some help please, we are leaving christchurch by campervan on the 30th of december for a 10 day tour of south island , what are the best places to fit in those 10 days plus we have to drop our daughters off in picton before we take the van back to c/church, where would be a good place to spend new years eve?, is it to far to be in queenstown? your expert help would be most appreciated

You effectively have two days to drive from ChCh to Qtn for NYE. This is easily doable. My wife & Daughter did a re-location for Britz a couple of months ago, and it took them just over 6 hours.

My concern would be that if you don't have bookings at a camp, I don't think you are going to get into Qtn. You will have to overnight somewhere outside the town, and assumedly drive your van into the town for the festivities. Take my word for it, THERE WILL BE NOWHERE TO PARK.

Parking in QTN is a nightmare even on an ordinary day. NYE it will be bedlam.

Possibly if you decide now you m ay be able to per book a site at one of the camp grounds Try these ones.

http://www.caravan-parkfinder.co.nz/parks/4748/view

http://www.caravan-parkfinder.co.nz/parks/4775/view

There are other motor parks in Qtn, but they are in the outlying suberbs, and you would have to get into the CBD for NYE. There is some public transport, so this might not be a problem, but being able to walk simplifies things considerably.

Best of luck, and have a great holiday.

Barry

You should cover Fox/Franz Josef (drive through Arthurs Pass), Queenstown, Tea Anau and the Sounds, drive thru the Sothern Scenic Route to Dunedin, return to Christchurch. You could also squeeeze in Kaikoura (whale watching), Blenheim (for a wine tour) drop your daughters in Picton (which is further north) and then drive back to CHC.

Last January, as part of a 17-day itinerary throughout NZ, we drove from Picton to Queenstown with overnights in Blenheim (2), Christchurch (1), Lake Tekapo (1) and Queenstown (4). It's about 3 hours to Lake Tekapo, via highways 1 and 8--a beautiful high country lake with the village on one side, where you could easily overnight. Twizel, at the end of Lake Pukaki, is another half hour or so. From here, it's about 3 hours to QT. If QT is packed, as expected, you might consider Glenorchy, a half hour's drive past QT along the shores of Lake Wakatipu--it's small and normally uncrowded (although you would still need to find parking in QT at some point, unless you take a shuttle from Glenorchy to QT). Another possibility would be Arrowtown--you pass close to it on your way into QT. North of Christchurch, Kaikoura and Blenheim are worth your time.

cheers guys, ive been trying to book a park for a couple of weeks now but it seems everywhere is booked up for that period.ill give parkfinder a go and see what they come up with or see in the new year somwhere else .new years eve will be happening where ever we are