Honeymoon Itinerary- Help!!
Replies: 8 - Last Post: Oct 15, 2012 12:53 PM Last Post By: hereandtherenz
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Honeymoon Itinerary- Help!!
Hi everyone! My husband and I are spending 3 weeks in New Zealand for our honeymoon. I've come across so many itineraries in my research and have put together my own based on everything I have seen. I was hoping to get other people's point of views who know the area or traveled extensively to the area. We plan on renting a car so I've looked up all the drive times too to make sure we don't spend the entire trip in the car.Thanks so much for your feedback!!
Day 1 (12/9) Arrive in Auckland (EARLY AM) (from LA) and head straight to Coromandel
Day 2 Stay in Coromandel
Day 3 Wake up and drive to Rotorua spend the afternoon/night
Day 4 Spend morning/early afternoon in Rotorua then head to Tongariro National Park
Day 5 Tongariro National Park
Day 6 Head to Wellington in the morning
Day 7 Wellington
Day 8 Head to Nelson City/Abel Tasman
Day 9 Nelson City/Abel Tasman
Day 10 Head to Punakaiki
Day 11 Fox Glacier or Franz Joseph
Day 12 Fox Glacier or Franz Joseph
Day 13 Queenstown
Day 14 Queenstown
Day 15 Milford Sound/Te Anau
Day 16 Milford Sound/Te Anau
Day 17 Wanaka
Day 18 Wanaka
Day 19 Christchurch
Day 20 Christchurch
Day 21 Auckland (Fly from Christchurch in the morning)
Day 22 (12/30) Auckland Leave
1
looks busy but possible, except the first day. Please do not even think of driving straight off the flight from LA - jetlagged, tired and on the wrong side of the road...there's plenty to occupy you in Auckland. this probably means skipping the trip to Coromandel but you can't do everything.
2
That itinerary is not a honeymoon but a recipe for a divorce.Slow down, stop to smell the roses and enjoy the holiday. or is it a mad dash to 'see it all"?
2 days in Queenstown - it's really 1.5 days at best, allowing for arrival and departure.
Milford Sound - do you know that the road to Milford Sound from Queenstown is very slow going? 286km will take you some 4 hours to drive it. You need more time around Queenstown.
Slow travel.
3
Day 1 (12/9) Arrive in Auckland (EARLY AM) (from LA) and head straight to CoromandelBad idea - It's 'only' a 12 hour flight but you will still be jetlagged and driving on the wrong side of the road. One driving tip - it's never ok to go thru a red light in NZ (i.e that turning right on a red light from the US doens't apply here).
Also - do you mean Coromandel township or just somewhere on the penisula? It's a very windy (but lovely) drive up to the township.
Days 2-4 - too rushed
Day 5 Tongariro National Park
Don't bank on being able to do teh Crossing on the day that you want to. The weather is unpredictable.
Day 9 Nelson City/Abel Tasman
No chance of covering those two places in a day. And all the things you'll miss if you try.
Day 19-20 - what are you going to do for 2 days in Christchurch? You'd be much better putting in those extra day(s) earlier in your itinerary.
Overall, I don't think you have time for Coromandel, spend more time in Nelson area instead.
4
#2 - I got the impression they were spending two nights in Te Anau to visit Milford as a day trip from there (2 hours 15 each way) and so avoid the 10 hour return trip from Queenstown which you note. I hadn't spotted the time in Christchurch, which I agree is too much.it is indeed busy and has no weather contingency apart from the two days at the glaciers, but compared to some on here it is a walk in the park. :-)
5
Thank you everyone for your input! I was hoping that my itinerary was more doable than some others I had been seeing- but I guess I was wrong! I was trying to give us more time and do two nights in most places. We're packing so much in here because we want to make sure we see as much as possible, since we don't know when we'll have a chance to get here again- but you are all right, we don't want to rush through our vacation.It sounds like most people think we should skip the Coromandel Peninsula so I'll probably take that off the list.
Thanks again! I might be re-posting a revised itinerary next week again :)
7
Hi again! I know I said I would post this last week- but never got around to it. After reading everyone's advice, I have re-vamped the itinerary. I know it still may be a little rushed, be we do want to see it all, and don't mind driving. We took out Coromandel and Christchurch- so hopefully this makes more sense. If you think one area is getting too much attention versus other areas- please let us know!Thanks again so much!
Day 1 (12/9) Arrive in Auckland (EARLY AM) and relax for the day/night
Day 2 Head to Rotorua in the morning
Day 3 Rotorua
Day 4 Tongariro National Park
Day 5 Tongariro National Park
Day 6 Wellington
Day 7 Wellington
Day 8 Nelson City/Abel Tasman
Day 9 Nelson City/Abel Tasman
Day 10 Nelson City/Abel Tasman
Day 11 Punakaiki
Day 12 Fox Glacier or Franz Joseph
Day 13 Fox Glacier or Franz Joseph
Day 14 Fox Glacier or Franz Joseph
Day 15 Wanaka
Day 16 Wanaka
Day 17 Milford Sound/Te Anau
Day 18 Milford Sound/Te Anau
Day 19 Queenstown
Day 20 Queenstown
Day 21 Auckland
Day 22 (12/30) Auckland
