1

yikes. I'm afraid that I think a lot of this is completely impractical with an active child, let alone the baby. Comments interspersed.

Day 2: drive around the city and leave probably @ midday to Oamaru.
Do the night penguins tour and spend the night. Not sure what else to do there. Want to go to Nugget point??

***....which is a quite a way into the Catlins. Lots of Christchurch is still closed off so not much for you there. Oamaru has lovely buildings, a train if it is peak season weekends and nice beaches nearby.

Day 3: Not sure yet whether we should go to Dunedin (is it worth going all th eBay down there? Not sure if there's something better to see there) or take the short road instead and go to Nugget Point to head up to Queenstown.

***Dunedin isn't far from Oamaru.

Day 4: Queenstown. Leave early to go to Te Anau and then Milford sound (don't think we'll be doing the boat tour, is it worthy? Wouldn't the view be nice any way? Then head towards Glenorchy for a quick look and then back to Queenstown for another night there

***er...5 hours each way Queenstown to Milford. Very scenic drive but not much point without the cruise. After your 10 hour return trip you want to do another 45 minutes to Glenorchy? With a kid?

Day 5: Leave QT early to go to Mt cook, then Lake Tekapo, then come back to spend the night in Omarama.

****why not stay ay Lake Tekapo?

Day 6: Head towards Franz Josef, spend a couple of hrs in Wanaka to drive to Hast pass in lake Wanaka, keep going and spend the night in Franz Josef.

***wow. HUGE drive. Not practical. Wanaka to Franz alone 6 hours without stops and then you didn't start from there. Haast pass isn't at Lake Wanaka. Please look at a map.

Day 7: have a look at the Glaciers, keep driving up towards the Pancake rocks at Punakaiki and then drive back down to go to Christchurch via Arthur's Pass. Now, we're not sure whether to spend the last night in Arthur's pass and chill out or if there's a better place to stay on that way (still close to Christchurch) We just prefer to spend the night near ChCh as we have to be @ the airport @ 1pm

***certainly stop at Arthur's Pass - 2 hours to Christchurch.

this is all driving and no sightseeing even without the kids. Please rethink. Sorry.

2

Have you looked at a map? Backtracking everywhere.

Distances?
http://www.aatravel.co.nz/main/td-calculator.php

Milford Sound; the view is from the boat, not the pier.

3

I suggest you stop now and get your husband or somebody else to do this.
I think what you propose is the most disorganized and impractical itinerary I've ever seen.

4

I recommend you use www.aamaps.co.nz to sort out the travel time. With a 5 year-old I would plan on more than 4 hours driving per day and you have an average of 8-10.
The road from Chch to Dunedin via Oamaru is generally consider b locals as the only boring road in NZ. I'm sure your child will be tired & grumpy by the time the first penguins come ashore and won't really be able to see them anyway. Here is my suggestion:
1. Arr CHC midnight; stay the night;
2. Late morning start; Drive to Arthurs Pass or Hokitika for lunch (1:30-2:30 hr); PM drive to Franz Josef Glacier;
3. FJG to Wanaka (4-6 hr depending on how many stops you make);
4. Rest day in QTN
5. PM drive to Mt Cook (4 hr)
6. AM short walks around Aoraki NP eg Kea Point; pm drive to Lake Tekapo (1:30);
7. Early start to drive to CHC (allow 3:30 hr)

If you don't want to take the risk on Tekapo to CHC on the last day, consider a farm stay in the Methven area (1-1:30 hr from CHC)

5

Thank you so much for all the advices. I've been checking the time distances for an obviously not trust worth website http://www.accommodationz.co.nz/distances2.html# :(
The think is that I've booked all my accomodation already except the last night. I can' move most of it except for the QT one, have bought the tickets for the Penguins show on Oamaru as well, so I'm kind of ..... now :/
I really want to do Milford sound and Lake Tekapo, what should I do. I know it look irrational after reading all the advices. Pls help!!!

