once I get to Picton what's the best way to get to Mt Cook? We are driving a rental car. Thanks in avance for your responses!

Hi Suzy <BR>A couple of questions before I attempt to answer your question. <BR>1. How much time do you have to get to Mt.Cook - are you looking for the quickest route or the most scenic? <BR> <BR>2. Do you want wild West Coast beaches and beech forests or wineries, coastal beaches? <BR>The quickest route is SH 1 Picton to Blenheim (wineries) to Kaikoura (whale watching & lobster lunch)to Christchurch (English garden city) & continuing on SH 1 to Timaru (you could take the more inland route on SH 77/79) then SH 8 to Fairlie & on to Lake Tekapo (desparately in need of rain at the moment for hydro-power), to Twizel and up SH 80 to Mt Cook. On this route you will see a lot of the Cnaterbury Plains, inland high attitude scenery as well as the coastal areas. It is quick, easy driving. <BR>The other route, with totally different scenery and a bit more difficult driving is Picton to Nelson on SH 6 & SH7 to Greymouth to Kumara (where my great-grand mother is buried)& take SH 75/73 via Arthur's Pass (which takes you thrugh the Southern Alps & OK most of the year- last 2 weeks have been difficult with snow & ice but by late Sept/Oct will be OK)to Sheffield, take SH77 (an easy road via Methven(ski town)& on the Fairlie on SH79. <BR> <BR>At the end of the day both have a lot to offer. <BR>Kerry

I guess I should have been more specific. Our plan was to drive the south island in a counter-clockwise direction after crossing the straight. Going down (I think it's Hiway 6) towards Franz Josef glacier area then thru Haast Pass towards Queenstown. Then end up in CHC. We will have about 2 1/2 weeks at the end of November this year to accomplish this route. We plan to stay wherever we like and spend a few days at each area and do 'day trips' from each place. We already know we want to spend a lot of time in and around Queenstown, have heard so much about it!We are early 60's age and just like scenery, 'mild' adventure (no bungee jumps for us!) but we will watch! Maybe on our way towards CHC after leaving Queenstown we could go towards Mt Cook? Hope this helps. Thanks!

Hi Suzy <BR>Yes your information helps. <BR>Firstly you are right in November just to travel and stop - the tourist season does not really start until January although Christmas is a busy time domestically. <BR> <BR>Yes you have taken the right route to Queenstown down the West Coast and across the Haast Pass. Wanaka is a nice place to stop for a night before getting to Queenstown. While at Queenstown you may enjoy going to the Gibbston winery/ cafe great atmospehere and good food(and wine - I'm a bit of a winemaker also) It is a handy spot to watch bungee jumping also! <BR>To get to Mt Cook you are going to place through some awesome scenery. Take SH 6 to Cromwell and then 8 to Omarama and on to Twwizel. A lvely drive up Lake Pukaki and on up SH 80 to Mt Cook. When you come back get on SH8 and carry on through Farlie to Timaru and up SH 1 to Christchurch. It is all easy driving from Queenstown to Christchurch and you will not have very much traffic at all on the roads but remeber the distances are deceptively long so thake your time and keep your sped under 100 km/hr - our traffic police collected $37m last year from speed camera fines! <BR>Enjoy your NZ holiday <BR>Kerry

Kerry, thank you so much for all of your info! Suzy