indiancouple

We are two couples from India, all about 50'ish, wanting to visit New Zealand for the first time, for about 16 days. We plan to arrive at Auckland on 19th October, and to depart from Christchurch on 3rd November. We plan on renting a car and driving through the country, with motel/B&B accommodations everywhere. We are basically into natural scenery, and would like to cover as much as possible in this time. We would like a few easy walks/hikes in scenic environs (not over 2 hours duration), some not-too-scary white water rafting etc, but long hikes and adventure sports are out.

Here is a very tentative first cut itinerary, which I would request you to modify and comment upon.
Day 1: Arrive at Auckland (night at Auckland)
Day 2: Drive thru Waikato farmland, Waitomo Caves, to Rotorua (night at Rotorua)
Day 3: Explore Rotorua (night at Rotorua)
Day 4: Drive thru Wairakei, Taupo & Hawkes Bay (night at Napier)
Day 5: Drive thru vineyards of Hawkes Bay to Wellington (night at Wellington)
Day 6: Cross Cook Str, thru Marlborough Sound and Blenheim (night at Nelson)
Day 7: Explore Nelson & Abel Tasman Natl Park (night at Nelson)
Day 8: Drive to Westport, Greymouth & Glaciers (night at a Glacier township)
Day 9: Drive thru Lake Wanaka, Kawerau Gorge to QT (night at Queenstown)
Day 10: Explore Queenstown (night at Queenstown)
Day 11: Drive thru Lake Wakatipu to Milford Sound,back to Te Anau (night at Te Anau)
Day 12: Drive thru Gore, South Otago to Dunedin (night at Dunedin)
Day 13: Explore Dunedin (night at Dunedin)
Day 14: Drive thru Oamaru & MacKenzie country (night at Mt Cook)
Day 15: Drive thru Fairlie,Geraldine, Canterbury Plains (night at Christchurch)
Day 16: Depart Christchurch for home

Not too happy about spending two nights in Dunedin, as we are really not into cities, and would prefer to spend more time with the splendid outdoors of NZ.

Please suggest as many changes as you think appropriate, with reasons, to help us decide. We need your help.

indiancouple

What is the matter Fodorites ? I was hoping for a ton of suggestions, but not one till now. My last 3 vacations have always been planned with tremendous inputs from Fodorites. Did I post something inappropriate in my above query ?

Please please help. I have merely copied the above itinerary from a tour group, to use it as a starting point, and make changes with your inputs.

Melnq8

Hi indiancouple -

No, you didn't post anything inappropriate, you just need to be a little patient. Different time zones, lack of posters on weekends, etc.

I've also noticed that the activity on Fodor's has slowed down quite a bit since the introduction of the new format - it seems some people are boycotting it.

That said, on to your itinerary:

It looks entirely too busy for me, but I'll just comment on the SI portion.

Day 7 - Keep in mind that Nelson is about an hour's drive from Abel Tasman, so you'll be spending at least two hours on the road, which will cut into your time there. What do you plan to do once in Abel Tasman? You'll not have much time to visit the Nelson area, having only one night after a full day from Wellington, and I don't see the need to double back after visiting Abel Tasman - why not just stay that second night closer to Abel Tasman, then leave for Westport directly from there?

Day 8 - long day - it's a 226 km drive from Nelson to Westport (3:35 hours) and a 277 km drive from Westport to Franz Josef. This doesn't leave much time to stop and see anything other than from your car.

Day 9 - No problem, but you're looking at a 6-7 hour drive, depending on stops and you will want to stop - it's gorgeous

Day 11 - No problem, but keep in mind it's a 4 hour drive one way from QT to Milford, then another 90 minutes to two hours to return to Te Anau.

Day 12 - The most direct route drive from Te Anau (via Gore) to Dunedin is 290 km, about 4:10 hours, much, much longer if you plan to see any of the Catlins

Day 14 - The drive from Dunedin to Mt Cook is 331 km, 4:45 hours, which won't leave you much time to do more than LOOK at Mt Cook, fine if that's all you're after

Day 15 - The drive from Mt Cook to Christchurch will take you close to five hours, longer with stops (Lake Tekapo)

My suggestions? Either limit yourself to one island and take your time, or scale back ALOT. There's just no way to see it all, and you're driving from the far north of the SI to the far south. NZ looks small on a map, but it takes a heck of a lot longer to get from point to point than you might think. Roads are two lane and tend to be narrow and winding.

