kanadakid

I'm coming to NZ March 1st and spending a week in AUK on business, finishing up 08 Mar 13. I purposely booked travel out of CHC on Mar 17th so have ~ 8 days to get there. I see some emphasis here on the South Island but planned to drive to Rotorua and enjoy the Waikite Thermal pools. I could then drive to WLG and take the ferry across to South Island, pick up a 'new' vehicle and head for CHC, Blenheim and possibly Queenstown. Am wondering if it makes more sense just to fly from Rotorua to Queenstown and start there winding up in CHC at the end. I do love a good boatride however, and would be remiss If I didn't get out on the water. Unfortunately I won't have loads of freetime in AUK, so can't make minitrips while working.
Any feedback would be appreciated. Cheers!

pauldb

I definitely wouldn't try doing all of that in 8 days. You're talking about 8hrs driving on the North Island and 10+6hrs on the South Island if you want to go to ZQN and then double back to CHC. That's 4hrs per day in the car.

I've done separate trips to top half of North Island and to the South Island. Rotorua is unusual and worth seeing but my favourite parts were undoubted around Queenstown. I would take a flight between the two and have 5 days down there (in particular you need time to get to Milford Sound: highly recommend the half-day flight if you can, otherwise takes at least a day). I have a sister in CHC but to be honest there isn't much to recommend there - you might even rearrange your departure from ZQN although there are places to see on the drive to CHC.

We also liked the area north of AKL so if you can venture out try to get to the Bay of Islands. Hopefully you can get your water fix in AKL.

kanadakid

Thanks - Am spending a day out on the harbour and overnighting at a friend's on Waiheke Island. I have decided to forego Rotorua/Taupo and grabaseat to Nelson where I can spend the entire week. I plan to check out the Northwest coast of S.I. around Picton/Nelson, then drive down the west coast through Franz Josef, past Greymouth to Milford Sound, then back to CHC via Queenston. Does this sound a bit more do-able?

number_6

Nelson-Fox/Franz Josef glaciers (overnight) and then to Te Anau/Queenstown (overnight) and then to CHC is reasonable, but it sounds like you have 1 day to do that instead of 3 -- which is impossible in view of the driving times. Also be aware that any storm can delay you by a day or 3 (creeks flood, and this is one of the wetter rain forests in the world). Very few alternative roads on that routing, so a detour can add a few hundred kms to the trip.

worldiswide

There is a good few days of activity in Nelson picot area alone. Abel Tasman allows you to do day or shorter walks boat rides and or kayaks and Nelson is a nice city. The drive down the west coast is beautiful as well. I know you feel like you want to do everything but slow down and enjoy the ride. That's wht nz is all about. Or do queens town and Milford or doubtful sound even an overnight on the boat. I don't know what age you are but queens town was our least favorite place in nz or south island. Too crowded and touristy. Dunnedin is also another option out of Christchurch. Otago peninsula is awesome for wildlife. Penguins seals etc and lots todo the city as well.

scanman24

Hi Kanadakid,

As a NZer who has travelled (and driven) extensively throughout the country, all I can say is that getting 'from A to B' takes a lot longer than it otherwise might in other countries. Roads here - especially in the South Island (and the West Coast of it) - are windy, hilly and have low speed limits by international standards. When planning your route, look at driving times rather than distances - these should give you a better indication of how much time you should allocate in getting from place to place, thereby allowing you to better plan your trip. The link below is a time/distance calculator for driving in NZ.

http://www.aatravel.co.nz/main/td-calculator.php

Personally, I would fly from Rotorua to Queenstown (will be quite expensive as it's a regional route that AirNZ have a monopoly over) and rent a car there, before driving to Milford Sound where you can "get on the water" and do a day cruise. It's spectacular by anyone's standards. Drive back and spend as much time as you want in Queenstown, but allow yourself 2 days to drive from there to Christchurch (comfortably). This gives you the chance to stop in Dunedin if you'd like, or a smaller town on the coast like Timaru.

This gives you the chance to see a bit of Rotorua but obviously you sacrifice the chance to go to Nelson and see the Malborough Sounds. Alternatively, you could skip Rotorua, fly AKL - WLG (dirt cheap) and catch the ferry as you mentioned. but then driving the WHOLE way down the West Coast won't afford you much time to get to CHC unless you flew ZQN - CHC.

Hope that helps, and feel free to ask for any more info.

Cheers,
scanman24

kanadakid

Thanks for all your feedback. You were right - i did give Rotorua a pass and went straight to QZN, then drove to Te Anua that day, overnighted there and left for Milford Sound the next morning at 6 am, giving me time to stop and enjoy watching the Kea eating someone`s car at The Chasm and still arrived in MS before the crowds - quite magical. I managed to do a day trip the 55 km off the `main road`to Mt Cook, which was A-Mazing, and then on to Twizel to the geothermal spa. Finally a lake I could swim in comfortably! Didn`t mind missing Arthur`s Pass and Hanmer Springs as I saw the kea and the hotsprings, and also opted to miss Kaikura as i went whale-watching in Maui on my way home. So I had another nice day doing the gondola and luge in QZN - and what a view! Then on to the beach at Spencerville near Christchurch where kids were learning to surf and horses were trotting up and down the beach. Also did the Red Zone bus tour in CHC and what an eye-opener. Thankfully no washed out roads as NZ had a terrible drought - but my prayers were answered- when it began to rain on Mar 17th - The day I flew off to Hawaii. Couldn`t ask for a better vacation, but so much more to see - Next time!

brenrox

Sounds awesome - you definatly were in the most spectacular parts of the country. Didn't know there was geothermal pools around Twizel. Really is an amazing part of the world down there, glad you could experience and enjoy it