diego22

We are traveling for a first time trip to New Zealand. We are planning to arrive in Christchurch and then make our way over to Queenstown. We are hoping to see Mt Cook area and also the Milford sound/Fjiordland area. Not sure if we could make it up to Kaikoura due to time. We have been trying to decide if we should stay in Christchurch. It seems like some reviews have said that many areas are still under construction. I'm having a hard time finding scenic areas to stay in town. Any ideas suggestions? Also suggestions for areas outside of Christchurch? Must see and do?

Melnq8

The Christchurch CBD is still a mess from the earthquake and it will be years before it's completely restored.

That said, there's still plenty to do in/around Christchurch and a walk around the Red Zone (or a Segway tour)is a disquieting way to spend a few hours. The Restart Cashel Mall - made of shipping containers - demonstrates how resilient the Kiwis are and I reckon support of the businesses there is much appreciated.

We stayed in Christchurch this past June for just a night before our flight out. We found the traffic a bit overwhelming, because it's all re-directed around the Red Zone out of necessity. As a result, the roads in the city were very congested and I found it all a bit claustrophic (but I don't like cities in general, so take that with a grain of salt).

If you're looking for scenic, you might consider staying in Akarora, about 90 minutes from Christchurch, or even heading up to Waipara for a few nights (wine region 40 minutes north of Christchurch).

diego22

Also looking at driving through Arthurs pass and then taking the west coast down to Queenstown. Thinking of maybe taking a shuttle so we don't have to drive on the windy roads. I'm not sure if Mt Cook is visible from the glacier area or not. Any suggestion on traveling the west coast versus the Mt cook route? Is the Arthurs pass drive scary even in a shuttle bus? We will be traveling in November.

Melnq8

Personally, I much prefer the West Coast route to the inland route...it's lush, green, rugged and incredibly diverse. The rivers, the permanently bent trees, the overall wildness of it really speaks to me. It also rains alot, and there are abundant sandflies, which can put a damper on things.

You can see Mt Cook from Franz Josef and Fox Glacier...on a clear day.

I've also driven the inland route (Lindis Pass, Lake Tekapo) many times and I just don't see the attraction of all those dry tussock covered hills. The distant mountain views from the inland route can be very pretty though and on a clear day you can see Mt Cook from the road. The glacial blue of Lake Pukaki and Lake Tekapo are something to behold.

But, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder and what appeals to me may not appeal to you.

I don't consider Arthur's Pass scary or even particularly challenging, but then again, it's about perspective. The pass is only 920 meters high. The Otira Viaduct is an engineering marvel, but best viewed from an overlook, as you don't get the full impact when driving over it.

giggleguts

Depending on the time of year and your confidence with snow chains (if needed!) Arthur's Pass didn't seem to be too scary.
Last time we visited, we travelled from Christchurch to Greymouth on the TransAlpine train and picked up a car on arrival, continuing down the coast to Queenstown.
We stopped in Franz Josef and I fell in love with the mountains, glaciers and general scenery.
You could keep your car and go to Milford from here or on the way, or do as we did and take a day trip from Queenstown.

I'd say the train ride was relaxing, the drive not so long and broke up our trip rather well.
I absolutely agree with Melnq8 - the west coast route is superb.