Help with our 14-day NZ Itinerary
 

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sheer volume of amazing things to do and see in NZ and having a hard time finalizing on our itnerary--could use some help! The 4 of us (including 16 and 14 yr old kids) will be flying from the US to AUK mid-March, with 14 days in-country. We're active and enjoy hiking, water activities and landscape gawking (although our youngest is less into the latter, so we're trying to build in enough active stuff to keep him happy). We're willing to rent cars and take in-country flights as necessary--this is our 1st and probably only trip to NZ as a family, so are willing to spend $ to fully enjoy it. Must-do's include the Hobbitton Movie Set Tour, the Waitomo Glowworm Cave Tour, Wanaka, QT, Milford Sound and seeing penguins. Really like to do's include the Transalpine Train trip and seeing great white sharks from Bluff. We prefer not to be changing hotels every day or every other day, so tend to like base camps with radiating day trips.

Here's a very rough draft itinerary to get some feedback:

Day 1: arrive AUK AM. Wander Viaduct Basin and recover. Sleep in AUK.
Day 2: rent car & drive to Matamata for HMST. Drive to Rotorua and sleep there.
Day 3: Rotorua local activities (zorbing, luge, lake walks, etc.). Sleep in Rotorua
Day 4: drive to Waitomo for GCT, then back to Rotorua to catch flight to CC. Sleep in CC.
Day 5: Transalpine train to Greymouth; rent car and drive to QT, seeing (but not really having time to fully enjoy) the west coast and glaciers on the way. Sleep in QT.
Day 6: QT local activities (e.g. TSS Earnslaw lake cruise, Gondola/Luge, Queenstown Hill Track, rafting on Shotover River, Ben Lomond Track, Queenstown Trail hiking/biking, horse trekking, Bob's Peak stargazing, Shotover jet rides, visit Arrowtown, visit Glenorchy, etc.)
Day 7: Wanaka day trip
Day 8: QT local activities
Day 9: Milford Sound day trip (possibly via outbound bus, cruise on sound, and scenic return flight)
Day 10: QT local activities
Day 11: Bluff day trip to see sharks (the boat leaves at 7a, so this would necessitate leaving QT around 3:30a, either with the rental car or perhaps via a rental car/shuttle so we could all sleep on the way)
Day 12: QT local activities
Day 13: Oamaru day trip to see penguins (either via bus or rental car)
Day 14: Fly home

I would very much like to walk some of the Queen Charlotte Track, see Abel Tasman NP, spend some time at Mount Cook and hang out in Te Anau, but I don't see how we can manage that without spreading ourselves too thin.

Things I'm struggling with in particular:

* Should I skip the TA train and drive down the coast and just fly into QT and perhaps stay in Wanaka rather than day trip it? Would really enjoy the train ride and the views on the drive would be great but it would be a bummer to make that long drive if the weather and visibility ends up poor.
* Wishing I could get up to see Mt. Cook....
* On the fence on the great white shark bit. None of us have the guts to go in the cage, so we'd be just observing from the deck of the ship. There is no guarantee that we would see them, although from what I can gather that is fairly unusual. There is also no guarantee that the weather would cooperate, which is gather is less unusual. It is much more typical to stay in Bluff the night before, so that a middle-of-the-night 3 hr drive from QT is not necessary. I just hate to pack up all our stuff and do a hotel down in Bluff just for the 1 night.

Thoughts? I so appreciate the help!!!

You asked:
“Should I skip the TA train and drive down the coast and just fly into QT and perhaps stay in Wanaka rather than day trip it?”
In my opinion, yes, just fly to Queenstown. Because taking the TranzAlpine to Greymouth and then driving to Queenstown in one day is too much. You’d take the train from CC at 8:15 a.m., arrive at 1:05 p.m., then pick up a rental car to drive 7 hours straight. This drive—through one of NZ’s most scenic, highly varied, and interesting areas—is a destination in and of itself that should be savoured; you wouldn’t want to rush through it. Most visitors take at least three days for this trip, because of the attractions and activities enroute, including glaciers, lakes, wetlands, gorges, stunning rock formations, wildlife, and magnificent coastal and forest scenery.

By all means spend a couple of nights in Wanaka, a great place for “hiking, water activities and landscape gawking.” See:
http://www.lakewanaka.co.nz/new-zealand/about/
When will you be here?