You've left virtually no time to DO anything, you're just driving from location to location. If you want a driving holiday, fine, but you'll not have much time for those walks or spending time outdoors.

You'll also be moving from motel to motel every single night, which is a huge hassle.

I suggest you research what YOU want to see and do and go from there, don't try to follow a tour.

indiancouple

Melnq8, thanks a lot for your inputs. They are most valuable.

I am not trying to follow any tour. I just copied the itinerary from a tour package, and posted it as a starting point of reference. I intend to do exactly what you propose, i.e. cut down a lot, and enjoy more of limited places.

I have got myself a Lonely Planet guide on New Zealand. Once I can pin down the towns/cities that we should restrict ourselves to, we can research a lot from guidebooks and elsewhere. The problem is to decided which places to leave out, and what to leave in ! Guidebooks don't help you there, as they label everything as being "fantastic" !

I have already mentioned our preferences in my opening post, i.e. natural scenery, short hikes, not much into cities, and no museums. Given that, what should we cut back on in SI ? Which destinations should we eliminate ? A response to that would really really help us proceed with our planning, and I look forward to you replying on that matter, together with responses from others. I know you will be expressing your personal preferences, which may vary somewhat from person to person, but it is that "personal preference" that I am looking for.

Melnq8

Well, for starters, I'd eliminate Dunedin. It's a city, and unless you're set on seeing the penguins (which you can find in other parts of the SI) or the albatross colony, or have an interest in Dunedin's Victorian or Edwardian architecture, I'd suggest trimming it from your itinerary.

There are many people who like Dunedin, and I've been there several times myself, but it's not a place I'd suggest to first time visitors with limited time.

Also, as much as I love the north of the South Island, if you only have nine days to dedicate to the SI, I'd suggest you consider flying from Auckland to Christchurch instead of taking the ferry, and then head south from there. The best of the SI is SOUTH.

You really only have 14 full days, as your arrival and departure days will be pretty full.

Have you considered limiting yourself to one island and spending all of your time there?

marg

First I must thank you for your trip report on Lauterbrunnen and Lucerne. We have just returned from five weeks in Europe and our first week was copied from your trip report which I printed off and carried with me. We too stayed at Hotel Staubbach with a room overlooking the waterfalls and the valley and absolutely loved it - Lauterbrunnen was one of the highlights of our holiday.
In return, here are some comments on your itinerary for New Zealand. I really think you are considering too much in the time allowed. Our last holiday in New Zealand (we are Australians so easy to visit NZ) was for two weeks in the South Island only. The coach tours tend to be on the go all day and do you really want to do that? Plus roads in NZ are narrow and winding and you will find that you can't cover as much ground as you think, particularly if you get caught behind a tourist coach or a motorhome. For example, we took two days to get from Nelson to Franz Joseph with a night between in Greymouth and both days we didn't get off the road until 5'ish.
Can you give yourselves another week? If not, I'd suggest spending the whole time in one island. Another suggestion is not to book ahead (it won't be peak holiday season) and just book from one night to the next which would mean that you could cut chunks out of your itinerary if necessary.
Incidentally, we can recommend the Bella Vista chain of motels - all fairly new, clean, and they will book ahead for you as necessary. We have no connection with them - just appreciate their helpfulness to us.
Hope you have a great holiday.

indiancouple

Melnq8, Dunedin stands eliminated from the itinerary ! Anyway I wasn't too excited about spending 2 nights in a city.

Marg, glad you found our Switzerland TR useful. So now you know that I am a dedicated Fodorite, who gives back as much to the board as I take from it.

Hopefully, this with encourage both you and Melnq8 to carry on with your valuable suggestions, and for others to also join in !

I know what both of you are saying, about limiting ourselves just to the South Island. The problem is, I doubt if we will ever be able to make a repeat trip to this beautiful country, and one just tries to pack in as much as is reasonably possible. If possible, we would still like to retain a few days in North Island (we have heard a lot about Rotorua), and continue to plod ahead with our planning. However, we don't mind reducing NI by another day, and adding it to SI.

Let us assume we add another day to South Island. So we would have about 11 nights on South Island, starting at Nelson. Where would you recommend we spend each of the 11 nights (the 1st has to be Nelson or someplace near the ferry crossing, and the last has to be Christchurch). That would help freeze the SI portion.

