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sendtolee

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Can look for Milford Sound Lodge as I will be staying a night there. About 40 nzd per pax for the hostel option.

Please remember to buy food to cook there. There is no restaurant or sold food at the lodge.

Night time, can experience walking in the darkness and watch fireflies.
 

hawkwind

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Please remember to buy food to cook there. There is no restaurant or sold food at the lodge.

Night time, can experience walking in the darkness and watch fireflies.

Actually there is a proper restaurant at the lodge serving from an ala carte menu. But you can choose to cook at the common kitchen as well.
 

BlackCube

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Wha. Thanks for the recommendation for orange. Really seem like much cheaper and got discount if using Go Play also.

is the cruise trip different? how come cheaper and with fish and chip meal also?

Anymore such recommendation must keep them coming!
 
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Hi all! Below is my current itinerary for my mid-nov solo trip.
Hope to get some feedback =)

12th Nov (Sun) - Arrive @ Christchurch (1040) / Pick up sleepervan / Drive to Lake Tekapo / Explore Lake Tekapo
13th Nov (Mon) - Mount John Summit Track / Drive to Lake Pukaki / Trekking @ Lake Pukaki OR Tasman Lake (iceberg)
14th Nov (Tue) - Hooker Valley Hike / Drive to Wanaka / Rob Roy Glacier Track
15th Nov (Wed) - Roy's Peak Track / Drive to Queenstown / Return Drive to Glenorchy
16th Nov (Thu) - Ben Lommod Summit / Drive to Te Anau
17th Nov (Fri) - Morning Activity @ Te Anau / Drive to Milford Sound / Trekking @ Milford Sound
18th Nov (Sat) - Kayak @ Milford Sound / Drive back to Queenstown
19th Nov (Sun) - Half-day Cycling @ Otago Rail Track / Drive to Fox Glacier / Glowworm (night)
20th Nov (Mon) - Full day Fox Glacier hike / Drive to Arthur's Point
21th Nov (Tue) - Avalanche Peak Track / Drive to Christchurch
22nd Nov (Wed) - Depart @ Christchurch (1200)
 

mata_hippo

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Hi all! Below is my current itinerary for my mid-nov solo trip.
Hope to get some feedback =)

12th Nov (Sun) - Arrive @ Christchurch (1040) / Pick up sleepervan / Drive to Lake Tekapo / Explore Lake Tekapo
13th Nov (Mon) - Mount John Summit Track / Drive to Lake Pukaki / Trekking @ Lake Pukaki OR Tasman Lake (iceberg)
14th Nov (Tue) - Hooker Valley Hike / Drive to Wanaka / Rob Roy Glacier Track
15th Nov (Wed) - Roy's Peak Track / Drive to Queenstown / Return Drive to Glenorchy
16th Nov (Thu) - Ben Lommod Summit / Drive to Te Anau
17th Nov (Fri) - Morning Activity @ Te Anau / Drive to Milford Sound / Trekking @ Milford Sound
18th Nov (Sat) - Kayak @ Milford Sound / Drive back to Queenstown
19th Nov (Sun) - Half-day Cycling @ Otago Rail Track / Drive to Fox Glacier / Glowworm (night)
20th Nov (Mon) - Full day Fox Glacier hike / Drive to Arthur's Point
21th Nov (Tue) - Avalanche Peak Track / Drive to Christchurch
22nd Nov (Wed) - Depart @ Christchurch (1200)
nice plan, can see that you like hiking too...

mt john just drive up pay $8, i think not worth the effort to climb up... u can probably do it on your 1st day so u can cut down at least half a day...

at mt cook, u can do either hooker valley (easy) or sealy tarns (2000+ steps)...

take note rob roy u have to drive through uncovered road, cuz u have to go slower so it will take longer than a normal road...

ben lomond i only did the saddle portion, never go all the way up... but still good... the summit must be even better...

i wont waste time on kayaking milford sound, if u wan to do physical things can consider doing the key summit track, was in my plan but i didnt do it in the end cuz we decided to take coach instead...
 

winguy

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Hi for car rental, how many months before my trip should i book it? And how to choose a car? Do not drive in sg and have never rented a car. For convenience will just get those all-in option. Friend recommended Apex. Thanks.

