Wakatipu Basin New Zealand April 2017 (7 photos)
This is part 8 of my New Zealand series of posts.
One morning on the way from Queenstown to Skippers Canyon, I came across a beautiful sight. To the right was a valley immersed in fog and mist dwarfed by surrounding hills and mountains. I particularly liked the dominant but lonely looking mountain in the background towering above the band of low cloud.
The valley is part of the larger Wakatipu Basin, a plain surrounded by mountains in Central Otago, in the southern South Island of New Zealand. In the common tongue, this particular smaller valley and region are known as Dalefield.
Mesmerised by the sight before me and cognisant of the evanescent nature of mist and fog, I took more than a few photos.
Dale(field), surrounded by misty mountains in the shadow of a lonely mountain.
Someone should write a book about this.
Oh wait, they did…
Thank you J.R.R. Tolkien.
I would have stayed longer but this dragon had to fly…
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As some of you have noticed, my New Zealand post: Dragon tales of Middle Earth: Somewhere in Otago was featured a couple of days ago on WordPress’ Discover site. My sincere thanks to the editors for choosing my post.
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This is part 8 of my New Zealand series of posts.
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Etcetera Etcetera Etcetera 
Fantastic series of pics Woody. Most impressive 🙂
Thanks, Scotty. It was productive morning, photographically speaking. 🙂
Certainly was 🙂
🙂
Of course you had to take more than a few photos. Once in a lifetime moment to be there 😀 I suppose the clouds were drifting before your eyes too. It really is amazing how this all looks like a place out of thousands of years ago….just brilliant. Very lucky with the lighting there.
Congrats on the feature 🙂
It was a case of park the car anywhere, jump out and photograph. Everything was changing quickly including the light. It looked so very peaceful down there. Almost timeless.
Thank you very much. The feature came as a surprise.
Almost timeless. Might as well be timeless. Because all these shots look classic. Classic timeless 😀
Hope you get to go back at some point and see what you can capture again.
Thank you very much. I hope I get to go back one day, too.
Beautiful pictures!
Thank you very much.
Congratulations for being featured on Discovered! Very well-deserved — as your GORGEOUS follow-up post will attest. Simply breathtaking.
Thank you so very much. It was a gorgeous show by Mother Nature. It would have been rude to drive on and not admire it. 🙂
I like how you think! 🙂
Thanks. 🙂
Breathtakingly beautiful!
Thank you very much.
Nice photos
Really fantastic pictures
Thank you for both comments.
There’s something mystical about looking down on a misty valley. Like you’re up in heaven. I noticed that your post was featured. Congratulations. Very well deserved.
I agree, it does have that sense and perspective about it. Watching and floating.
Thank you, Julie. I think you were one of the first to notice that first time I was Freshly Pressed. 🙂
These were taken from solid earth? I thought you had mentioned hiring a helicopter…wonderful photographs either way, Draco!
Yes, from the road up a mountain towards Skippers Canyon. Actually if you google Dalefield NZ you’ll get a google map and can see the topography of the area.
Thank you very much, Mic. That helicopter ride post is still in reserve. 🙂
I will check that out…thanks for the clarification.
No problem. Thanks, Mic.
Ooooh, geee, The Wood Dragon is taking some mighty pretty pictures. 😮
Thank you very much. 🙂
these kinds of sweeping vistas and elements of serenity are spiritual moments to savor. Gorgeous images…wow moments.
Indeed they are, Sally. Watching the mist and fog flow and dissolve was a beautiful show.
Bravo! Congratulations! Well deserved! Eyes melting!
Thank you so much. But get those eyes fixed! There’s more to see yet. 🙂
Breathtaking photos!
Thank you kindly. 🙂
The photographs and the description are captivating. Wonderful description of a
journey in an mystic fog
I’m glad I could share this journey with you. Thank you very much.
Beautiful indeed. Also intriguing and mystifying.
Very much so. It was interesting to witness it from a height for a different perspective.
Oooh! Brilliant photos of a breathtaking landscape.
Thank you so very much. 🙂
Looks like a fairy land. Can a landscape be more beautiful than this? I don’t think so. Of course your site was featured. It’s all well deserved, Draco.
