New Zealand, South Island- 9 days
Dec 2nd, 2023, 02:47 PM
#21
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tominrm, this article that came out a few days ago describes how an "atypical El Niņo" climate pattern will affect NZ's upcoming summer.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/niwa-o...BAWG2XY6FZGQ4/
The Jan-Feb temperatures will be warmer than those of March, however, March, or early autumn, is considered (in general) more settled, that is, fewer fluctations in the weather. In summer, we can have warm, brilliantly sunny days in the deep south, but the winds (and wind chill) can be really annoying (and sometimes dangerous as trees and power lines can fall). In the time I've lived here, I've noticed the winds tend to die down in March. Meanwhile, the North Island can be negatively affected by tropical cyclones in summer. In Feb. 2023, Cyclone Gabrielle was particularly destructive on the North Island. It also brought strong wind warnings to the top of the South Island. Summer 2023 was also affected by La Niņa climate patterns.
In other words, we never know what to expect. Check Metservice every day. It will give you a good idea of what the weather where you are will do from hour to hour. It'lll also tell you how many layers of clothing you'll need and if you'll need windproof layers, and what the pollen and UV levels wll be (the ozone layer over NZ is thinnest in autumn). I strongly suggest you bring insect repellent and strong sunscreen. Sorry if I have repeated myself. I'd like to you to be comfortable and prepared so you can enjoy your trip.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/niwa-o...BAWG2XY6FZGQ4/
The Jan-Feb temperatures will be warmer than those of March, however, March, or early autumn, is considered (in general) more settled, that is, fewer fluctations in the weather. In summer, we can have warm, brilliantly sunny days in the deep south, but the winds (and wind chill) can be really annoying (and sometimes dangerous as trees and power lines can fall). In the time I've lived here, I've noticed the winds tend to die down in March. Meanwhile, the North Island can be negatively affected by tropical cyclones in summer. In Feb. 2023, Cyclone Gabrielle was particularly destructive on the North Island. It also brought strong wind warnings to the top of the South Island. Summer 2023 was also affected by La Niņa climate patterns.
In other words, we never know what to expect. Check Metservice every day. It will give you a good idea of what the weather where you are will do from hour to hour. It'lll also tell you how many layers of clothing you'll need and if you'll need windproof layers, and what the pollen and UV levels wll be (the ozone layer over NZ is thinnest in autumn). I strongly suggest you bring insect repellent and strong sunscreen. Sorry if I have repeated myself. I'd like to you to be comfortable and prepared so you can enjoy your trip.
Dec 3rd, 2023, 05:06 AM
#22
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Diamantina, I have nerver been to "down under" so I didn't know if March in NZ is summer or fall; all I knew was it wouldn't be cold. Thank you for the information and warning. I will be ready as much as I can before I leave. I looked up Metservice and I was surprised to learn that the Southern part of NZ is that cool in March. I will have to be ready for cool/windy/wet weather the best I can. Thank you.
Dec 3rd, 2023, 03:44 PM
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The North Island's weather is different from that of the South Island, with the top of the North Island being subtropical! And the north of the South Island has warmer sunnier weather than the south of the island (Blenheim and Nelson are among the country's sunniest areas).
As your NZ trip will mainly be in the southern parts of the South Island (Christchurch, FJ, Queenstown, Te Anau, Milford Sound), I'll address this. What's considered "summer" down here, is subjective, a frame of mind. Technically, some people think it starts on Dec. 1 (I find this date aspirational--because, for example, this was yesterday's weather warning); others think it's when school lets out (from mid- to late-December, though universities let out earlier); and yet others think it begins with the summer solstice, which will be on Dec. 22. For me, here in Dunedin, in the deep south of the East Coast, it's marked by sunnier, drier days over more consecutive days (which allows for more outdoor activities unencumbered by the use of thermal underwear), longer sunshine hours, an abundance of locally grown stone fruits at the local farmer's market, a greater variety of produce at the supermarket (selling for far cheaper prices than in winter), penguin and albatross chicks at local nesting sites, sea lion and fur seal pups on local beaches and on the seashore, kaka chicks flying in local forests, summer blossoms (such as Xmas blooms of pohutakawa), more cruise ship passengers and backpackers in town, etc.
