New Zealand Itinerary

Old Aug 19th, 2016, 01:09 PM
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New Zealand Itinerary

My Wife and I are planning a trip to New Zealand and needs some help with what to add and what to drop. I’ve been reading trip reports and other posts and have included some suggestions into our itinerary, for instance flying on to the South Island the day we arrive in Auckland.
We’re 56 and 58, enjoy Photography, day hikes, kayaking, and wine and food. Travel Dates 2/24- 3/11
Day 1 Arrive AKL and fly onto Benheim
Day 2 Benheim, Get acclimated, wine tasting, Queen Charlotte Track
Day 3 Drive to Kaikoura, whale watch, lunch then onto Christchurch to get a little more Distance to Mt. Cook.
Day 4 Drive to Mt. Cook
Day 5 Queensland
Day 6 Queensland
Day 7 Queensland
Day 8 Milford Sound
Day 9 Lake Wanaka
Day 10 Lake Wanaka
Day 11 Franz Joseph
Day 12 Franz Joseph
Day 13 Hokitika
Day 14 Arthur’s Pass to Christchurch Fly to AKL
Day 15 AKL
Day 16 AKL
Day 17 AKL-LAX-RDU

So reading others inquiries I think this may be too ambitious. I’m trying to talk my significant other out of the 2 nights in AKL and give those days to the SI. I think Day 3 and 4 may have too much driving. Would you recommend breaking up the trip from Wanaka to Franz Joseph, if so where? We’re starting in Benheim as it looks like a nice place to recover from jet lag and we’re into wine.

Thanks in advance!
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Old Aug 19th, 2016, 04:28 PM
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You surely meant Queenstown, not Queensland, which is an Australian state.

I think your itinerary and planned activities won't work. You need another day for Blenheim (or Picton) to both wine taste and visit Queen Charlotte sound.

It's best to have a whole day and night in Kaikoura if you have your heart set on whale watching as whale watch trips can be cancelled due to rough conditions. If your whale watch trip goes ahead as planned, then you can use your extra time to walk the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway. If seeing whales is not that important to you, then you can take your chances. It it happens, it happens.

So on Day 3, you'll spend the night in Christchurch, right?

One night in Mt. Cook Village might not be enough to do some hiking. But at least you'll be able to see it. The road into Mt. Cook is quite scenic as well. Two days in Mt. Cook Village would be better, so that you can do more hikes, and/or take the Glacier Explorers trip. Two days also gives you more chances of good weather and clear skies while there. Mt. Cook is part of an International Dark Sky Reserve (a lure for astrophotographers). Mt. Cook should be booked well in advance. It's popular and accommodation in Mt. Cook Village and nearby Glentanner is limited. 500,000 people visited Mt. Cook Village last year, 300,000 people walked its Hooker Valley Track.

Are you planning on driving from Queenstown to Milford Sound and back in a day? Don't. Most people who self-drive to MS, spend two nights in Te Anau, which allows for a more leisurely drive and time for walks along the way, such as the popular Key Summit hike.

I think you'll have to give up a day in Auckland and some other places to get your trip to work. Try to convince your other half. In fact, you might consider forgoing Auckland altogether, so that you'll have the days needed to enjoy your South Island trip.

Here's a link to the drive distance calculator.
http://www.aa.co.nz/travel/time-and-...ce-calculator/
Please note how twisty the roads are. You'l be driving through mountain passes and along coastlines, sharing the road with slower-moving campervans at times, stopping or slowing way down for one-lane bridges. See:
https://www.nzta.govt.nz/safety/driv...iting-drivers/
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Old Aug 19th, 2016, 04:51 PM
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Forgot to mention that most roads on the South Island are just one lane in each direction.