I would love to have stayed there longer and even wander down into the fog but that wasn’t possible. It was so idyllic.
Thank you very much, Paula. Much appreciated. 🙂
Magical – definitely reminiscent of Middle Earth. Congrats on being “discovered”
Thank you very much. New Zealand is a photographer’s delight. So much to see.
oi, thats magic, i am very impressed. thank u for posting it!
Thank you very much. It was very idyllic.
oh, thats magic, a wonderland…..
Thanks for the second comment. I’m not sure why the first comment sometimes disappears.
yes, true the first comment disappeared, so i wrote a second time
Thanks for confirming it.
These are stunning! You have summed up all the reasons that I want to go there.
Thank you. I do hope you get there one day. You won’t be disappointed.
WP made a good call. Congratulations, Dragon!!
Wow, just Wow… makes me wonder how it’s like being there watching the awesome view and fog go by. It must be challenging to climb up there with you gears.
Thank you very much, Amy. It was a very relaxing view. The fog adds a touch of magic. Fortunately I was in a 4WD and we were able to find somewhere to park. Walking uphill with about 9kg of gear in a backpack would have been difficult otherwise. 🙂
4WD is awesome; perfect for Dragon! 🙂
Thanks, Amy. 🙂
Ah, a dream landscape – and so is the whole country of NZ. Your series is breathtaking, no wonder you were featured – you should be. Splendid photos.
Thank you very much. The landscapes in NZ are awe inspiring.
They are. I would love to go back there one day. Stewart Island was left out when we went.
Will check out Stewart Island now. Thanks for the tip. 🙂
Ah…where did my comment go…? I will give it another chance. Glorious shots of this dreamy landscape – of JRR Tolkien’s. Because it looks almost unreal – which goes for the whole of NZ. Your shots are almost surreal. No wonder you were featured – that is where you belong. Congratulations!
I don’t know why but sometimes the comment becomes hidden after you make it. Or maybe it is just slow to register. It has happened to a couple of other people on my blog and it has happened to me on other people’s blogs. Maybe it’s a server issue. Anyway, I found both comments so no problem. Thanks for your visit as always.
OK. Double praise is not bad!
Thanks. 🙂 I don’t delete second comments unnecessarily. I think if someone has comments deleted the system may treat them as a spammer and all their comments get blocked.
Congratulations, I like pictures. Really fantastic pictures.
Thank you very much.
I love mist…
It has a magic quality.
Wow…stunning images.
Thank you very much. 🙂
That second photo is so Middle Earth. I think you went there.
Thanks. I’m glad I didn’t run into any orcs. 🙂
Beautiful – the second picture I like most
Thank you very much. 🙂
Beautiful 🙂
Thank you. 🙂
You’re welcome 🙂
🙂
Very beautiful series of photos on your blog! Love it 🙂 🙂
Thank you very much.
These photos feels like a dream. Thank you for taking us on this beautiful journey 🙂
It did seem “other worldly”. It was fascinating to stand there and watch it all. Thanks, KG.
I love these pictures !
Thank you very much. 🙂
Mesmerizing beauty! 🙂
Thank you so much. 🙂
Oh Mr Draco you have done it again! Magic and absolutely stunning! And congratulations on getting featured on Discover. Perhaps Id better get your autograph 😃
Many thanks, Julie. My thanks to NZ for offering up such great landscape scenes. 🙂
My autograph in exchange for your preserves sounds fair. Such a shame you weren’t in Queenstown that day…
Sounds fair to me too! Yes indeed such a shame I wasn’t there …
Oh well, until the next opportunity to meet. 🙂
Thanks for the glimpses into a magical land. Congratulations for a well deserved discovery!
Thank you very much. Much appreciated.
Spectacular pictures, as always!
Thank you very much. 🙂
So amazing!! It doesn’t even look real. I’m mesmorized with the first pic. Your descriptions are just as beautiful. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you very much. It was quite a magical sight.
Love the travel bloggers as you people let others lesser fortune to experience the world and it’z every changing beauty. Thanks a lot
Yes, it’s a great way to see places that many never have the chance to visit.
These pictures are incredible!
Thank you. 🙂
Mystery.
Indeed.
Beautiful pictures!!
Thank you very much. 🙂