keisari

Arriving 3/10/19 - from US Mainland to AKL
4 nights AKL - walking tours, visiting Rotorua, still need to read about what to do
3/14 - Auckland to Wellington via train - I love trains
2 nights in Wellington
3/16 flight from Wellington to Queenstown - spend 3 nights and one day Milford Sound
3/19 - one day bus tour to Christchurch - spending 4 nights in Christchurch and would like one day tour via TransAlpine train
fly back 3/23/19 to USA

Questions:
1. Is the train from Auckland to Wellington too boring? I do love trains.
2. Any recommendations for "one day hiking/walking tours in any of the cities" - all the tours I have seen are "multi-day tours"
3. I need help with options of doing TransAlpine train (going all the way to Graymouth and back the same day or doing only half way, spend a few hours in the national park and then going back to Christchurch)
4. I need to eat gluten free (absolute medical need) and I read it is easy to do in NZ but any special suggestions for any of the cities are always welcome. Would like especially one very special dinner during the trip.

Thank you in advance
Rami

calbear2005

Auckland: Coast to Coast Walk
Milford Sound: Key Summit Track and Lake Marian Track. The former just has slight inclines. The latter was more difficult (relatively; still easy) because it was requires a little bit of scrambling, which also makes it the more fun.
Queenstown: Ben Lomond
Christchurch: Godley Head Coastal Walk

keisari

Thank you Calbear2005
I will look into these walks but I assume I can easily access them from city center, correct?
thank you

calbear2005

You'll need a car to reach all of the walks except the Coast-to-Coast Walk in Auckland. It starts by Ferry Terminal and goes south, cutting through the city. Then you can take the bus back north to the CBD (no point in doubling back on the same route).

I kind of assumed that you would have a rental car in Queenstown to get to Milford Sound; same with the four days in Christchurch. If not, you should really consider it because otherwise, you'll spend a lot of time planning transportation instead of sightseeing.

Continuing with the rental car recommendation, I would reconsider taking a bus from Queenstown to Christchurch. Rent a car and stop in Wanaka (Roys Peak Track) and/or Mt. Cook Village (Hooker Valley Track) because four days is quite a lot of time to spend in Christchurch.

keisari

that is helpful
thank you

rtgta

4 nights in ChCh is a bit much, 2 should be plenty. I would spend those extra 2 nights near Mt. Cook Village / Wanaka / Queenstwon area. But take my advise with a grain of salt because I am basing it on the research I did for my first and upcoming trip to kiwiland.

Mwenenzi

Does the 2 weeks include the day of arrival & day of departure?
For the 12-14 days you have a little too many activities/destinations.
Rotorua is not a day trip from Auckland
Without a car many good places will be hard to get to easily. Will spend a lot of time getting to places.
Agree 4 nights in CHC is too much, even if 1 day is for the trans Alpine
You may be able to find a bus Queenstown to Greymouth (trans Alpine)

Look at this recent thread:--->10-12 days trip itinerary to NZ (both islands)

Edit
Intercity Bus route map.
https://www.intercity.co.nz/travel-info/route-map/
You may/can do Queenstown-Fox Glacier/overnight/Fox Glacier - Greymouth then Transalpine on the same day
https://www.intercity.co.nz/search-results/Form
Fox to CHC can be on one ticket from the Transalpine web site
Link (may fail)

CPMaverick

I would spend a bit less less time in Auckland and Christchurch, and more time in the Queenstown area.

You pretty much need a car for any day trips out of Auckland, but there are some good ones. I quite like Piha and it is an easy drive. Definitely consider a car if you can, bus tours will eat up a lot of your time otherwise.

Hornetcoach

im-headed-west

Not a bad day hike ... part of the Routeburn Track

4000 ft elevation gain to the top ...



but the view is GREAT !

calbear2005

im-headed-west

Yeah ... I did it in 2013 and was in ok shape. 4 hours up(with some picture taking) and 3 down. For me the down was much worse as it was so steep. My quads were shredded and were sore days later !!

The peak was clouded in at start in the morning but clouds burned off about :30 before I reached the summit.

PsiFighter37

I'm not sure whereabouts within the North Island the Auckland-Wellington train traverses. However, the part between Tongariro and Wellington, when I drove it, was quite dull - I remember it being quite flat and with little to see, at least from the driver's seat.

keisari

Thank you all. I took note of all your recommendations and will research a little more before I come back to ask more questions.
I am really not interested in renting a car but it seems like I may miss too much if I do not.
Will definitely look at fewer days in Christchurch (several of you suggested) and maybe one night between Queenstown and Christchurch.

calbear2005

Are you hesitant to rent a car because of driving on the opposite side of the road? Or the hassle of having a car?

Just from anecdotal evidence, it seems like tour buses only go to the main tourist destinations. I saw many buses at Milford Sound, but none at any of the hikes along the way from Te Anau to Milford Sound (e.g. Key Summit Track or Lake Marian Track). And as you drive along the South Island "freeways," there are so many places along the road that you'll want to stop to admire the view or go on a quick hike. You won't be able to do this unless you're driving yourself.

ETA: Also, having a car lets you do everything at your own pace. I hiked Ben Lomond with a girl who was part of a tour group that was leaving Queenstown at a set time. During the hike down, she had to run the last half of it to catch her bus. Something to be said about being in charge of your own vacation.