I would say the same goes for March. It might feel like summer in its warmth or autumn with a slight chill. Come March, I'm most comfortable swimming at my neighborhood's outdoor pool by the sea. In March, we can still enjoy tropical fruits like feijoa (it's also the start of Bluff oyster season). My neighborhood pool closes on April 1 for the season (which many locals loosely think of as the start of "winter", though technically it is not yet actually winter, but autumn) and reopens on Oct. 1. Cruise ships stop coming to the south around mid-April. This is when I pull out the thermal underwear, thicker merino layers and fleece clothing. This is when we might start having more "cold snaps" This is what an April South Island cold snap looks like. Produce choices become more limited (think root veggies and apples).
I just had a search online and found this 2014 essay from a site called "Weather Watch". I am not familiar with this website, but enjoyed the essay.
The transition between seasons here is fuzzy, and mutable, more so given the effects of climate change and El Niņo weather patterns. Even though you will mainly be on the South Island, I expect there wll be regional differences (there are regional differences even within Dunedin). Meteorologists are predicting weather weather on the West Coast and in Fiordland this year. Maybe, maybe not. You won't know until you get here.The best you can do is prepare and my guess is you have the needed clothing as you have walked the Camino de Santiago (I was in Northern Spain last month and the weather was often wet, but not so cold.). Again, for your NZ trip, I strongly suggest a water- and windproof jacket with a hood, waterproof pants, waterproof hiking boots (that would be comfortable in most weather and for wearing on the plane), and a waterproof cover for your backpack (I bought one on sale for NZ$5). A thin layer of fleece or merino wool to wear under your jacket for chillier weather, that you can also wear as an outer layer in mild weather, will probably come in handy. But if you get caught out by the weather, you can buy clothing here, not just at more expensive outdoor shops, but possibly at stores like the Warehouse and Postie (if they've already put out the winter clothing). Here in Dunedin, in summer, a lot of cruise passengers can be seen picking up cold weather clothing at the secondhand shops (known as "op-shops"). Bring a few waterproof plastic bags, just in case (most stores no longer hand out plastic bags). Forgive me if I am stating the obvious, bring shirts you can wash as you go along. You'll be spending time in Australia before you come to NZ; my guess is it will be a lot warmer and drier. Though, even there you can be caught out by the weather. On my last trip to Sydney, in September 2019, over 5 days, I spent many hours walking outdoors and was quite warm, but on a trip to the nearby Blue Mountains, in my rush out the door, forget to bring an extra layer. i ended up buying a fleece top after I started shivering in the mountains.
Yesterday, I ran into an acquaintance at the gym who immigrated to NZ from South Africa many years ago. We chatted about the weather (which is a popular conversation topic here), and compared notes about Xmas in his native SA and my native California,. He then asked if I preferred Xmas in our Dunedin summer or in California's coastal winter. I remarked, weatherwise, there was little difference. Following the gym, I went to the library. I stepped out of the car Half a block away, the Santa Parade was on. I could see a sea of Santa costumes and could hear a marching band playing "Rudolph the Rednose Raindeer." Yet, yesterday, on Dec. 3, it was about 50F. Summer...humbug (but I'm just an old curmudgeon)
Anyhow, down here in the south, we can get wet, cold weather even in "summer." And we can enjoy sunny, warm days in the middle of winter, though not often, not with consistency; it's mostly cold. Winter brings many beautiful, clear, crisp--though shorter--days, but also frosty mornings (and late afternoons that threaten with "sunstrike"), and occasionally fierce snowstorms that bring road closures.
In my opinion, even in less-than-perfect weather you're likely to still be rewarded by beautiful views and experiences. Should you for some reason have to change your plans at the last moment, say a freak rainstorm that causes a road closure, you'd probably be able to come up with an alternative plan that will be just as enjoyable because the South Island offers so much incredible scenery and March is not as busy as peak summer. But, again, the chances of this happening are rare.