Melnq8

Hello again indiancouple -

I just looked back over my itineraries from 8 trips to the SI and found our first ever visit, which consisted of 15 nights on the SI:

Christchurch – 1 night
Nelson – 2 nights
Hokitika - 1 night
Franz Josef (homestay) – 2 nights
Lake Moeraki Wilderness Lodge – 1 night
Te Anau – 2 nights
Queenstown – 2 nights
Mt Cook – 2 nights
Christchurch – 2 nights

We felt that this gave us a good feel for the South Island and hit many of the highlights. The only thing I would have changed on that trip was one less night in Mt Cook, as the weather was awful and we felt a bit captive.

If you have 11 nights to work with and will be starting from Nelson, perhaps you could do something like this and cut back on your one night stays:

Nelson – 2 nights (or one Nelson, one closer to Abel Tasman)
Franz Josef or Fox Glacier – 2 nights
Lake Moeraki Wilderness Lodge - 1 night (if it's in the budget)
Te Anau – 2 nights
Queenstown – 2 nights
Mt Cook – 1 night
Christchurch – 1 night

indiancouple

Melnq8, that is exactly the kind of response I was looking for. Thanks a ton. I just googled the Lake Moeraki Wilderness Lodge. Sounds fantastic, but I doubt if it will fit into our budget. If you had to take that night out, where would you add that extra night ? Please keep in mind our driving route, and suggest a place along our route where we may enjoy an extra night.

Your idea of spending one night in Nelson, and another one closer to Abel Tasman is great, and makes a lot of sense.

May I request a few more Fodorites to also chip in with their views ? We have not heard anything at all about North island as yet.

mlgb

Sorry indiancouple, I sort of stopped looking at the NZ board afer a certain poster started answer everything in great detail. He must be on vacation.

Melnq's advice is good.

I think on my first trip, my itinerary was roughly as follows

Day 1 Head immediately from Auckland to Rotorua (by bus) stopping along the way at the Waitomo Caves and spending night 1 in Rotorua

Day 2 I visited "Whaka" including the Maori and the Polynesian spa (I like the outdoor pools best). You could also go to a Maori "hangi" that night, although I didn't, not especially liking Polynesian food.

Day 3 The next day I took a full day guided trip to visit various sights including the buried village and the Waimangu area, with a cruise on Lake Rotomahana.

Day 4 I flew from Rotorua to the South Island, you'd have to check the airlines as to which cities are available now. My first trip there was Mt. Cook airlines and I had a lot more choices, including flyng into Mt. Cook village.

Day 5, 6, 7, 8. Queenstown-Arrowtown-Te Anau-Milford
Assuming you flew into Queenstown, I would allow two days to see Queenstown and Arrowtown (they're nearby) and two more days to see Milford Sound or Doubtful Sound with an overnight if possible. I have been to both (Milford twice) and prefer the scenery at Milford as more dramatic. I believe it is possible to do an overnight there, lots of people enjoy the overnight stays. I did mine the hard way, by hiking the Milford Track into Milford Sound.

Day 9, you will have to make a decision, either east or west of the Southern alps.

Alternative 1: west coast
Day 10, drive to Franz or Fox. This is a full days drive if you stop and take some of the short walks along the way.
Day 11 Day at the glaciers if you are not going on a glacier hike or flight. Walking to Lake Mathenson is a must if the weather is clear, advise to do this in the morning.
Day 12, Half day at the glaciers and head north as far as you can get (Hokitika, Greymouth or Westport)
Day 13, Drive to Nelson, brief stop at the Punakaiki blowholes.
Day 14, Full day round Nelson and Abel Tasman (not sure about the ferry schedule in October though).
Day 15-16 Return to Auckland. Not sure of the flight options, you may need to drive to Christchurch first. Christchurch is worth a day anyways.

Alernative 2: east side of Alps.
Having been both ways, my personal preference is the east side. The glacier blue lakes (Pukaki and Tekapo) are spectacular (in the right conditions).

Day 10, 11 drive via Rt 8 to Twizel. Spend two nights here or inside Mt Cook park.

Day 12 Continue via Fairlie and the inland route (Methven) to Christchurch.

Day 13 see Christchurch. Head north toward Kaikoura or Waipara if you wish.

Day 14 Kaikoura to Blenheim/Picton, visiting wineries.

Day 15 Ferry to Wellington.