If 2 passengers and 2 mid and 1 large luggages, toyota yaris hatchback enough? Thanks
 
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winguy

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bfrs5g.png


Does one usually opt for Roadside Cover?
What about GPS unit? Or just borrow from someone you know who has a spare GPS unit? Thanks.
 

mata_hippo

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gps jus use ur phone with data

otherwise u can download offline maps like maps.me or the nokia map (forgot the name)
 
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nice plan, can see that you like hiking too...

mt john just drive up pay $8, i think not worth the effort to climb up... u can probably do it on your 1st day so u can cut down at least half a day...

at mt cook, u can do either hooker valley (easy) or sealy tarns (2000+ steps)...

take note rob roy u have to drive through uncovered road, cuz u have to go slower so it will take longer than a normal road...

ben lomond i only did the saddle portion, never go all the way up... but still good... the summit must be even better...

i wont waste time on kayaking milford sound, if u wan to do physical things can consider doing the key summit track, was in my plan but i didnt do it in the end cuz we decided to take coach instead...

Thanks for the advice!

Can I understand why you mention that it's time-wasting for the kayaking @ milford sound? It's not nice ah?
 

BlackCube

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Hey, I kinda planning my routes from 24 nov to 8 dec.

settled the overall but now looking at the details.

24 - stay at chc
25 - leave chc to Maruia spring via lewis pass.
26 - leave Maruia to Hokitika
27 - leave Hokitika to Fox Glacier
28 - stay at Fox Glacier
29 - leave Fox Glacier to Wanaka
30 - leave Wanaka to Queenstown
1 - stay Queenstown
2 - leave Queenstown to Te Anau
3 - leave Te Anau to Milford Sound and back to Te Anau (still thinking whether to use the coach tour but either way will be a one day trip and back to Te Anau)
4 - leave Te Anau to Mt Cook (Village)
5 - leave Mt Cook (Village) to Tekapo
6 - nothing concreate, maybe stay mt cook or tekapo for one more day?
7 - leave xxx to CHC
8 - back to SG

previously was thinking to include Catlins and Dunedin after Te Anau and before Mt cook. But seem to be quite rush. so probably will exclude these 2 unless got any good reason for those 2?

also, is arthur pass worth driving to? cause from Maruia gg to Hokitika, if i were to go to arthur pass, then have to detour a little. gg to arthur pass is a drive pass thingy? or have to stay there kind?

to add on, seem like during this period, there's 14-15 hr daylight. around 8+ 9pm then sunset. so when planning, my driving can stretch longer yea?

thanks.
 
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mata_hippo

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Thanks for the advice!

Can I understand why you mention that it's time-wasting for the kayaking @ milford sound? It's not nice ah?
jus feel u wont see much of milford sound by kayaking... jus take the cruise and enjoy the views better... usually can see seals... and occasionally can see penguins... i saw a few penguins during my last cruise :o
 

mata_hippo

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Hey, I kinda planning my routes from 24 nov to 8 dec.

settled the overall but now looking at the details.

24 - stay at chc
25 - leave chc to Maruia spring via lewis pass.
26 - leave Maruia to Hokitika
27 - leave Hokitika to Fox Glacier
28 - stay at Fox Glacier
29 - leave Fox Glacier to Wanaka
30 - leave Wanaka to Queenstown
1 - stay Queenstown
2 - leave Queenstown to Te Anau
3 - leave Te Anau to Milford Sound and back to Te Anau (still thinking whether to use the coach tour but either way will be a one day trip and back to Te Anau)
4 - leave Te Anau to Mt Cook (Village)
5 - leave Mt Cook (Village) to Tekapo
6 - nothing concreate, maybe stay mt cook or tekapo for one more day?
7 - leave xxx to CHC
8 - back to SG

previously was thinking to include Catlins and Dunedin after Te Anau and before Mt cook. But seem to be quite rush. so probably will exclude these 2 unless got any good reason for those 2?

