I will have Monday - Thursday or Friday before a meeting in Wellington in January to hit a one or two NZ South Island highlights. I am a 50 yr old female traveling alone who enjoys mountains, birds, animals, walking, and anything that is unique about a destination. I would like to use public transport or tours for this part of my trip.

As I posted when I started planning this trip, on my last visit to NZ's SI I had a great penguin tour from Dunedin, glow worm/lake trip in Te Anau, day hike/boat trip to Milford, and the commercial flight to/from AKL was like flightseeing of the mountains.

I had originally planned to fly to CHC and go up to Arthur's Pass, but your comments on my posting about going there for views and walks made me rethink. I am now thinking of flying AKL-ZQN or CHC on my day of arrival (Monday), staying overnight, and then taking a bus to Mt Cook on Tuesday. This is a longer drive than Arthur's Pass, but looks more dramatic with the lakes and the mountains.

Question 1--my options are to combine an Atomic or Intercity bus to Twizel, then change to a Mt Cook shuttle or else take Great Sights tour bus all the way to Mt Cook (much more expensive, but no change). I used Atomic before and it was fine basic bus transport. I assume the Great Sights is more expensive because it is a tour with commentary. Has anyone used them?

Question 2--Either bus would get me to Mt Cook around 1pm. There is an option to just stay for 2-2.5 hours and then return or continue onward to the other city. I thought I would overnight at Mt Cook (rooms are available) so I could take walks. I could get a bus out the next morning at 10am, connect in Twizel and be in CHC or ZQN in late afternoon on Wednesday. I doubt one can see much with just 2 hours? Anyone taken a bus tour like this from/to CHC and ZQN? How long have you stopped/spent at Mt Cook if focusing on walks and views, not flying to the glacier? The only reasons I was considering the day trip with 2 hours at Mt Cook rather than overnight are that I could keep same hotel in CHC, and then I have the option to ride the bus/train to Picton and take the ferry to WEL. This might be too much seat time--flying US-NZ, bus RT Mt Cook, bus/train/ferry to WEL. If I overnight at Mt Cook, I would need to fly from ZQN or CHC to WEL because of time. Less seat time, but no scenic ride up coast or ferry views.

The other reason I am rather constrained is that I want to visit Kapiti Island overnight to look for kiwis in conjunction with my Wellington stop. I can stay there on Thursday night, so that means I need to get to WEL on Wednesday evening or early on Thursday morning. Going on to WEL on Wednesday gives me the option of both the 9am and 3pm ferry crossings.

So, I would appreciate any experiences you've had visiting Mt Cook. I saw the posts of questions and responses from 2007 from the Indian honeymooner, but not much more.

Although I enjoy spending a night at Mt. Cook Village (to see the sunsets and sunrises), you can also sample some of the short walks that leave from the vicinity of the Hermitage & visitor center. If there is a view of Mt. Cook the Hermitage is just as good a place as any.

I don't know about Great Sights, but I would check that the other options do a photo stop at Lake Tekapo and the church.

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-rec...alking-tracks/

Good point.
I saw on Intercity
Tekapo Refreshment Stop 12:00 pm- 12:40 pm Reflections Cafe Carpark, Main Highway
and
Southern Links
Tekapo Break 1:30 pm Lake Tekapo Tavern 2:10pm
and nothing on Atomic timetable.
I'll ask them directly.
I'll have to look up where Reflections Cafe and Tekapo Tavern are.

Just about everything in Lake Tekapo is right along the main highway, as it's a tiny settlement (although I was surprised how much it'd grown on my last visit). Reflections Cafe and Lake Tekapo Tavern are right on SH 8.

As for whether or not to spend a night in Mt Cook, keep in mind there really isn't much there. Here's a list of all the tracks in the area, most of which are pretty short:

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-rec...alking-tracks/

Actually those are just the short walks (you might notice that the same link is posted two responses up). There are other activities and longer walks but with just another another half day some of them are not really possible.