Do be aware of what the roads are like on the South island.
This is directly from the NZ Transportation website:
“Distances may seem short on paper, but our roads can be narrower than you're used to, cover hilly terrain, and vary from motorways to unsealed gravel road. It’s easy to underestimate travelling times. Roads are narrower, more winding and sometimes steeper than you might expect. Roads are mostly two-way, with one lane in each direction - we have few motorways. Not all railway crossings have active warnings. Allow plenty of time and take regular breaks. The trip may be slower, but the scenery is amazing so take your time and enjoy your journey.”

I’d add you'll also have to slow way down for one-way bridges. You can get stuck behind slow-moving camper vans on narrow, winding mountain passes. You might have to slow down for a farmer crossing the road with his sheep. And so on. Plus, you’ll definitely want to stop for photos.

Please read this link and watch the video:
https://www.nzta.govt.nz/safety/driv...iting-drivers/

And please check this drive distance calculator:
http://www.aa.co.nz/travel/time-and-...ce-calculator/

This random 48-second You Tube should give you an idea of what the roads are like (turn off the sound). Notice the wiggly road sign suggesting that you drive at 45 kilometres an hour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VjzJ3Sb5Gg

Yes, Queenstown to Bluff to Stewart Island is a long way to go for a day-trip to see Great White Sharks, if you only have the one day and if there’s no guarantee of seeing them. Your trip could be cancelled due to weather or rough ocean conditions (this area in the Roaring Forties). This would make more sense if you were also going to Stewart Island for at least a couple of days to see the wildlife. That way you’d have another day should you need to re-schedule. Then again, I haven’t done the SI shark cage trip, if you really love sharks, it could end up being the highlight of your trip. I’ve dived with tropical sharks many times, and once saw a Great White Shark attack a sea lion off the California coast, but passed on the chance to cage dive with Great Whites while on a trip to South Africa because they chum the water there, but in NZ they’re not allowed to, according to this article:
https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/southl...en-green-light

I'd recommend against doing a day trip from Queenstown to Oamaru to see penguins. Are you referring to the Little Blue Penguins? The drive would be 3.5 hours each way. if you wanted to see the penguins swim ashore, then you’d have to wait until early evening, when it gets dark. You wouldn’t want to drive back to Queenstown after this, late at night over a road that warns of its “high crash rate.” See: http://newzealandstockphoto.photoshe...000Ck_fPbFZEO0
If you don’t do the shark trip from Bluff/SI, and don’t take the TranzAlpine, consider spending an extra day around Christchurch, specifically Akaroa, before you fly to Queenstown. In Akaroa, you can swim with Hectors Dolphins and see penguins, too. I know a cute Hectors Dolphin can’t compare to a terrifying Great White Shark, but it’d still be quite special, as Hectors Dolphins are NZ’s own endemic dolphin.
https://blackcat.co.nz

There's also a slight chance of seeing Fiordland Crested Penguins on your Milford Sound Cruise (and Bottlenose Dolphins and NZ Fur Seals). No guarantees, though.

Sorry, I see you'll be here starting mid-March. I don't know how I missed this as I read through your post a couple of times! It's a great time of year.

For the North Island section, I would suggest a rejigging. Day 2 should be the day to visit Waitomo, then on to Rotorua. Day 4 is better suited to do the Hobbiton Tour. Hobbiton is only an hour away from Rotorua. Driving back and forth Rotorua-Waitomo, is too much considering you have a flight to catch!

Thanks so much, Diamantina! Terrific advice.

I completely understand that the glacier coast is a destination typically worthy of several days and that driving through it doesn't do it justice. I was just dealing with some competing goals & constraints and thought that, given the desire to do the train ride, the inability to spend several days on the coast but the interest in at least seeing it rather than not seeing it at all, that that approach might be a decent option. Clearly not ideal, but missing the coast entirely and missing the train ride are not ideal either. What would be perfect would be the ability to do that train, then grab a scenic flight (with all our luggage) from Greymouth or Hokitika directly to QT. But I'm not seeing a reasonable option to do that. Need to think some more on the Rubic's Cube...

I think you're probably right on the GW shark bit--would work much better if we were down there for 2-3 days. Unfortunately, that probably isn't a good option. Do think seeing them would be a trip highlight (possibly life highlight--we're all fascinated by them) but maybe best deferred to a trip where we can devote more time to it. Will talk to the fam...

