I am flying from Los Angeles to Auckland. I arrive in Auckland 9/26/09 at 7:00 a.m. and leave via Auckland on 10/12/09 at 3:05 p.m. Is the following itnerary too much, too rushed... Suggestions are welcome. (I haven't booked anything other than the flight to Auckland.)

9/26-9/27: Auckland
9/28-9/29: Rotorua (drive Auckland-Rotorua)
9/30-10/1: ChristChurch (fly Auckland to Christchurch)
10/2: Oamaru (drive Christchurch to Oamaru)
10/3: Dunedin (drive Oamaru to Dunedin)
10/4-10/5: Queenstown (drive Dunedin to Queenstown)
10/6-10/7: Doubltful Sound/Milford Sound (drive Queenstown to Dunedin)
10/8-10/9: Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacier (drive Sounds to Glaciers)
10/10: Greymouth (drive Sounds to Greymouth)
10/11: drive Arthur's Pass to Christchurch and fly back to Auckland.
10/12: Auckland and home

correction - 10/10 Greymouth (drive Glaciers to Greymouth)

This bit doesn't make sense, as the drive from Milford Sound to Fox Glacier (the closest coming from the south) is 655 km, about 9.5 hours (without stops!).

10/8-10/9: Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacier (drive Sounds to Glaciers)

Suggest you take a look at these driving times/distances:

http://www.aatravel.co.nz/main/td-calculator.php

Why don't you fly from Rotorua to Christchuch instead of back-tracking to Auckland.

Thanks for the idea about flying from Rotorua. That will save some time. As far as seeing the Sounds, what is a better route? Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

I found an itinerary that I think will resolve the problem with the long drive. http://www.tourism.net.nz/new-zealan...ch/day-10.html

If I was considering that itinerary, enjoyinglife, I would be thinking more along the lines of:

Day 1 Christchurch to Mt Cook or Lake Tekapo/Lake Pukaki via Geraldine, Fairlie, etc
Day 2 Mt Cook to Te Anau
Day 3 Te Anau/Milford Sound, etc
Day 4 Te Anau to Queenstown
Day 5 Queenstown
Day 6 Queenstown to Wanaka
Day 7 Wanaka to Franz
Etc.

IMO, there is more to see and be enjoyed that way than by spending a night in each of Oamaru and Dunedin.

Wish I'd done a bit of research before booking a flight out of Rotorua. Now that I am making reservations for the rental car, I find out that the drop off is $150 NZ$ since I am renting the car in Auckland and dropping it off in Rotorua. Quite a steep fee. Any other suggestions on how to get from Auckland to Rotorua that wouldn't be so costly.

There is a bus! See the Intercity bus website
www.intercity.co.nz

They list one that is a tour via Waitomo, and another that takes half a day.

It sounds like you might benefit from browsing the official tourism website

www.newzealand.com

I agree with kiwi_rob's alternate itinerary -- there isn't much to Oamaru and while Dunedin is charming, a day there would be a bit frantic and you will be better served to use the time as he suggests. I would even skip Wanaka and spend the extra day doing an activity from Queenstown.