6

Hi again,I've checked and I can cancel the accommodations in Oamaru, Omarama and Franz Josef. Wouldn't mind loosing the money for The penguins show. Any itinerary ideas? Will have to spend 2 ngts @ Queenstown as I can't amend or cancel it :( Looking fwrd to hearing suggestions, many thanks! :)

7

Thank you for your help, it's been very useful! :)
Ok, Based in all ur advices, I've made up an itinerary draft before I amend my bookings. Pls feel free to make as more comments as you like.
Of course times are approximate especially knowing that we're traveling w 2 kids.
Day 1: night ChCh

Day 2: 8am leave ChCh to Lake Tekapo, arrive @ 11am. Leave at 12m to Mt cook, arrive there @ 1:30pm, have lunch there?? (Any suggestions?). Leave Mt cook to Omarama @ 2:30pm, arrive there by 4pm and spend the ngt

Day 3: leave Omarama at 10am to QT, stop by at Arrowtown. Arrive QT by 2pm. Do QT (gondola....not sure what else :/ spend the night

Day 4: 8am to Te Anau, arrive apron 10:30am. Leave to Milford sound @ about 12m (we better of driving as it he tours are a bit $$$ :( MS by 2pm do the 3pm cruise and spend the ngt

Day 5: 8am to Wanaka, lunch in QT, spend the ngt in WK

Day 6: 8am to Franz Josef (need help w this one, want to go this way as don't want to go back through the same area we came down, not sure whether to spend ngt at FJ or keep driving a bit more to Hokitika to shorten next day a bit :/) 4 hrs to FJ frm WK
Do the glaciers

Day 7: 8am to Hokitika, arrive 10am. 10:30am to Punakaiki (pancake rocks) stop by in Greymouth and get to PK by 12m. Head to Arthur's pass (about 3hrs drive :/ spend the ngt

Day 8: 8am to ChCh, drive around till time to go to the airport (1pm aprox)

How does it sound like? I know day 7 it's a bit of a long drive, not sure if it'll be too much. Although well have the whole day to get to the places, cam take it easy adm stop by if we need to.
Lots of comments are most than welcome. Advices re restaurants, petrol stations, nice spots etc.

Thanks for the bother :P

Edited by: Catasc

8

better; my comments interspersed:

Day 2: 8am leave ChCh to Lake Tekapo, arrive @ 11am. Leave at 12m to Mt cook, arrive there @ 1:30pm, have lunch there?? (Any suggestions?). Leave Mt cook to Omarama @ 2:30pm, arrive there by 4pm and spend the ngt

***couple of cafes in Mt Cook but it's not a place to go for lunch, it's a place to go for some walking! You can see the mountain from the Lake Pukaki lookout and save two hours of driving if that is all you plan to do. This also tells you if the weather is bad at the mountain.

Omarama is tiny, book ahead.

Day 3: leave Omarama at 10am to QT, stop by at Arrowtown. Arrive QT by 2pm. Do QT (gondola....not sure what else :/ spend the night

**lots of great walking round Queenstown, lake cruise, Arrowtown has the main street (10 mins!), the Chinese settlement (an hour) and again good walking round it, nice spot. Lunch there, don't rush into Queenstown.

Day 4: 8am to Te Anau, arrive apron 10:30am. Leave to Milford sound @ about 12m (we better of driving as it he tours are a bit $$$ :( MS by 2pm do the 3pm cruise and spend the ngt

***your only accommodation options are the overnight boats or the hostel, book ahead. TE Anau to Milford is 2 hours 15 without stops, but you SHOULD stop for the short walks.

Day 5: 8am to Wanaka, lunch in QT, spend the ngt in WK

• • • can I suggest at least doing the Key Summit walk on the way back down the Milford Road. You may even get time to do the Mt Iron walk in Wanaka although the excellent Rob Roy walk does not fit in.

Day 6: 8am to Franz Josef (need help w this one, want to go this way as don't want to go back through the same area we came down, not sure whether to spend ngt at FJ or keep driving a bit more to Hokitika to shorten next day a bit :/) 4 hrs to FJ frm WK

***again, lots of great short walks and waterfalls to stop for. Don't rush, take all day over this drive. You can walk TO the glaciers for free, but last time I checked Fox was looking better than Franz. Your itinerary does not really allow time to walk ON them, nor to do the great walks near them.
Do the glaciers

Day 7: 8am to Hokitika, arrive 10am. 10:30am to Punakaiki (pancake rocks) stop by in Greymouth and get to PK by 12m. Head to Arthur's pass (about 3hrs drive :/ spend the ngt

***rush rush rush again. Pancake rocks are a 20 minute walk, blowholes best at high tide, check times. Arthurs Pass also has good walking and the road is spectacular.

Day 8: 8am to ChCh, drive around till time to go to the airport (1pm aprox)

• • • • arrive ChCh 10am, return car, check in. If the latter is 1pm why not do a short walk in Arthur's Pass rather than 'driving around'.? Or there is the Antarctic centre near the airport.

9

Definitely better, though still ambitious considering you have two young kids. You'll need a vacation when you get home...

Nothing much to add beyond neverwinter's comments.
Rather than going to Omarama - which has basically nothing - I'd just stop at Mount Cook for the day where there are places to stay/eat and lots of things to do.