Good advice on Oamaru and the late night driving. I do think seeing penguins is high enough on the list that I need to make it happen (e.g. I wouldn't want to rely on the slight chance of seeing FCP's in Milford Sound). My understanding was that Oamaru has both Little Blue and Yellow-Eyed, but we'd be fine seeing either one and not both. The dolphins are not high on our list, as we've done that elsewhere, and I'm not feeling compelled to see CC other than as a gateway for the rail trip. So...would I be better off finding a way to spend a night in Akaroa, Oamaru or even Dunedin, given the other things we're trying to do? Puzzled by this part.

Thanks, deSchenke. I'll look into that. Have to consider that the Hobbiton Tour takes 3 hours, whereas the Waitomo takes only 45 minutes (as I understand it), so the extra driving time is more than offset by the extra tour time (unless there is more that we'd want to do in the Waitomo area--not sure about that yet). But definitely something to consider.

The Hobbiton tour is only 2 hours if starting at Shire's Rest on Buckland Rd.

If penguin-spotting is high on your list, then I recommend, if you go to Oamaru at all, spend the night.

You are correct, it's possible to see Yellow Eyed Penguins from Oamaru's Bushy Beach penguin hide. But it's hit-and-miss, as the colony is small. YEPs are solitary and anti-social, so even at best, you won't see many. They swim ashore in the late afternoon, so I would stop by the I-Site in Oamaru's Victorian Precinct and ask what time would be best to head out there (it's about a 10-minute drive from the Victorian Precinct). My guess would be around 3:30 or 4. Then you'll just have to wait until you see one. Dress warmly in layers that you can put on or peel off, if need be. Because it can get chilly in the shade. Also, I don't recall toilet facilities at Bushy Beach, though, with so many more visitors now, this might have changed.
http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-rec...y-beach-track/

Here are links to recent reviews:
https://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/Attrac...th_Island.html
https://www.rankers.co.nz/experience...l_Viewing_Hide

That evening you can watch the Little Blue Penguins swim ashore close to the Victorian Precinct.

An advantage to spending the night in Oamaru, is that, if you don't see Yellow Eyed Penguins on the afternoon of your arrival, then you can try again very early the next morning to see them as they swim out to sea (around sunrise). So you'll have two chances. The sunrise itself can be an awesome sight from the East Coast.

Please never try to approach the penguins and if one should walk in your direction, please back up and give them lots of space. You'll be here during moulting season, when they'll be especially stressed as they can't go out to sea to feed for 3 to 4 weeks.
http://www.yellow-eyedpenguin.org.nz...nguin/moulting

It's also possible to see Yellow Eyed Penguins at Curio Bay in the Catlins. Curio Bay is a 3.15 drive from Queenstown. If you decide to go here, then you should spend the night at adjacent Porpoise Bay. While a few LBPs nest in the area, Curio Bay doesn't have a Little Blue Penguin attraction where they can easily seen. Curio Bay's rocky shoreline consists of the fossilised remains of an ancient Jurassic-period forest that existed 180 million years ago; it's an attraction in and of itself.
http://www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/par...rpoise-bay.pdf

I live in Dunedin and, yes, it's a great place for viewing wildlife, including Yellow Eyed Penguins and Little Blue Penguins. You'd need to spend at least one night, two would be better. If you had just one night, then I'd highly recommend you book the Elm Wildlife Peninsula Encounters tour. You'd have to be very unlucky to not see YEPs on this tour, you probably wouldn't see LBPs, but you might, as in March some will be moulting. You'd also see endangered Northern Royal Albatrosses, critically endangered NZ sea lions, a large colony of NZ fur seals, and many other birds, both rare and common. They'd pick you up from your hotel at 3 p.m., so you'd have plenty of time to drive here from Queenstown or Wanaka if you leave by 9 a.m. or so. You'd have the choice of three different routings. It would take you 3.5 hours to drive here from Wanaka, 3.45 to 4 hours from Queenstown (more traffic around Q'town). Reviews of Elm Wildlife Tour here:
https://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/Attrac...th_Island.html
Link:
https://www.elmwildlifetours.co.nz/o...ula-encounters
If you had a second day in Dunedin, you could a late-afternoon tour of Penguin Place and/or visit Blue Penguins Pukekura, both are on the Otago Peninsula.
http://www.penguinplace.co.nz
https://bluepenguins.co.nz

If you come here, please prepare for our weather, which can be sunny and warm, or cloudy, cold and wet. Yesterday, it was more than 80F and sunny with blue skies, today its foggy and drizzling! After you get here, you can check the weather at met service:
http://www.metservice.com/national/home
Predictions are good for about two days out.

