Advice needed for New Zealand road trip

[Wildfaye29]

On 8/11/2019 at 3:29 PM, Mazda2gal said:

Hi All, I am planning a roadtrip to NZ South Island in early Dec, for 12days. Only 2 of us, both drivers who love to drive, we did a roadtrip to Tasmania before. Long distance driving isn't an issue for us. I recently drove from Terengganu to JB, over 500km, with only a half hr break in between, and I found it enjoyable.  

 

This would be our second trip to NZ, last one was 19years ago on package tour. We prefer to do easy walks/treks in scenic places hence have planned more of trekking this time. Have done White Water Rafting, Jetboating, Gondola, Luge in previous trip hence would skip these.

 

 

Planned itinerary (accommodation all pre-booked, train tickets booked, rental car booked):

 

Day 1 Reach Christchurch about 1pm. Drive to Kaikoura. Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway at least 3 hrs walk.

 

Day 2 Whalewatching at Kaikoura at 7am, for 3.5hrs. Depart Kaikoura by noon for 400km Drive to Lake Tekapo. [This would mean if weather condition not favourable for the whalewatching, we won't have time to reschedule it. Wondering if I should cancel the accommodation at Lake Tekapo and plan somewhere nearer to Kaikoura instead. Have done whalewatching in Taiwan and Tasmania before, so far have not experienced any seasickness even in choppy water, so hopefully driving after that won't pose a problem.]

 

Day 3 Lake Tekapo sightseeing for a short while. Drive to Mount Cook and do Hooker Valley Track. Drive to Queensberry to rest for the night.

 

Day 4-6 Queensberry to Te Anau, where we will spend 3 nights. Plan to do Doubtful Sound Day Cruise, Milford Sound Cruise with Milford Discovery Centre & Underwater Observatory, Te Anau Glow Worm Cave, Tutoko Valley River Hike, Key Summit Trail. [Hope to start driving by 7am and reach Milford Sound by 9am to take one of the earliest cruises, to avoid the busloads of tourists from QT. After that do the Tutoko Valley River Hike for 6hrs before heading back to Te Anau by nightfall. Possible?]

 

Day 7 Set off from Te Anau at 7am (check out time of our motel), drive to Queenstown. Probably reach QT by 11am. Sky Dive if weather permits. Squeeze in a 4hr LOTR Scenic Half Day Tour if possible.

 

Day 8 Depart QT for Rob Roy Glacier Track, Blue Pools Walk. Spend night at Makarora Mountainview.

 

Day 9-10 Drive from Makarora to Franz Josef. Spend 2 days in Franz Josef. Plan to do Heli Hike, short day walks (Lake Matheson Mirror Lake Walk, Roberts Point Walking Track).

 

Day 11 Drive from Franz Josef to Greymouth Railway Stn. Take TranzAlpine from Greymouth to Christchurch.

 

Day 12 Last morning at Christchurch before flying back to SG.

 

 

 

We just booked a Ford Focus with Apex, at NZ49/day including zero excess. Think it was a special rate as a Yaris rental is NZ37 or so a day (excluding zero excess which cost about NZ20 a day). 

 

 

Qns:

1. I checked that Sunrise in Dec would be before 6am and Sunset after 9pm (9.11-9.27+-). Would there be enough daylight to drive between 7am and 8.30pm?

2. I believe shops and restaurants may not open till too late? Hence better to plan for early dinner say about 5pm?

 

 

Would appreciate some tips/advice/recommendations regarding the planned itinerary and questions above. Thank you!            

 

how was the trip?

care to share your experiences?

[Wildfaye29]

with the recent eruption in the north island, will be ok to visit the south island this year end?

[Kklee]

On 1/13/2020 at 7:09 PM, Wildfaye29 said:

with the recent eruption in the north island, will be ok to visit the south island this year end?

IIRC,  New Zealand is in the Ring of Fire.  Hence, there is really isn't a good time to visit. 

IMHO after my visit to South Islands sometime back,  while New Zealand wants tourism dollars,  the up keep of the tourism infrastructure like rest stops and facilities,  on a few occasions,  still needs to improvement.    E.g. my encounter is that  a few scenic rest stops are closed for construction and no rest room facilities at a popular tourist spot.  At the petrol kiosk near the tourist stop, they have signs to say rest rooms are for their customers only. 

That said,  I am NZ will do their utmost to repair.
 

[Wildfaye29]

On 1/13/2020 at 7:09 PM, Wildfaye29 said:

with the recent eruption in the north island, will be ok to visit the south island this year end?

Almost 2 years on and still have not been to NZ due to Covid. Sad.

Hope to go in end 2022 or 2023 for a long road trip.

Keeping fingers crossed.

