lavici

i live in the caribbean and itīs my first visit to the antipodes of the planet and as i'm not familiar with the weather down under i would love any opinions or suggestions: i'm going solo and would have to be in nz in april to "tramp" during 4 days the queen charlottes track,īcause the season ends then. afterwards i would love to walk the vineyards in marlborough, and look around nelson, then which other city... maybe wellington? so it would be 2 weeks in nz, then 3 days in taz and then sydney for 9 days for my may conference? are taz and nz worth going in late april early may weather? thanks to all...lavici

Melnq8

I've visited the South Island in April and had fabulous weather. I was told by one of the locals during that visit that April is the SI's most settled month.

You can walk the Queen Charlotte Track year round (as well as others), so I'm not sure what you mean about the season ending, unless you're just referring to potential weather issues (?).

The Queen Charlotte track doesn't have a hut system as do many NZ tracks, so there's nothing to close for the season and no bridges to remove that I'm aware of.

Nelson is one of the sunniest spots on the SI, so you're likely to have nice weather there.

I visited TAS in March one year and nearly froze to death around Lake St Clair, but I'm told it was unseasonably cold. We had lots of rain that visit too.

Suggest you be prepared for rain in both NZ and TAS and plan to dress in layers, as you just never know what the weather will do.

This site might give you an idea of what to expect:

http://www.weatherbase.com/

Neil_Oz

lavici, just for the record, Tasmania (with an 's') is an Australian state, so 'oz + nz' would be a more accurate post title.

OK, to leave the pedantry behind, I would have no hesitation in going to Tasmania and New Zealand in autumn, which in my book is the very best time to travel in any temperate climate unless you can't handle cool, crisp weather.

Wellington's weather can be problematic, but I like the look and feel of the city very much.

For average temps and rainfall check www.weatherbase.com (and have a great time!)

lavici

many thanks to both melnq and neil ... neil, please let me explain that i know tasmania is a state of oceania, but i wrote taz because it sounds fun, just as oz sounds fun vs. australia.

by the way, i'm venezuelan so fall weather is really lovely and a change for me because i live in caracas, though right now the temperature in my house- at 1:30 am-on monday is 12C°brrrr. i don't mind a little rain but if one's out and about for only a few days maybe problematic weather wouldn't be soooo hot...i'll check the websites you both gave me.

now melnq, the thing is that originally i was doing the Q.Track next year in january, but a conference in sydney came up for the 7-10th of may. so i'm deciding to then do both as long as i'm taking the trip down under and do it in april. i'm signing up with company that runs a 4 day itinerary, staying at very nice lodges( came out as the 4th best trip at Nat Geo), and they offer it from oct-april. so, i assumed the track was closed after april-october.

i was thinking of walking the vineyards around marlborough,before or afterwards, then go to nelson and i wasn't sure which other city would be great to visit, before leaving for either taz, or sydney?

should i pass taz this time and stay four more days in NZ? i wish i could stay one month in NZ and one in Oz, although I can't say my dates aren't flexible, realistically speaking, i could dedicate 10 days to each NZ, and then Sydney & after the conference maybe go to the blue mountains for a day hike? this first time...what do you guys think?

Melnq8

lavici -

The Queen Charlotte Track is open all year - I walked a good bit of it this past August - winter.

It stands to reason that the tour company wouldn't operate in the off season due to fewer tourists.

No need to go on a guided trip (unless you just prefer to). It's virtually impossible to get lost - the track is well formed and clearly marked.

Accommodation along the track is readily assessible to all trampers.

Would you happen to know which lodges? I've stayed at Bay of Many Coves twice (loved it) and Punga Cove (disasterous). Also popped into Craglee Lodge and it looked promising too.

The north of the South Island is a personal favorite - you can't go wrong in/around Nelson and the wine is fantastic.

There aren't many "cities" on the SI (Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown), but if you've time to spare, you might consider spending some of it in Abel Tasman National Park.

You can get to different points along the Abel Tasman track via water taxi. They operate year round, but on a more limited schedule than during the summer months. There's also kayaking.

Marahau, Motueka and Upper Moutre make good bases for visiting Abel Tasman as well as the area's wineries.

Blenheim has fabulous wineries too.

You might also consider driving over Takaka Hill and visiting Golden Bay - loads to keep you busy there if you like the outdoors and walking. Cape Farewell and Farewell Spit are well worth a visit.