As your NZ trip will mainly be in the southern parts of the South Island (Christchurch, FJ, Queenstown, Te Anau, Milford Sound), I'll address this. What's considered "summer" down here, is subjective, a frame of mind. Technically, some people think it starts on Dec. 1 (I find this date aspirational--because, for example, this was yesterday's weather warning); others think it's when school lets out (from mid- to late-December, though universities let out earlier); and yet others think it begins with the summer solstice, which will be on Dec. 22. For me, here in Dunedin, in the deep south of the East Coast, it's marked by sunnier, drier days over more consecutive days (which allows for more outdoor activities unencumbered by the use of thermal underwear), longer sunshine hours, an abundance of locally grown stone fruits at the local farmer's market, a greater variety of produce at the supermarket (selling for far cheaper prices than in winter), penguin and albatross chicks at local nesting sites, sea lion and fur seal pups on local beaches and on the seashore, kaka chicks flying in local forests, summer blossoms (such as Xmas blooms of pohutakawa), more cruise ship passengers and backpackers in town, etc.
I would say the same goes for March. It might feel like summer in its warmth or autumn with a slight chill. Come March, I'm most comfortable swimming at my neighborhood's outdoor pool by the sea. In March, we can still enjoy tropical fruits like feijoa (it's also the start of Bluff oyster season). My neighborhood pool closes on April 1 for the season (which many locals loosely think of as the start of "winter", though technically it is not yet actually winter, but autumn) and reopens on Oct. 1. Cruise ships stop coming to the south around mid-April. This is when I pull out the thermal underwear, thicker merino layers and fleece clothing. This is when we might start having more "cold snaps" This is what an April South Island cold snap looks like. Produce choices become more limited (think root veggies and apples).
I just had a search online and found this 2014 essay from a site called "Weather Watch". I am not familiar with this website, but enjoyed the essay.
The transition between seasons here is fuzzy, and mutable, more so given the effects of climate change and El Niņo weather patterns. Even though you will mainly be on the South Island, I expect there wll be regional differences (there are regional differences even within Dunedin). Meteorologists are predicting weather weather on the West Coast and in Fiordland this year. Maybe, maybe not. You won't know until you get here.The best you can do is prepare and my guess is you have the needed clothing as you have walked the Camino de Santiago (I was in Northern Spain last month and the weather was often wet, but not so cold.). Again, for your NZ trip, I strongly suggest a water- and windproof jacket with a hood, waterproof pants, waterproof hiking boots (that would be comfortable in most weather and for wearing on the plane), and a waterproof cover for your backpack (I bought one on sale for NZ$5). A thin layer of fleece or merino wool to wear under your jacket for chillier weather, that you can also wear as an outer layer in mild weather, will probably come in handy. But if you get caught out by the weather, you can buy clothing here, not just at more expensive outdoor shops, but possibly at stores like the Warehouse and Postie (if they've already put out the winter clothing). Here in Dunedin, in summer, a lot of cruise passengers can be seen picking up cold weather clothing at the secondhand shops (known as "op-shops"). Bring a few waterproof plastic bags, just in case (most stores no longer hand out plastic bags). Forgive me if I am stating the obvious, bring shirts you can wash as you go along. You'll be spending time in Australia before you come to NZ; my guess is it will be a lot warmer and drier. Though, even there you can be caught out by the weather. On my last trip to Sydney, in September 2019, over 5 days, I spent many hours walking outdoors and was quite warm, but on a trip to the nearby Blue Mountains, in my rush out the door, forget to bring an extra layer. i ended up buying a fleece top after I started shivering in the mountains.
Yesterday, I ran into an acquaintance at the gym who immigrated to NZ from South Africa many years ago. We chatted about the weather (which is a popular conversation topic here), and compared notes about Xmas in his native SA and my native California,. He then asked if I preferred Xmas in our Dunedin summer or in California's coastal winter. I remarked, weatherwise, there was little difference. Following the gym, I went to the library. I stepped out of the car Half a block away, the Santa Parade was on. I could see a sea of Santa costumes and could hear a marching band playing "Rudolph the Rednose Raindeer." Yet, yesterday, on Dec. 3, it was about 50F. Summer...humbug (but I'm just an old curmudgeon)
Anyhow, down here in the south, we can get wet, cold weather even in "summer." And we can enjoy sunny, warm days in the middle of winter, though not often, not with consistency; it's mostly cold. Winter brings many beautiful, clear, crisp--though shorter--days, but also frosty mornings (and late afternoons that threaten with "sunstrike"), and occasionally fierce snowstorms that bring road closures.
In my opinion, even in less-than-perfect weather you're likely to still be rewarded by beautiful views and experiences. Should you for some reason have to change your plans at the last moment, say a freak rainstorm that causes a road closure, you'd probably be able to come up with an alternative plan that will be just as enjoyable because the South Island offers so much incredible scenery and March is not as busy as peak summer. But, again, the chances of this happening are rare.
