directed pace. ## Destination South Island, New Zealand — Christchurch to Queenstown via Arthur's Pass, the West Coast, Franz Josef, Haast, Wanaka, and Arrowtown. ## Getting there Air New Zealand flies direct Auckland to Christchurch and Auckland to Queenstown. ## When to go The trip was made in winter; the article notes the motorhome kept travellers warm even in sub-zero temperatures and blizzards, making winter viable, though conditions include snow and gales. ## Why visit Freedom to stop wherever and whenever you please along one of New Zealand's most scenic routes, combining mountain, glacier, rainforest, beach, lake, and wildlife experiences in a single journey. ## What to see - **Castle Hill** — Spectacular limestone rock formations. - **Devil's Punchbowl, Arthur's Pass** — A 131m waterfall high above the Bealey River. - **Mt Rolleston** — Gnarly side-track through ankle-deep snow to the mountain's foot. - **Lake Brunner** — Watercolour sunsets, swing bridge, and rare whio (blue duck) sightings. - **Okarito Beach and Lagoon** — Remote West Coast beach with driftwood sunsets; lagoon is nesting ground of the rare kotuku (white heron) and visited by 76+ bird species. - **Franz Josef Glacier** — World's steepest and fastest-flowing commercially-guided glacier; heli-hike to The Pinnacles with blue crevasses and ice caves. - **Lake Matheson** — Famous for reflections of Aoraki/Mount Cook and Mount Tasman in its dark water; surrounded by moss-draped rainforest. - **Blue Pools, Haast** — Where the Makarora and Blue Rivers meet, with vivid turquoise-green glacier-fed water. - **Rob Roy Glacier, Mt Aspiring National Park** — Part of Te Wahipounamu UNESCO World Heritage site; glacier face with dramatic ice calving. - **Macetown ghost town, Arrowtown** — Old gold-mining ghost town reached via the Arrow River gorge. ## What to do - **Franz Josef Glacier heli-hike** — Helicopter flight to The Pinnacles followed by a guided afternoon on the glacier with crampons and special boots; run by Franz Josef Glacier Guides NZ. - **Hot pools at Glacier Base, Franz Josef** — Post-glacier massage and soak in hot pools. - **E-bike ride along the Clutha River** — 50km return ride to Luggate on SmartMotion electric bikes hired from Solarcycles in Wanaka. - **Millennium Track, Wanaka** — 15km lake-edge walk linking beaches with views of Mt Aspiring. - **Skiing at Treble Cone** — Ski area near Wanaka; free lift tickets available through JUCY's Ski4Free deal. ## Good to know The trip used a JUCY Casa Plus motorhome (6-berth Fiat Ducato), which includes kitchen, bathroom with shower and toilet, fridge, wifi, DVD player, and GPS. JUCY Rentals offers the Ski4Free deal for Treble Cone. The motorhome is fully self-contained, making it practical in wild weather. Total distance covered was approximately 1000km. ## Photos ```yaml photos: - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/tramping-boots-Justine-Tyerman.jpg" caption: "The TBs setting off for a day's hiking" keywords: ["Justine Tyerman", "tramping boots"] captured: 2016-08-28 credit: "C BUCKLAND" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/camper-lunch-Hokitika.jpg" caption: "Lunch by the camper at Hokitika" keywords: ["Hokitika", "JUCY", "Justine Tyerman", "lunch", "motorhome"] captured: 2016-08-29 credit: "C BUCKLAND" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Chris-Tyerman-at-the-wheel.jpg" caption: "Chris happy at the wheel" keywords: ["Chris Tyerman", "JUCY", "Justine Tyerman", "motorhome", "wheel"] captured: 2016-08-29 credit: "C BUCKLAND" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Castle-Hill-rock-formations.jpg" caption: "Castle Hill rock formations" keywords: ["Castle Hill", "Justine Tyerman", "rock formation"] captured: 2016-08-27 credit: "C BUCKLAND" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Okarito-sunset.jpg" caption: "Sunset at Okarito" keywords: ["Justine Tyerman", "Okarito Beach", "South Island", "Sunset"] captured: 2016-08-29 credit: "C BUCKLAND" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/twigs-sunset-at-Okarito.jpg" caption: "A stunning sunset at Okarito Beach on the West Coast of the South Island" keywords: ["Justine Tyerman", "Okarito Beach", "South Island", "Sunset"] captured: 2016-08-29 credit: "C BUCKLAND" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/sunset-at-Okarito.jpg" caption: "Sunset at Okarito Beach" keywords: ["Justine Tyerman", "Okarito Beach", "South Island", "Sunset"] captured: 2016-08-29 credit: "C BUCKLAND" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Franz-Josef-Glacier.jpg" caption: "A perfect day on Franz Josef Glacier" keywords: ["Franz Josef Glacier", "Justine Tyerman", "sunshine"] captured: 2016-08-30 credit: "C BUCKLAND" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/hiking-Franz-Josef-Glacier.jpg" caption: "Hikers dwarfed by the immense size of Franz Josef Glacier" keywords: ["Franz Josef", "Justine Tyerman", "glacier", "hiking"] credit: "C BUCKLAND" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/guide-Tim-Franz-Josef-Glacier.jpg" caption: "Guide Tim posing with some of our glacier group" keywords: ["Franz Josef Glacier", "Justine Tyerman", "guide Tim"] captured: 2016-08-30 credit: "C BUCKLAND" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Justine-Chris-Tyerman-Franz-Josef-Glacier.jpg" caption: "Justine and Chris on Franz Josef Glacier" keywords: ["Chris Tyerman", "Franz Josef Glacier", "Justine Tyerman"] captured: 2016-08-30 credit: "C BUCKLAND" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Wanaka-mountain-sunset.jpg" caption: "Sunset in Wanaka" keywords: ["Justine Tyerman", "Sunset", "Wanaka"] captured: 2016-09-03 credit: "C BUCKLAND" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Mt-Aspiring-Millennium-Track-Wanaka.jpg" caption: "Mt Aspiring from the Millennium Track, Wanaka" keywords: ["Justine Tyerman", "Millennium Track", "Mount Aspiring", "Wanaka"] captured: 2016-04-08 credit: "C BUCKLAND" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Rob-Roy-Glacier.jpg" caption: "The TB's favourite hike, Rob Roy Glacier" keywords: ["Justine Tyerman", "Rob Roy", "glacier"] captured: 2012-11-30 credit: "C BUCKLAND" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/e-bike-Clutha-River.jpg" caption: "Our e-bike expedition on the Clutha River near Wanaka" keywords: ["Clutha River", "Justine Tyerman", "Wanaka", "e-bike"] captured: 2016-09-05 geo: {latitude: -44.6857, longitude: 169.2043} credit: "C BUCKLAND" ```