SmitaSurya

Dear Everyone ,

I earlier had a thread - Now I have started a new as we have extended the trip. Almost finalized what we want to see. But unable to decide a route.We have 8 days and 7 nights.

Purpose - To go to some breathtakimg photogenic places.We are not much into sking and hike.Though would love to take short hikes.

We don't want to drive throughout for whole journey as it will be very exhausting for us. We will prefer some Coach tours or bus if available .Definitely we would love to drive for couple of places which has scenic as thats what people do in NZ SI trips. Please suggest.

We want to cover these places ---------
Queenstown(full day trip to Milford Sound)
Franz Josef - Glaciers
Mt Cook
TranzAlpine Train journey
Wanaka, Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukakki .(Hopefully can be covered on the journey)
-
Please suggest if any beautiful place is missing from the list .

If Mt cook can be done on the way - we will prefer that . If required night stay , then will do according to suggestion .

Melnq8

I've just responded to your original thread, as have others. No need to start a new one, it gets confusing for those trying to help you. Have you looked at the latest responses there?

As several of us have mentioned before, with so few days, you will need to choose between Mt Cook and the glaciers/TranzAlpine.

You just don't have enough time to do both. You need about two weeks to do both.

You say you don't want to drive the entire journey, yet you keep coming back to the same itinerary. Several of us have offered suggestions, yet you don't seem to want to listen to them.

SmitaSurya

Hi Melnq8 , Thanks for your reply and sorry If I had created any confusion.

After looking into so many suggestions I have increased the number of days plus changed the plan as below so that we can cover Glaciers and Mt cook both.

Everyone please suggest .

-Arrive Christchurch evening - Night stay at CC.

-8 am take TranzAlpine Train to Greymouth - (8am to 2pm)

-Greymouth to Franz Josef - Glaciers/Fox Glacier

-Hike / Helicoptor ride - Night stay in Franz Josef - Glaciers/Fox Glacier

-Next day leave for Queenstown -Night stay Queenstown - preferable coach/bus. Not self driving as this is a long journey.

-Whole day - activity /explore - Night stay Queenstown

-Next dat - full day trip to Milford Sound(Coach). Night stay Queenstown

-Drive to Mt Cook - Night stay in Mt cook .

-Next day Drive to Christchurch via Lake Takepo

-Return flight from CC.

Also suggest if we are missing any scenic places ?

Melnq8

<<-8 am take TranzAlpine Train to Greymouth - (8am to 2pm)

-Greymouth to Franz Josef - Glaciers/Fox Glacier

-Hike / Helicoptor ride - Night stay in Franz Josef - Glaciers/Fox Glacier>>

This is too much for one day.

Are you driving from Greymouth to the glaciers? There are no car rental places in Fox or Franz that I know of, so I don't know where you will drop that rental car, assuming you have one.

I stand by all my earlier suggestions, you are making your life very difficult by trying to fit both the Inland route (Mt Cook) and the glaciers into a seven day trip.

You seem unwilling to listen to the advice that has been offered by myself and others, so I'm giving up.

tripplanner001

I agree with Melnq8 that you are trying to cover too much ground with the little time you have. NZ may look small on a map, but there is a lot packed into its nooks and crannies. With 8 days, I would base myself in Queenstown and perhaps one other location. The itinerary you laid out gives you no time to actually enjoy Christchurch and Queenstown. It also does not give you much wiggle room for inclement weather, which could be the case at Milford Sound, the glaciers, or Mount Cook.

tripplanner001

If I were to do the itinerary you outlined above, I would give myself at least 2 weeks.

tasmangirl

Have to agree with Mel as well - you can't fir all this in.
There is ONE BUS a day from Greymouth to Franz Josef.
There is ONE BUS a day from Franz Josef to Queenstown and that is an 8 HOUR TRIP!
Be realistic about what you can see in a short time.

Sue_xx_yy

CHC - 1 night.

