olemiss

Thanks for all the helpful info from the forums!
My husband and I will be visiting NZ for the first time in March. We will have around 11 days on the South Island. We fly "standby" with the airlines. So, dates might be off a day or two.
What do you think?

March 17
Arrive AKL, fly to DUD
Spend day/night jetlagged and exploring Dunedin
March 18 & 19
Drive to Gore
Visit friend and explore Catlins
March 20&21
Drive to Te Anau
Milford Sound
March 22&23&24
Drive to Queenstown,enjoy highlights of area,Jetboating Dart river
Is this too much time here?
March 25
Drive to glacier( don't know which one)
March 26
morning either hiking tour or heli hike
Start driving to get back to CHC.

We need to be in CHC to fly home on the morning of the 28th, what is the best way to maximize the drive and rest of our trip?
Where should we stay and see??
What would you change or alter on or trip?
Thanks for all of your help!!!

longhorn55

I don't think that 3 days is too much for Queenstown, but since you've only allowed yourself around 24 hours at the glaciers, I would cut one day off of Queenstown and add it to the glaciers portion of the trip.
While the hiking tours generally go out with any kind of weather, it is not unusual for the the helicopter tours and heli-hikes to be grounded due to weather conditions. You may want to have extra time around the glaciers to see and do more and also to have time to re-book a helicopter tour if necessary.

mariebut

One idea would be to leave your car at Greymouth on the West coast up from the Glacier area and catch the Tranz Alpine express train across to Christchurch. Spectacular views and countryside and easier to travel back to Christchurch.

Tim_and_Liz

I think it looks great!
I do not think 3 days in Queenstown is too many.
I would spend the night of the 26th on the glaciers and then drive or drive/train back to CHC on the 27th.

olemiss

Good point about the weather!!!
We most likely will spend another night in the glacier area, per recommendations!!!
It looks like the Tranz Alpine leaves early afternoon, so, we could drive to Greymouth, drop off the car, hop on the train and enjoy the views to CHC.

Questions:
Any recommendations for hotels in the Fox/Franz area?
Are there car rental drop off points close to the train staion?
What is the travel time between the Fox and Greymouth?

Thank you for all of your helpful informatoin!
Marie

Melnq8

Hi Marie -

The drive from Fox Glacier to Greymouth is just under three hours.

This site might help you with drive times/travel distances:

http://www.accommodationz.co.nz/distances2.html

In Fox, we've stayed at Lake Matheson Motel - it worked fine for us. If you're looking for something more upscale, take a look at Te Weheka Inn. I've never stayed there, but I'd like to.

www.weheka.co.nz/

In Franz Josef, we've stayed at Bella Vista Motel, Punga Grove Motel and a few other places I can't remember the names of.

Keep in mind that Franz Josef and Fox Glacier are about 40 minutes apart.

Greymouth is small and I believe the car rental drop off is right next to the train station, as many tourists take this route.

olemiss

Thanks so much for the recommendations!!! I will let you know where we end up!!!

Marie

redpen

I see that you are scheduled to go straight from the Glaciers to Queenstown. That's a long stretch I wouldn't want to rush. We stopped at Wanaka for a couple of nights and were quite happy with our decision. Frankly, I thought Wanaka was a bit more charming than Queenstown which was quite a bit touristy. There are some fabulous walks with views of the azure blue lake. Maybe cut a day off Queenstown and add it to Wanka.

tropo

Personally, I detest Queenstown, too touristy, like the Gold Coast of Qld (without high buildings), I would opt for peace & quiet and stay at either Lake Hawea or secondly Wanaka. Hawea is almost the forgotten lake of NZ's south island, but its still my favourite fishing lake.

angelnot1

Hi

Sounds like a lovely trip. The transalpine suggestion for your return to Christchurch is great.

We did it the other way around - see my trip report in this forum Our familys trip to South Island – Report February 2007.

I am not sure what style accommodation you like but we stayed at the full range from 5 star to backpackers.

In Franz Joseph I was really impressed by the youth hostel there - terrific double rooms with ensuite bathroom well equipped kitchen and very social dining room plus internet access and a dry sauna and clientele from 18 to 88.

olemiss

I have looked into staying in Wanaka,per recomendations. Warbirds over Wanaka is that weekend we will be in the area. So...everything in the area is booked. We might have to stay in QT.
Has anyone been to this event? Is the traffic REALLY bad? We have a friend flying in the show and, it might be fun to go one day, if the traffic and crowds are not horrific?

Which youth hostel in FJ did you say in, it sounds great!

Has anyone used wotif.com? Did you like them?

Thank you for all the great info!!
Marie

Melnq8

Hi Marie -

I've used Wotif.com several times for lodging in Australia. Used them just a few weeks ago for a hotel in Singapore - it was their "secret deal" and worked out well for us.

I've had great luck with wotif - just be sure to read the cancellation policies so you're not surprised.

Can't help with the Wanaka special event traffic issue - but have you looked into 52 on Willowbridge? We stayed there in August - they have a self-contained apartment and a B&B.

I've stayed in/around Queenstown on every one of our seven visits to NZ. I stayed in Wanaka for the first time last visit, and personally, it just feels like a smaller version of QT to me.

We discovered a nice little cottage in Arrowtown last visit and we're booked there again for next month. They're located about 20-25 minutes from QT - staying near Arrowtown or the in outskirts of QT is an option if you want to be near QT, but not right in it.

We've considered staying at Lake Hawea as suggested by tropo - it's definitely a beautiful nice spot, but I had trouble finding lodging at the time. It's a bit of a drive to QT and Wanaka if those areas are your main focus though.

You might also consider Cromwell - near QT, but not in the thick of things.

Loads of options, all depends on what speaks to you.

Melnq8

Marie -

I just noticed that you'll be in NZ over Easter - be aware that Easter is a busy long weekend with lots of locals on the road and lodging might be hard to come by in some areas. Suggest you book if you haven't already done so.

olemiss

Thanks, we have booked a hotel in Queenstown. I was looking on wotif.com. There were some very reasonable prices. I found a place that I wanted to stay. I decided to book it after we went out for dinner. When I can back it had gone up over $70!!!!! I found another hotel in a decent price range. $167..
The moral to the story..
You snooze you loose!!!