I can see you'll have to discuss with your family if the Great White Shark viewing is a priority, a must-do, maybe-not, or that's-gotta-go. I can relate. My husband and I built a whole trip around snorkelling with whale sharks in Exmouth, West Australia, and this was when we lived in California, so it took us a while to get there. But it remains one of, if not the best, wildlife encounter(s), we've had. One couple we'd met had traveled from the U.K specifically to swim with the whale sharks, and did the excursion three days in a row.

If you decide that the Great White Shark viewing is a must, consider spending two nights on Stewart Island (you can fly there from Invercargill Airport or take the ferry from Bluff). As I previously mentioned, this would give you the option of rescheduling in case your trip is cancelled. If your trip sails as scheduled, then you can use your second day to visit Ulva Island, a pest-free island wildlife sanctuary. Sanctuaries such as Ulva Island are a unique feature of NZ, and were established in order to save NZ species from extinction (because such species were nearly extinct on the mainland). Stewart Island is also one of the easiest places to see a kiwi in the wild. You can see penguins around Stewart Island as well.

You have some tough choices to make!

I saw an advertisement by "Mainland Cheese" and the tagline was: Good things take time. NZ is a beautiful country, but trying to do too many things, IMHO, may take away the pleasure of simply being there. Your itinerary is do-able but if you could add 3 more days to it, you might enjoy a better pace.

I post regularly in another travel forum, and on request by the other forumers, I have done up a sample itinerary of North Island and an in-progress one on South Island. I am not a travel agent, just your regular bloke sharing his travels. I hope by providing a link here to that article I am doing up, I have not broken any rules here. If I did, I apologize:
http://mybigroadtrip.com/new-zealand...nd-in-15-days/

Thanks, DeSchenke--I had missed the 2-hr tour duration from Shire's Rest. That certainly helps.

Thanks again, Diamantina. Your insight is invaluable. Have made some progress but still struggling to finalize the shape of the trip. After conferring w/ the family, we're going to skip the GW Shark bit this time. We're thinking we could do that in South Africa on a future safari trip we're beginning to consider for down the road.

We're a bit more on the fence regarding the penguin-watching than I expected, now that everyone understands better the time and driving investment required and the alternative things to do with that time in the QT-Mount Cook corridor.

Some issues with which I'm wrestling:

1) In doing either the H Movie Set Tour and/or the Waitomo Cave Tour on the way from AUK to Rotorua, all of our luggage (including computers) would be left in the car while we're doing the tour(s). Should I worry about that during daylight hours and in parking lots for these attractions?

2) Am considering changing Day 2 to drive AUK to Waitomo (2:30 drive time), take the Cave Tour (45 min), drive to Matamata (1:30 drive time), take the HMS Tour (2 hrs), then drive to Rotorua (45 min drive). This would be much more drive time efficient than my original plan (4:45 drive time vs. 6:45) and vs. DeSchenke's suggested change to do Waitomo on Day 2 and Matamata on Day 3 (4:45 vs 6:00). This would also make it easier to fly out of Rotorua on Day 3 rather than Day 4, which would pick up some needed time on the South Island. But I wonder if that will feel like too much for our 2nd day in-country. We've never flown this many time zones away and I'm just not sure how long it will take to recover. Am sure that's somewhat personalized but any general thoughts?

3) Would like to see/do multiple things in both Mt. Cook and Wanaka yet definitely want to spend the bulk of our time based in QT and want to finish there, as we'll be flying home from there in the AM. Struggling a bit with whether to spend at least 2 nights in one or both of these and whether we should just day trip (perhaps more than once) from QT to Wanaka but perhaps try to stay a couple nights in Mt Cook. Also, if we stay in Mt. Cook first, I'm assuming it would be best to fly Rotorua to CC and then drive the 4 hrs rather than flying to QT and then driving 3 hrs, as the flight to QT adds 3:30 to the journey due to the layover in CC.

Any thoughts/recommendations are welcome!! Thanks!!!

One more thing--from what I can tell, seeing penguins in Akaroa is March is not possible, as it looks like it's not the season to see them there. Would be happy to be told that's not true....

