Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Yet another Request For Help with Itinerary

I am going to New Zealand for 12 days and need a bit of help with my itinerary. Realizing that one needs at least two weeks on each island and the fact that I have no idea when I’ll be able to get back, I’ve decided to make this trip a kind of “major highlight” trip where I can get a taste of the each part of the country. Below is a skeleton of my itinerary. I’ve put in the activities planned so far and would appreciate your help in filling the gaps and of course any suggestions your might have. Also, I’ve listed Hotels. Could you please opine on their quality compared to US chains like Marriott, Hilton, etc. and their location?

Here it is

Day 1 – Arrive in Queenstown. Probably just walk around and recover from flight. Not sure how tired I’ll be, so no formal plans. Hotel: Crown Plaza

Day 2 – Drive to Milford for afternoon cruise on sound and return to Queenstown. Lots of driving, I know, but I’ve read the drive is incredible. True or should I fly out to the sound?

Day 3 – Shotover Jet boat and Bungy jumping in the morning. What else in the afternoon? Hotel: Novotel

Day 4 - Drive to Glaciers What to do on the way? Hotel: Scenic Circle Franz Josef

Day 5 - Helihike in the morning. Make way to Christchurch. What to see on the way? Hotel: Crowne Plaza

Day 6 - Christchurch – Walk around city. Hanmer Springs day trip

Day 7 – Christchurch – Any suggestions for day trips?

Day 8 - Rotorua - arrive by air early in the morning. Go to geothermal park (which one?) Hotel: Novotel

Day 9 - Rotorua – Walk around city. Agrodome

Day 10 - Waitamo Glow worm cave. Drive to Auckland Hotel: Hilton (Is this hotel worth $500 per night?)

Day 11 - Auckland – What to do in a day?

Day 12 - Leave for home


Thanks very much for your input.

The drive to Milford Sound is great. Be sure to stop at the attractions along the way (there is an excellent self-drive tour description at http://www.cruisingms.co.nz/milford-sound-drive.htm ). Personally I would stay in Te Anau (which is halfway to Milford Sound from Queenstown), though there isn't much accomodation in Te Anau (it is a very small country town and not the world metropolis of 3 blocks that Queenstown has become).

On the glaciers I thought the non-helicopter hiking tour was more fun as it climbed up the face of the glaciers (using crampons and ice-axes and a rope anchored by the guides, so not real climbing but surprisingly close), while the heli tour takes you onto the flat surface of the glacier.

The rest of your itinerary is pretty good. In Rotorua be sure to see the former "8th wonder of the world", the terraces destroyed a century ago but there are still remnants and it is quite impressive, this is by Te Wairoa.

The Hilton is quite disappointing as a hotel, it is very pretentious and only a few of its rooms are fabulous. Not worth $300 much less $500. There aren't any great hotels in NZ but most are comfortable (and the low end are very good, the cheap motels are much higher quality than in the US).

Pretty good route. You do miss out on the northern part of the south island (which is completely different from the southern part, and quite nice). You also miss out on Coromandel (which is the best part of NZ within a day's drive from Auckland).

What to do in AKL has been covered in other threads on this forum, search should find them....I like the museum in the Domain and walking around Parnell.

What time of year are you travelling? This may impact on how feasible your plan is and also whether the destinations are suitable for what you want to do.

For example in spring, you need to allow more time to visit Milford Sound as the only road in may well be closed for avalanche risk.

Where are you coming from to get to Queenstown? If you are arriving straight from US, Asia or Europe; then a long day's driving the first day is not a good idea. Especially if you aren't used to driving on the left, manual cars, and poor mountain roads.

I have to leave for my flight, so I'll comment more later.

What time of year are you travelling? This may impact on how feasible your plan is and also whether the destinations are suitable for what you want to do.

I'm going mid-November.

Where are you coming from to get to Queenstown? If you are arriving straight from US, Asia or Europe; then a long day's driving the first day is not a good idea.

I'm coming from the US so that's why I don't have anything planed for the day of arrival. I arrive in Queenstown at 2:40 p.m. Haven't planned anything at all for the rest of the day. It'll really depend on how I feel. Generally, I can't sleep on airplanes so my thought is to stay close to town and try to go to bed at 9:00 p.m. or so.

Pretty good route. You do miss out on the northern part of the south island (which is completely different from the southern part, and quite nice). You also miss out on Coromandel (which is the best part of NZ within a day's drive from Auckland).


Thanks for your response. I guess I'll try to schedule a second trip. :) I know I'll miss these parts, but am fighting the urge to try to do too much. Do you think I should knock off a day in Christchurch and spend it in Coromandel?

No, stick with CHC, there is a lot to see there (maybe the best in NZ). Coromandel is mostly rural though Thames is a very neat town (an artist colony, sort of like Carmel was 50 years ago). NZ has a lot more diversity than most countries, making it a lot harder to see it all.

