I need help building an itenerary for travelling aroun south island NZ.
I'll be there for 3 weeks from the begining of june, and i'd like to know if you guys have any umissable sights i must see, bare in mind i only have 3 weeks, just all the best bits please. thanks guys
Reply to this You will not find it difficult to fill 3 weeks on simply one of the most spectacular islands on the planet. But what is "best" is incredibly subjective. Without knowing what type of things you like to do it really is difficult to advise. My advice is get a copy of Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide and READ!
We are outdoors types so some of the highlights of our 2 weeks there were: Sea Kayaking at Abel Tasman National Park, Spelunking through caves near Karamea to see genuine Moa bones, Helicopter ride up the Fox Glacier and around the tallest mountains in the South Pacific, cruising on Doubtful Sound, hiking on the Routeburn Track, taking the ferry to Stewart Island and then a water taxi to see Ulva Island (the flightless bird sanctuary), seeing the yellow-eyed penguins come in from the ocean and the albatross colony on the Otago Peninsula near Dunedin.
The drive down the west coast of the South Island from Karamea to Haast is simply the best coastal drive I have ever done and I've done others which are reputed to be better like the Great Ocean Road in Australia, the Coastal Highway between San Fran and LA, the Cabot Trail around Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and the Ring of Kerry in Ireland. All of those are very good, but my wife and I think the west coast of the South Island beats them all hands down.
Hope that gets you started thinking... and reading...
Reply to this i've got a rough guide, i was wondering if there's anything unmissable, i mean some of the stuff they say is unmissible in the guide ain't my cuppa, like art galleries and museums. I love the outdoors so any good tramping tracks? not too long maybe 2 days at the most.
Reply to this Hi there! We did a similar thing 2 years ago, we ony; had 2 weeks around the same time of year. Bearing in mind the weather was freezing! It really depends on what you like doing, there is something for every type of traveller!
We did:
Hukka Falls
Prawn Farm
Winery in Montana
Franz Josef Glazier
Milford Sound
The Awsome Foursome in Queenstown
Chard Farm winery near Arrowtown
Mount cook (just the bottom bit as it was winter!)
Orana Animal Farm at Christchurch
Hot Air ballooning
If you want more information please have a look at my website www.luxurybackpackers.com or email me on info@luxurybackpackers.com
Reply to this G'day Travel mike from New Zealand. Three weeks!! In under an hour from Auckland you could easily spend a week wandering around the west coast and bush. Under four hours from the city you could be sitting in a hot pool that you have dug out for yourself. It's as been said... what do you like. I'd suggest arrive in Auckland take in the Otara market on a Saturday morning and then head south. Milford Sound is unmissable!!! The North Island has its beauty but you'll be gob-smacked by the sights in the south. Check out 'formely' The Blackbull Hilton' inland from Greymouth..... and on and on eh?..... Bungy jump over the Shotover River....and on..... Go well.
Reply to this Hi there,
Paul from NZ.
check out www.doc.govt.nz - DOC administers the "Great Walks" of NZ and also has the rules for tramping safely in the different regions. Went tramping in June at the Pinnacles in Coromandel about two years ago and found three german students lost and walking/dressed like they were in central Auckland - they would not have survived night.
If you want spectacular views then heading up Mt Taranaki and viewing the other mountains (Ruepehu, Ngarahoe and Tongariro) is always a winner, great photo op too. Unfortunately June/july is pretty dangerous to try the Northern Crossing of Tongariro without crampons, ice picks etc.
Cape Brett to the lighthouse - Northland - is a great two day tramp and worth the trip - also no snow being in Northland.
A don't miss is attempting all the ways NZer's have devised to try and kill people in the name of adventure tourism - the bungy jumps around Queenstown are a must, as is parachuting over Lake Taupo (on a good day).
Reply to this Hey 3 weeks through NZ is going to be amazing.
As everyone else has said it aint enough time so make sure you don't dilly dally along the way. If you haven't booked your flighst yet and you're hoping to see both islands then I recommend you fly into Auckland and out of Christchurch...or visa versa.
My favourite place on the North island was Rotorua with its spectacular but smelly hissing geysers and you really should try squeeze in a trip to one of the Maori villages while you're there. There's loads of adrenaline stuff to do around there too, white water sleghing and the like oh and Zorbing is greta fun too.
Speaking of adrenalin stuff the sky-dive at Lake Taupo (the cheapest place in NZ to do it) is fantastic and the area itself is worth seeing, take a walk up to Hukka Falls and if you're camping there's a great free campsite near Hukka called Reids Farm.
On the South Island Frans Josef is a MUST and I don't just mean to see it, you've got to hike it! Incredible!
Queenstown has lots of buildings and canyons you can jump off and a great night life. The west coast of the South Island is fantastic and Punakaki (not sure if I spelt that right) and Hokitika are ghost towns worth seeing. Book you're walks in advance if at all possible and if you're flying out of Christchruch try squeeze in a night in Omaru where you can see penguines in their natural habitat.
Reply to this Heya, just posted this on another forum topic and thought you might find it useful too. Have a great trip, Sarah.
I've travelled round NZ a couple of time and absolutely love it! Loads to do and experience. Have to say my favorite of the two was the South Island. Did the whale watching in Kaikoura which was incredible. Also went swimming with dolphins in the wild in Akaroa, the only place in the world which has Hector's Dolphins, the smallest and rarest species of dolphin, so that was also amazing. Akaroa is a really beautiful little town just outisde Christchurch, and coincidentally, has the best fish and chips I've ever tasted, and I live on the coast! Hamner Springs, north of Christchurch, is pretty cool as well. Lots of hot natural spring bath things, dont quite understand how it worked! It was bizarre going out in winter in a swimming costume and jumping in a hot spa though, was even more bizarre when friend then pushed me into the cold pool! Also, would strongly recommend all of the extreme sporting activities down in Queenstown. Think Queenstown is the friendliest, most chilled out, fun place I've ever been. The white water rafting is awesome, even if you're a complete beginner like I was when I found myself on the advanced course! Jet boating was also pretty good fun and everyone I spoke to said that the AJ hackett bungee jump was a real experience, I just watched that one!
Went to a vineyard in the Canterbury region but cant think for the life of me what it was called - sorry! Got the impression that a lot of the vineyards there are good to visit though. Fox and Franz Josef were both cool. Milford Sound was also really stunningly beautiful and had tonnes of wildlife, waterfalls etc. if you're into nice scenery. Helicoptor ride above the glaciers sounds very cool, when I was there we took a small plane over the glaciers which was breathtaking. For Lord of the Rings sets, the river that AJ hackett company use for jet boating in Queenstown was apparently the river from the first LOTR film with the horses made of water, if you know which bit I mean! If you're after a bit of a LOTR experience I read about a hobbit style hotel in NZ on unusual hotels of the world, think the url is www.uhotw.com. Christchurch is also a really great city to visit and Auckland is good fun too. Check out the bar and live music scene in Christchurch, go punting on the river etc. Also, I used to work in the tourism office in Christchurch and all the staff there are really helpful and really nice if you need any advice while you're in that area, they'll recommend a good vineyard for you.
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