Will be in New Zealand around December 17. Trying to decide whether to include a few days on North Island or not. If we do so, here is tentative itinerary:

Day 1 Arrive AKL late afternoon (after flight from US to SYD, SYD to AKL - whew!!)
Day 2 Adjust to jet lag in AKL area
Day 3 Taupo via Wairere Falls
Day 4 Taupo to Tongariro
Day 5 Tongariro to Wellington
Day 6 Wellington to Abel Tasman via ferry
Day 7 Abel Tasman
Day 8 Abel Tasman
Day 9 Abel Tasman to Kaikoura
Day 10 Kaikoura to Hokitika via Arthur's Pass
Day 11 Hokitika/Punakaiki Rocks
Day 12 Hokitia to Queenstown via Franz Joseph
Day 13 Queenstown
Day 14 Queenstown
Day 15 Te Anau/Milford Sound
Day 16 Te Anau to Curio Bay
Day 17 Curio Bay
Day 18 Curio Bay to Lake Tekapo
Day 19 Lake Tekapo to Christchurch
Day 20 Depart Christchurch to Sydney
Day 21 Sydney
Day 22 Depart Sydney to US

The other option is to arrive in Christchurch, skip North Island and adjust schedule to possibly include a couple days in the Marlborough Sounds.

Too many wonderful sights to from which to choose. Appreciate your recommendations.

My honest opinion is that it is too much driving. We did 10 days down the South Island and only got the bottom half done and then we were driving a lot. For eg Curio Bay to Lake Tekapo is 5 hours 25 and then you miss the drive from Queenstown to Lake Tekapo which I think is one of the most beautiful drives on the planet.
I would spend more time down south, even fly into Christchurch would save time.
The AA website has a good distance calculator and google maps does as well.

Some judicious pruning is in order.

I usually go at around this time of year and need to warn you that although weather is unpredictable, summer does not necessarily arrive when it should. Sticking to a precise plan often just gets you views of cloud and rain.

Try to stay a bit flexible if you can, ie don't book nonrefundable lodgings.

In December it is more likely that the west coast is wet as the storms come up from the Tasman.

I found the best weather around Queenstown on my last visit.

If we arrive in CHC - that would give us about 4-5 extra days. We could drop Curio Bay and perhaps substitute Dunedin area - or keep Curio Bay but change our route to somehow include the drive between Queenstown and Lake Tepako?

If you have 5 Days you can add Dunedin between "Curio Bay" and Lake Tekapo.

Curio Bay to Dunedin (Catlins Coast)
Full Day Dunedin/Otago Peninsula
Dunedin Oamaru Omarama Twizel (this can be a long day, leave early, or possibly overnight in Oamaru to see the blue penguins
Mt. Cook/Lake Tekapo
Drive to Christchurch.

There is little reason to stay at Lake Tekapo if you can instead find lodging at Mt. Cook.

Twizel usually has room and is closer to the park than Tekapo.

Thanks mlgb! Here's another possibility incorporating your suggestion but starting from Queenstown. The only thing with this version is that I would miss Arthur's Pass.

Arrive Queenstown (stay 3 nights)
Te Anau (2 nights and see Milford Sound)
Curio Bay (2 nights)
Otago (1 night)
Mt Cook (1 or 2 nights)
Hokitika (2 nights)
Abel Tasman (3 nights)
Kaikoura (1 night)
Drive Christchurch

From Mt. Cook to Hokitika? Have you looked at a road map yet?

I used google maps for first itinerary and just did a quick glance at travel guide after reading your suggestion to add Otago or the second itinerary. I obviously need to go back to the detailed maps. Thanks for the sanity check!

Can't comment on your itinerary because I haven't been to several of those places. But wanted to mention that if you love scenery, I'd suggest a tour from Queenstown to Copper Canyon. (Lucky me, I have a friend who is a pro tour guide and our tour of Copper Canyon was a highlight.) Also, en route from Q'town to Milford Sound the scenery was FANTASTIC -- especially Mirror Lakes.

I love Abel Tasman enough to have returned on subsequent trips!

Enjoy!

We spent 10 days on the North Island in April 2004. If you click my screen name, you can find my trip report.

Lee Ann

Where is Copper Canyon? I've been to Queenstown half a dozen times and it isn't ringing a bell.

Skipper's Canyon is a nice outing.

I'd suggest if you want to do Tongariro, to head for Taupo for 2 nights and do just a day trip to the park from there. Then head back to Auckland for your fifth night. Next day, fly to the South Island, maybe Nelson. From other trip reports I've read, this might work: Work your way from Nelson, via
Abel Tasman - 3 nights,
down the west coast (Punakaiki and the glaciers) - total 3 n, 1 punakaiki, 2 Franz Josef
and on to Queenstown, Te Anau - total 4 nights
and then back to Twizel (1), and on to Christchurch (2) - total 3 nights.
Lezzee, this means so far you have 'spent' 18 nights.
Add your 2 nights in Sydney, that's 20 nights.

You've got 1 night left. Personally, I'd throw it into Sydney.

This means you'd be cutting Wellington, Kaikoura, and Curio Bay, but as someone has already pointed out, you have to cut something, I think.