Last edited by Diamantina; Dec 3rd, 2023 at 04:37 PM.
Dec 9th, 2023, 08:13 PM
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I have done some research (meaning internet surfing) on Milford Track and found that all huts were reserved. Milford is one of main reasons for me to go to South Island. I knew Milford Track is popular but I didn’t realize it was that popular.
So, I need your help putting together an itinerary visiting Queenstown and Te Anau for up to a week. What I would like to do is at least one day trip to Milford Track, Cruise, and more hiking, and what you think would be nice things to see or do. Does not have to be 7 days; itt could be less, and I don’t have to visit both towns if I can do from one town.
What would you recommend?
So, I need your help putting together an itinerary visiting Queenstown and Te Anau for up to a week. What I would like to do is at least one day trip to Milford Track, Cruise, and more hiking, and what you think would be nice things to see or do. Does not have to be 7 days; itt could be less, and I don’t have to visit both towns if I can do from one town.
What would you recommend?
Dec 10th, 2023, 12:26 AM
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Bookings for the Milford Track open in May or June and usually book out quickly, often in minutes. This year, bookings went on sale in April, but the system crashed, so it took three hours for the track to get booked out. You might want to read this.
Anyhow, earlier in this thread Melnq8 mentioned how you could do a day hike on the track. I think you also should look at the transport options for a Milford Track day hike offered by this company, which offers departures from Te Anau or Queenstown. They also offer transport for a day walk on the Kepler Track and transport for the day walk to Key Summit, which overlaps with one end of the Routeburn Track. The Key Summit walk starts at the Divide on Milford Road. TrackNet, previously mentioned on this thread, also provides transport to and from Te Anau to the Divide. All three of these day hikes can be done while you base yourself in Te Anau.
Here are links to brochures for the Milford and Kepler walks, which you might find interesting even if you'd only be doing a day walk:
https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets...k-brochure.pdf
https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets...k-brochure.pdf
There are a number of day hikes you can do while based in Queenstown. The Ben Lomond Track, which starts from the top of the Gondola, is a popular one. I've not done it. It's rated an advanced track.
This company provides track transport to tracks around Queenstown and Glenorchy.
There are some nice walks in and around Wanaka, but I guess you won't be going there.
I already answered the return Te Anau-Milford Road-Milford Sound cruise question in #16. Real NZ, Southern Discoveries, Cruise Milford are among the many companies that offer this day tour and cruise. Or you might want to consider Intercity as you'll be taking the Intercity bus to get from town to town.
Anyhow, earlier in this thread Melnq8 mentioned how you could do a day hike on the track. I think you also should look at the transport options for a Milford Track day hike offered by this company, which offers departures from Te Anau or Queenstown. They also offer transport for a day walk on the Kepler Track and transport for the day walk to Key Summit, which overlaps with one end of the Routeburn Track. The Key Summit walk starts at the Divide on Milford Road. TrackNet, previously mentioned on this thread, also provides transport to and from Te Anau to the Divide. All three of these day hikes can be done while you base yourself in Te Anau.
Here are links to brochures for the Milford and Kepler walks, which you might find interesting even if you'd only be doing a day walk:
https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets...k-brochure.pdf
https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets...k-brochure.pdf
There are a number of day hikes you can do while based in Queenstown. The Ben Lomond Track, which starts from the top of the Gondola, is a popular one. I've not done it. It's rated an advanced track.
This company provides track transport to tracks around Queenstown and Glenorchy.
There are some nice walks in and around Wanaka, but I guess you won't be going there.
I already answered the return Te Anau-Milford Road-Milford Sound cruise question in #16. Real NZ, Southern Discoveries, Cruise Milford are among the many companies that offer this day tour and cruise. Or you might want to consider Intercity as you'll be taking the Intercity bus to get from town to town.
Last edited by Diamantina; Dec 10th, 2023 at 12:34 AM.
Dec 13th, 2023, 03:35 AM
#28
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Hello tominrm.
The advice you have from locals will of course be better than what I can offer, but I do have a suggestion re air gateways.
You say you are arriving from Australia. We went in the opposite direction, we started with NZ and went on to Australia.
Then back from Australia to the North island.
