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5 weeks in NZ Mid March - Mid April on me own

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First trip to New Zealand and wanting to know what I should be getting up to whilst I'm there!
15 years ago, November 4th 2008 No: 1 Msg: #53511  
B Posts: 13
As part of my six month travelling experience, I'm spending 5 weeks in New Zealand, flying in to Auckland and out of Christchurch. I'm going to be getting there in Mid March and will be leaving towards the end of April. I'm really rubbish at picking up guidebooks and figuring out what I want to do so was hoping you people would have some good suggestions for me in terms of travelling from place to place and what to do whilst I'm there!
I had been hoping to go with a friend and hire a campervan, but this is no longer happening so have been looking at the 'Kiwi Experience'. Is it worth it?

I'd like to try out some adventurey type things which I've not really got too involved with in the past, but am definitely up for some new experiencs, and was thinking of doing some WWOOFing whilst I'm there to see some local folk (and coz a friend of mine over here in the UK runs one) so if anyone has any recommendations of places, that'd be grand.

Also, I do love to do a bit of partying, especially of the psytrance kind, will there still be some outdoor parties going on at this time of year. if so, where should i be heading to check some out?

Thanks in advance for your help

Pete Reply to this

15 years ago, November 5th 2008 No: 2 Msg: #53536  
Hello Pete 😊

I moved this to the Oceania forum.

Mel Reply to this

15 years ago, November 5th 2008 No: 3 Msg: #53592  
B Posts: 13
Whoops, sorry, I thought I'd managed to put it in the right place! Obv not. :-) Reply to this

15 years ago, November 5th 2008 No: 4 Msg: #53596  
Hi Chuff,
Your question about what you should do in New Zealand is pretty difficult, considering that you didn't write about what KIND of things you would like to see. There are a lot of extreme activities that you can experience - bungy, zorbing, skydiving, jetboating etc... but there are also a lot of beautiful places to visit. I suggest you to visit on the North Island: Rotorua, Taupo and Tongariro National Park, on the South Island: Abel Tasman NP, Nelson Lakes NP, Franz Josef glacier, Milford Sound, Bluff (a small town looking towards Stewart Island), and Kaikoura. But this list is very brief, somewhat reflecting my own taste.
WWOOFing is great in NZ, and you can get a list of places in any iSite you visit.
About the weather: March and April are autumn months in NZ. The temperatures in this time of year get a little bit cooler than in summer but you have a good chance for the best New Zealand's weather.
With the psytrance parties I can't help you, since I am not into them 😊
About Kiwi Experience - I didn't try them myself but there are many not so good reviews going around the internet. I will put some of the reviews at the end of this post.

Well, I hope that this helped you. If you have more questions, feel free to ask.

"kiwi experience is definitely for a certain type of person. it is for the young traveller, twenty and under i'd say, who mummy still wants to be safe and know that precious little darling is all nice and safe with a reputable company. k exp is overcrowded, overpriced and not worth it. look at it this way. do you like 18-30 holidays in the med? if yes then you'll like kiwi experience. would you go with your girlfriend on an 18-30? i think not....."

"I had a awful experience too. We ( BF and I) decided to break our trip by stopping in Murchison on the south island - which is pretty much in the midle of nowhere, but we had picked it before we really knew what was there. Then, when Kiwi got there to pick us on the day we were booked, they had overbooked the bus, so we were stuck in Murchison for another 2 days, before there was a bus that HAD seats on it."

"I didn't use Kiwi Experience, so I can't speak from personal experience. Anyway, I travelled around New Zealand with the Magic Bus and very often came across people from the Kiwi Experience. If you are into partying, drinking while seeing the country than the Kiwi Experience might be right for you.
I used Magic Bus and was quite happy with them. The people on the bus where in their mid or late twenties, some older, some younger and usually a pretty nice crowd. You could have a party if you wanted to but also a quiet night in a pub or the hostel. The drivers/guides knew heaps about the country and were pretty nice."

"Having travelled NZ by Car and Kiwi Ex I enjoyed both parts of my journey. I will say that comments regarding age group are true to an extent. However, if you want to party do so, if not don't. I am not a twenty something but enjoyed the Kiwi bus as I met so many great people and do not have problems meeting anyone of any age. A car does provide a lot more freedom though and if I had to do it again I may go for the car as it allows more flexibility."