Day 16 Return to Auckland.

Just some ideas.

Melnq8

indiancouple -

You could add that extra night to Hokitika, which would break up the long drive from Nelson to Franz Josef. There's not a whole lot in Hoki, but it's a good place for an overnight.

Another thought would be to add it to Nelson, giving you a full day to explore the area, and still leaving a full day for Abel Tasman. You could do two nights Nelson, one Abel Tasman.

Or you could add it to Queenstown, giving yourself three nights there, and two full days. There's loads to do in the area.

Personally, I prefer more nights in fewer places so I have time to thoroughly explore an area, but that's just me.

mlgb has given you some great ideas as well - lots of options to choose from.

kiwi_rob

Hello, indiancouple.
How much (if any) of your first cut itinerary is set in stone? Is it your firm intention to drive down both islands and will your time in the South Island be limited to days 6 to 16? Is day 16 just a get-on-the-plane-and-go-home day or will you have some time in Christchurch before your departure on that day? There is so much that you will be trying to cram in that a day here or there might make a difference in what could be recommended. For instance, I think that the Nelson area is best enjoyed when there is time available to poke around the vineyards and art and craft studios, and enjoy some of the nice beaches in the region. I doubt that you will have time to do this properly, and you may be better to skip that day and head straight down south on crossing from the North Island.
Rob.

PJTravels

Hello, Can't help with NI info as I am currently in the planning stages for a trip there myself. However, we spent a month on the south island and I have our itinerary/lodgings in a trip report from March 2008. (I can't get it to link, but you can click on my name and find it.)

Christchurch - 1 night
Kaikoura - 1 night
Marlborough Sound - 3 nights
Upper Moutere - 4 nights
Punakaiki - 2 nights
Franz Joseph - 1 night
Wanaka - 2 nights
Queenstown - 4 nights
Hike the Milford Track
Queenstown - 1 night
Otago Peninsula - 3 nights
Akaroa - 2 nights
Auckland - 1 night

You could shave days off of this itinerary - you've already eliminated Dunedin - based on your interests. We wanted to hike and wine taste. We also prefer to spend at least 3 nights in most places. If we spent only 1 night somewhere it was because we were trying to keep our drive times reasonable. Even so, we had a few very long driving days.

indiancouple

Thanks everyone, these are some great ideas above. Rather than respond to them off the cuff, I would rather spend 8-10 days going over everything you people have suggested (aided with a guide book), prepare a changed tentative itinerary, and come back to this board.

kiwi_rob, our itinerary is not at all set in stone. None of it. It is totally totally flexible at this moment. The total length of the trip is not flexible. Yes, we would like to drive through both islands if possible, as we doubt if a repeat trip will ever be possible. However, the number of days we spend on each island is quite flexible. As for the last day (Day 16), we are still in the process of doing our flight bookings, so I cannot confirm if our flight out of Christchurch is in the morning or evening. So please give your detailed suggestions based on above, with Day 16 being a toss-up. Would love to get as many suggestions as possible.

indiancouple

OK everyone who have helped out and others who have not pitched in as yet - call to Melnq8, marg, mlgb, kiwi_rob, PJTravels,and others. Here is a somewhat revised itinerary based on your suggestion. It is probably still too packed, and possibly needs a few more eliminations. Please suggest :

Day 1: Arrive at Auckland in early afternoon. Explore Auckland. Night at Auckland.
Day 2: Leave in morning by rented car to Rotorua, stopping enroute at Waitomo Caves. Night at Rotorua.
Day 3: Explore Rotorua region. Night at Rotorua.
Day 4: Drive in morning to Wellington. Explore Wellington. Night at Wellington.
Day 5: Take the 8am ferry crossing to Picton. Drive the scenic stretch of Marlborough Sounds from Picton to Havelock. Reach Nelson and explore Nelson. Night at Nelson.
Day 6: Go to Abel Tasman park. Take some short hikes, and half-day kayak trip along coastline. Maybe the Maori Uncut. Night at Marahau (good place ??).
Day 7: Drive thru Buller Gorge to Westport and on to Punakaiki Pancake Rocks. Night at Greymouth or Hokitika.
Day 8: Drive on to Fox glacier township. Half day at the Fox glacier. Night at Glacier village.
Day 9: Early morning walk to Lake Mathenson. Take guided glacier tour during the day. Night at Glacier village.
Day 10: Drive to Queenstown, stopping at Lake Wanaka and Kawerau Gorge on the way. Night at Queenstown.
Day 11: Full day at Queenstown/Arrowtown. Night at Queenstown.
Day 12: Half day at Queenstown. Afternoon drive to Te Anau. Night at Te Anau.
Day 13: Cruise on Milford Sound (should we take an overnight ??). Night at Te Anau.
Day 14: Drive thru Oamaru and MacKenzie country, Lake Tekapo to Mt Cook region. Night at Twizel (good choice ??).
Day 15: Drive to Christchurch. Explore Christchurch. Night at Christchurch.
Day 16: Explore Christchurch. Leave home by evening flight. Else stay one more night and depart by next day morning flight.