We were able to fly direct from ZQN (Queenstown) to Sydney and on the return, we flew from Melbourne to Wellington.
You evidently have more time than we had but the main point is, you might have options for flying in between Oz and NZ that might streamline your itinerary.
We had a wonderful trip to NZ notwithstanding we had only 8 nights there and only 9 in Australia. Obviously one cannot say one 'did' either country but our motto was, better some NZ and OZ than none at all. For what it is worth, we divvied up those precious 8 nights like this: 3 in Queenstown (one car rental), then on the return, 2 in Wellington; flew to Auckland, picked up another car and drove to Taupo for 2 nights, then back to Auckland for only 1 night (yes, I would have loved to have explored outside of Auckland but choices had to be made.) We are Lord of the Rings fans and along with hot springs, that was a big reason to visit the North island as well as the South, even on a micro trip like ours.
Enjoy your planning
The advice you have from locals will of course be better than what I can offer, but I do have a suggestion re air gateways.
You say you are arriving from Australia. We went in the opposite direction, we started with NZ and went on to Australia.
Then back from Australia to the North island.
We were able to fly direct from ZQN (Queenstown) to Sydney and on the return, we flew from Melbourne to Wellington.
You evidently have more time than we had but the main point is, you might have options for flying in between Oz and NZ that might streamline your itinerary.
We had a wonderful trip to NZ notwithstanding we had only 8 nights there and only 9 in Australia. Obviously one cannot say one 'did' either country but our motto was, better some NZ and OZ than none at all. For what it is worth, we divvied up those precious 8 nights like this: 3 in Queenstown (one car rental), then on the return, 2 in Wellington; flew to Auckland, picked up another car and drove to Taupo for 2 nights, then back to Auckland for only 1 night (yes, I would have loved to have explored outside of Auckland but choices had to be made.) We are Lord of the Rings fans and along with hot springs, that was a big reason to visit the North island as well as the South, even on a micro trip like ours.
Enjoy your planning
Dec 13th, 2023, 01:41 PM
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tominrm, earlier you asked about kayaking in Milford Sound (while based in Te Anau). I suggested contacting Rosco's Kayaks. Regarding doing a day hike on the Milford Track, I suggested Fiordland Outdoors. If you prefer that someone else make these arrangements for you, you can look into small group day tours from Cheeky Kiwi (though this tour would take a big chunk out of your NZ$1700 budget).
As you will be traveling around by bus, will you be buying an Intercity pass or making individual bookings for the bus? If the latter, the earlier you book, the more you'll save, though these cheaper fares might be more restrictive fares (perhaps non-changeable). Please keep in mind that there might not be that many buses per day, so it'd be best to book in advance, especiallly as you will be here during high season.. Before booking, read through policies regarding cancellation or change of bookings.
As you will be traveling around by bus, will you be buying an Intercity pass or making individual bookings for the bus? If the latter, the earlier you book, the more you'll save, though these cheaper fares might be more restrictive fares (perhaps non-changeable). Please keep in mind that there might not be that many buses per day, so it'd be best to book in advance, especiallly as you will be here during high season.. Before booking, read through policies regarding cancellation or change of bookings.
Dec 14th, 2023, 07:06 AM
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Thank you,Sue_xx_yy, for your info, but I already purchased ticket to Sydney but not my return ticket. It is such a long distance and expensive compare to other places I've been waiting for a long time for this opportunity to visit the two countries. In order to make this trip worthwhile I decide to spend about 7 weeks.
Dec 14th, 2023, 07:14 AM
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Diamantina, thank you. Checking with Cheeky Kiwi I discovered the guided tours are already sold out around the date I plan to be in the area. Must be very popular tour, but I get the ideas of where to go and what to do to.
Dec 14th, 2023, 04:26 PM
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Diamantina, thank you. Checking with Cheeky Kiwi I discovered the guided tours are already sold out around the date I plan to be in the area. Must be very popular tour, but I get the ideas of where to go and what to do to.
Dec 15th, 2023, 04:46 PM
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Thank you,Sue_xx_yy, for your info, but I already purchased ticket to Sydney but not my return ticket. It is such a long distance and expensive compare to other places I've been waiting for a long time for this opportunity to visit the two countries. In order to make this trip worthwhile I decide to spend about 7 weeks.
I do hope you'll post a trip report on your return. Have fun!
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