I'm coming from the US so that's why I don't have anything planed for the day of arrival. I arrive in Queenstown at 2:40 p.m. Haven't planned anything at all for the rest of the day. It'll really depend on how I feel. Generally, I can't sleep on airplanes so my thought is to stay close to town and try to go to bed at 9:00 p.m. or so.

I don't think I'd be comfortable driving 10+ hours on mountain roads the day after flying in from US.

I don't think I'd be comfortable driving 10+ hours on mountain roads the day after flying in from US.
He wasn't planning to drive from Queenstown to Milford Sound, cruise, and return back to Queenstown all in the same day, was he?!

We will be doing Queenstown-Te-Anu-Milford Sound, then back to Queenstown next month. I had thought the 5 hours back from Milford Sound to Queenstown was a different route than the outbound portion, but now think it must be that we retrace the same route on the return. Right? Not too taxing driving, is it?

What is the drive like between Queenstown and Franz Joseph? Enjoyable or difficult?

He wasn't planning to drive from Queenstown to Milford Sound, cruise, and return back to Queenstown all in the same day, was he?!

We will be doing Queenstown-Te-Anu-Milford Sound, then back to Queenstown next month. I had thought the 5 hours back from Milford Sound to Queenstown was a different route than the outbound portion, but now think it must be that we retrace the same route on the return. Right? Not too taxing driving, is it?

What is the drive like between Queenstown and Franz Joseph? Enjoyable or difficult?It is an easy drive (comparable to Hwy 1 on the California coast). There is very little traffic (1 car/hour on some sections, though there is an hour window when dozens of buses go to Milford, or so it seems -- and those buses are big, and go fast). The road to Milford does have avalanche risk (but that just closes the road, it doesn't make it harder to drive, and it is a very easy drive by mountain road standards). I did Te Anau-Milford-Te Anau in a day and that was not tiring (but it is half the distance compared to Queenstown).

The one trick to driving in this part of NZ are the one lane bridges (some are quite long!) and learning the protocol of who has the right of way. Usually there is no traffic so it isn't an issue, plus NZ drivers are very friendly. Most of the time there is only one road, and few or no alternate routes. Plus storms can cause incredible flooding within a few hours (it is after all a rain forest) and a bad storm can close the road for several days. On one trip I was driving about 2 hours ahead of such a storm (and realizing that if it overtook me I would be stranded for some number of days; normally not a problem to outrun such a storm, except the road was going at 70 degree angle to the direction of the storm, so not much forward progress, making it exciting).

He wasn't planning to drive from Queenstown to Milford Sound, cruise, and return back to Queenstown all in the same day, was he?!


I was, but it sounds like that might not be such a great idea, at least not on day 2.

I was, but it sounds like that might not be such a great idea, at least not on day 2.I disagree, it is eminently doable and while it is a long drive (10 hours) it is not a difficult drive and there is a lot of interesting scenery; but it depends on how well you drive, and cope with jet lag. Alternatively you can take the bus to Milford (or fly, however flights are often canceled due to low cloud and fog). Milford sound is best in the morning (which you cannot do from Queenstown), but your itinerary simply doesn't have the slack to spend an extra day there.

So to be clear - the only road Queenstown to Milford Sound is the one the runs through/by Te Anu? (Where do people begin and end the Milford Track?)

Anyone have experience of Queenstown to Franz Joseph Glacier and able to say what that drive is like? (I have distances and estimated times to do these drives, but don't know what to expect of the experience.)

So to be clear - the only road Queenstown to Milford Sound is the one the runs through/by Te Anu? (Where do people begin and end the Milford Track?)

Anyone have experience of Queenstown to Franz Joseph Glacier and able to say what that drive is like? (I have distances and estimated times to do these drives, but don't know what to expect of the experience.)

Yes. To drive between Queenstown and Milford Sound you must pass Te Anau. Milford Track begins and ends at Te Anau and Milford Sound.

Queenstown to Franz Josef Glacier is very, very scenic road. Not likely to be much traffic (certainly much less than on the Milford Road). Has 1 (easy) mountain pass plus many smaller hills. The first part is typical inland alpine and subalpine scenery, then a mixture of rain forest, wetlands and the odd bit of farming.

As mentioned by number_6, this is the only road between these places (several hundreds of kilometers detour to get through Arthurs Pass if it is closed). There is a very small risk (1%?) of road closure due to storms.

