Mt. Cook Vs Dunedin
 

Would you choose Mt. Cook over Dunedin for a stopover? We will also be seeing the glaciers, Milford Sound and Queenstown.

Mt Cook will be a small hamlet set up for the climbers, trampers and skiers - only approachable from the east by road. Dunedin is the fifth largest city in NZ - very scottish city. These are dissimilar places.

Stopover to where??

Mt Cook is not a stopover to anywhere - 80km out of the way - it is a destination. For those who wish to climb, walk or ski.

Are you driving Chch to Queenstown?

We would be coming from Dunedin on our way to Christchurch, or we could go from Queenstown on our way to Dunedin if it was worth it. I was thinking of taking the flyover at Fox Glacier that included Mt. Cook, but was wondering if it was someplace I should see up close

It is a long way out of your way. There are two really picturesque routes. SH8 Queenstown to Chch via Lake Tekapo, Pukaki (glacier lakes, view of Mt Cook on a good day).

The Mt Cook turnoff is off this road. 60-80km of winding road that you have to come back down. I would spend this time somewhere else rather than driving.

Also apparently the road Queenstown to Dunedin is also great - I have not done this one but if you search on this board a bunch of people have left trip reports and really enjoyed it!

We drove from Queenstown to Christchurch and so saw Mt Cook from a distance. We did not take the road up to the mountain for the reasons mentioned by wilees.
Our drive was beautiful, but if we hadn't been going to Christchurch, would never have gone that way.
I very much enjoyed my time in Dunedin and doing the wildlife tours in the area as well as seeing the city.
This would be my choice.

Wilees is right - Mount Cook is better for those that have the time to climb, walk or ski - but I agree it is a lovely route. You wouldn't go Queenstown to Dunedin via Mt Cook - way too long a detour.
I would do the flyover from Fox Glacier and spend the extra time in Dunedin.

Dunedin it is. Has anyone drive the route from Te Anau to Dunedin via the south?
thank you for your help

I went cross country rather than the southern route. I had been on the overnight Doubtful Sound cruise so, didn't set out til mid day. However, I was advised against doing the southern route in one day. To really enjoy it , it is necessary to keep going off the main road down little offshoot roads. It's possible to do it one one day, but not to really do it justice. SO I'm saving it for next time.

Hi ,
How long is the way from Te Anau to the Fox Glacier? I know it's a long way,where is it better to stop in Queenstown/Wanaka or should we drive till Haast and from Haast to the Glacier?

I would stop in Wanaka because it's a great town and has more to offer than Haast. I loved our time in Wanaka. The setting is beautiful overlooking the lake.

Agree with Kodi, we stopped at Haast and there is nothing there. Wanaka is a lovely little place and I would have pressed on had I known.