Fly onward from CHC to ZQN. 4 nights including
Small aircraft day trip to Franz Josef Glacier.

http://www.airwakatipu.com/flights/o...cier-heli-hike

fly back to CHC for 2 nights.

Not cheap, but you did ask for suggestions.

deSchenke

You simply won't have time for the helihike at the glaciers. The bus from Greymouth arrives at Franz Josef a few minutes after 5pm. The last helihike of the day departs at 12:45pm. They don't operate after 5pm. Even if you continued to Fox, their last helihike is at 2:50pm.

And there will be no time to do the helihike the next morning because the bus leaves for Queenstown at 8am.

You might have time for a walk when you arrive at Franz Josef - your trip is late March, isn't it? But you'll be restricted to the walks near the town and the start of the glacier walk is located 5km outside of town. How will you get there? The valley walk to see the glacier is a 3hr return walk.

So, do you see the logistical problems of these first two days? Sure you can get from place to place. But you won't have time to do anything.

Sue_xx_yy

deschenke

As I understand the link, it involves a one-hour fixed-wing flight from Queenstown to Franz Josef or Tasman Glacier, and only then involves the Glacier Heli-Hike.

Departure time from QUEENSTOWN is 9:30am, returning at 4:30pm. Winter (May 1st to September 30th) departure is 8:30am returning by 4:00pm, also by fixed wing aircraft, possibly via Mount Aspiring. Read the link.

I proposed it in lieu of the bus, not as a supplement to it..

deSchenke

Sue, I wasn't addressing your link or the flight from Queenstown. I was addressing SmitaSurya's most recent rendition of their itinerary, by TransAlpine/Coach.

SmitaSurya

Thank you Guys for much needed suggestions.

A little confusion has happned where you are thinking I am planning to do Train ride from CC , then trip from GreyMouth to FJG and heli hike on on day. Sorry, I am doing the Train and trip to FJG one day . Next day heli hike at FJG.

Anyways Now i have decided to fix my trip on one place either Franz Josef - Glaciers or Mt Cook ? (A big thank you to all)

I will do research on this.

SmitaSurya

Hello Lovely people... I am back with a query.. Please help me...as per flight schedules we realized we have almost 7 days. As people have suggested us to skip Glaciers on short trip.. below is my Itinerary which has a extra day at QT. Can you suggest any other place near by . Hotel bookings not yet done. So please suggest .

1st Day - Afternoon -Reach at Queenstown - - Explore near by places around the hotel .

2nd Day - Free Day at Queenstown - activities can be planned - Explore the city.

3rd Day - Milford Sound -Cruise - Whole day trip

4th Day - Drive to Glenorchy and back at QT.

5th Day - PLEASE SUGGEST - Extra DAY

6th Day - Drive to Mt Cook Via Wanaka - Night stay at Mt cook

7th Day - Morning : Helicoptor ride or walk , Afternoon drive to Christchurch .

Where to spend the extra day ? around QT ? or add that extra day in MT cook ?

Melnq8

I'd add it to Mt Cook, as a helicopter ride and/or walk PLUS the drive to Christchurch is too much.

Spend that extra night in Mt Cook, spend a full day there, then drive to Christchurch the following morning, making stops en route to Christchurch. I highly recommend you take the 'back road' to Christchurch via Rakaia Gorge instead of driving up the east coast. The east coast is the least scenic stretch of road on the South Island IMO.

So...

5th Day - Drive to Mount Cook, via Wanaka, stopping to explore en route, night in Mt Cook

6th Day - Full day Mt Cook, helicopter ride or walk, night Mt Cook

7th Day - Drive to Christchurch via Rakaia Gorge, perhaps walk the Rakaia Gorge Walkway, or take a jet boat ride, then continue your drive to Christchurch. Night in Christchurch

I assume you have a night in Christchurch before your departing flight?

Some snippets of Rakaia Gorge here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyAI0p5PhG8