New Zealand in late July
 

I'm contemplating on a 12 day trip to NZ this July. On my to do list so far:
-stay in Auckland for at least 3 days to catch up with one of my best mates.
-go white water rafting
Where would be best (warmest) place to go water rafting (grade 2-3) in July?

I know Queenstown is known for thrill seekers. I can't ski and am afraid of falling from heights so I will not be doing activities like bungee jumping. Are there many non-thrill seeking activities in Queenstown? Is Queenstown worth a visit in my case?

Are there any local New Zealand operators offering week-long tours of the South Island?

In your opinion, how many days should I split between the North and South Island?


Thanks in advance!

Warm and New Zealand in July do not go together...

I'll let others who have done white water rafting in NZ give a better answer, but my experiences in NZ over winter, and esp down on the south island warm was certainly not word which sprung to mind... Bitterly cold was a more apt way of putting it...

Maybe Paihia would be the best place for whitewater rafting as it is the northernmost part?

Don't think there is too much white water rafting there (at least none that a 30 second google search found)... Even up there the average highs are only around 16C (60F)... Not exactly tropical...

Put bluntly, NZ in winter = winter sports... This is the time of year where you'd go across for some skiing / snowboarding...

Hightide,

You could easily fill 12 days in the SI alone. Queenstown definitely worth a visit for what some describe as "jaw-dropping scenery". Take the steamer Earnslaw on Lake Wakatipu and select the farm tour rather than the BBQ- cheaper and the better deal in my opinion. Jet -boat river canyons (not excessively thrill-seekerish IMO), or go up the gondola for a panoramic view of the lake.

http://www.realjourneys.co.nz/en/exp...mship-cruises/

http://www.queenstownnz.co.nz/information/thingstodo/

I would suggest fly direct to Queenstown from Auckland after your 3 days there. Rotorua would be worth a look but hot pools also at Lake Tekapo between Christchurch and Queenstown. Driving from there to Christchurch for flight out could work.

Plenty of rafting options- A google for "white water rafting nz" produced page after page of results. Here's one site's offerings-

http://www.flyingkiwi.com/new-zealan...water-rafting/

As for temps, winter as already described, but I expect you will be kitted with wet-suits for the rafting. By way of contrast, I have been to Melbourne, Australia in late summer...... and it was not warm.

I'd like to request some information for a similar trip so hope it's OK to add to this thread.

Are the roads from Dundedin - Milford Sound - Queenstown OK for driving conditions in August or is there a likelihood that the weather could close them off?

they're closed until spring. no one goes anywhere as they shift large penguin (the hoiho/yellow eyed penguin) colonies down the state highways on black ice.

Top comment. :rolleyes:

The south of the UK is not much different latitude from areas on the South Island, NZ, and has road closures almost every year.

I'd like to know if that's a risk or if the authorities are better at keeping roads open than in the UK.

Most likely okay (you don't travel over the main alpine passes) but small risk for Milford Sound and around Queenstown.

The Milford road can be closed at any time of year but more likely early spring (snow and avalanche risk).

The weather will, as others have pointed out, potentially be all over the place. It might be fine. It might not be. There might be snow. There might be sun. There might be ice. There might be all three and more depending on the time of day you ask. What it will be will be reasonably predictable ~48 hours beforehand. Beyond that, you'll just get people making jokes about herding penguins.