[Wildfaye29]

https://www.newzealand.com/sg/feature/ultimate-new-zealand-journey/

32days north and south island

[Fcw75]

25 minutes ago, Wildfaye29 said:

https://www.newzealand.com/sg/feature/ultimate-new-zealand-journey/

32days north and south island

I clicked on the link and the first thing I see is:

Travel Alert:

New Zealand’s borders are currently closed for visitors from most countries. Learn more

😒 Knn Covid knn…

Edited October 24, 2021 by Fcw75

[Shibadog]

1 hour ago, Wildfaye29 said:

https://www.newzealand.com/sg/feature/ultimate-new-zealand-journey/

32days north and south island

nice but a bit rushed in my opinion.

i spent 1 week on Stewart island itself lol 

for that route, i would plan for 6 wks (or more) instead of 32 days because i like to roam n hang around, not rush thru places. But also depends on the season and agenda. 

[Wildfaye29]

31 minutes ago, Shibadog said:

nice but a bit rushed in my opinion.

i spent 1 week on Stewart island itself lol 

for that route, i would plan for 6 wks (or more) instead of 32 days because i like to roam n hang around, not rush thru places. But also depends on the season and agenda. 

Will only be able to year ends - sch holi season - nov-dec

Which i was thinking maybe i can combine these 2 instead:

North (17) : https://www.newzealand.com/sg/feature/north-island-explorer/

South (22): https://www.newzealand.com/sg/feature/south-island-wonders-itinerary/

Will need some tweaking to cross the island and also maybe end up having do 2 months instead

hahahaha

Edited October 24, 2021 by Wildfaye29
add info

[Wt_know]

need to do “nose greeting”?

[Wildfaye29]

nz vtl prease

[serenade]

If you are fit and love natural scenery, the 5-day Milford Track is highly recommended. You will be walking through regions that are pristine and untouched. To the extent that hikers and operators carry out all their rubbish. Even sweet wrapper and cig butts consumed on the track are not to be left behind, but kept and brought out. Hikers leave behind footprints. Plus pee and poo in long drop natural composting toilets.

[Volvobrick]

13 minutes ago, serenade said:

If you are fit and love natural scenery, the 5-day Milford Track is highly recommended. You will be walking through regions that are pristine and untouched. To the extent that hikers and operators carry out all their rubbish. Even sweet wrapper and cig butts consumed on the track are not to be left behind, but kept and brought out. Hikers leave behind footprints. Plus pee and poo in long drop natural composting toilets.

Wait till the Sillyporeans visit it - ciggie butts and tapao Styrofoam will mark the trial for others to follow.  Bringing our littering culture to NZ. 

[inlinesix]

7 minutes ago, Volvobrick said:

Wait till the Sillyporeans visit it - ciggie butts and tapao Styrofoam will mark the trial for others to follow.  Bringing our littering culture to NZ. 

Kiwi will diu them upside down

😂

[Shibadog]

27 minutes ago, serenade said:

If you are fit and love natural scenery, the 5-day Milford Track is highly recommended. You will be walking through regions that are pristine and untouched. To the extent that hikers and operators carry out all their rubbish. Even sweet wrapper and cig butts consumed on the track are not to be left behind, but kept and brought out. Hikers leave behind footprints. Plus pee and poo in long drop natural composting toilets.

there are lots of such tracks in NZ. They call it "tramping", not hiking. Tracks have different grades and have huts for trampers to use as shelter, to cook and to sleep. i used to have an annual hut pass. 

[Volvobrick]

19 minutes ago, inlinesix said:

Kiwi will diu them upside down

😂

Like me tiuing those litterbugs when I see them around my area. 

[BanCoe]

42 minutes ago, serenade said:

If you are fit and love natural scenery, the 5-day Milford Track is highly recommended. You will be walking through regions that are pristine and untouched. To the extent that hikers and operators carry out all their rubbish. Even sweet wrapper and cig butts consumed on the track are not to be left behind, but kept and brought out. Hikers leave behind footprints. Plus pee and poo in long drop natural composting toilets.

I missed the Togariro one 2 years back when I was there in June, becos of winter it can be quite challenging and since we have to take their transport (it got closed off) due to weather forecast, the start and end is at different locations so we cannot use our own transport    

[serenade]

3 hours ago, Shibadog said:

there are lots of such tracks in NZ. They call it "tramping", not hiking. Tracks have different grades and have huts for trampers to use as shelter, to cook and to sleep. i used to have an annual hut pass. 

If not for the damm Covid closing the borders, this year I would have tramped Hooker Valley, Roy's Peak, Mt Aspiring Park and Abel Tasman. 

[Shibadog]

5 hours ago, BanCoe said:

I missed the Togariro one 2 years back when I was there in June, becos of winter it can be quite challenging and since we have to take their transport (it got closed off) due to weather forecast, the start and end is at different locations so we cannot use our own transport    

tongairo crossing is a semi alpine track which is not recommended for people who are not used to alpine conditions. 

i spent quite a bit of time on the mountain/volcano. Different slopes have different landscapes. I kena a hailstorm once when i was alone on the desert side in the southern side during summer lol. Also kena whiteout conditions when tramping near the ski field in spring. it's one of those places where u often encounter 4 seasons in a day.