driving to Milford Sound in early october 2005?
 

Can you help me plan our 2-week trip to New Zealand for late september/early october 2005?

We first saw New Zealand 20 years ago and are very excited to return. I didn't save any notes...that was the first major trip I ever planned!

We love the south island and want to spend our 2 weeks there. We want to see Milford Sound again. What's it like to drive to Milford Sound in late september/early october? Is it cold and rainy? Sunny? snow? Is there ice on the roads? Do you need chains on your car? We live in San diego and have never used chains.

Where does one stay when visiting Milford Sound? REcommended accomodations nearby? We enjoy B&Bs that have some character in scenic places or in pleasant small towns...or in nice neighborhoods of bigger towns.

If the spring weather is nice for a visit, I would like to include these places on our 2-2-week visit:
Nelson & Marlborough;
christchurch;
West coast and the Glaciers;
Queenstown and nearby;
Milford Sound;
Wanaka (as an overnight stop between queenstown and west coast);
Dunedin and Southland;
Steward Island

thanks for any advice on whether spring is an enjoyable time to visit!

There is always a chance of rain in the Milford area, the plus side is that if there has been recent rain, the waterfalls will be more spectacular.

In September, October it could still be quite chilly, but you shouldn't need chains. There might be a small chance that the road will be closed due to avalanche danger, but I think that is a very small chance.

Milford itself offers little in the way of accommodation, so we always stay in Te Anau or Manapouri. If the budget allows, the perfect answer is to spend the night on the Sound - see http://travelink.co.nz/nz/TeAnauattractions.html and click on Milford Mariner. It really is a magic experience.

Tangata, thanks for the advice on Milford Sound. I'm going to check out the Milford Mariner!

The more I research this second trip to New Zealand the more excited I get. What a spectacular country.

Have you been to Milford Sound in the fall? I think NZ is a little warmer in the fall...isn't it? Maybe not. But the spring has a feeling like things are waking up and coming alive. Fall feels to me like death is coming, sort of...

But it's important to me that we take a spectacular trip in September/October because I need something to look forward to when my nest empties...when my youngest moves off to college.