If you look at the video in the above link (https://www.nzta.govt.nz/safety/driv...iting-drivers/), you'll notice they briefly switched the point of view, so it looks like motorists are suddenly driving on the right hand side instead of the left! This faux pas made it into the news.
This will also give you idea of New Zealand roads:
https://www.aa.co.nz/travel/visitors...ing-programme/

Here's an excellent link for Milford Road driving tips:
http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-rec...s-for-drivers/
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Old Aug 19th, 2016, 05:05 PM
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Agree with Diamantina - the Queen Charlotte Track AND wine tasting is too much for a day if you plan to hike a section of the track. You need to allow time for the drive to Picton, taking a water taxi (assuming that's your plan), walking a section of the track (easily five hours) and then taking a water taxi back to Picton, then returning to Blenheim. Whew!

I suggest you continue on to Picton the day your arrive in Blenheim and overnight there if the QCT is your main focus.

>

Much too much for all the reasons already pointed out by Diamantina, plus the drive distance involved.

You need at least two nights in Mount Cook to do any hiking. If you just want to look at the mountain (assuming it can even be seen as weather can be very iffy - and then move on, well maybe), but you'd be giving it serious short shrift.

The 'day trip' from Queenstown to Milford and return takes 13 hours! And that's on the bus, with only a few short stops. You will not have any time to walk some of the beautiful tracks along the way. Two nights in Te Anau is a bare minimum IMO if you want to really experience Milford and Milford road, and even that is pushing it, but totally doable. Keep in mind Milford gets lots of rain, year round, so having some wiggle room is all the better.

<I’m trying to talk my significant other out of the 2 nights in AKL and give those days to the SI.>

And he/she would be very smart to listen to you!

<Would you recommend breaking up the trip from Wanaka to Franz Joseph, if so where?>

No, not necessary. Just keep in mind it's a full days drive, particularly with stops and you should definitely stop to explore some tracks and take photos en route.

<We’re starting in Benheim as it looks like a nice place to recover from jet lag and we’re into wine>

Yes and no. Wine yes, scenery, well, not so much. Picton is prettier IMO and you can hit a few wineries en route.

There are wineries scattered across the South Island, lots of opportunities to visit them including around Christchurch, loads near Queentown and then there's Cromwell and Bannockburn, near Wanaka.

Now for the good news...you'll have LOTS of daylight that time of year!
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Old Aug 19th, 2016, 10:23 PM
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Phishears, you mentioned kayaking, so you'll have to make time for this, too. Where do you plan on kayaking?
Here are a few options:
http://www.roscosmilfordkayaks.com/
http://www.mtcook.com/glacier-sea-kayaking
http://www.rippledearth.co.nz/
http://okarito.co.nz/kayak.aspx
The Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound overnight trips also allow for an hour or so of kayaking.

Abel Tasman NP is a popular kayaking destination, but you're not going there.
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Old Aug 20th, 2016, 05:04 AM
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Thanks for your help. I think you've helped me convince my wife that we'll do Auckland another time.
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Old Aug 20th, 2016, 05:16 PM
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Good luck. I'm sure she'll thank you in the end, and admit you were right to focus on the South Island, as you won't want to feel rushed. You'll need adequate time to safely enjoy your scenic drives between destinations, as well as time in the destinations themselves for activities, exploring, soaking up the scenery, and taking a much-needed break from driving.

Tell her the North Island is worthy of its own weeks-long trip. Remind her that Auckland, while interesting and NZ's largest city, is not even NZ's capital; lovely, compact Wellington is. On your second trip to NZ, you can tour the wine destinations of Auckland, Waiheke Island, Napier/Hawkes Bay, Gisborne, and Martinborough, and visit the North Island's coastal and mountain areas, and kauri forests.
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Old Aug 21st, 2016, 03:49 AM
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Thanks again Diamantina and Melnq8 Your links were very helpful. We spent the day yesterday rearranging our stays. You were correct in finding lodging at Mt.Cook. We usually plan much further in advance but this trip sort of snuck up on us. We only have 2 one night stays now, Kaikoura and Christchurch the night before we fly home. I'll put a report out after our visit. I look forward to planning the North Island visit.
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