Self drive or Coach to Milford
 

My husband and I plan on staying in Queenstown for 4 nights next month. We were planning on renting a car to leave and drive to Franz Josef.
I'm a very comfortable driver, though this will be my first on the other side.

My question is, should we do the coach pick up from our hotel in queenstown and avoid driving the lengthy round trip in a day or would we just be better off renting a car a day early and doing milford our last day?

Thanks in advance!

That is should we do the coach pick up to Milford...

If there are two of you at least you can share the driving on the long round trip.

If there is any chance of bad weather I would go with the bus tour, however. One nice thing about being on a bus is that the elevated seating position gives you a better view. They do stop at the most scenic spot on the road, just before the tunnel.

Personally, I'd drive, but it really depends on your comfort level and personal travel style.

The drive from QT to Milford is about 4 hours ONE way, and there are many places to stop along the way. The bus stops in Te Anau (both ways I believe) and it also makes stops at specific overlooks, view points, etc.

The nice thing about driving is that you can set your own schedule, choose your own stops, and arrive before or after the bulk of the bus traffic, which IMO makes Milford a much nicer experience.

However, weather is definitely an issue in August, and if you have any concerns about driving on winding, potentially snowy and icy roads, you'd probably be more comfortable on a bus.

NZ is a good place for first time driving on the wrong side of the road. Except for Auckland and Wellington, that is. Queenstown is fairly small and easy to drive. Only trick in NZ is that the kiwis love their traffic circles, roundabouts.

We took the coach tour to MS from QT. Much easier to look around at the scenery when you don't have to pay attention to the road. Also, if both of you have to (due to jet lag or an uncomfy hotel bed) take a nap at the same time it is recommended that you not do it when driving.

Instead of taking the bus back, we flew. This was worth it as it was scenic, it saved time, was more comfortable than a long bus ride, and was some fun flying in the plane.

Would have liked to have arrived at MS a couple of hours earlier. Fog was creeping in as we got there and it advanced during the cruise. You could see what times the various tour buses get there and either take the earliest arriving one or plan on driving to arrive there before it.

We did this drive earlier this month. Milford Sound is fantastic (even in the rain and mist that we had at the time). We drove in a large campervan but being English I am used to driving on the left. The drive in itself is very scenic (read lots of sharp bends and roads a lot narrower than you would be used to - assuming you are American!). Personally, I think it is too much for one day. best take your time driving down and stay overnight for an early morning cruise around the sound. Plus even on night in Queenstown was too much for me! As mrwfundl points ou, a flight would be a good option assuming the weather is ok. NZ is currently having some of the worse storms in recent years at the moment. Here is a link to our blog which conatin a few more deatils of this section nof our trip:
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...6660/tpod.html

There isn't much in the way of lodings at Milford Sound.

There is one very nice hostel/motel very close to the port. can't remeber its name.

www.milfordlodge.com

DowntownStefanie:

It is many years since our first trip to New Zealand when we then visited Milford Sound.

We stayed in Te Anau [spelling?] and took a bus tour to Milford. I had a rental car but was concerned about road way condition and taking a rental car on that drive. My concern was unfounded.

With hindsight, I would do the drive myself for the independence of going and returning when I pleased but that is my own nature.

I live in Canada so driving on the left was a new experience at that time. It went quite well except for several vehicle problems.

One problem was that when I would signal a turn, somehow the wipers would go on instead of the turn signal!

Another problem was that the steering wheel would occasionally find it's way to the other side of the car. When I would get it, what? the steering wheel was over on the right!

From time to time I found that traffic was oncoming toward me in my lane! I had to quickly move over.

At later trips, the vehicles were much improved and those problems were fewer.

Often I would follow the car ahead when making a turn and repeat the mantra, "Keep Leeft".

I did my best to warn the innocent Kiwis by placing a large paper Canadian flag in the rear windscreen and one on the front. It was meant to convey the danger message of a foreign driver.

Many lanes are marked with a painted arrow on the roadway and that is a great reminder.

We picked up our car in Auckland at the airport and was driven to the rental office. From there we were on our own.

Our driving in Auckland was not bad at all. We avoided rush our traffic as much as we could and being on vacation, well, hell, I wasn't going to work anyway.

In the country traffic was very light much of the time.

Highway signs were not always large and often no bigger than city street corner signs so we had to stop to read them but we were never in a hurry.

That trip we drove from Auckland to the north of the north island and to the south to Christchurch and other south island destinations. We drove the car on to the ferry for that crossing.

Since then we have visited New Zealand 4 times, always renting a used vehicle and never killed anyone, thereby disrupting the sheep/person population ratios.

I am comfortable driving at home so I would not take the bus to Milford. Instead, I would take deet for the sand flies.

Have a great trip.

Woodie