NZ Itinerary Help
 

Hello!

Just wondering if anybody can advise whether my itinerary is do-able or if you can offer any alternatives or pearls of wisdom.
I am coming to Christchurch to work for six weeks July and August and then my boyfriend will join me in Christchurch for a three week holiday. We are in our early 30's and want to do some activities but also appreciate a quieter life! We are planning to hire a car and the rough idea is 2 weeks SI and 1 week NI. Here's the itinerary so far with accommodation and activity ideas where possible.

Days 1 & 2 - BF arrives Christchurch. O/N at my accommodation in ChCh
Day 3 - Drive Christchurch - Queenstown. O/n Queenstown (motel? any recs?)
Day 4 Drive to Te Anau O/N cruise on Doubtful Sound
Day 5 & 6 Queenstown - bungee for BF and shotover jet
Day 7&8 Drive to Franz Josef. Stay at Punga Grove. Helihike
Day 9 Franz-Josef - Punakaiki (need o/n suggestion)
Day 10 & 11 Punakaiki - Kaikoura. Stay 2 nights kaikoura (Old Convent). Whale watch and swim with dolphins
Day12- 14 Drive to Marlborough Sound, Stay for three nights at the Green Shed nr Picton - no plans to do anything other than chill out, kayak and drink wine!
Day 15 & 16 Wellington. Need accomodation. Te Papa museum
Day 17 Wellington - Napier - Stay Mornington Lodge
Day 18 and 19 Rotorua - need accom. Whakarewarewa and Wai-o-Tapu. Maori evening perhaps?
Day 20 and 21 - Auckland - Great Ponsonby B&B.

Any advice anyone can give is welcomed as I have revised this several times. I have checked that the trip to Doubtful Sound will be running and know also that whale and dolphin trips are weather dependent.

many thanks - look forward to your replies,

Suzanne

Hi Suzanne,
Your itinerary looks great. We can highly recommend Browns Boutique Hotel in Queenstown. We loved Punga Grove in FJ too--our favorite motel of the trip. (Browns was a very close second!)
If your BF bungees at Kawarau bridge, I highly recommend checking out Gibbston Valley winery and cheesery while you're in the area.
Liz

I went to Doubtful instead of Milford Sound and thought it was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen. I also went in July so bundle up-it's COLD there!

We stayed at the Bay Plaza in Wellington and the Lake Plaza in Rotorua; both are within easy walking distance of pretty much anything you want to do.

We really enjoyed the Mai Ora concert and hangi at Te Puia, home of the NZ Maori Arts and Crafts Institute.

If you like, you can see pictures of our time on the North Island at http://community.webshots.com/user/ElendilPickle

Lee Ann

Hi nan - Seems to me that you have already been in NZ:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35097490

"Author: nandiniilu ([email protected])
Date: 03/31/2008, 01:11 am
If you’re in Auckland don’t forget to check out Shakespeare Regional Park, my husband and I really liked the place. http://100percentpure.wordpress.com/
((*))