Hello Fellow Travelers! My husband and I are planning our delayed honeymoon to spend hiking and exploring the South Island. We have both been on over month long backpacking trips and are experienced with winter hiking as well. Looking for 2-3 night backpacking trips and recommendations as far as transport. We are currently thinking of renting a van and leaving it at trailheads between hikes out - ideally circuit trails would make the most sense in this case? Here are a few ideas we have put together. Thanks in advance for any insight!! Added in side trips of the tourist attractions, would love to hear which ones are really worth it! Also - any concerns of Easter vacation week making it more difficult to book places?

Hikes:

Mt. Earnslaw
Rob Roy Glacier - day hike
Gillespie Pass - 3 days/2 nights
**Routeburn Track. Can combine with Caples track to make it a circuit instead of point-to-point (3 nights)
Milford Sound Track
Mount Sunday

Bonus List:
Rafting:
Paragliding
Helicopter tour
Lake Moeraki
Biking: Alps 2 Ocean trail
Queenstown Bike around the basin: 140km with pick-ups/transfer back to queenstown - winery tour
Canyoning
Riversurfing

What route do you plan on taking over your 15 days?

Yes, Easter vacation week will be busy. It's the last school holiday before winter. It's also a popular time for viewing the autumn leaves in Central Otago/Queenstown Lakes and Mackenzie Region. In addition to the primary and secondary schools, the universities and polytechnic schools will also take their breaks. NZ is also a popular destination for Australian families.

This April, right? If you have not yet looked at the Dept. of Conservation website, then you might want to start there.. From the DOC website; "There are three huts on the Milford Track, which must be booked well in advance during the Great Walks season [late October to late April]. Camping is not permitted on the Milford Track." Bookings for the Milford Track for the current Great Walks Season began on May 28, 2024. Bookings during the Great Walks season are also required for the huts and campsites of the Routeburn Track. But you can do day hikes on both tracks.

You'll also find info on Mount Sunday and Earnslaw Burn info on the DOC website.

If driving to the start of the Rob Roy Track, make sure your rental car contract (under restrictions) will allow you to drive the vehicle on Matukituki Road beyond the Treble Cone access road turn off. I think this is because you'l have to drive through a few fords..

Tracknet offers transport to the Routeburn, Milford and Kepler tracks.

My husband and I just returned from 3 weeks in New Zealand, including 2 weeks doing hiking and touring in the South Island. such a beautiful place, it is amazing! We did a small group tour with New Zealand Trails. Small group in one van with two guides form New Zealand, we covered about 2000+ miles driving and saw the amazing major spots and hiked on at least 4 of the major tracks. They told us that the huts for sleeping on the major tracks book out in minutes when the booking opens for the season. We did glacier hike on Mt cook /Aorak and a wonderful hike on the Siberia Pass with a helicopter to the hut and a jet boat pick-up for the return. Abel Tasman is outstanding as well; worth the effort to arrange to get there. Have fun planning!