1

Your route is very wiggly!
Can you arrive in ChCh?

Or do a circle from Q'town, back there, then fly North (to Wellington)?

2

Have you checked that the Routeburn isn't booked as well?

You cannot get to Mt Cook from the West Coast. Your itinerary looks like you think you can get there from Fox Glacier. There aint no road and its a long walk.

3

Like #2 said I am pretty sure days 7 & 8 are physically impossible. On day 12 you go past the end of the Tongariro crossing on you way from Wellington to Rotorua, on day 13 you head a couple of hours back to it. On day 14 you head back up north past Rotorua again to the Coromandel. If you are on a bus I think the whole thing is not possible. If you are in a car it is only possible if you drive from dawn till dusk almost every day.

I think you need to look at the map and guide book again and make some difficult decisions about what you are willing to miss out. I had to miss out things aswell and I know its tough to do. If it was me I would prioritise the south island, in particular the Mount Cook area, Milford Sound and the glaciers. If going to the North island aswell then the areas around Taupo and Rotorua and the Coromandel and thereabouts. There you go, 2 weeks and 6 general areas. Still rushed but still doable even by public transport (Although I found the Coromandel a bit difficult by public transport).

4

Ahh I see, thank you! I was able to rebook my flight giving me an extra 10 days, I am now planning to fly into Auckland on Nov 27 and out of Queenstown on Dec 24. I have booked Routeburn for Dec 21st and Dec 22nd. I am still unsure how to plan my circuit through the South Island, but ideally I would like to do Christchurch/Akaroa, Mt Cook, Lake Tekapo, Dunedin and Otago, Milford, and end up in Queenstown for Routeburn.

Day 1: Auckland --> Coromandel
Day 2: Coromandel and Cathedral Cove, back to Auckland
Day 3: Auckland to Rotorua
Day 4: Rotorua, bus to Taupo
Day 5: Tongariro Alpine Crossing
Day 6: Bus to Wellington? (Is this possible?)
Day 7: Wellington
Day 8: Wellington to Picton
Day 9: Picton to Blenheim
Day 10: Blenheim to Chch
Day 11: Chch and Akaroa
Day 12: Chch to Mt Cook
Day 13: Mt Cook
Day 14: Mt Cook to Tekapo
Day 15: Tekapo to Oamaru to Dunedin (thinking about renting a car for this day?)
Day 16: Dunedin and Otago Peninsula
Day 17: Dunedin and Otago Peninsula
Day 18: Dunedin to Te Anau
Day 19: Te Anau/Milford
Day 20: Te Anau/Milford
Day 21: Te Anau to Wanaka
Day 20: Wanaka to Glaciers
Day 22: Glaciers
Day 23: Glaciers to Queenstown
Day 24: Routeburn

Does this make sense? I know there are still some weak points, what do I need to rethink?

Really appreciate the help!!

5

Alright. You Coromandel trip could be done with a hire car or on a tour, pretty sure you can't do it by public transport.

The bus from Rotorua to Taupo I think is early afternoon. (You might want to check the Intercity or Nakedbus schedules for this (They are the main schuduled bus operaters) or whichever tour company you use. Its only a short journey. Loads of people do trips for the Tongariro Crossing but it does depend on the weather, I would hope at that time you would have no problems but there are no guarantees.

From wherever you Tongariro Crossing trip drops you off I guess you will be staying and you won't have a problem getting a bus from there to Wellington, it will probably be one a day though. I think about 6 hours or a bit less from there, check out the websites.

Days 12 13 and 14 you will get to Tekapo before Mount Cook from Christchurch so you may want to have a little look at that again. Otherwise if you are short on time 2 nights at Mount Cook is nice to allow a chance for better weather, there is not much accomodation at Mount Cook Village either so may be an idea to check this out and book in advance.

Three nights at Te Anau gives you a few days to allow for going to the Milford Sound on a day that gives you the weather you want. We got lucky and got glorious sunshine in the springtime, although some people said it was better when it rained and made the waterfalls bigger. Either way, it will be spectacular, and I hope to see it again.

A real highlight for me was the ferry from Wellington to Picton, sailing through to Picton was beautiful. Bit of doubling back there and quite a long trip to the glaciers on 20, 2... whichever day numbers they should be, ha ha.

6

Day 1: Auckland --> Coromandel
Day 2: Coromandel and Cathedral Cove, back to Auckland
ok, but easier with a tour (stray?) or a hire car

Day 3: Auckland to Rotorua
Day 4: Rotorua, bus to Taupo
Day 5: Tongariro Alpine Crossing
Day 6: Bus to Wellington? (Is this possible?)
all doable on Intercity or NakedBus - check their websites. Tongariro has lots of bus connection, ask at your hostel the night before. Consider an Intercity Flexipass

Day 7: Wellington
Day 8: Wellington to Picton
Day 9: Picton to Blenheim
Day 10: Blenheim to Chch
Day 11: Chch and Akaroa
Day 12: Chch to Mt Cook
Day 13: Mt Cook
Day 14: Mt Cook to Tekapo
Day 15: Tekapo to Oamaru to Dunedin (thinking about renting a car for this day?)
Day 16: Dunedin and Otago Peninsula
Day 17: Dunedin and Otago Peninsula
Day 18: Dunedin to Te Anau
Day 19: Te Anau/Milford
Day 20: Te Anau/Milford
Day 21: Te Anau to Wanaka
Day 20: Wanaka to Glaciers
Day 22: Glaciers
Day 23: Glaciers to Queenstown

Most of that is doable by Intercity or NakedBus, except a Tekapo/Oamaru connection. You might have to ask Tekapo's information centre ('i-site') for ideas there (email them?). Yes, Tekapo comes before Mt Cook.

Day 24: Routeburn

7

Others have pointed out the main flaws ( Coromandel back to AKL then to Rotorua doesn't make sense; nor does Mt Cook- Tekapo- Oamaru) - so I'll only discuss the Routeburn. Have you booked 2 nights or only 2 days! Don't rush the Routeburn because part of the joy is taking in the views. Which directio. Are you doing it because it makes more sense to combine it with the trip to Milford Sound as one end of the RT is at The Divide on the Te Anau to Milford Rd. With your route you'll be passing through Te Anau 3 times!!

8

I have two nights on Routeburn, don't want to rush!!!

What if I just stuck to the south island??

1-3: Queenstown
4: Queenstown to Milford
5: Milford
6: Milford to Catlins
7: Catlins
8: Catlins to Dunedin
9: Dunedin/Otago
10: Dunedin to Oamaru
11: Oamaru to Mt. Cook
12-14: Mt Cook
15: Mt Cook to Christchurch
16: Christchurch and Akaroa

From this point I was thinking of heading over to the West Coast and making my way back to Queenstown. Any suggestions for traveling the west coast?

9

Is it possible to get from oamaru to tekapo? I can't find any buses or shuttles for this connection

10

You'd have to change at ChCh or Dunedin.