2 weeks in NZ: questions and wondering if we're trying to do too much?
Replies: 7 - Last Post: Sep 16, 2012 11:12 AM Last Post By: shadocg
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2 weeks in NZ: questions and wondering if we're trying to do too much?
Hello all,My wife and I will be leaving Canada for our honeymoon in a couple of weeks, and after 2 weeks in Australia (where most of our itinerary has already been decided upon), we will be arriving in NZ at the end of September with no definitive plans yet. We will have a moderate budget (i.e. won't need budget accommodation, but don't need 5 star hotels either), are active (will be looking to do lots of day trips involving tramping and kayaking), but won't be equipped for camping. As we will have already been in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland, we will have had our fill of big cities and will be looking to stay in smaller towns near parks or waterfronts where we can truly appreciate the natural scenery of NZ. As it will be the first time there for either of us, we thought this might be a useful forum to get some ideas, so here are some general questions:
Are we correct in thinking that late September-mid October is NOT high season and we don't need to book accommodation well ahead of time (as we might during high season). I thought I read somewhere that this time might be a school holiday - do we need to take that into consideration?
As this will be the end of winter/start of spring, are sandflies a concern, and if so, should we wait until we get to NZ to buy some spray as sandflies are something we don't have in Canada, so presumably the bug sprays here are ineffective.
We've established that we should not try to drive from Auckland to Queenstown (as we first planned). The ferry ride across Cook strait seemed like it had the potential to be a long, rough and pricey trip, and the long distance between Taupo and Wellington have led us to believe it would be best to go back to Auckland and fly to Christchurch, and do a South Island loop. Does this sound like a wise alternative to driving the whole length of the country?
Here is a preliminary itinerary I've put together, with lots of room for suggestions or alternatives.
Day 1 - land in Auckland in the late afternoon, check in to hotel (I think there's a rugby match that evening I'd like to attend).
Day 2 - check out what Auckland has to offer, then pick up a rental car in the afternoon and drive to Hahei or Whitianga (about a 2 hour drive according to google maps).
Day 3 - go to Cathedral Cove (not sure if this is something we can just do on our own or would need to book a tour). Is it possible to also fit in a trip to Hot Water Beach on the same day?
Day 4 - leave the Coromandel region and drive to Rotorua (3 hour drive) to see the boiling mud pools and geysers for the afternoon, then continue on to Taupo (1 hour).
Day 5 - spend the day in Taupo
Day 6 - Tongariro Alpine Crossing - not sure if we should base ourselves out of Taupo and go with a tour group, or just drive there on our own and maybe even find accommodation closer to the Park. We also have the option of doing this Oct 2 in case of conditions. I also realize that parts of the crossing may not be open due to the recent eruption, but from what I can tell, they have been slowly opening up the parts of the trail that were closed.
Day 7 - drive back to Auckland airport (3.5 hours), return the car, or maybe add an extra stop and check out the Waitomo Caves, or would that be trying to fit too much into the NI loop?
Day 8 - take an early flight from Auckland to Christchurch, pick up a rental car and head towards Marlborough wine region (4h), or to break up the drive, stop for a night at Hanmer Springs or Kaikoura
Day 9 - do some wine tours
Day 10 - head from wine region to Marahau (2-3 hours) as a take off point for Abel Tasman Park
Day 11 - spend the day in AT park
Day 12 - Leave AT park for the west coast. Do the long drive (6 hours?) to the glaciers
Day 13 - tour the glaciers (can both Franz Josef and Fox be done in a day or should we just pick one?), then head to Queenstown (4 hours)
Day 14 - day trip to Milford Sound (or just make this a destination in itself since it's a 3-4 hour trip?)
Day 15 - have to leave Queenstown and be in Auckland by the end of the day for an early flight the next morning
So, as you can see, it would be an action packed itinerary, but I'm not sure if we're being too ambitious and should decide to cut parts out. Are Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach all that they are hyped up to be? If the TAC is not fully open, is it still worth doing? Though, from what I've seen and heard, that is a must for us unless there is a full closure. Is AT park going to be a disappointment? Are there better options that don't get the same hype? Is Queenstown more hype than it's worth? Since none of our domestic flights are booked yet, we've got some room for suggestions and alternatives, so any tips would be much appreciated.
Thanks!
Edited by: kansingh
Edited by: kansingh
1
Unless its our Christmas holiday period, theres no need to prebook accommodation in NZ.2
lots of questions.Are we correct in thinking that late September-mid October is NOT high season and we don't need to book accommodation well ahead of time (as we might during high season). I thought I read somewhere that this time might be a school holiday - do we need to take that into consideration? Yes, No, maybe, but No.
