cooee

Hi all - my partner and I are hiring a campervan and departing Queenstown early August arriving in Christchurch 4 days later.
We know Milford Sound and Doubtful sound are two must see's but can anyone provide some other advice about great spots they have encountered around the south end of the south island ? We'd love to find some hot springs but from the limited research on the south island, don't think this is going to happen.....please - all you experienced travellers, we'd love to hear your suggestions.

mlgb

There are fewer hot springs on the SI and none that I know of at the south end.

Four days really isn't a lot of time to reach Christchurch in a campervan and also enjoy excursions. You will not be speeding along a superhighway. Take a careful at distances and drive times. It is unlikely you will average more than about 50 kilometers per hour including stops.

I don't know with only 4 days that you have time enough for a full day at Doubtful Sound. I might just do the Milford Sound excursion and then continue onward.

susncrg

Ditto re time. Four days is not a lot. Which way do you intend to go? Southern route and along the East Coast, through the inside, or west and see the glaciers? If you want some insight, my trip report has some places we enjoyed on both coasts. No matter what you choose there's great stuff to see.

Melnq8

There are some artifically heated hot pools in Franz Josef:

http://www.glacierhotpools.co.nz/

Here's a list of SI hot pools, natural and not-so-natural:

http://www.onsen.co.nz/pages/activit...land-hot-pools

cooee

Thanks guys, good advice. It now looks like we'll have 5 days at our disposal now. I will take the advice about km planning and trip times....will post the planned route once sorted and and ask for further comment then.
Thanks again