If you have driven in India will be OK in New Zealand.
But be careful. Yesterday near Queenstown a tourist died driving on the wrong side of the road and direct into a bus (on the correct side of the road).
Most people would plan the trip as Rotorua - Queenstown area - Frans Joesf(West Coast area) and onto Christchurch, without back tracking.
Have you considered the Nelson start option, given the HKK flight schedule is not good? A lot of flights into NSN
Nelson to Frans Joesf(West Coast area) to Queenstown/Wanaka/Milford area and back Christchurch (no major back tracking)
Links-->
https://thetrustedtraveller.com/two-...rip-itinerary/
https://thetrustedtraveller.com/driv...to-queenstown/
Stops Along the Route
There is so much to see on the drive form Franz Josef to Queenstown that I recommend you take at least a full day to explore, if not more. I did it over two days with a few nights in amazing Wanaka in between.
<snip>
Time & distance from Google map. The google map times do not allow any time for stops/weather/construction/traffic.
- Queenstown - Frans Josef 380km 4:41
- Wanaka - Frans Josef 286km 3:36 (a no brainer as ~1hr less driving on a day with a long drive-time)
- Nelson - Frans Josef 454km 5:49. An easy 2 day drive, with some roads capable of 100kpm (60mph) cruising speed
- .
- Queenstown - Christchurch 478km 5:50 (~half on the flatish Canterbury plains)
- Frans Joesf - Christchurch 374km 4:41
Anyway am sure
poisonsag & poisonsag_+1 will enjoy the trip. Please report back after the trip.