Help! heading to South Island NZ next friday!!

I hope you've booked accommodation. February is very busy (by NZ standards anyway).

Instead of driving all the way to Kaikoura, why don't you look into a dolphin swim or something similiar in the Marlborough Sounds?

Are you flying back to Auckland from Nelson?

Thanks Melnq8!

We do have some of the lodging reserved. I am wondering if some of our time will feel repetitive-- ie. marlborough sounds, abel tasman, golden bay? Are we missing out by not doing an overnight cruise on one of the sounds? I keep reading such rave reviews.

Also, I was really excited about swimming with the dolphins in Kaikoura, but I wonder if it is worth trekking down there vs doing the swim in MS like you suggested.

Is something missing in our itinerary? Would you spend more or less time in one place over another?

We haven't booked our in country flights yet...

Jen

A few thoughts...

You can cut a night in Te Anau by doing the hike to Key Summit and the Milford cruise in the same day. We left Te Anau after breakfast, explored the stops along the Milford Road on the way to the Routeburn trail head, walked to and beyond Key Summit, then drove to Milford in time for the last cruise of the day. The buses had left and it was deserted, perfect. We were back in Te Anau in time for a late dinner.

That would free up a day to use elsewhere, or to use hiking some of the other tracks in Te Anau.

I've not done an overnight cruise, so can't answer that one.

Any particular reason you want to spend three nights in Blenheim? Wineries? The wine is fabulous, no doubt, but Blenheim itself is pretty ordinary. If it were me, I'd try to fit in the West Coast instead. I'd drive from QT to the north of the SI via the West Coast. You'd need to spend a night or two on the way, but the scenery is sooooo worth it.

Incorporating the West Coast will also give you more variety in your itinerary.

Queen Charlotte and Abel Tasman are entirely different. The views of the sounds are incredible from the QCT, and nothing at all like the views from the Abel Tasman track. They're both well worth exploring and not at all repetitive IMO. I strongly suggest the day walk on the QCT from Ship Cove to Furneaux, or are you planning to walk the entire track?

Golden Bay stands alone too. Takaka is an agricultural area - lots of incredibly green rolling pasture fringed by hills, unusual rock formations, etc.

I'm also lukewarm on Blenheim as it is dead flat scenery.

You can do some wine tasting around Kaikoura or east of Queenstown as an alternative.

www.waiparawine.co.nz

Amisfield near Arrowtown has a nice winery cafe.

When in Queenstown I also recommend a drive up to
Glenorchy and out toward Kinloch, where you can hike the other end of the Routeburn.

They do a fixed price dinner at Kinloch Lodge. Reservations essential.

http://www.kinlochlodge.co.nz/Dining/tabid/106/Default.aspx

Leaving next Friday as well, and don't have accommodations booked because we don't want to have to be set in our schedule. I just can't imagine that every hostel will be booked in every city? Please let me know if I am wrong!