As this will be the end of winter/start of spring, are sandflies a concern, and if so, should we wait until we get to NZ to buy some spray as sandflies are something we don't have in Canada, so presumably the bug sprays here are ineffective.
I've never found a bug spray that really works against sandflies anyway. They do tend to be worse in summer, but you'll probably still come across them somewhere. The best approach against sandflies is to wear long trousers, socks, and long sleeves. They are worst near water and at dawn/dusk.
We've established that we should not try to drive from Auckland to Queenstown (as we first planned). The ferry ride across Cook strait seemed like it had the potential to be a long, rough and pricey trip, and the long distance between Taupo and Wellington have led us to believe it would be best to go back to Auckland and fly to Christchurch, and do a South Island loop. Does this sound like a wise alternative to driving the whole length of the country? yes
Day 1 - land in Auckland in the late afternoon, check in to hotel (I think there's a rugby match that evening I'd like to attend).
Day 2 - check out what Auckland has to offer, then pick up a rental car in the afternoon and drive to Hahei or Whitianga (about a 2 hour drive according to google maps).
Day 3 - go to Cathedral Cove (not sure if this is something we can just do on our own or would need to book a tour). Is it possible to also fit in a trip to Hot Water Beach on the same day?
you definitely do not need to book a tour to go to Cathedral Cove. It is a fairly easy half hour or so walk. It is very pretty but not something I'd make a special trip to the area to see. If you plan to be there anyway and are passing - by all means check it out. It needn't take long so yes, depending on tides, it is perfectly feasible to spend time at Hahei the same day
Day 4 - leave the Coromandel region and drive to Rotorua (3 hour drive) to see the boiling mud pools and geysers for the afternoon, then continue on to Taupo (1 hour).
this is very very little time in Rotorua for the amount there is to see and do. there is also a lot between Rotorua and Taupo. You might be better off spending a night in Rotorua, and then the next night in Taupo (which I assume you were going to do)
Day 5 - spend the day in Taupo
Day 6 - Tongariro Alpine Crossing - not sure if we should base ourselves out of Taupo and go with a tour group, or just drive there on our own and maybe even find accommodation closer to the Park. We also have the option of doing this Oct 2 in case of conditions. I also realize that parts of the crossing may not be open due to the recent eruption, but from what I can tell, they have been slowly opening up the parts of the trail that were closed.
I wouldn't bother with a tour group either way. You can base yourselves in Taupo or closer by, but it is a pretty decent journey to the start of the track from Taupo - bear in mind that unless you have two vehicles, you will need to leave your car at one end, and get one of the buses to the other end, or do that at the end of the day. Check out the bus timetables and make sure you leave enough time.
Day 7 - drive back to Auckland airport (3.5 hours), return the car, or maybe add an extra stop and check out the Waitomo Caves, or would that be trying to fit too much into the NI loop?
not really, depends how massively excited you are about the caves though
Day 8 - take an early flight from Auckland to Christchurch, pick up a rental car and head towards Marlborough wine region (4h), or to break up the drive, stop for a night at Hanmer Springs or Kaikoura
Kaikoura is just down the road from Blenheim really. I wouldn't bother stopping at either place. Hanmer springs isn't really that exciting. I do like Kaikoura a lot but if you're heading for Blenheim, it doesn't really make much sense to stop there. The drive up from Chch is pretty easy.
Day 9 - do some wine tours
Day 10 - head from wine region to Marahau (2-3 hours) as a take off point for Abel Tasman Park
Day 11 - spend the day in AT park
I hope you're planning to do some sea kayaking?
Day 12 - Leave AT park for the west coast. Do the long drive (6 hours?) to the glaciers
Day 13 - tour the glaciers (can both Franz Josef and Fox be done in a day or should we just pick one?), then head to Queenstown (4 hours)
they can both be done. but you've got a very long day here, visiting the glaciers and driving to Queenstown. what are you planning to do at the glaciers? If it's just to look from a carpark, then that takes 5 minutes. but you don't see much
Day 14 - day trip to Milford Sound (or just make this a destination in itself since it's a 3-4 hour trip?)
it is a very very long day as a day trip
Day 15 - have to leave Queenstown and be in Auckland by the end of the day for an early flight the next morning
So, as you can see, it would be an action packed itinerary, but I'm not sure if we're being too ambitious and should decide to cut parts out. Are Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach all that they are hyped up to be?
like i said, cathedral cove is nice enough, and you're in the area. hot water beach is a lot of fun but you have to be there at low tide. make sure you check.
If the TAC is not fully open, is it still worth doing? Though, from what I've seen and heard, that is a must for us unless there is a full closure.
I think so, yes.
Is AT park going to be a disappointment? Are there better options that don't get the same hype?
I certainly wouldn't bother going there to walk. It is very nice for kayaking though.