Mcgrigg, Akaroa's Pohatu Penguins website says you cannot see Little Blue Penguins from late-February through March. They probably don't want to disturb them while they're moulting.
http://www.nzonline.org.nz/nzo/busin...anks-peninsula
When I saw them in Akaroa, they were swimming around in the water, but this was in winter (August) and I saw them from Akaroa's Black Cat Cruise. I didn't see any Yellow Eyed Penguins there, but there are supposed to be a few. I suggested Akaroa as an alternative because you could swim with dolphins there and because there is the possibility of seeing penguins, but as you've swum with dolphins and are not interested in doing this again, then it's not worth your limited time. Here's a review from someone who saw penguins swimming around in the water from the Black Cat Cruise in March:
https://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/ShowUs...d.html#REVIEWS

You can still see penguins in Oamaru and Dunedin in March, though the numbers are down.
https://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/ShowUs...d.html#REVIEWS
https://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/ShowUs...d.html#REVIEWS

I've also see Little Blue Penguins in March around Auckland, swimming in Hauraki Gulf and on Tiritiri Matangi Island (which is in Hauraki Gulf).

Yellow Eyed Penguins can be seen year-round in Oamaru and Dunedin. You can read about Yellow Eyed Penguins, also known as hoiho, here:
http://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native...penguin-hoiho/

Anyhow, it seems like penguin viewing had moved way down your list of priorities.

You'll love Mt. Cook Village, though prepare for rain or shine. Once you've firmed up you itinerary, book accommodation in Mt. Cook Village first, as accommodation is limited. Aoraki Court Motel is popular and rooms on the perimeter have great views:
http://www.aorakicourt.co.nz

If you don't think you'll be rested enough to drive on your second day in NZ, there are tours that will take you to Rotorua, Waitomo, Hobbiton, from Auckland or Rotorua. Some will pick you up in Auckland, take you to Waitomo or Hobbiton and drop you off in Rotorua.
http://www.greatsights.co.nz/find-a-...from-auckland/
http://www.intercity.co.nz/tours/
http://www.graylinetours.co.nz/tours...aves-day-tour/
http://www.bushandbeach.co.nz/all-tours/hobbit-tours/
http://www.flexitoursnz.com/hobbiton-movie-set/
http://www.newzealandtours.travel
http://www.newzealandtours.co.nz/sma...rted-tours.php

Oamaru is also worth an overnight stop to see the Victorian buildings including the wonderful opera house, and the botanical gardens.

The little blue penguins are the icing on the cake!

<<3) Would like to see/do multiple things in both Mt. Cook and Wanaka yet definitely want to spend the bulk of our time based in QT and want to finish there, as we'll be flying home from there in the AM. Struggling a bit with whether to spend at least 2 nights in one or both of these and whether we should just day trip (perhaps more than once) from QT to Wanaka but perhaps try to stay a couple nights in Mt Cook.>>

I highly recommend at least two nights in Mt Cook, which is only one full day, of which you will need every single minute if you plan to do any hiking/activities.

It's possible to day trip from QT to Wanaka as it's only a ~90 minute drive (each way). This is a sensible option if you just want to see the lake, take a short walk and poke around town, but not if you want to visit Mt Aspiring Nat'l Park and it's many walking tracks - for that you'd want to spend a few nights in Wanaka, as it's another 90 minute drive just to access the Nat'l Park. Multiple trips from QT to Wanaka makes no sense to me at all. Too much driving, not enough exploring.

Have you considered Arrowtown as a possible -in-between place to stay? Closer to Wanaka, and closer to the QT airport for your day of departure - only about a 25 minute drive to the airport from Arrowtown.

Mcgrigg, just an aside: if you make a future trip to South Africa, it's easy to see penguins at Boulder Beach in Simon's Town, which is short and magnificent drive (Chapmans Peak Drive) away from Cape Town. Simon's Town also has Great White Shark tour operators.
http://www.southafrica.net/za/en/art...beach-penguins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqNeUmTry9Q

Seems like you can also view Great White Sharks in Australia:
http://adventurebaycharters.com.au/m...-white-sharks/

So maybe a future trip to Australia would be a good idea, as you can see Little Blue Penguins there, as well.

Until I read this thread I had no idea that great white viewing was an option in NZ. Not that I ever looked into it, mind you, not my thing at all.

They were quite common in Australia though, particularly along the Western Australia coast, which is just another reason I never ventured into the sea there:) Several attacks while we lived there.

I can't get over how amazingly helpful you all have been in donating your time to helping us with this--we're so very thankful.

