Okarito + Franzjosef, such an isolated part of New Zealand to camp

[@iancooper6584]

Hey Mike and Family. I am really pleased you enjoyed the place I've called home for the last 25 years and its so pleasing to be reminded every now and again of how other people perceive the village. I even saw my house ! You certainly got a few blue bird days, but, isn't the rain also magnificent. I think I saw you all while you were here. Ian

[@leopardsgowild]

Pretty iconic part of New Zealand lots to see and do, must be a bit hard for the locals with all the tourists cruising through, but it sure is a beautiful part of New Zealand.

[@garth2876]

Such a beautiful part of the country, definitely pretty isolated from the main centres. I'm hoping for some sunshine next week when we come through - it was pretty wet last time. I have some awesome memories of Fox Glacier in particular from the 80s and seeing an ice fall and dam burst, spreading across the riverbed and sending people running. Nice one kids getting the tent sorted, and how cool for Toby having a bike there.

[@leopardsgowild]

Yea mate, toby loved that bike... If your travelling slow it really is an isolated place, I imagine most people jump from Hokitikia to Fransjosef, and then straight to haast, which wouldn't feel to bad, but it was well over a week for us, and with 5 of us emptying the fridge lol... the 80's would have been so much better for viewing those glaciers, would be interesting to see your thoughts driving through soon.

[@nzhillbilly6468]

Absolutely beautiful, another excellent video, love your adventures, superb work, awaiting next video, Thanks for sharing. 👍

[@leopardsgowild]

Oh thanks so much, beautiful area alright, so quiet and peaceful out there... Thanks as always for watching and taking the time to write us a comment. :)

[@travellingtinynz5210]

Great adventure guys! The kids all seem to just get stuck in, you must be proud of them!

[@leopardsgowild]

They kids are thriving living outside aye, their confidence is always growing as they learn new things and test their adventure boundries. Def a lot nice getting in the water closer to Dec than end of Sept..

[@karenhealey935]

Congrats on reach over 4,000 subscribers. Have driven past Okarito so many times when heading down the West Coast to Wanaka.

[@leopardsgowild]

yea it's not to far off the main road, nice spot, good walk there, but not a lot else happening. I imagine, when the weather calms down and the wind slows its a beautiful beach.

[@CHillAdventures]

GREAT EPISODE MIKE!!!!! toby rippin that bike!!!!! glad the warm is coming back around~~ look forward to next episode as always!!!!!! stay rad my friend!!!!

[@leopardsgowild]

Thanks bro... Loving these warmer days, but here in the South, the spring brings some very strong winds, up to 100miles an hour winds, seen a few videos of campers blowing over in the wind this spring... We are a bit heavier so hopefully we'll be sweet... Hope you are doing well friend.

[@CHillAdventures]

@@leopardsgowild all good over here ,, ❤️✌️

[@WayneWaring-v9f]

Awesome video Mike, West Coast in the sun looks great - a real contrast to the driving rain on other days. good on you guys for taking the plunge and getting the swimming season underway!

[@leopardsgowild]

ha ha, go the swimming, we love to swim, as long as that sun has some heat in it, we are in... West Coast is a beautiful place, but hard to be there in rough weather as there isn't much to do, or even wet weather alternatives.

[@michaelconnell8624]

Wow!! What awesome sunset images 👍😀

[@leopardsgowild]

So lovely seeing a cool sunset like that, stoked we got to enjoy it with friends.

[@WarrenJowett]

I really enjoy your videos. Thanks again for sharing. It rained for the full 3 days of our stay in Franz Josef a few years ago, so all we managed to do was drive out to Okarito in the rain. And Lake Mapourika which you would have passed along the highway was in flood. Completely covered the little jetty. I noticed a white heron fly up during your filming, and you didn't make any mention of them, or that Okarito is their breeding area. Did you get to see many. Would have been pretty special if you did.🕊🕊

[@leopardsgowild]

Hey yea there were a few white Heron around i didn't actually know they were so special until after we had left, I got a few good shots on my phone of one that was hanging around... I feel like I have seen one of these in Rotorua before, but maybe it was another bird. The rain is hard to manage sometimes, hard to know what to do when there may only be 1 or 2 nice days in a 10 day weather forecast... Glad we enjoyed the spot with some nicer days.

[@NomadLifeKiwi]

Nice to see some sunny weather for most of the trip. The kids did a great job putting up the tent, loved the passcode! I’ve always wanted to explore the South Island by motorcycle. Maybe our next trip down there .