Just for reference there is now a float trip to the icebergs breaking off the foot of the Tasman glacier as well flights with the Mt. Cook Skiplanes. Of course they won't go in bad weather so I don't know if I'd plan a whole itinerary around them. However Kay you might consider doing that I was able to get the empty seat as a single on the Grand Circle trip one year and it was sooooo fantastic. My favorite part was flying over the snow field that is the start of the Fox/Franz..although the glacier landing was also fun.

http://www.skiplanes.co.nz/Flights/A...ne-Flights.asp

Sorry mlgb, missed your earlier link.

My husband is a pilot and he only allows me to fly in small planes and helicopters with him or someone he has checked out--sort of like having your father check out your dates. So, I'll have to pass on the flights.

I did a sea kayak to glacier near Valdez, Alaska with hubby that was a quite fun outing and really beautiful. Another time we did a day cruise from Seward, Alaska that included waiting for the glacier face to calf. They are amazing. I was surprised at another one that terminates on land there that people were going unescorted around the warning signs and climbing around, into ice caves, etc. I appreciate their beauty, but also respect their dangers.

I did see the longer 4-hr Hooker Valley walk, but would be out late or early for that. Would have to check sunrise/sunset. I don't mind short or long walks, just not too remote or seldom traveled as I will be solo.

The isolation, smallness of Mt Cook doesn't bother me for an overnight to soak up some nature if the weather is nice or marginal (I love US national parks), but if the weather is really bad and you can't see the scenery, I would probably feel stuck.

Thanks for helping me think this one through. There is never enough time, at least in my schedule.

Just an update--
I do plan to go to Mt Cook overnight from Christchurch unless the weather is just awful. I plan to take the bus to Twizel/transfer to Mt Cook--the price difference from the tour bus pays for my hotel room. On return the bus takes lunch break in Tekapo.

I've booked a room at Aoraki-Mt Cook Alpine Lodge. Their cancellation policy is 48 hours notice. I am surprised at the generous cancellation policies at hotels, etc. in New Zealand. I would expect these small operators to really suffer if many people cancel at the last minute--or maybe there are so many unscheduled travelers that they do not have trouble reletting rooms and filling bus seats?

I'll bring my hiking shoes, rain gear, etc. and hope to walk some trails and enjoy the park. Not sure about the glacier lake trip--if the schedule fits.

Hi Kay have a good time,--we may cross paths on the South Island. I was able to get a last minute FF seat so I will be there at the same time. If I see a spotted Kiwi on Kapiti I will post about it.

I think the generous cancel policies are due to New Zealanders being honest..and expecting others to be. When I first visted a decade or more(?) ago, most independents didn't require a deposit at all, or even spell out a cancel policy, they just expected that if you reserved, you would show up as planned, or call to cancel as soon as you knew. How civilized! Of course I imagine with banking charges and foreign currencies it might also cost them more to receive and return a deposit than the occasional no-show no-pay.

I am so glad I stayed overnight at Mt Cook!

I had the Atomic Bus pick me up at the Copthorne Central (prepay online special $99) in Christchurch for the ride to Twizel (one short rest stop enroute). There I had about 1 hour to get a pie in the bakery, pick up some groceries, and get some sun (put on the sunblock).

Alan and Cook Connection was a great shuttle with lots of knowledge and commentary. Most of his business is backpackers. We stopped for photos enroute and he dropped/picked up at each lodging.

I quickly dropped my bag at the Lodge (fine motel), then hit the Hooker Valley Trail. The sun was bright and the heat intense--sure glad I had my sunblock and water. Too many people on the trail for my taste, but not many at the glacial lake at the end, so I could rest and watch the icebergs. By the time I made it back to the village I was exhausted, so I checked out the hotel, then showered and sat on the deck with my picnic dinner (lodge has a kitchen), watching the colors fade on the glaciers. Next morning I wandered some on short trails, then checked out the visitor center before Alan picked me up at 10am, back to Twizel, and on Intercity (nicer buses) to Christchurch with short stop at Tekapo.

The clouds obscured the mountains from Tekapo both days, but I was lucky that they cleared once I was in the valley and then they rolled back in as I was leaving.

I wasn't able to get a flight to CHC that evening, staying instead at the Sudima airport hotel (wotif.com mystery hotel) for the 6:45am departure the next morning.

I'm glad to hear it all worked out for you Kay2, and that you had good weather. Any chance we can talk you into posting a full trip report?