Does anyone have a basic itinerary for a 28 day self catering tour of New Zealand touring both islands? We plan to arrive in Auckland and fly back out from Christchurch, hiring a car and free-wheeling around.<BR><BR>I have searched the net but none of the professional touring groups stay there that long and I wanted an idea of the best routes to travel.<BR><BR>Thanks

Brushtail,<BR><BR>I have tried to reply to you, but I suspect that my answer is too long.<BR><BR>I did do a itinerary for some friend a couple of years ago. If you eould like a copy please e-mail me at [email protected]

Here is an itineray that I put together for a friend who was looking for a 6-week itinerary. <BR><BR>Everything below would be tough to do in 4 weeks. On thing to consider would be to skip Wellington, Picton, and Abel Tasman. Instead, return to Auckland and fly to Christchurch. From there, drive over Arthurs Pass to Greymouth/Punakaiki. then continue the same itinerary. Another way to cut out some time and distance would be to skip Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula. <BR><BR>Auckland<BR> Ferry and hike Rangitoto Island<BR> Kelly Tarleton?s Undersea World<BR> Auckland Museum<BR><BR>Whangerei Falls<BR> <BR>Russell/Bay of Islands<BR> Flagstaff Hill<BR> Ferry to Pahia<BR> Marine Reserve Info Centre<BR> Bay of Islands ?Cream Route? boat tour<BR><BR>Cape Reinga<BR><BR>Waitangi Treaty Meeting House<BR><BR>Giant Kauri Forest<BR><BR>Otorahanga ? Aviary and Kiwi House<BR><BR>Waitomo<BR> Glow Worm and Aranui Cave Tours<BR> Ruakuri Cave Blackwater Rafting<BR> Museum of Caves<BR><BR>Whakatane<BR> Ohope Beach<BR> Helicopter to Whakaari (White Island Volcano) <BR><BR>Rotorua<BR> Whakarewarewa Geothermal Area<BR> Maori Hangi Feast<BR> Buried Village<BR> Agrodome<BR><BR>Taupo<BR> Contact Energy Visitor Centre<BR> Volcanic Activity Centre<BR> Craters of the Moon<BR> Hidden Valley of Orakei Korako<BR><BR>National Park<BR> Whakapapa Visitor Centre<BR> Whakapapa Skifield chairlift up Mt. Ruapehu<BR> Walk to Taranaki Falls<BR><BR>Mt. Bruce National Wildlife Reserve<BR> <BR>Wellington<BR> Cable Tram to Arboretum and Planetarium<BR> Te Papa Museum<BR> Parliament Tour<BR><BR>Return rental car, Interislander ferry to Picton, pick up new rental car<BR><BR>Abel Tasman National Park - Marahau<BR> Water Taxi to Awaroa Lodge<BR> Hike or kayak, return by water taxi<BR><BR>Buller River Gorge whitewater rafting<BR><BR>Punakaiki ? Paparoa National Park<BR><BR>Ross Gold Rush visit<BR><BR>Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers<BR> Guided walk onto either glacier<BR> Helicopter ride, landing on Fox Glacier<BR> Lake Matheson ? horseback riding<BR><BR>Walk to Thunder Creek Falls<BR><BR>Wanaka<BR> DOC Visitor Centre<BR> Puzzling World<BR> Raft trip down Clutha River from Lake Wanaka<BR><BR>Queenstown<BR> Skyline Gondola<BR> Shotover River jet boat<BR> Kawarau Suspension Bridge<BR><BR>Te Anau ? Fiordland<BR> Overnight Doubtful Sound boat trip<BR> Lake Gunn ? Mirror Lake<BR> Homer Tunnel ? The Chasm - Milford<BR> <BR>Dunedin ? Otago Peninsula<BR> Otago Museum<BR> Moana Pool Complex<BR> Taiaroa Head Royal Albatross colony<BR> Penguin Place Conservation Reserve <BR> <BR>Moeraki Boulders beach<BR><BR>Mt. Cook<BR> Visitor Centre<BR> Tasman Glacier valley walk<BR> Hooker Valley<BR> <BR>Christchurch<BR> TranzAlpine train to Arthur?s Pass ? walk, lunch, return<BR> Cathedral Square<BR> Southern Encounter Aquarium<BR> Queen Elizabeth II Park and Pool<BR> International Antarctic Centre<BR> Oranga Wildlife Reserve<BR><BR>Kaikoura whale watching trip <BR>

This is great list of suggestions but I don't think you could do it in 28 days. We spent 7 weeks and still missed places. I really would not want to miss Dunedin or the peninsula, it is beautiful and so much to see and do. Another area on the south Island that I feel is well worth visiting is the Banks Peninsula, breathtaking scenery.

What time of year are you coming here? I would just go with the flow as no matter what you plan you will want to divert somewhere and take an extra day etc. Look at www.purenz. com for masses of information.

Thank you to everyone for the suggestions. We are thinking of May 2004 for our 4 weeks in NZ. I have looked at www.sunrisesunset.com for the daylight hours at that time of year. It is a useful site and we are hoping for reasonable weather. By reasonable, I mean little rain. <BR><BR>Cooler weather does not bother us at all. Living in Australia, it will be very welcome. lol<BR><BR>Thanks again

Have you seen this one from New Zealand Encounters Ltd? With you six additional days you could include more time in the north half of the South Island in the Marlboroughs (Nelson, vineyards &amp; Abel Tasman National Park) and a day or two more in Queenstown.

22-day ITINERARY-The Essence of New Zealand
Day 1 Arrival Auckland
Day 2 Auckland
Day 3 Auckland - Bay of Islands 3-4 hour drive or 6-7 hour drive
Day 4 Bay of Islands
Day 5 Bay of Islands - Auckland 3-4 hour drive
Day 6 Auckland - Coromandel 3 hour drive
Day 7 Coromandel
Day 8 Coromandel - Rotorua 4-5 hour drive
Day 9 Rotorua
Day 10 Rotorua - Kaikoura 1? hour flight + 2 hour drive
Day 11 Kaikoura
Day 12 Kaikoura - Christchurch 2 ? hour drive
Day 13 Christchurch
Day 14 Christchurch - Fox Glacier 4 hour train + 2-3 hour drive
Day 15 Fox Glacier - Lake Moeraki 2 hour drive
Day 16 Lake Moeraki - Queenstown 4-5 hour drive
Day 17 Queenstown
Day 18 Queenstown - Te Anau 2 ? hour drive
Day 19 Te Anau - Milford Sound - Te Anau 2 ? hour drive each way
Day 20 Te Anau - Dunedin 3-4 hour drive
Day 21 Dunedin
Day 22 Dunedin ? Auckland ? International Departure 2-3 hour flight

http://www.designertravel.co.nz/cgi-...y&amp;menuid=2

The following website has a detailed description of a 13 day tour of the South Island. I'm not suggesting you take the tour, but you might want to follow their routing, which covers the following: Christchurch, Akaroa, Lake Ohau, Queenstown, Wanaka, Franz Josef, Greymouth, Nelson, Marahau (Abel Tasman), Picton, Hanmer Springs and back to Christchurch.

Their site provides driving times, which will help you design your own itinerary. You can easily add or subract destinations depending on your interests. There's probably a similar tour for the North Island. I'll get back to you if I find one.

www.southislandescapes.com

Here's a site for the North Island -

http://www.nzvisitorsbureau.com/itin...0day_best.html