zxcvbnm

While researching, I couldn't find answers to these questions, would appreciate your help.
We're planning a combination of bus tours and rental car.

1- Has anyone been on this bus tour of Mount Cook- would you recommend it?
https://www.greatsights.co.nz/new-ze...om-queenstown/
also which short walk/hike do they allow time for?

2-Thinking of taking the bus from Wanaka to Mount Aspiring NP. dont want to travel on gravel or through creeks. is there any other way to get to the park without driving on gravel roads or through creeks?. Looks like this is the only company that goes there from wanaka: http://www.ritchies.co.nz/wanaka/ . are there any others? The bus stops at diamond lake, glendhu bay, and raspberry creek. Are all these stops within the park itself or are any of them outside the park? Is the blue pools walk in the ark? Also which stop is closest to the blue pools walk? which other short hikes (around 1 hour- easy hikes) do you recommend in Mt Aspiring NP?

3- From Lake Tekapo to Lake Matheson, what's the shortest way? google maps is showing either drive up more on the east side of the island around and then down or down to wanaka and up and around on the west coast. Is there no direct path? Is Lake Tekapo worth driving a few hours out of the way for? Is Lake Matheson worth driving a few hours for? Which is nicer (if we decide to cut out one?)

4- Is google maps accurate with distance? does any part of the south island take more time to drive than other parts?

5- Important driving tips for driving on the other side of the road?

Thanks

Diamantina

#1 You can check out reviews for the Great Sights Aoraki Mt. Cook tour here:
https://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/ShowUs...ounamu_Ma.html
You can also call Great Sights and ask them specifics about the route and how much time you'll have in the village itself, whether it will be enough time to walk around:
https://www.greatsights.co.nz/contact-info/
Here's the brochure for Aoraki Mt. Cook walking tracks:
https://www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/pa...ki-mt-cook.pdf

#2 Yes, Ritchie's tramping shuttle will take you to Raspberry Creek parking lot, where you can walk the Rob Roy Track in MT. Aspiring NP, saving you the trouble of driving from Wanaka to the Matukituki Valley through the fords and over the dirt road yourself. It's important to note some rental cars are prohibited from driving on this road (Wanaka-Mt. Aspiring Road, also known as Matukituki Road). As you can see from this example from Apex rental cars, under FYIs, #3, "Are there any restrictions on where I can drive while renting from Apex?:
Apex New Zealand vehicles must not be operated off-road, on any beach (including Ninety Mile Beach and Te Paki streambed), or driven on farm paddocks. ALL vehicles (including 4WD vehicles) are prohibited from driving on ALL 4WD tracks.
Apex vehicles are not permitted to travel on the following roads: Skippers Canyon Road, The road to Macetown, Matukituki Road beyond the Treble Cone access road turn off, Glenorchy-Paradise Road beyond Priory Road turn off"

Diamond Lake and Glendhu Bay are in Wanaka, not Mt. Aspiring NP. and you can easily drive to these yourself; the road is paved. The Diamond Lake walk is good one, with some steps to climb and great views from the top.
https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-re...ountain-walks/

Mt. Aspiring NP is large and parts of it/different tracks can be accessed from different areas, such as Wanaka, Glenorchy (near Queenstown), Makarora, and Haast Highway (SH6). The Blue Pools Track is easily accessed from Haast Highway (SH6). This is the route you'll take when driving from Wanaka to the West Coast (Haast town, Fox Glacier/Lake Matheson and Franz Josef Glacier, Hokitika, Punakaiki). You'll go directly pass the parking for the Blue Pools Track. Read this:
https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-re...e-pools-track/

Here's a link to the brochure for Mt. Aspiring National Park.
5-mtaspiring-national-park-brochure.pdf

Also look at this link to short walks around Wanaka. The Mt. Iron track, just 2 km from the center of town, is a good one, a climb but doesn't take too long and with good views.
https://www.lakewanaka.co.nz/things-...view=list-view
https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-re...nt-iron-track/

#3. Right, there is no road that goes straight across or through the Southern Alps mountain range from Lake Tekapo directly to Lake Matheson, which is near Fox Glacier village. You can only cross the Southern Alps from Lake Tekapo to the West Coast through the mountain passes of Haast Highway (SH6) or Arthur's Pass (SH73). Here's a link to a touring map of both islands:
https://www.newzealand.com/travel/library/p23573_23.pdf

#4 Distance, most likely yes, but not time, it can't take into account any delays, which can be caused by road/weather conditions, being stuck behind slow-moving campervans on winding narrow roads, etc. So plan on the journey taking longer than it says, especially in high season I also use AA Drive Distance Calculator.

#5 Read: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/safety/driv...iting-drivers/
https://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/r...ns/main-types/
https://www.drivingtests.co.nz/resources/road-signs-video-50-new-zealand-signs-1/
https://www.drivingtests.co.nz/resources/tourist-and-visitor-advice-driving-in-new-zealand/
Be especially careful when turning or re-entering the roadway. Don't forget to look both ways. And be careful when going pass scenic pull-outs as drivers re-entering the roadway may do so without looking/seeing you. Some intersections and spots are notorious for accidents.
It's easier to remember to drive on the left when there are other drivers around, as they serve as a reminder, you can just follow them. It's easier to forget when you're alone on the road. Remember the driver's side is closer to the middle of the road. You can put a post it on your dashboard as a reminder
If feeling in doubt or confused, pull over if possible and get re-oriented.
Please, if you're not comfortable going at the speed limit, and cars are behind you, pull over when possible to let them pass.

zxcvbnm

thank you for taking the time to to answer all my questions with such clarity and lots of info!

zxcvbnm

The road to blue pools track from Wanaka on the Haast Highway- I'm assuming that it's a regular highway and no gravel roads to drive on? can i drive a rental car?

Diamantina

You needn't worry. Yes, your assumption is correct. Haast Highway is part of SH6, State Highway 6, a well-maintained and paved, not a gravel, road. In heavy rains, however, it's prone to slips. If you'll be here in summer, you shouldn't be affected by this..

By the way, most gravel roads are fine and you'd feel all right driving on them. I believe some, but not all, rental cars are prohibited from driving on Wanaka-Mt. Aspiring/Matukituki Road because the fords can become deep after heavy rains. Normally these are just puddles.

zxcvbnm

thanks