Is Queenstown more hype than it's worth? Since none of our domestic flights are booked yet, we've got some room for suggestions and alternatives, so any tips would be much appreciated.
+I'm not a huge fan of queenstown, but it all depends what you're going there for.
For people who say you're looking to do lots of day trips tramping and kayaking, you've got hardly any in your itinerary?
3
Hi - please DON'T use google maps, grossly inaccurate driving times for NZ. For instance, Queenstown to Milford Sound is 5 hours one way, glaciers to Queenstown 6-7 hours. There is an awful lot of driving on this itinerary, I do indeed think you are trying to do too much. Perhaps just one island for two weeks?both glaciers are worth seeing and they are only 25 minutes drive apart.
for the Tongariro Crossing, stay in National Park if possible; 10 minutes drive to the start, 20 minutes from the end. You don't need a tour guide but you do need a bus shuttle service, the track is not a loop and the track end car parks have a reputation for break-ins. You can book the shuttle the night before at your accommodation and there are many different time options. Don't start the crossing before dawn (it's all about the views) and look on the map to help you time your walk without rushing it. As a guide you should be leaving Ketatahi Hut about 2 and a half hours before your bus pickup. Crossing is 19km, 800m climb and over 1000m descent.
for sandflies, try the local sprays but as someone else notes, they are not totally effective. The sandflies bite in daylight hours, cover up and keep moving or stand in wind as they are rubbish at flying. (The sandflies knock off at dusk when the mosquitoes take over - happily neither carries any disease in NZ)
HTH.
4
On the north island - No. On the South, there's no way you can manage this. My thoughts:My thoughts:
Day 2 - It took us about 2 hours to get to the Coromandel area. Simple, easy drive if you go straight to either of these locations. Hahei is a fabulous beach.If you try to drive the loop around the peninsular then it becomes a lot slower. Lovely drive, but a very slow, narrow, winding road.
Day 3 - The walk from the car park down to Cathedral Cove is about 45 minutes. It's a gentle easy walk, through fabulous tall trees. A really lovely walk. You just park your car and walk down - no tour needed unless you plan to go there by boat. Hot Water beach is very close by. We did both the same day, but check the tides, as it is is only possibly to do the actual bathing in hand dug hot water pools at low tide.
Day 4 - Again, we did this, and 3 hours is about right. There are some mud pools in the public parks in town but the best are in commercially run thermal parks. The best, we thought, was Wai-o-tapu, about 45 mins south of Rotorua on the way to Taupo, so do this on day 5. There's little to see in Taupo itself, so just spend the day getting there and seein Wai-O-Tapu. get there before 10 and see them set off the nearby Lady Knox Geyser. In Rotorua itself there is the Pohutu geyser at Te Puia, which is spectacular and goes off about once an hour. There is also a very good Maori cultural show here in the evening. Perhaps book this for the evening of day 4?
Day 5 - spend the day in Taupo - see above.
Day 6 - Tongariro Alpine Crossing - Sorry, didn;'t attempt this so can't advise.
Day 7 - drive back to Auckland airport (3.5 hours). I think it's a mistake to miss both the Cook Strait Crossing and Wellington. Wellington is a fabulous city in a spectacular location, and the Te Papa museum is an essential for any NZ tour. The Cook Strait crossing was one of the highlights of our trip. We had good weather, but a large part of this trip is NOT in open waters, but in the spectacular and sheltered Marlborough Sounds. If you need to "buy" and extra day to fit this in, I would either cancel the day in Auckland at the start or truncate the Coromandel section. As noted it is only 2 hours to Hahei, and you can then easily see Cathedral Cove this day as it's about a 90 minute return walk, so, maybe 2-3 hours all up. Hot Water Beach is fun, but can be missed.
Day 8 - There's a lot of doubling back here - doubling back to Auckland, then flying to Christchurch, then driving back up to the wineries. If you take the ferry to Picton you are 20 minutes from the wineries. In one quite relaxed day we got the 8AM ferry, picked up our car in Picton, then headed to a winer for lunch and did tasting in four of them. This has got to be better than a drive back to Auckland, a flight and a drive back north?
Day 9 - See above.
Day 10&11 - Sorry, we skipped Abel Tasman, but had a fabulous day walking a section of the Queen Charlotte Track. We took a water taxi from Picton out to a starting point, walked about 10kls and were brought Back.
Day 12 - It is a long day, but there's little you can, or should do to change this. We stopped at Greymouth to break this up, but that was a mistake as there was nothing to see here. We'd have been better off heading straight to the glaicers.
Day 13 - I'd just pick one. You can pay huge amounts to be taken on to the glaciers, or for free walk up almost to the face. We did FJ and it was fine. There's a nice lookout from the small hill in the path of the glacier, then a half hour walk up to it. Great views, and a good education! We only saw Fox from a distance but it was much of a muchness.
