South and North Islands itinerary.
 

Could someone please suggest a route for us? We will be flying into Christchurch in Oct., renting a car and driving to as many sights as possible in two weeks. We will fly out of Auckland. We are an active 70 year old couple and we don't expect to make it back to N.Z. again! Please advise. Thanks.

What are your interests? Scenery, wildlife, Maori culture, etc.

Go to http://www.newzealand.com/travel/ and click on "driving routes". There's a wealth of information on that site.

Tim and Liz,
That's our problem! We're interested in most everything. Well, maybe not bungy jumping!!! We have good travel books to take along, but can you think of any neat little known places that we should visit that aren't in the books? Thanks so much!

Someotherguy,
Thank you so much for the wonderful web site. With of driving routes, it is just what we were looking for. Great!!!

Well. I really enjoyed SH8. That is from chch to queenstown and we stopped at a few places on route. Must dos include Milford Sound - a spectacular drive from Te Anau / Queenstown. October will mean that it will still be very cold down/up there but I wouldn't miss it.

Also go to Rotorua. Very touristy but I don't think that there are too many places in the world that you see the thermal activity like this.

So maybe Chch - 2 nights to recover.
Drive to Queenstown over 2-3 days - stop at Wanaka (puzzle world - just for a break from mountains), Lake Tekapo - glacier lakes and pictures of Mt cook.

Stay in Queenstown or Te Anau 2-4 days . Trip to Milford (either tour or drive cos the road is beautiful but a bit windy). Chill out.

Drive through Haast pass to the glaciers. This is a long drive even tho it doesn't look much on the map. Lots of stops on the way but may have to factor in a small chance of closure due to weather (snow, ice, slips).

2-4 days drive up west coast. plan for rain. Stay at Franz Josef - to visit glaciers, maybe stop at shanty town in Greymouth (don't stay here), visit to Hokitika.

Now you have a few options. Take the scenic train back to Chch or drive up to Nelson - Malborough area for a bit of wine and relaxation. Through to picton for the ferry.

If you went back to chch, you could either fly from here to wellington or rotorua or drive up through kaikoura (whales) then wine country then Picton for ferry.

Then maybe take 4 days going from Rotorua - Auckland.

Spend most of your time in the south island. You can visit cities all over the world - don't spend time in Auckland - it is great on a nice day but still just city.

Other people will probably have other places to add especially down near Dunedin but I can only recommend the places I have enjoyed. Also consider Napier and Taupo.

Sigh. It is just too hard to decide. Good luck

You can get a load of good info by typing 'trip report' in the search box under NZ. ((R))

If you want a great ending to your trip the couple at the Great Ponsonby B&B in Ponsonby [Auckland's most interesting area] will look after you really well and help with things to do. My dad stayed there and loved it. There is a local bus that can get you all over the city.

Two weeks is barely enough time to see the main sights in the South Island, yet alone both islands. People generally underestimate the driving involved!
Suggest you travel across Arthurs Pass to the West Coast, and down to the Glaciers (approx 5 hours drive without stops - so a full day) Suggest if you can afford and weather permitting a helicopter ride up the glaciers - a certain highlight. Then through the Haast Pass to Wanaka (approx 3 1/2 hours drive without stops) A beautiful drive through rainforest, coastal, mountain pass and lakes, with a lot of sights to stop and look at. Next, to TeAnau, with stops at Arrowtown and Queenstown (3 hours drive without stops) Once more a full day. From there you can either drive to Milford Sound (2 1/2hrs each way) or do a day trip to Doubtful Sound, (www.realjourneys.co.nz) Recommend the later, especially if the weather not the best. From there make your way back up towards Christchurch probably via the Lindis Pass, (State Highway 8) Twizel, Lake Tekapo, Fairlie and probably stop about Geraldine, as dont think you have time to go via the Caitlins and Dunedin. From there suggest if youve got time suggest a detour to Hamner Springs and perhaps stay there or if you want to do whale watching (The boats only go out weather permitting) go on to Kaikoura. From there toward Picton and the Cook Strait Ferry to the North Island. While in that area a visit to Nelson and the Abel Tasman National Park is highly recommended - a beautiful place.
That will take about 10 busy days of your 2 weeks. If you want to cut that shorter, youll have to maybe miss the Fiordland/TeAnau part, which will save a lot of driving, but that would be a shame.
There are wonderful places and things to see in the North Island too, but if its scenery you want, the South has it all!
The winter weather has passed now and it is a beautiful spring day in
Wanaka today. The chances of roads being closed is remote - apart from perhaps the Milford Road being closed due avalanche danger. If there is snow, they are cleared very quickly. I cannot remember when the Haast road was last closed. In saying that when you get your rental car, it is prudent to have chains included. Best being prepared - a late snowfall is not out of the question!
Hope this is of some help - enjoy your holiday.

Thank you all for your great posts and helpful information. I know we can't see everything but we will try to see as many of the high points as possible. The problem is that there are so many high points!!! Thanks so much.

Try this site for North and South Island travelling routes
http://www.adventurekiwi.co.nz/index.php
Thanks, Glenn
www.newzealandatoz.com