This question has probable been asked a million times, with slight variation. Here's my version.
My wife and I have managed to get 3 weeks off work. Hurrah!
We are in Scotland, and planning to get out to NZ.
Whilst there, there are a few things that we (read I) want to do:
1) jet boating
2) visit the Forrest winery in Marlborough
3) see the thermal hot springs.
The compromise is that we have to go to Sydney for a couple of days. Don't ask. It is the one condition that she has imposed on the trip!
The time that we have off work is 22 Sep - 15 Oct
Suggestions of places that we should include; Ideas of how to get about; comments on why we shouldn't go to Sydney; places to eat; places to stay - these are all welcome (ok - I'm looking for ideas)
I've had a look at some of the other topics, and seen that a 7-10 day tour of the South Island can give you a taster, and it has proved to be a good starting point.
Reply to this For jet boating I would recommend the Dart River trip at Glenorchy near Queenstown. A fantastic 2 hour trip up and down the river. Easily booked in Queenstown
Reply to this Thanks for that.
Have a rough itenary worked out .....
Get to Queenstown, spend a few days there, take in Milford Sound, Do some mad BUngee jump, jet boating.
See the Fox Franz glacier.
Go to see the Pancake Rocks & Blow Holes in Punakaiki
Amble through up to the Marlbrough region and sample some vino ... ;-)
Planning to do the above in 1 week, so hopefully not too pushed for time, and allowing a day for any detours.
Cross over to the North Island ..... flying out from Auckland so have to make my way there.
Not quite worked out what we are going to do, so welcome to suggestions.
Thanks,
M
Reply to this We did a 4 week tour of the North and South island and still didnt have enought time to fit everything in. We had to sacrifice a stay-over in Hong Kong to give us an extra few days. 2 back-to-back 12 hour flights is no fun !
Highlights on the South Island included a helicopter flight around Mount Cook landing on the top of a glacier, Doubtful Sound cruise (we did this instead of the Milford Sound) and the aforementioned Dart River trip. We also did a wine trip whilst staying in Nelson.
There is a great winery on the outskirts of Auckland airport (Villa Maria) which is an ideal way to spend an hour or two before your flight home !
As your South Island time is limited, the only thing within your list of "must-do's" I would reconsider is the Fox Glacier. My reason for this is that the West Coast road is pretty much isolated from the rest of South Island and you will need a bit of time just to get there and get out again. But you can do the Glaciers via a flight from Mount Cook side of the Alps, which although quite expensive, is well worth it. The west coast (or WET coast, as we renamed it, is pretty rugged and beautiful if the weather is good but there is only one road in from the North and South and as we found, a mudslide in very wet weather can close the road for up to 6 hours !
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