18-20 days on the ground for N. and S. NZ HELP!
Feb 6th, 2019 | 06:04 AM
#21
Original Poster
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 157
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No need to go to Arthur’s Pass as this was just for the Wilderness Lodge experience and complicated things it appears:
rough itinerary:
AKL arrival 11/20 in evening. 2 nights to see friends
debating skipping RotoruA totally; or long day trip ?
Have been to Yellowstone. Worth 2 nights?
after NI , fly into Nelson : Abel Tasman. 3 nights?
get car and drive-Punakaiki :to break up drive 1 night
Fox Glacier area: 2 nights
Wilderness Lodge lake Moeraki perhaps?
If weather good, heli hike? Scenic heli flight
wanaka. 2 nights or ?
Mt cook: Walk a little Hooker track ; Tasman lake boat? 2 nights
QT area : fly-cruise-fly with plane/ heli to Milford
Dart river walk/boat
Glenorchy: walk a little Routeburn
Arrowtown
Fly QT-AKL on 12/10
Please critique as needed!
again, greatly appreciate all your advice!
rough itinerary:
AKL arrival 11/20 in evening. 2 nights to see friends
debating skipping RotoruA totally; or long day trip ?
Have been to Yellowstone. Worth 2 nights?
after NI , fly into Nelson : Abel Tasman. 3 nights?
get car and drive-Punakaiki :to break up drive 1 night
Fox Glacier area: 2 nights
Wilderness Lodge lake Moeraki perhaps?
If weather good, heli hike? Scenic heli flight
wanaka. 2 nights or ?
Mt cook: Walk a little Hooker track ; Tasman lake boat? 2 nights
QT area : fly-cruise-fly with plane/ heli to Milford
Dart river walk/boat
Glenorchy: walk a little Routeburn
Arrowtown
Fly QT-AKL on 12/10
Please critique as needed!
again, greatly appreciate all your advice!
Feb 6th, 2019 | 11:48 AM
#22
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
I think I would skip Rotorua and focus around Auckland. The Maori cultural village was interesting in Rotorua but if you have been to Yellowstone the geothermal is on a smaller scale. Abel Tasman was beautiful. The hiking from beach to beach fairly easy. You can also stay at lodges in the park. We met a couple that took the Wilson’s boat up the coast hiked to the first lodge, maybe 1 hour. Then next day hiked to 2 nd lodge. The hikes were guided, I think 6 people and they transferred the luggage. Hikers just carried a day pack.
for Mount cook area I loved Lakestone lodge just outside Twizel. It was a bit of a splurge but so glad we didn’t stay right in Mount Cook. The views across lake Pukaki at Mount Cook at night were incredible. Also the weather can be a little better there than in the park closer to the mountain.
We stayed at the Reece hotel just outside Queenstown. Loved the fact that they had a shuttle bus every hour into town, 10-15 minutes down the road. We took the shuttle in for dinner and to wander in the day and didn’t have to worry about parking. We took the scenic helicopter tour and not the helicopter hike because the helicopter hike only goes part way up the Glacier and you don’t get to fly over the glaciers.we have hiked on a glacier before so that wasn’t as important to us.
definately walk the Hooker Valley hike at Mount cook. It is easy and the reward of the view is definitely worth it.
For Milford I would do the fly cruise fly if the weather is good. Although I agree with Melnq8 that I would stay in Te Anau for 2 nights. The drive from Te Anau to Milford is beautiful. We booked a 3 o’clock cruise which gave us lots of time to stop along the way. Also by then most the tour buses have left to go back to Queenstown. We stayed at the Fiordland lakefront hotel and it was great.
I would only stay 1 or 2 nights in Wanaka. Franz Josef Glacier is a little bigger than Fox Glacier. More choice of accommodation and dining. Also very easy to book last minute helicopter tours depending on weather. You can take short hike to base of Franz Josef Glacier but the road and car park for the hike to the base of Fox Glacier was wiped out by flooding in Nov 2018 so not sure if it will be repaired when you go. It is only a 1/2 hour to 45 minute drive between the two, depending if you get behind a motor home or truck...the road is very windy. So easy to drive over to Fox to walk around Lake Matheson.
for Mount cook area I loved Lakestone lodge just outside Twizel. It was a bit of a splurge but so glad we didn’t stay right in Mount Cook. The views across lake Pukaki at Mount Cook at night were incredible. Also the weather can be a little better there than in the park closer to the mountain.
We stayed at the Reece hotel just outside Queenstown. Loved the fact that they had a shuttle bus every hour into town, 10-15 minutes down the road. We took the shuttle in for dinner and to wander in the day and didn’t have to worry about parking. We took the scenic helicopter tour and not the helicopter hike because the helicopter hike only goes part way up the Glacier and you don’t get to fly over the glaciers.we have hiked on a glacier before so that wasn’t as important to us.
definately walk the Hooker Valley hike at Mount cook. It is easy and the reward of the view is definitely worth it.
