Hi,

I have more or less frozen on m itenary:

Date Location
5-Sep-10 Bay of island - paihia
6-Sep-10 Nelson (rching at night)
7-Sep-10 Punakaiki
8-Sep-10 Fox glacier
9-Sep-10 Fox glacier
10-Sep-10 Queenstown
11-Sep-10 Queenstown (milford sound-drive)
12-Sep-10 Queenstown (adventure sports)
13-Sep-10 Queenstown
14-Sep-10 Mt Cook
15-Sep-10 Mt Cook
16-Sep-10 Christchurch
17-Sep-10 Rotura (morning flight from Christchurch)
18-Sep-10 Flight back to India @ 11 pm


As per the distance calculater, it is a 6 hr drive from nelson to Franz joseph...should we stop at Punakaiki overnight or go straight to Franz joseph ? If we go straight then I save a day and increase it in Christchurch...so truly it is a trade off between nelson and christchurch? Which one would you suggest?

Also, should we stay at Mt cook or lake takepo?

Thanks

If it were me, I'd spend the night in Punakaiki - this will give you time to explore a bit of Nelson and explore on the drive from Nelson to Punakaiki. Otherwise, you've got no time at all in Nelson, you'll be sleeping and that's about it.

Between Mt Cook and Lake Tekapo, I'd pick Mt Cook. You can stop in Lake Tekapo as you pass through, no need to stay there unless you plan to do some hiking or horse riding, etc.

Curious why you're flying into Nelson, since you're not spending any time up that way. You'd be better off flying into Christchurch with your particular itinerary.

well thats a good observation...we were earlier planning to spend sometime in abel tasman park..so booked a flight ticket (non refundable)...

We did NZ in December 09. In case it rains your time at FOX will be a waste. Its a very small town and hence plan a day and do helicopter landing or heli hike. Would suggest to stay in te anau and do milford sound. Take the day end cruise trip.
Mt Cook is brilliant and if u are getting a good deal at hermitage stay there. I dont know if the glacier explorer tours are open but u should do it.
Lake tekapo is brilliant.
all the suggestions came from this forum and the advise is very good.

I have to agree with ih on the issue of weather and the west coast. If you are planning to drive it during one of the frequent rainy episodes it is a bust. YOu won't see much and your flights will be scrubbed. So I recommend staying flexible and check the weather reports a few days before your start out, possible switch up the direction of travel. Typically a front from the Tasman/Antarctica means go to Mt. Cook instead. Occasionally the weather is from the east and then hightail it to the glaciers. I don't believe September is especially busy and if you are traveling in a loop I say take advantage.

One year I was traveling counterclockwise and everyone I met was going clockwise. They all had bad weather and I had perfection!