[@leopardsgowild]

Our friend loved riding his motor bike around, would be a great way to explore, chuck a tent in there and away you go. Could prob park up at some off the road places that way as well.

[@NomadLifeKiwi]

yes, that would be amazing! @@leopardsgowild

[@louisaklimentos7583]

Your country is so beautiful ! I love to visit there one day , I hope . I am from Sydney Australia . Thank you for your amazing video !

[@leopardsgowild]

Yea New Zealand is very unique, some of these places are so beautiful because of the lack of human influence... Keep an eye out on the next video because it gets even more isolated further south.

[@owenpotter2459]

A bit of a mixed bag of weather there. Both extremes! It's funny. For some reason I always placed Feanz Josef on the other side of the Alps. I seem to remember Mum and Dad having photos of the glacier when they were there in the 1950s before they were married. It was much further downbthe valley then. A year on from selling my caravan and I find I'm really missing it!

[@leopardsgowild]

I reckon you just got to go for a cruise in the boat mate, and you'll be getting those nice travel vibes, bit of an explore once the pack house season is over.

[@owenpotter2459]

@@leopardsgowild and some boat work too.

[@bmzedku3774]

Okarito was Keri Hulme 's home (she wrote iconic book The Bone People)

[@leopardsgowild]

Oh interesting. Okarito is such a cool little village, I can only imagine what it looks like in summer... The bone people, the claim to fam for Okarito.

[@bmzedku3774]

@@leopardsgowild we had 4 seasons in one day last time we were there in summer :) such a beautiful place though whatever the weather

[@RadRoadAdventures]

It's always hard when remote areas limit your time for one reason or another. You got some good days in there. Well done on the first dip of the season

[@leopardsgowild]

yea mate, it's just a matter of $$$ which has been our limiting factor, if you were cruising through the west coast in a week or 10 days it wouldn't even be a problem... Especially if you wanted to eat out a couple of meals... That lake was so beautiful, what a spo t for the first swim.

[@PentaxLife]

Way to go great video

[@leopardsgowild]

Thanks a lot, very unique spot.

[@Saarvl-sl5zz]

Love your music choices, can you please share some artists

[@leopardsgowild]

So all the music is off Musicbed, should be an easy search if you type in 1 line of lyrics into google... I just can't handle any more admin work sorry lol...As much as I love the editing process, copying links and adding files, is not so much fun...

[@ruthtucker3205]

Hey there, really enjoying your vids, we're about to head overseas for two years travling the world with our two kids. Would love to know the camera gear and editing software you use. Sorry if you have mentioned this previously. Thanks Ruth

[@leopardsgowild]

WOW what an awesome adventure you are about to go on... So we are really basic, all the videos' are shot of 1 gopro 10 and 1 DJImini2 drone, thats it, we don't use phone, or any big camera set up. Pretty happy with how the gopro does, love it's colours, and smoothness, plus it's so easy to record and carry.

[@ruthtucker3205]

Thanks so much for the response. I totally agree, the colors on your video are mint.

[@Flyingkiwisnz]

Have you toured the north island yet?

[@leopardsgowild]

We are from the North, so yes but no longer as extensively as the South

[@craignelson-swiftyenzed7578]

Bike rack for Christmas?

[@leopardsgowild]

would love to, but I don't think we can afford the weight... we need a big caravan, thats light weight which can take loads of weight...

[@craignelson-swiftyenzed7578]

@@leopardsgowild Weight. Yup.

[@lukeduke3001]

Keeping it real thanks kiwis

[@leopardsgowild]

thats the one, living it like the rest of us would bro. kids are keen as on their bombs.

[@Spiderman1a]

The music is annoying sometimes .......it's good to just listen to sounds of nature.

[@leopardsgowild]

Is this a troll account?

[@Spiderman1a]

@@leopardsgowild yeah whatever ....🤣

[@leopardsgowild]

@Spiderman1a if there are good sounds of nature then I point that out, otherwise you might be hearing helicopters, boats, wind or just nothing

[@Spiderman1a]

@@leopardsgowild the comic dude from Rotorua .....lol

[@leopardsgowild]

@@Spiderman1a I'm confused again

[@hopaea7]

Not a good idea to have your feet on the dash while traveling 😬

[@leopardsgowild]

but it is such a comfortable way to travel... Have you tried it... Yes I have.