YUJJIN

Hi I'm taking my parents age 60-65 to new zealand next year for 13 days on both north and south island.arrive and depart from christchurh.

I wonder is it okay to drive around during winter time in July next year?I'm considering the road condition at that time?can someone explain to me?

Also I was thinking to get us a campervan for this entire trip.Is it a good idea on winter?or maybe we just rent a car instead or campervan?

this is my route:
day 1
arrival in Christchurch airport at1355

day 2
Kaikoura for whales watching

go to wellington and spend the night in wellington

day 3 and 4
rotorua and taupo

day 5
palmerston north and picton

day 6
hanmer springs and Christchurch for a night

day 7
lake tekapo and stop in Moeraki Boulders in Coastal Otago, continue to dunedin

day 8,9,10
queenstown, te anau and milford sound and wanaka

day 11
fox glacier and franz Josef, back to Christchurch

day 12
christchurch and akaroa

depart midnight to kuala lumpur,malaysia


do u think it is okay for me to make this route on next year winter?
opinions needed!Thanks!!

Melnq8

Hi Yujjin -

Have you looked at a map? Your itinerary makes no sense. You're criss-crossing the islands, going from the south to the north and then back to the south. Kaikoura is on the South Island, Wellington is on the north. Palmerston North is on the North Island, Picton is on the south.

NZ is quite chilly in July, especially the South Island. A campervan may not be a good option unless it has heat, especially for visitors accustomed to a warm climate.

Alpine roads on the SI can get icy, snow is a possibility and rain is a near certainty. The road to Milford occasionally closes due to snow and for avalanche blasting. Winter traveling does present a few issues, but I personally love NZ that time of year. It boils down to your personal comfort level with driving in variable conditions.

YUJJIN

thanks for the comment and advise.
Yes i did looked into the map and considering how many hours i need to drive and took into consideration the ferry about 3 hours to 3 hours in Cook Strait too.
I'm planning to spend the beginning of my 4 days in the north. I have already bought my ticket to christchurch.at the same time i want to make it to rotorua and taupo area, in between wellington and palmerston north are the stops i will make.any other solution that u can suggest for me to make it to rotorua?

Melnq8

So, you're flying into and out of Christchurch, but you also want to incorporate the North Island?

Here are some of the problems I see with your exisiting itinerary:
---------------------
day 2
Kaikoura for whales watching

go to wellington and spend the night in wellington
--------------

Are you driving to Kaikoura on Day 1 or Day 2? It's a 2.5 hour drive from Christchurch to Kaikoura.

If you drive to Kaikoura on Day 2 you're looking at a 2.5 hour drive from Christchurch, the time it takes for a whale tour, then a 2-1/4 hour drive to Picton, then a three hour ferry ride, plus the time it takes to switch rental cars (is that the plan?).

Days are short in July - it gets light around 7-7:30 am and dark by 5. I just don't see how you're going to accomplish this.

Have you considered flying between islands instead?

YUJJIN

Hi,Yes.I'm flying in and out from christchurch and want to make it to rotorua and taupo at the north island as well.

Im going to kaikoura on day 2 and the plan is to take a whale watch in a morning session and continue to picton and cross the ferry. I will only take a rental car in wellington.my day 2 will be using public transport. That's the reason i put only one activity on that day and the rest of the time will be traveling on the road to make my way up to wellington.

I did noticed about the short daylight time in winter. i just want to make it to wellington for me to easier to continue to taupo and rotorua the next day.

Flying will probably be my very last option.

Melnq8

Are you aware that the drive from Wellington to Rotorua is 6.5 hours and that Taupo is a further hour more?

And that the drive from Taupo to Palmerston North is close to four hours?
______________

day 5
palmerston north and picton

______

Via ferry? I assume you know that to do this you'd have to get from Palmerston North back to Wellington (two hour drive), then take the three hour ferry again.

_____________

day 6
hanmer springs and Christchurch for a night

___________________

So drive from Picton to Hanmer Springs (4:15) and then drive from Hanmer Springs to Christchurch (2 hours)?

___________________

day 7
lake tekapo and stop in Moeraki Boulders in Coastal Otago, continue to dunedin

_______________________

So Christchurch to Lake Tekapo (3:15 plus a 90 minute detour each way from the route that will take you to the Moreaki Boulders), then Lake Tekapo to Dunedin (4:20)...for what purpose? You're turning around and driving to QT the following day (4:05) so you won't have a minute to DO anything in Dunedin.

Sorry, none of this makes a bit of sense to me. You're spending all of your time in cars and on ferries getting to places you have no time to see once you get there.

Have you considered changing your flights to fly into Auckland out of Christchurch, or perhaps out of Dunedin or QT?

My only other suggestion is for you to post the places you absolutely don't want to miss and maybe we can start from scratch.

Otherwise, I'm out of ideas.

YUJJIN

okay.It is no way that i change my flight to arrive or depart from Christchurch.
I wouldn't want to miss it's what i listed from day 7-day 12.
and also rotorua and taupo. :/
This trip is for my parents,so we wouldn't do any extreme activites, just want to do some road tripping,enjoy the scenic journey.