also, is arthur pass worth driving to? cause from Maruia gg to Hokitika, if i were to go to arthur pass, then have to detour a little. gg to arthur pass is a drive pass thingy? or have to stay there kind?

to add on, seem like during this period, there's 14-15 hr daylight. around 8+ 9pm then sunset. so when planning, my driving can stretch longer yea?

thanks.
any reason y u wanna go Maruia spring?

usually is cc > arthur's pass > glacier, or glacier straight from cc...

as mentioned in earlier pages u can take the coach from queenstown, so instead of have 2-4 nov for te anau+milford sound, u jus need to spend maybe 2 or 3 nov...

hope u have checked the map, te anau to mt cook is about 5 hrs drive...
 

BlackCube

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any reason y u wanna go Maruia spring?

usually is cc > arthur's pass > glacier, or glacier straight from cc...

as mentioned in earlier pages u can take the coach from queenstown, so instead of have 2-4 nov for te anau+milford sound, u jus need to spend maybe 2 or 3 nov...

hope u have checked the map, te anau to mt cook is about 5 hrs drive...

no special reason. seem like one of the recommended place to go. and it's the first day there, so might as well relax first. haha

im might be doing this?

Nrx1Asx.png


so will be a detour to arthur's pass and maybe stay for a short while then go off.

reason to stay in te anau is that te anau itself got places to go right. so if go from QT to MS, then i'll miss out te anau. dont wanna make the entire trip too rush. that's why i removed Catlins and Dunedin for now.

yeah, saw the long drive. was thinking now that if it is better to go from wanaka to te anau first. after playing at te anau already, then go to QT and stay for 2 days. then move to mt cook (3 hr from QT instead of 5 from te anau). like that seem better?
 
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mata_hippo

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Up to u if u wanna chill at that spring place, as long as u r ok with the extra drive/time spent at the lower priority places... wasnt in my plans for both my past 2 south island trips...

Te anau is a larger town than queenstown but it’s a dead town... nth to do one...

There’s a glow worm cave tour but glow worm caves r more well known in the north at waitomo caves...

It’s the town you use if you r gonna do the famous multi day treks: kepler, routeburn and milford

As a scenery/hiking person i would recommend first timers to prioritise wanaka, queenstown and mt cook where possible... followed by glacier towns, Arthur’s pass, tekapo and milford sound...

Other towns r not rly a scenery/hiking place so i never bother to research further... so my knowledge of them will be minimal...
 
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BlackCube

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Up to u if u wanna chill at that spring place, as long as u r ok with the extra drive/time spent at the lower priority places... wasnt in my plans for both my past 2 south island trips...

ok. priority is a bit subjective so each to its own.
just wanna know if arthur is that worth, then i will make the slight detour as shown in the image above. if not then i will skip that.

Te anau is a larger town than queenstown but it’s a dead town... nth to do one...

There’s a glow worm cave tour but glow worm caves r more well known in the north at waitomo caves...

It’s the town you use if you r gonna do the famous multi day treks: kepler, routeburn and milford

As a scenery/hiking person i would recommend first timers to prioritise wanaka, queenstown and mt cook where possible... followed by glacier towns, Arthur’s pass, tekapo and milford sound...

Other towns r not rly a scenery/hiking place so i never bother to research further... so my knowledge of them will be minimal...

yeah, that's why i staying te anau for 2 days to go around places. i am thinking to add another night at wanaka already. not exactly a hiking person though. will go for easier hike, not those difficult ones.
 
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jus feel u wont see much of milford sound by kayaking... jus take the cruise and enjoy the views better... usually can see seals... and occasionally can see penguins... i saw a few penguins during my last cruise :o
Oh.. icic. But i think i still prefer the kayak to get more up close and personal with the animals and waterfalls. Thanks anyway!

Sent from Samsung SM-G950F using GAGT
 

BlackCube

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I'm most probably dropping Arthur pass.

Is the heli hike worth the 450 bucks?

Any night places to go at Christchurch area? I'm thinking not to book hotel for last night since I'll need to be at airport very early like 4am. Need to return car before also.
so will just go airport earlier then can chill at airport.. too bad the pp lounge don't open that early.
 
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