Help finalizing NZ itinerary for April/May
 

Hi,

Just looking for some last minute help in finalizing an itinerary. Essentially, I need to cut out two days/nights from the itinerary, below. What days/stopovers would you eliminate? Would it help to adjust this itinerary by flying out of Queenstown (I'd still need to eliminate two days/nights). Thanks for any suggestions.

Day 1: fly from Brisbane to CHC - arrive late night in CHC and overnight there

Day 2: tour CHC - overnight in CHC

Day 3: drive CHC to Oamaru - overnight in Oamaru

Day 4: Oamaru to Dunedin - overnight in Dunedin

Day 5: Dunedin to Te Anau - overnight in Te Anau

Day 6: Te Anau/Milford Sound - overnight in Te Anau? (or is the overnight Ferry on the Milford Sound worth doing instead?)

Day 7: Te Anau to Queenstown (overnight Queenstown)

Day 8: Tour Queenstown - overnight in Queenstown

Day 9: Queenstown to Mt Cook - overnight in Mt Cook area

Day 10: Mt Cook to Christchurch (catch 4:30pm flight from CHC to Auckland then back to the US)

Thanks, again.

John H.

Hi John,

Just had a quick look at your itinery and wanted to ask a couple of questions. Is there any specific reason as to why you are stopping in Oamaru? The drive from Christchurch to Dunedin is very easily accomplished in one day and you can still stop off and stretch your legs in Oamaru on the way.

What are you intending to see in Dunedin? You could if you wanted to get out onto the peninsula and have a look at the Albatross and penguins along with a couple of other sites and still be able to drive to Te Anau that afternoon.

If you are in Te Anau in the morning then you would be able to get through to Milford sound ahead of the majority of tour buses in the morning, spend time there looking around, possibly a boat trip out onto the sound, then drive on through to Queenstown in the afternoon. Granted it would make for a longish day but at least you would be in Queenstown for a full day.

You can fly direct from Queenstown to Auckland, therefore removing the need to change planes in CHC.

With these suggestions you may be able to trim off the desired two days.

Hope some of this helps.

Steve

If you absolutely have to trim two days, I'd skip the night in Omarau for sure, and either the second night in Te Anau or the night in Mt Cook.

You can visit Mt Cook on your way back to CH without spending the night, unless you plan to do some hiking in the area. You might consider spending that night in Lake Tekapo instead, thereby trimming your drive back to CH from 4:15 to 2:45 on your day of departure.

I've heard wonderful things about the overnight Doubtful Sound Cruise, but I've not yet done it myself. I'm sure it's worth doing, if time allows.

Unless you're locked into this routing, I'd suggest making either Queenstown or Dunedin your last stop, and fly back to CH or on to Auckland as Steve suggests.

Have a great trip!

Thanks so much for the suggestions -- very helpful.

John H.

Hi, all,

Down to the final week before leaving for Australia/NZ. Just wanted to get final input on my 8 night NZ itinerary. Unfortunately I am locked in to flying into and out of Christchurch. Also, I plan to have a car the entire time. I have laid out the following:

2 nights CHC (following late night arrival -- so, one full day in CHC)

OPTION 1:
- Drive across Arthur's Pass - overnight 1 night in Greymouth or south of Greymouth (any suggestions welcome -- how far is Fox Glacier from Greymouth ? Where would one overnight for Fox Glacier? How long a drive would that be from CHC?)
- 2 nights Queenstown
- 2 nights Te Anau (one night on a Doubtful Sound overnight cruise?)
- 1 night Tekapo
- Fly out of CHC that afternoon


OPTION 2:
- Drive down the East Coast stopping in Oamaru; overnight 1 night in Dunedin
- 2 nights Queenstown
- 2 nights Te Anau (one night on a Doubtful Sound overnight cruise?)
- 1 night Tekapo
- Fly out of CHC that afternoon


Any reactions to this or suggested changes are very welcome. Also, any lodging suggestions for Greymouth/Fox Glacier, Te Anau, and Dunedin appreciated. Ideally, lodging would be under $US200/night.

Thanks for your help.

John H.

Just a question, John. What are you going to be doing in Queenstown? Are you planning on doing activities and /or hikes? If it's just to see Queenstown, the town itself isn't worth 2 nights. it's very touristy, and I felt, the only reason to go there , was as a base for any activity you may want to do. The town is full of tour offices.

FOr Fox Glacier, I'd stay in nearby Franz Josef Glacier (the town).
Good luck.

John -

Franz Josef is 177 km from Greymouth - about 2:15. Fox is another 25 km from Franz Josef, so you're looking at 202 km total - approximately 2.5 to 3 hours.

As far as where to overnight in Fox - we like Lake Matheson Motel - clean, quiet and comfortable and well within your budget. I've heard good things about Te Weheka Inn, which is more expensive, but still within the range you've mentioned.

Christchurch to Franz Josef is 395 km (about 5:30) then another 25 km to Fox, so you're looking at 420 km - about 6 hours give or take.

I'd go for option 1, as driving over Arthur's Pass to Greymouth is much more scenic than driving down the east coast to Omarau. If you don't want to overnight in Greymouth, Hokitika is also an option - it's an interesting little town and it's about 40 km from Greymouth.

We liked the Explorer Motor Lodge in Te Anau - well under $200 US a night.

Have a great trip - we leave in about a week too - can't wait!