45 days in a campervan - Help please!
 

This is bit of a last minute change of plan hence the need for some last minute planning. Any help would be very much appreciated

We arrive in Christchurch in a weeks time and will be spending 45 days in a campervan, leaving from Auckland at the end of Septmeber. Not our first visit as we spent 2 months touring both islands back in 2008. Yes, I do know it is winter but we did love it at that time of year!


Here is a list of the places we visited last time. I have no problems revisiting any of them, although I have to say, we we not that impressed with Hamner Springs or Wanaka (but maybe we didn't give them a chance or went to the wrong places?)

Akaroa
LakeTekapo and Inland Scenic route
Mt Cook
Milford Sound
Manapouri
Wanaka
Haast Pass
Greymouth
Kaikoura
Nelson
Golden Bay
Picton
Otaki Falls
Napier
Taupo
Tongiro ( aborted due to weather!)
Rotarua
Coramandel Peninsula
Northland

I would be really appreciative of any input or opinions on any "must see" places along the way that we missed the last time around.

Also, based on our experiences last time, we did prefer the South Island to the North and are inclined to spend more time in that south than the North - maybe 30/15. Am I being unfair to the North? We may have been influenced by the weather somewhat as it took a major turn for the worse for the last couple of weeks the last time - any opinions on the split of time?

Best providers for SIM cards? Mainly interested in data plan for an IPad. Is there much difference in coverage and performance between providers?

Finally, in 2008 we had a mix of free camping, DOC and regular campsites. Is it still possible to free camp?

Any input would be appreciated as I am in the midst of trying to sort out a rough itinerary and NZ guide books are thin on the ground in Vietnam which is where we are at the moment.

I love NZ in winter too.

<Am I being unfair to the North?>

Not as far as I'm concerned. The South has much more on offer IMO. I've been to the NI twice and both times I left feeling I didn't need to return.

Free camping is prohibited in some areas; this site gives you all the details you need:

http://www.newzealand.com/us/article...n-new-zealand/

As far as suggestions on the SI - these aren't 'must see's', but you might enjoy some of them:

Geraldine and the Peel Forest

Rakaia Gorge (accessible via 'the back roads' from Christchurch.

Takaka and Collingwood. Have you visited Farewell Spit? It's incredibly unique and few non-Kiwis ever seem to make it up there.

Arthur's Pass?

Kaiteriteri? Motueka? Upper Moutere?

Karamea?

Wanaka is a beautiful spot, but it's also the gateway to Mt Aspiring National Park, which is an absolute highlight IMO. Did you make it back there?

Glenorchy? My favorite place on the SI - also easy access to Mt Aspriring Nat'l Park. Loads of walks, incredible views.

Blenheim? Wine nirvana.

Havelock? Outer Marlborough and Pelorous Sounds?

Cromwell? Pinot Noir nirvana and a town with an interesting history. Mt Difficulty Winery has fabulous lunches - do book.

I assume you saw Abel Tasman last time? Did you explore Queen Charlotte while in Picton?

Dunedin?

Catlins?

Stewart Island? Okay, not the best idea in a campervan:)

Riverton? I was pleasantly surprised by this little town.

Invercargill? Okay, now I'm kidding.

I don't see Queenstown on your list either. Surely you visited Queenstown?

And the glaciers?

you covered a lot of the areas that we went to on our trip 2 years ago, but certainly in the summer, Oamaru on the east coast south of C/church is a fun place, with its victorian buildings [including a fully-restored opera house] , little blue penguin colony, and a botanical garden. if we'd had more time we'd have gone down to Dunedin too but what these places are like in winter I'll leave to Mel to tell you.

As for Wanaka, we really liked it, partly I know because of the great B&B we stayed in, but again it was summer. if you like winter sports I should think that it would be great.

annhig, what was the B&B you stayed in that you liked? We haven't booked accommodations in Wanaka yet.

Melnq8 - thanks so much for the great information and ideas you have been really helpful! Thanks also for confirming my thoughts on the north - south divide. However, you have now caused a severe case of brain overload!!!

Seems like we may have short changed Wanaka the first time around, we love hiking so will take a good look at Mt. Aspiring NP this time around. We missed Abel Tasman also, as I recall, our plan was to get the boat out and hike back to the van but the weather didn't cooperate!

We did visit Queenstown, can't think how I forgot that! We also visited the glaciers so I don't feel the need to revisit there at the expense of somewhere else. That said, my wife has a hankering to do a help hike. So many places, so little time!

Annhig, thanks for the suggestion of Oamaru and Dunedin, I will take a look at both of those. As for winter sports - I am way too accident prone to even consider strapping pieces of wood on my feet!! P.S. Thanks also for your support recently on the Europe forum! Must visit there again to see whether I have upset anyone else!!

Paulg - the place we stayed is this one:

http://www.criffelpeakview.co.nz/bed-and-breakfast/

the girls who run it, Caroline and Suzie are just lovely and so hospitable, with tea and cake offered every afternoon and a communal breakfast. it is mainly a B&B but we ended up in the apartment, which was great as we had extra space, but still paid the B&B price. [obviously this is only an option if the apartment isn't occupied by people self-catering].

we originally only booked one night but after we realised that we wouldn't be able to do the amount of driving we had planned, we managed to extend it to three and had a great time. one day we walked round the lake and generally lazed about; the other we went on a trip to the island in the middle of the lake which Caroline arranged for us. I know that there is more you can do in and around Wanaka, but it suited us to take it easy for a couple of days mid-trip so it was ideal.

Crellston - my pleasure. We moderates need to stick together. I managed to upset someone on the snake and snide thread just by mildly disagreeing with the OP, which in the context of what was posted by some others on that thread is quite fully.

My recommendation of Oamaru has to be taken remembering we were there in the summer - I have NO idea what it's like in the winter.

Thanks, annhig. That place looks great. We were leaning towards the Peak Sport Chalet but now Criffel Peak View is in the mix. And thanks, Crellston for letting me invade your post.

your other choice looks good too, paulg - a nice problem to have.