Please let me know how the above itinerary sounds, and help me improve it further.

kiwi_rob

Yep, it's still fairly busy, indiancouple, but I understand that you are trying to fit in as much as you can.

Two immediate comments:

The drive on Day 7 is going to be fairly long. I suggest that you stay the night at Punakaiki and drive from there to the glaciers on Day 8. There is more to see at Punakaiki than there is at Greymouth or Hokitika (i.e. more natural beauty to be seen). Greymouth and Hoki are just towns -- nothing special.

IMO, Oamaru is eminently missable. I think that on Day 14 you should head directly to Twizel/Pukaki/Mt Cook. That will still be a longish drive from Te Anau. As I have mentioned on another thread recently, try to do the Glacier Explorer trip on Tasman Lake from Mt Cook (book at The Hermitage) if you can.

Melnq8

indiancouple - This itinerary (SI) is certainly doable, but keep in mind that you still have some long drive days, so you'll want to get an early start.

Day 7 - It's about a 3.5 hour drive from Marahau to Westport, then another 50 minutes to Punakaiki and another 40 minutes to Greymouth (or 1:10 to Hoki).

Day 14 - You're looking at about a 5.5 hour drive from Te Anau to Twizel. Yes, Twizel is a good option, but I'd think you could get a decent rate at one of the hotels in Mt Cook that time of year. Note that you'll be driving through Omarama, not Oamaru. Omarama is home to the clay cliffs, an interesting detour. Oamaru is home to the penguin colony, but it's on the east coast between Dunedin and Timaru.

Day 15 - You're looking at a four hour drive from Twizel to Christchurch, so you'll want to get an early start if you hope to see much of Christchurch.

The Ocean View Chalets in Marahau have been recommended here on Fodor's - I've not personally stayed there.

indiancouple

Thanks Melnq8. Had incorporated all your suggestions in re-drafting the itinerary. Would you leave it as it is, or would you suggest any further changes ?

Further, would you suggest a day-cruise on both the Milford and the Doubtful Sounds, or an overnight on one ?

We would have liked to have an extra day in Queenstown, and perhaps one more day in Mt Cook. Don't know where to cut off from. Your suggestions please (if at all you agree with adding a day to these places) ?

Melnq8

I just looked up Maori Uncut and it seems this is a tour that only operates from Dec-April - suggest you double check.

You don't have time to do both Milford and Doubtful, as you've only allowed one full day. The Milford cruise begins at Milford, which is a two hour drive from Te Anau, so that's no problem.

The daytime Doubtful cruise however, begins at Lake Manapouri, in the opposite direction of Milford, and it's an 8 hour trip. Doubtful Sound is more difficult to access than Milford. The Doubtful overnight cruises leave Manapouri at noon and return the following day around noon, so you just don't have enough time to do both Doubtful and Milford.

I've taken three daytime Milford cruises, but haven't been to Doubtful, so I can't offer a comparison.

Personally, I think one night in Mt Cook is plenty (and I don't even like one night stays!)

Considering how much you're determined to see and how little time you have, I think your itinerary is as good as it's going to get. It's not an itinerary I'd choose, but if it suits you and your particular traveling style, go for it.

indiancouple

kiwi_rob, I have been trying to respond to your helpful suggestions, but the system seems to loose my reply after pressing the "Submit" button !

Your suggestion of staying at Punakaiki makes a lot of sense, and we will incorporate that immediately. I also believe that the tide has to be right to see the best sights at Punakaiki. So staying there will give us more flexibility in viewing.

Will definitely take the Glacier Explorer trip on Tasman Lake. BTW, is the Hermitage a hotel on Mt Cook ?