Back from South island New Zealand

[vtecXx]

hi all,
pls help me see if this itinerary is doable, we are traveling in a group of 9 and intend to do a campervan + some airbnb stay (maybe during Queenstown)

31 Aug (day 1) – Reach Christchurch @ 0930hrs
Collect vehicle/campervan, buy groceries, drive to Arthur’s Pass
Stay at Jackson’s camperpark

1 Sep (day 2) – Drive to Greymouth/ Hokitka
Blackwater cave tubing and Zipline Adventure

2 Sep (day 3) – Drive to Fox and Franz Glaciers
Heli ride along Franz, glacier walk at Fox

3 Sep (day 4) – Brucebay/Haast, then to Wanaka
Cardrona alpine

4 Sep (day 5) – Drive to Queenstown

5 Sep (day 6) – Queenstown

6 Sep (day 7) – Queenstown/ Te Anau

7 Sep (day 8) – Milford Sound
Take river cruise or kayaking with rosco

8 Sep (day 9) – Drive to Mt Cook
Heli skiing, heli hiking
Boat trips to Tasman (largest glacier)
hooker's valley track (3-4hrs trek)

9 Sep (day 10) – Drive to Lake Tekapo
Earth and Sky Tour

10 Sep (day 11) – Drive to Christchurch
Skiing at mt hutt/porter ski, kaikoura if possible

11 Sep (day 12) – 1050hrs Flight back SG

couple of qns to ask the experts here
1. is this anti clockwise direction of travel ok?
2. we were intending to rent a 6 berth and 4 berth campervan (any recommended rental companies?) throughout the journey, would it be convenient? like parking, driving around in town etc.
3. read this thread that it is more advisable to take a bus tour to Milford Sound instead? So i can say that driving our campervan up would be difficult?
4. how would the weather be like during that time (31aug-11sep)?
5. no one mention of visiting the Premium Outlet at Queenstown. Is it worth going?

thx in advance!

 

[vtecXx]

pls help me take a look as it is my 1st trip to South island!

 

[sellun]

hi all,
pls help me see if this itinerary is doable, we are traveling in a group of 9 and intend to do a campervan + some airbnb stay (maybe during Queenstown)

31 Aug (day 1) – Reach Christchurch @ 0930hrs
Collect vehicle/campervan, buy groceries, drive to Arthur’s Pass
Stay at Jackson’s camperpark

1 Sep (day 2) – Drive to Greymouth/ Hokitka
Blackwater cave tubing and Zipline Adventure

2 Sep (day 3) – Drive to Fox and Franz Glaciers
Heli ride along Franz, glacier walk at Fox

3 Sep (day 4) – Brucebay/Haast, then to Wanaka
Cardrona alpine

4 Sep (day 5) – Drive to Queenstown

5 Sep (day 6) – Queenstown

6 Sep (day 7) – Queenstown/ Te Anau

7 Sep (day 8) – Milford Sound
Take river cruise or kayaking with rosco

8 Sep (day 9) – Drive to Mt Cook
Heli skiing, heli hiking
Boat trips to Tasman (largest glacier)
hooker's valley track (3-4hrs trek)

9 Sep (day 10) – Drive to Lake Tekapo
Earth and Sky Tour

10 Sep (day 11) – Drive to Christchurch
Skiing at mt hutt/porter ski, kaikoura if possible

11 Sep (day 12) – 1050hrs Flight back SG

couple of qns to ask the experts here
1. is this anti clockwise direction of travel ok?
2. we were intending to rent a 6 berth and 4 berth campervan (any recommended rental companies?) throughout the journey, would it be convenient? like parking, driving around in town etc.
3. read this thread that it is more advisable to take a bus tour to Milford Sound instead? So i can say that driving our campervan up would be difficult?
4. how would the weather be like during that time (31aug-11sep)?
5. no one mention of visiting the Premium Outlet at Queenstown. Is it worth going?

thx in advance!

Your day 2 is too tight, won't have time for two activities, day 9 is a crazy long distance drive I don't know how you still have time to do anything.
1) direction is fine, normal.
2) recommend KEA, driving and parking very convenient
3) yes, just take up a tour. You can google and lots of people giving reason why.
Suggest you not to pack long drive + activity on the same day. If you want to do activity, stay for a night. You're traveling in a group of 9, 2 vans. You won't be travelling fast

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[ylimebaby]

Your day 2 is too tight, won't have time for two activities, day 9 is a crazy long distance drive I don't know how you still have time to do anything.
1) direction is fine, normal.
2) recommend KEA, driving and parking very convenient
3) yes, just take up a tour. You can google and lots of people giving reason why.
Suggest you not to pack long drive + activity on the same day. If you want to do activity, stay for a night. You're traveling in a group of 9, 2 vans. You won't be travelling fast

Sent from LGE LG-H815 using GAGT

Second KEA! They really were all-inclusive, no gimmicks: we scratched the side of the van onto a wooden panel. It was quite bad, and we had to use duct tape to hold it together temporarily. During return, just had to give details and a report on the incident, with no other payment or delays required. Very friendly people there and the restrooms at the office had very clean shower rooms with good water pressure and hot water.