Reply to this

15 years ago, November 6th 2008 No: 5 Msg: #53727  
B Posts: 13
Hey Greg,
Thanks for your help. I think I was so excited about my first forum post, that I forgot to think properly about what I should put in it!
So, what DO I want out of my NZ experience?
I'd love to do some walking/trecking and see some rural New Zealand sights, see some wildlife and check out some of the reportedly beautiful scenery for myself. As I said, I am heading there on my own, so I'd also like to find some people to share this experience, whether that be through organised trecks or meeting people in Hostels and heading off with them...
I am beginning to think that 5 weeks isn't long enough to see New Zealand without rushing around like a mad thing, but 5 weeks is all i've got so I want to use my time wisely, without cramming stuff in.
In the last post you mentioned Magic Bus so I will have to look in to that to see whether I fancy that rather than kiwi exp or in fact sorting something else out!
Adventurey activities i've been thinking about include hang gliding, bunji jumping, sky diving and zorbing. and I guess I'll consider whatever comes my way!
So I'm pretty sure I'm gonna head to Rotarua and Tongairio N.P. and Milford Sound now, thats a good start!
Ta for your (and anyones elses) continued help!

Pete Reply to this

15 years ago, November 7th 2008 No: 6 Msg: #53826  
Personally I never used any of the organized trip services, I always rented/bought a car and traveled by myself. But, of course, you never travel alone - you can meet people anywhere - hostels, holiday parks, tramping huts, you name it. It is just I don't like to be depended on others, I like to decide where I want to go and go 😊
Five weeks won't be enough for sure 😊 but it is still fairly long time. On the North Island Tongariro Crossing is absolute must. On the south Island there are too many "Must" places 😊, but Milford Sound is definitely amongst the first. One more place that I suggest is - Arthurs Pass National Park. There is a short hike - Avalanche Peak. In my opinion it offers some of the most beautiful views in NZ.
I would suggest getting YHA/BBH membership, and stay in YHA/BBH hostels.
Queenstown (South Island) is the ultimate center of New Zealand's extreme activities (though there are plenty more other places with extreme activities).

Well, for now it is all 😊
If you have more questions, I am here.
Reply to this

15 years ago, November 8th 2008 No: 7 Msg: #53898  
B Posts: 11.5K
Hi Pete,

This is the Department of Conversation's National Parks site.
Reply to this

15 years ago, November 8th 2008 No: 8 Msg: #53927  
Jo Trouble obviously meant Department of Conservation 😊 Reply to this

15 years ago, November 8th 2008 No: 9 Msg: #53934  
B Posts: 11.5K
DUH! 😊 (My English has deteriorated since living in Japan)

I'm sure they do sit around and chat sometimes though........
Reply to this

15 years ago, November 10th 2008 No: 10 Msg: #54111  
B Posts: 13
Hey guys,

Thanks for the link, I will have a gander at that. I'm sure they are good with the chat Jo!
I have since been to speak to the lady at STA who pretty much convinced me to go with Kiwi Experience, despite my hesitations. Basically, because this is my first proper travelling experince, and as i'm on my own, i want to make sure i have certain things sorted before I head off. At least with Kiwi exp, the bus service will drop me off at places where I can actually do some activities whereas if it was just me planning things I would probably spend far too long in Auckland, figurin out what to do and end up wasting my limited time over there!
Plus, STA have 25% discount with Kiwi experience at the moment (yeah, i realise thats probably why she was hard selling it to me!). But I am still loking in to magic bus.
I am probably going to get myself a YHA/BBH membership anyway as I'm going to Aus as well so sould get some use out of it!
Right, time too look at the coversation website! Reply to this

15 years ago, November 10th 2008 No: 11 Msg: #54129  
B Posts: 11.5K
I've used Bottom Bus for the lower South Island - and would happily recommend them.

A couple of the legs I happened to be the only passenger, so it was like having a private tour guide :-) Reply to this

15 years ago, November 10th 2008 No: 12 Msg: #54174  
B Posts: 13
I was thinking of doing that route as an add on to my kiwi exp trip, (they run exactly the same one....) so perhaps I will just go with bottom bus instead...alotho the kiwi Exp logo is on the website so they seem to be affiliated anyways, perhaps its the some one?! I'll look into it!
Cheeers. Reply to this

15 years ago, November 10th 2008 No: 13 Msg: #54179  
B Posts: 11.5K
I think they are affiliated, maybe they just wanted to promote the South a bit more. Either way, it's worth going :-) Reply to this

15 years ago, January 6th 2009 No: 14 Msg: #59000  
B Posts: 13
So I'm off in less than three weeks, and I thought I would inform you all that I decided on both Kiwi and Oz Experience. Mainly because I'm going on my own and this will be a good way of meeting people, plus the tours will take me to places where there are things to do. I will let you know what I actually think of both companies when I'm on them/back from my trip! Reply to this

15 years ago, January 7th 2009 No: 15 Msg: #59160  
You want to try new things? Well that was what I experienced when I went there! I've only written two blogs, but one is about my 2 weeks on the South Island of NZ (I added heaps of links and photo's) and the other is about Melbourne in Oz, if you're interested. It's the easiest way for me to answer your questions! Reply to this

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