For Milford I would do the fly cruise fly if the weather is good. Although I agree with Melnq8 that I would stay in Te Anau for 2 nights. The drive from Te Anau to Milford is beautiful. We booked a 3 o’clock cruise which gave us lots of time to stop along the way. Also by then most the tour buses have left to go back to Queenstown. We stayed at the Fiordland lakefront hotel and it was great.
I would only stay 1 or 2 nights in Wanaka. Franz Josef Glacier is a little bigger than Fox Glacier. More choice of accommodation and dining. Also very easy to book last minute helicopter tours depending on weather. You can take short hike to base of Franz Josef Glacier but the road and car park for the hike to the base of Fox Glacier was wiped out by flooding in Nov 2018 so not sure if it will be repaired when you go. It is only a 1/2 hour to 45 minute drive between the two, depending if you get behind a motor home or truck...the road is very windy. So easy to drive over to Fox to walk around Lake Matheson.
Feb 6th, 2019 | 12:53 PM
#24
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,148
Likes: 83
I think your itinerary is doable for the most part. It will involve some backtracking as we discussed upthread.
I can't tell how many nights in QT though.
No guided tour needed for Abel Tasman, just boat transport (and not even that if you just want to walk in from Marahau).
I'd add a night to Abel Tasman and a night to Wanaka (assuming you want to explore Mt Aspiring from your Wanaka base), but that's just me. I'd also visit Milford from Te Anau instead of Queenstown.
I can't tell how many nights in QT though.
No guided tour needed for Abel Tasman, just boat transport (and not even that if you just want to walk in from Marahau).
I'd add a night to Abel Tasman and a night to Wanaka (assuming you want to explore Mt Aspiring from your Wanaka base), but that's just me. I'd also visit Milford from Te Anau instead of Queenstown.
Feb 6th, 2019 | 02:00 PM
#25
Original Poster
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
Thank you!!
I get confused since early on I had less days for SI.
So , there isn’t a way to not backtrack with this route...?
trying to pare as Needed.
barb suggests to skip RotoruA area: we then would have 18 nights for SI. Or add to Auckland area , not the city.
Is route easier if we skip Mt Cook for a stay and only do scenic flight? I am just looking for various different scenery special to NZ within 20 night total trip.
all will be beautiful I know
te Anau: insert where for the drive ,if not to be missed ?
You have been of such great help and I hope this helped others too!
I get confused since early on I had less days for SI.
So , there isn’t a way to not backtrack with this route...?
trying to pare as Needed.
barb suggests to skip RotoruA area: we then would have 18 nights for SI. Or add to Auckland area , not the city.
Is route easier if we skip Mt Cook for a stay and only do scenic flight? I am just looking for various different scenery special to NZ within 20 night total trip.
all will be beautiful I know
te Anau: insert where for the drive ,if not to be missed ?
You have been of such great help and I hope this helped others too!
Feb 6th, 2019 | 02:42 PM
#26
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,148
Likes: 83
Your backtracking occurs when you drive from Wanaka to Mount Cook and then back down to Queenstown.
As I mentioned up thread, arriving and departing from CHC works best for making a quasi loop/figure 8 of the island from CHC via West Coast and back via Mount Cook (inland route) or reverse without backtracking. There are only so many roads in NZ and the West Coast and Mount Cook are separated by a mountain range.
There is no way to avoid this if you want to see both the West Coast and the inland route (Mount Cook) and depart from Queenstown. You will be driving the same 185 km twice. Nothing wrong with that if that's what you want to do.
It's not that Te Anau isn't to 'be missed', it just makes a better base IMO from which to get to Milford Sound. It shortens the drive from QT by two hours each way. People visit Milford from QT all the time, but it takes eight hours return to do so (about 13 total), so it's a long day.
As I mentioned up thread, arriving and departing from CHC works best for making a quasi loop/figure 8 of the island from CHC via West Coast and back via Mount Cook (inland route) or reverse without backtracking. There are only so many roads in NZ and the West Coast and Mount Cook are separated by a mountain range.
There is no way to avoid this if you want to see both the West Coast and the inland route (Mount Cook) and depart from Queenstown. You will be driving the same 185 km twice. Nothing wrong with that if that's what you want to do.
It's not that Te Anau isn't to 'be missed', it just makes a better base IMO from which to get to Milford Sound. It shortens the drive from QT by two hours each way. People visit Milford from QT all the time, but it takes eight hours return to do so (about 13 total), so it's a long day.
Last edited by Melnq8; Feb 6th, 2019 at 02:47 PM.
Feb 6th, 2019 | 02:50 PM
#27
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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 157
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May have to lose west coast then.
or just lose the free QT flight to AKl. Not a huge loss of $
unfortunately, friend who lives in AKL told us to fly from QT back to AKL ... hadn’t researched routes at that point. Had to make quick decision for the free flight departure.
if we flew CHC-CHC-Akl at end, which direction of the figure 8 is most scenic for the drive?
or just lose the free QT flight to AKl. Not a huge loss of $
unfortunately, friend who lives in AKL told us to fly from QT back to AKL ... hadn’t researched routes at that point. Had to make quick decision for the free flight departure.
if we flew CHC-CHC-Akl at end, which direction of the figure 8 is most scenic for the drive?
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