KEA is a premium company compared to other rental coys who provide cheaper rates, but totally no regrets paying a bit more to get peace of mind.

 

[NoTimeToWaitAr]

Second KEA! They really were all-inclusive, no gimmicks: we scratched the side of the van onto a wooden panel. It was quite bad, and we had to use duct tape to hold it together temporarily. During return, just had to give details and a report on the incident, with no other payment or delays required. Very friendly people there and the restrooms at the office had very clean shower rooms with good water pressure and hot water.

KEA is a premium company compared to other rental coys who provide cheaper rates, but totally no regrets paying a bit more to get peace of mind.

Hi, just to check with you, kea has already merged with maui? I did a search on kea campervan, and it redirect to this site: http://www.maui.co.nz/

And did u purchase the insurance coverage?

 

[ylimebaby]

Hi, just to check with you, kea has already merged with maui? I did a search on kea campervan, and it redirect to this site: http://www.maui.co.nz/

And did u purchase the insurance coverage?

Hmm I think so, I tried to search KEA and ended up in Maui's website too.

From what I know, KEA, Maui, Britz and Mighty is under the same company. Pick up location at the same office. KEA was for new campervans <6 months old, Maui is the second tier, Britz and Mighty handles the older vans.

At one campervan site, we saw a Maui campervan that had a faint outline of the KEA logo underneath the panel stickers, and a Mighty had the Maui logo underneath! haha

I did not have to include any insurance coverage when I booked from KEA as the prices they quoted was all-inclusive.

 

[NoTimeToWaitAr]

Hmm I think so, I tried to search KEA and ended up in Maui's website too.

From what I know, KEA, Maui, Britz and Mighty is under the same company. Pick up location at the same office. KEA was for new campervans <6 months old, Maui is the second tier, Britz and Mighty handles the older vans.

At one campervan site, we saw a Maui campervan that had a faint outline of the KEA logo underneath the panel stickers, and a Mighty had the Maui logo underneath! haha

I did not have to include any insurance coverage when I booked from KEA as the prices they quoted was all-inclusive.

Thanks for the reply, over here as well as in the other thread!

 

[sgdividends]

Any motorhomes company to recommend in christchurch

Hi ,

I will be going to NZL in late nov to mid december for about 12 days

Can anyone share which motorhomes company is good and what to look out for.

I have 3 adults and a 20 month old toddler and would think i will be looking for a 4 berth one.

Which is better diesel or petrol as diesel through cheaper needs to pay a certain additional tax.

 

[lolBoy]

any recommendation for sedan car rental in christchurch? Deciding between Go Rental or Apex? Any experience in either?

 

[NoTimeToWaitAr]

any recommendation for sedan car rental in christchurch? Deciding between Go Rental or Apex? Any experience in either?

Even though i have yet to visit nz, but most of the edmwers recommendeed anzed.
http://www.anzed.co.nz/van_mpv_rentals.html

 

[lolBoy]

Which brand of pocket wifi do you guy/lady recommend for usage there?

 

[Anarchy]

anyone want to sell their prepaid SIM to be used in south island valid till 1st June? Drop me a PM! Thanks.

 

[lookers]

oo just saw this thread! I'm heading there in June! how cold is it there? Really need down jackets?

 

[sellun]

I went two years ago early June. It can get -2 to -5 at night. It's still quite bearable.

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[lookers]

Damnit... I'll only be there for 8 days... Seems like short of time to do so many things...

Think i might have to miss Franz Josef Glacier right? Because I've not enough days to travel CC >>Greymouth>>FJG>>Wanaka>> Mt Cook/Lake Tekapo>>CC ?


So my only option to get the best out of it is-->

Christchurch >> Mt Cook>> Lake Tekapo >> Queenstown >>Drive back up or take Domestic flight because it doesn't make sense to drive back the same route to CC?


Is there a better itinerary that someone can suggest?

 

[dingdung]

I'm going this week till 7 june. We'll head straight to Lake Tekapo for 2N after landing in Christchurch. Thereafter 2N Mt Cook, 3N Wanaka, 3N Queenstown and finally back to Christchurch for 2N before depart to Singapore.

We are traveling by nakedbus service throughout the entire journey in South Island except for transition from Tekapo to Mt Cook, we are taking Cook Connection bus service.

We are taking the same route from Queenstown to Christchurch, a 9hr journey by coach. Initially we have wanted to take a domestic flight but a one way ticket costs about $180, more than 3 times the cost of our entire bus fares hence we decided to travel by nakedbus again.

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[sellun]

You can either fly domestic first then travel by land or vice versa. You can check out the price for either chc to queens or queens to chc before planning.
Honestly I feel 10nights is the minimum to do the loop trip

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[Satki General]

Is there any recommended itinerary for South Island which also includes some winerary tours? I know the wine regions are somewhat off the main loop just wanted to see how long of a trip to budget.

 

[ahnong]

hi guys

i'm going new zealand and plan to visit the waitomo glow worm cave in auckland. And to attempt the Black Labyrinth adventure.

So there's two links which I found but their prices are so different. One is intercity which costs 199 while the other is grayline which costs 399. anyone used them before?

thanks in advance

 

[Anarchy]

Anyone need SIM? PM me....