...Anyone have experience of Queenstown to Franz Joseph Glacier and able to say what that drive is like? (I have distances and estimated times to do these drives, but don't know what to expect of the experience.)It is a very beautiful drive, and very little traffic (I once timed it at 2 cars per hour). I have only driven it in the opposite direction (southbound) as I started at Picton instead of Queenstown and thoroughly enjoyed it. Easy driving conditions (good road, well maintained, comparable to Hwy 1 in California). But watch the weather, the road does flood and closes during some storms (no idea how often that is, but more than a few days per year). Also accomodation is very sparse all along the west coast (think 100 motel rooms per 100 km, or less), so somewhat important to have reservations unless you are willing to drive a couple of hours to the next nearest place with a room.

ps. I liked Fox better than Franz Joseph, but that varies as the glaciers move, and they've been moving a lot lately.

Yes. To drive between Queenstown and Milford Sound you must pass Te Anau. Milford Track begins and ends at Te Anau and Milford Sound.

Queenstown to Franz Josef Glacier is very, very scenic road. Not likely to be much traffic (certainly much less than on the Milford Road). Has 1 (easy) mountain pass plus many smaller hills. The first part is typical inland alpine and subalpine scenery, then a mixture of rain forest, wetlands and the odd bit of farming.

As mentioned by number_6, this is the only road between these places (several hundreds of kilometers detour to get through Arthurs Pass if it is closed). There is a very small risk (1%?) of road closure due to storms.
Thanks. Have now gone ahead and committed to making the circuit by car from Queenstown past Franz Joseph up and around coast to Nelson and end up in Christchurch. Will chance that very small risk of road closure and detour. (Does "storms" mean snow? Weather can be a problem in mid-November? Can it be a problem even in January?)

About RTing Queenstown - Te Anu - Milford, which we haven't decided yet...should we drive ourselves or leave the driving to NZ's equivalent of Greyhound here? If it is one long road with nowhere to stop and/or explore except the intermediate stop at Te Anu, should we spare ourselves the driving? Am I right to presume that coach service is fairly frequent (> twice a day) in both directions and comfortable? What might we miss out on going by coach, the glow worms?

(BTW, anyone know the costs of gas in NZ these days? And is it "gas" or "petrol"? With the car must we learn a new vocabulary, e.g., "bonnet" rather than "hood"?)

No. Storm means rain. NZ weather is changeable so storms can happen any time. Perhaps less chance in that part of the country December through February.

If you don't mind a long day driving then I would drive as opposed to taking the bus. The route has some fantastic scenery and by driving you get to choose when and where you stop.

Petrol in NZ fluctuates in price a lot depending on oil costs and currency rates (since almost 100% imported). Currently about NZ$1.50 a litre (US$4 a gallon) as a rough guide. It has been much higher than this.

No. Storm means rain. NZ weather is changeable so storms can happen any time. Perhaps less chance in that part of the country December through February.

If you don't mind a long day driving then I would drive as opposed to taking the bus. The route has some fantastic scenery and by driving you get to choose when and where you stop.

Petrol in NZ fluctuates in price a lot depending on oil costs and currency rates (since almost 100% imported). Currently about NZ$1.50 a litre (US$4 a gallon) as a rough guide. It has been much higher than this.
Boy, those must be fearsome rain storms to close the road and force so wide a detour. Or perhaps there just isn't a sufficient margin of safety on account of the road features.

It seems there are arguments for and against driving ourselves or leaving it to a bus company to transport us. Wife, who doesn't like the prospect of too much driving, will probably decide it.

I bought gas here (Virginia) last week for $1.99 a gallon, and saw it in another station for $1.91. Not practical to bring it from home, though, so will hope it doesn't head north from $4 in NZ.

Again KiwiFlyer, thanks for all the helpful advice.

The wide detour just reflects there is only 1 road between Wanaka and Franz Josef (actually even further north as far as Hokitika). So any washout and you either have to wait until it is fixed (usually within a day or so), go the long way (via Arthurs Pass) or abandon that part of the trip (at least by road).

As for storms, well the west coast is rain forest and gets something like 6 metres of rain a year at sea level (much more in the nearby mountains), so occassionally it gets very wet. Having said that it can often be sunny and mild (sheltered from most cold winds) - in a week of travel you may not get any rain (but I certainly wouldn't count on that).

...should we drive ourselves or leave the driving to NZ's equivalent of Greyhound here? If it is one long road with nowhere to stop and/or explore except the intermediate stop at Te Anu, should we spare ourselves the driving? ...There are a lot (maybe 20) tourist-worthy stops between Te Anau and Milford Sound; most are things like a gorge with interesting rock formations. Buses do not stop at most of them (maybe one stop for the typical bus). Whether these are 'must see' or minor depends on your tastes. They are pretty unique. The route also has some neat wildlife (which you may see less of on a bus). Personally I think driving is far better, but the bus is a viable option.

In a really bad storm, visibility drops to fog level, but it is rain -- just very high density rain. Most of the US does not get such high density rain. I don't know how often it rains like that (maybe once a week in the rain forest part of the road).