You CANNOT see the glaciers AND Make Queenstown in a day. It's a non-stop 5 hour drive, and you really need to stop. There are great views most of the way, especially up the Haast Pass with waterfalls, rivers, scenery, and there's a great 45 minute walk down to the Haast Blue Pools. Don't rush this - these really need to be 2 separate days.
Day 14 - From Queenstown, Milford Sound is 5 hours each way, then 2 hours on the Sound - This is a 12 hour day NOT 3-4 hours! As wonderful as it is, I think you have to skip this unless you find a a few days extra, such as by skipping Abel Tasman, or Coromandel, or Rotorua, or the glaciers. You've allowed no time to see Queenstown and surrounds, which are also spectacular. One option could be on the drive from the glaciers to go straight through to Te anau, which is only 2 hours from Milford, and then see Queenstown on the days out. But you still need to find at least another 2 days to manage all this.
5
The ferry ride across Cook strait seemed like it had the potential to be a long, rough and pricey tripIt also has the potential to be the nicest ride of your life. If the weathers good and ,especially in the evening, it's a beautiful trip. Only expensive if you take the car over, but most companies will make you drop the car off and pick up another at the other end. Otherwise look at the website but was around $55 pp last time I checked. Yes you haul your luggage on but if you're flying you're going to have to pack it all anyway.
Day 10 - head from wine region to Marahau (2-3 hours) as a take off point for Abel Tasman Park
Add another hour here at least for the drive. Do the Queen Charlotte scenic drive too.
6
I'm with Harry & Sambro - once you get to Tongariro you might as well continue on to WLG ( 4 hr) rather than turn back to AKL on Day 7. The Cook Strait ferry is generally a highlight for many people and saves you the long drive from chch to Nelson. If you decide to return the car to AKL why not fly to Nelson or Blenheim instead of Chch. You cannot do a glacier tour AND drive to QTN in one day. A half day glacier hike may not get you back to base & into dry clothes before 2 pm and it is a 5-6 hour drive from Fox to Queenstown. You might make Haast before dark.7
Hi!My wife and I are Canadian expats presently in Saudi and doing something similar to you and your bride. However, after talking it over with our Kiwi friends, we were advised to do one island or the other, but not both. You will be quite tired and miss a lot by trying to do too much.
This is our itinerary from Christchurch for a slightly less than two week time period. We are renting a camper van with shower, GPS and WiFi - we could have rented a Yaris from Eurocar and done B&Bs for about the same price or cheaper.
Out itinerary looks like this:
DAY 1 – arrive Christchurch atPick up Campervan. After orientation, go to Top 10.
DAY 2 – Ferrymead Park, Christchurch. Gondola to top of mountain over Christchurch. Drive to Ashburton (estimated time 1 hour 20 minutes)
DAY 3 – Drive to Methven (estimated time 40 minutes). Methven balloon ride in morning. Drive to Lake Tekapo (estimate time 2 hours 30 minutes). Hike in the afternoon?
DAY 4 – Lake Pukaki and hike. Drive to Moeraki (estimated time 4 hours).
DAY 5 – Drive to Dunedin (estimated time 1 hour 10 minutes). Sight see in the city. Cadbury World in the afternoon.
DAY 6 – Drive to Arrowtown (3 hours 40 minutes estimated). See Arrowtown. Drive to Queenstown (estimated time 40 minutes).
DAY 7 – Queenstown. Fun activities.
DAY 8 – Drive to Te Anau (estimated time 2 hours 30 minutes) Glow worm caves that evening. Hiking.
DAY 9 – Doubtful Sound Cruise and Power Station Tour
DAY 10 – Drive to Franz Joseph Glacier (7 hours). Stop for scenery.
DAY 11 – Franz Joseph Glacier heli-tour in morning. Afternoon - Hiking around Fox Glacier? Lake Matheson?
DAY 12 – Drive to Greymouth (estimated time 2 hours 20 minutes). Lots to see – shantytown, etc…
DAY 13 – Greymouth to Christchurch (estimated time 4 hours) Hand in Campervan (1 PM). Go to airport for flight home.
We chose this because it would take us to all of the highlights, many of these places were used in LOTR, it involves only one really long drive, from Te Anau to Franz Josef, and it offers opportunities at times to just sit back and relax or to explore if we so choose. So one day we might hit a winery tour and then go for a trek, another day we might book a tour. The important stuff such as the Doubtful Sound cruise with powerhouse visit, Cadbury World, balloon flight and heli hiking, we pre-booked as we know we want to do those things. Queenstown we are leaving open - we will take it as it comes because there is so much to do and it depends how we feel.
This is just an example. Please re-post and let us know what you have decided!
shad
