Day Trips, New Year, accomodation

Hi!

I'm going to New Zealand in dec/jan. Going to rent a car with two friends.

A couple of questions:
1. Is it possible to a day trip to Mount Cook from Franz Josef? How many hours does it take to drive up there?

2. Is it possible to drive from Queenstown to Milford Sound in a daytrip? Al three of us can drive, so we can switch, but there must be some time left to do the site seeing. It doens't seem that far on the map, but with steep mountain roads, it can take longer..?

3. Anyone experience what's the place to be for new years in Queenstown?

4. We arrive in Auckland 2nd of jan, should we book a hostel already, or is the new year crowd already gone?

5. Book ahead the accomodation (hostel) in the Bay of Islands in beginning of january?

Thanks!

According to this handy little <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.accommodationz.co.nz/distances2.html">NZ distance calculator</a> it's 500km one way and 6:10 to do it - so not a day-trip at all. Queenstown to Milford Sound is 291 km one way, so again it's not a day-trip - and even if it were - it would be a pity to rush it, in fact we're staying there the night after driving just from Te Anau. We're travelling through the South Island all of January and have pre-booked hostels (being conservative) - mostly YHA but some BBH. Can't advise if we needed to however.

I'd definitely book any accommodation in January at least a couple of days ahead. Especially the tourist spots.<BR>And Ian, I dont think you're being conservative at all. Just sensible.

1. Yes, but only if you take a helicopter

2. Yes, but it would be a crime and you'd miss the best stuff (Key Summit, Lake Marian, Lake Manapouri)

3. Anywhere. It'll be packed.

4. Absolutely. The inner cities do empty out a bit over new years, but there are so many travellers at that time of year that accommodation will be full.

5. Yes, it will be packed.

Otari's advice is correct, but you will not have to travel far from the bay of islands to find alternative accommodation in quieter areas, such as the Hokianga, so don't worry too much.

We did Queenstown-Milford Sound as a day trip in a car (shared the driving). We had time to take a boat cruise through the sounds and make it back again later that afternoon with a stop or two along the way. So yes, definitely possible if you're pressed for time, but it depends on how long you want to linger and what else you want to see as to whether it's advisable or not.