Before leaving Te Anau, we took in 2 of the local attractions – the local wildlife (bird) centre and watching a short, but superb film on the Fiordlands called ‘Te Whatanui’.
The bird centre was a small place with a few enclosures that support rare local birds. The rarest of which is the Takahe, a large waterfowl, of which there are less than 200 in the world. These were presumed extinct until being rediscovered in 1948.
Some of the other birds we saw included the Kaka, a parrot, parakeets and duck species.
The 32 minute film captures the grand scenery of the region. It is shot largely from the air and is accompanied by a background score incorporating some Mauri music. Definitely a must watch.
We then made the drive to Queenstown, the adventure capital of New Zealand. After the quietness of the places we had visited, the hustle and bustle of Queenstown did not appeal to us. We did do the touristy thing by eating the burgers at Fergburgers, considered by Lonely Planet to make the best burgers in New Zealand. They were good, and huge!
A Tale of Two Wanderers 