New Zealand Itinerary Feedback?

1st, don't get the car on arrival. You should not be driving straight off a long flight and you don't need a car in Auckland. Get a shuttle in and get around the city by bus.

actually it is quite a sensible itinerary! (makes a pleasant change!) Day 12 is 3 hours on the ferry and about 3 driving, so not too bad. Kaikoura to Oamaru IS a long one but not impossible. Of course it is only 30 mins to Dunedin so your base in Oamaru sounds sensible - nice town or there is a great hostel outside, the Old Bones.

remember you have short daylight hours, possible ice on roads and cold conditions. What are you planning to do in Glenorchy?

Hi Neverwinter,

Thanks for the feedback. Glad to hear that the plan seems sensible to someone who knows more than I do.
A few questions:
How far out of Oamaru is the Old Bones? Why do you recommend it?
No precise plans for Glenorchy. It just looks beautiful. Recommendations? Alternatives?
Is there anything special I should know before trying to take a rental car across on the ferry?

I've stayed at the Old Bones a couple of times, glorious spot. It has changed owners since (the lovely British chap who built it came back to the UK) but a check on Tripadvisor will tell you how things are. Do be aware it is a hostel, albeit a quiet one - no ensuites, cook for yourself and wash up. It is 5 mins outside Oamaru by car.

Glenorchy is a beautiful spot but nothing to do there - the area is all about the walking. A day walk on the Routeburn would be great - but it is midwinter. I've no experience of NZ in midwinter and you are in the south island. Hopefully someone with winter experience will advise. (note my username, refers to my travels!)

most rental companies get you to switch cars - no point taking the car across.

This is not rushed at all, but, to my eyes, contains a few stays that are too long, and a few strange choices.
1. Don't get the car on arrival. Get a taxi, or hire car and spend the days in Auckland walking, and especially ferries out to Waiheke island or Devonport
2. Too many days in Rotorua, especially on this timetable. 2 maximum
3. Save your wine tasting for across the Strait - Marlborough near Blenheim is NZ's most famous wine region. Go there instead.
4. Kaikoura, Oamaru, Dunedin all seem 2nd rate to me compared to other spots like Mt Cook, Akaroa, Milford Sound. I'd go, Blenheim, Kaikoura, Mt Cook, Queenstown, and leave enough time for a 2 day trip to Milford Sound. Akaroa is a lovely, but a length diversion, where as Mt Cook is, sort of, on the way to Queenstown.
5. Glenorchy is a nice day trip from Queenstown (45 minute drive along the lake). Great views, nice places to walk or ride a horse, but, that's it. It's a VERY small town.Stay in Queenstown and make it a day trip

Hi Dpilchman
I did a similar trip a couple of years ago. If you can plan in to include the "wild" west coast of the south island, definitely do it, very scenic. A great place is Punakaiki. I would also recommend to spend as little time as necessary in Auckland and Wellington. Don't be affraid to drive a lot in NZ, the driving itself is great.
Oamaru is a really nice place, we stayed at http://www.chimneys-bnb.co.nz/aboutus.htm, great hosts and great value. There is a blue penguin colony there, don't pay for the "amphitheatre" but just wait outside the entrance around dusk, you will see plenty little penguins. Just remember not to use flash on your camera as we saw some people do.
Rotorua one or two nights is definitely enough. The nearby vulcanic features park is very nice, "Maori Hangi dinner" a bit touristy but entertaining.
Dunedin imo is a very boring place, though tunnel beach in the area is nice and of course the Otago peninsula.
Around Queenstown a place we really liked is Wanaka, there is a big lake and adventure operators head out to ghost gold rush towns, very cool.
Kaikoura is also nice, lots of wildlife. Whale watching is very expensive compared to other places in the world. There is a very nice walk there on the peninsula.
Enjoy NZ!
Tim

Hi,
The plan definitely seems sensible and you might find that you want to do more driving on some of the days. As said above definitely dont rent a car until the morning before you leave Auckland as you will just be wasting money. If you are spending that long in Rotorua make sure to do the Tongariro crossing and to visit lake Taupo.
On the south Island Mt. Cook is definitely worth visiting as there are great walks and it is spectacular.
I did a similar trip a few years ago starting and finishing in Auckland but covering most of both islands so you can see the tips I have on New Zealand North Island and then on the East Coast of the South Island which may be of help.