Great ideas, Diam. Wasn't aware of the Boulder Beach penguins option in S. Africa. And good point as well about a future Australia trip, as we've not been there yet either and it's on the list. That makes me feel much better about perhaps not seeing them in NZ.

Melnq8--have enjoyed your input elsewhere on the forums and was hoping you would weigh in. If we stay in Mt. Cook Village (now thinking 3 nights there), we would leave early on check-out day and spend the day in Wanaka on the way to QT. Am thinking the Puzzling World and the Roy's Peak Track Hike. If we felt like coming back for another day, I don't think the drive from QT would be that bad if we were just doing it once. Agree that more than once would warrant just staying there.

Anyone happen to know if there is a place in Wanaka to store our luggage while we do the 5-6 hr Roy's Peak hike? Have read that leaving anything in the car at the trailhead is not recommended.

OK, here's another shot at an itinerary:

Day 1: arrive AUK AM. Wander Viaduct Basin and recover. Sleep in AUK.

Day 2: rent car & drive to Waitomo (2.5 hrs) for GCT (.75 hr), then to Matamata (1.5 hrs) for HMST (2 hrs), then to Rotorua (0.75 hr). Sleep in Rotorua.

Day 3: Rotorua local activities (e.g. zorbing, luge, lake walks, etc.). Sleep in Rotorua.

Day 4: 9:40a flight to CC (arrive 12:25p). Drive to Mt. Cook Village (4 hrs + stops). Sleep in MCV.

Day 5: MCV local activities (e.g. Hooker Valley Track hike; Nat'l Park Visitor Centre; Blue Lakes/Tasman Glacier Viewpoint hike). Sleep in MCV.

Day 6: MCV local activities (Tasman Glacier boat tour). Sleep in MCV.

Day 7: Drive to Wanaka (2.5 hrs) for Puzzling World, Lonely Tree and Roy's Peak Track hike (5-6 hrs) then to QT (1.25 hrs). Sleep in QT.

Day 8: QT local activities (e.g. TSS Earnslaw lake cruise, Gondola/Luge, Queenstown Hill Track, rafting on Shotover River, Ben Lomond Track, Queenstown Trail hiking/biking, horse trekking, Bob's Peak stargazing, Shotover jet rides, guided fishing trip, Highlands Motor Sports Park in Cromwell, visit Arrowtown, visit Glenorchy, etc.). Sleep in QT.

Day 9: Milford Sound day trip (possibly via outbound bus, cruise on sound, and scenic return flight). Sleep in QT.

Day 10: QT local activities. Sleep in QT.

Day 11: QT local activities. Sleep in QT.

Day 12: QT local activities (could potentially do day trip to Oamaru to see penguins and drive back at night, depending on how everyone feels and what we still want to do in QT area). Sleep in QT.

Day 13: QT local activities. Sleep in QT.

Day 14: Fly home (10:55a departure).

Just beginning to look seriously at lodging but am thinking maybe The Hermitage in MCV and the Glebe Apartments in QT.

Feedback?

Can't help with where to leave your luggage while you hike, but if it's all in a concealed trunk, you should be fine.

We do this quite a lot ourselves, but are very careful to not leave anything in sight (and the very reason we never rent a hatchback).

Your itinerary is shaping up nicely - looks good to me.

As for accommodation - The Hermitage in Mt Cook IMO is overrated and overpriced. We much prefer the Aoraki Court.

http://www.aorakicourt.co.nz/

Just a word about food in Mt Cook - in my experience, choices are quite limited, prices high, quality substandard. You might consider self-catering - the Aoraki Court has a full kitchen.

I suggest you pick up supplies en route from Christchurch - Twizel will be your last opportunity before Mt Cook. Geraldine is a possibility depending on your route - Geraldine also has a nice cheese shop (Talbot's) - http://www.talbotforestcheese.co.nz/find-us.php.

Oh yeah, and you can pick up fresh smoked salmon at the Mt Cook Alpine Salmon Farm on the way to Mt Cook as well.

Yes, I agree with you on Aoraki Court but, sadly, it is booked up for our dates. The Hermitage looked like the next best option.

Fresh smoked salmon....you're speaking my language. Will definitely have to grab some of that.

Any particular recommendations for car rental companies? Haven't looked into that at all yet.

Now that's a switch...usually the Hermitage is the first to book up...strictly based on tourist advertising...the word must be out.

For car rental, we like APEX.