lpandey

My husband and I are planning a short trip to New Zealand after visiting Australia for 2 weeks (visiting family). We only have 6 full days, and we'll be spending them all on the South Island.

I realize that we're not going to be able to get even close to seeing everything, but we'd like to at least get a good flavor of the island. We are most interested in scenery and wildlife, not so much adventure sports and hiking. Can you please look over our itinerary and see if it makes sense? I've researched a bit, but am still learning about the island, so I'd appreciate any help I can get! We will be visiting in July, flying into Christchurch and out of Queenstown. We will be renting a car.

Thanks for your help!

Day 1: Arrive Christchurch in the evening
Day 2: Sightseeing in Christchurch
Day 3: Drive from Christchurch to Dunedin (5 hours)
Day 4: Sightsee in Dunedin (Elm Wildlife tour?)
Day 5: Drive 3.5 hours to Queenstown
Day 6-7: Queenstown (spend one day on Milford Sound coach tour, if weather cooperates)
Day 8: Fly back to U.S.

kodi

I did the Elm wildlife tour and it was wonderful. My friend also just came back from NZ and said it was the highlight of her trip. DO go on it.

If you are not into adventure, I would not stay in Queenstown. It is full of Adventure shops and is the jumping off spot for all the tours.
Perhaps stay there your last night.

Instead, drive from Dunedin to TeAnau and stay there. Take your Milford Sound tour from there and save yourself an extra 2 hours on the bus.

If I'd had the time, I'd have taken 2 days and driven the southern route from Dunedin to TeAnau.
SO on Day 5, you could leave Dunedin and stay somewhere along the way, spend day 6 continuing on to TeAnau and day 7 the Milford Sound tour.
After the tour, you could go to Queenstown for your last evening and wander around the town a bit .

Tim_and_Liz

kodi said everything I was going to!
I agree that Elm is wonderful and to stay in Te Anau instead of Queenstown (or the Catlins) since you are interested in scenery and wildlife
Liz

lpandey

Thanks for the advice! If we were to spend a night somewhere in between Dunedin and Te Anau, any suggestions on where to stay?

kodi

I only wish I'd had 2 dasy and was able to take the southern route through the Catlins, but instead I cut right across country in one afternoon.
But I would think Invercargill would be a good place to stop.

I also understand that to enjoy the scenery and wild life it's necessary to keep leaving the main road and go off on the little offshoots. SO, on paper it looks like a one day trip, but it's very worth it to make some of these detours.

Sorry I can't offer a particular place to stay.

kodi

Have you seen this website?

http://www.newzealand.com/travel/des...ving-route.cfm

It is great and offers details of many good driving trips. If you click South Island and then 3 day trips, it will bring up the Southern Route . Click on this and it will give you the details.
I love this web site for the details it offers.

lpandey

I have looked around on this Web site, but I hadn't seen the driving routes before. Thanks! I'll check it out.