If you're set on a city though, you could certainly take the ferry from Picton to Wellington. I haven't been to Wellie in years, but I'm sure you'll have no trouble filling your days there.

OR, you could head to Christchurch and catch your flight from there.

Regarding Tasmania - personally, I feel that TAS is worth every minute you can spare (as is NZ) and I wouldn't go for just four days, but that's just ME.

lavici

melnq you know sooo much! wow are you kiwi by the way? i appreciate everything youīre sharing with me. it helps me plan my trip much better. anytime you want to go to iceland i'll let you in on the good stuff... if you haven't been there already. i'll tell you the lodges:
Furneaux Lodge
Punga Cove ( the disastrous one)
The Portage Resort Hotel
-------------------------------
but you are right they do offer unguided tours, but still take care of all the logistics and even offer a discount if you go off season between may 1°-sept. 30, how silly of me, i hadn't noticed!
- do you think it would it be totally safe to go solo on the track for four days? i'm 55 years old and in pretty good shape, i just came back from a 8.73 kms walk in caracas and that's a big NO NO here. i know NZ is very safe but... i come from the most dangerous city in s.a. unfortunately
- to get to auckland to blenheim/ picton should i go by train, plane? i don't feel like renting a car and driving alone.
-ok i hear you. give me any ideas for TAS, i have flexible dates. i'm still planning and haven't bought my tkts yet. ( should i do a pacific circle from lax? )

tropo

lavici - New Zealand in my opinion is a very safe country.
Marlborough wine region in & around Blenheim is worth visiting (perhaps for one day only), and so are the wineries in & around Nelson.
I see Melnq8 has suggested water taxis in the Abel Tasman National Park, and I agree with her, its a great way of getting around this beautiful National Park. Of course, inlets of Marlborough Sounds, near Picton & Havelock are also worthy of a visit & walk. You mention the Queen Charlotte Track, which I haven't done, but last November we enjoyed the Queen Charlotte Drive from Picton to Nelson, via Havelock.

Melnq8

Hi again lavici -

No, I'm not a Kiwi, just an American who loves NZ & Australia.

I'm familiar with all the lodges you mention - had a great meal at the Portage and drinks at Furneaux a couple of times, but haven't stayed at either.

Personally, I'd have no qualms about walking the track alone from a safety standpoint (I'm female). The day we walked from Punga Cove to Craglee Lodge in August we didn't see another person on the track. There's always the off chance of an injury, so it might be wise to carry a cell phone (assuming you can get service) for emergencies.

If you're seriously considering walking independently, suggest you familiarize yourself with the distances and terrain between lodges and book your accommodation in advance.

This site might help:

http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/tra....aspx?id=36285

If you don't want to drive, you can certainly fly. Blenheim and Picton both have small airports, but I'm not sure which airlines fly into them (Sounds Air?)

The Tranzcoastal train offers service between Christchurch and Picton via Kaikoura and Blenheim, so that's certainly a possibility as well.
http://www.travelink.co.nz/nz/Tranzcoastal.html

Traveling by bus is another option.

lavici

thanks again to melnq for her invaluable advice and tropo's too. yes, the more i read your suggestions, i'm inclined to arrive in auckland and then go to the north of south island and concentrate around QCT, marlborough and bleinhem wineries, and the abel tasman park, nelson etc then take a ferry to wellington before leaving. then i will always come back for more like melnq.
please tell me melqn, as you have traveled before to NZ and OZ from the usa...and wanted to do this trip, would you get a pacific circle tkt? which would be wiser to do first weather and pricewise for tkt... OZ or NZ?

Melnq8

Sorry, lavici, can't help with the Circle Pacific tickets - I know they exist, but that's the extent of my knowledge.

All of my trips to OZ and NZ have been taken from the Middle East and from Indonesia, where I currently live.

We purchased around-the-world tickets several times when we lived in the Middle East, as that was the best way for us to get to NZ/OZ then continue on to the US to visit family, then return to the Middle East (via Europe). It was also a great way to fly Business Class without going broke.

You might post your question regarding Circle Pacific routes on the Airline forum if you don't get a response here.

lavici

melnq many many thnkx thankx thankx... i've been checking out all the very generous info you have given me. i will talk to my agent and see if what would be more convenient, flying out of venezuela thru USA and then back to a seminar in NY before coming back to reality in caracas. when i see tasmania in the map i think it must be same lat/long than NZ so i assume the climate would be very similar thru april-may. lavici