Hi, need lots of help with itinerary. i have a total of 3 week for north and south island and i have already booked return tickets to auckland in nov.
my plan is to drive down to wellington, then take ferry across to picton and continue driving down to queenstown and return to auckland by domestic flight.
i am currently planning my south island part first, trying to see how many days i need, then leave the rest for north island.
i have shortlisted some places, but i need help on the route/sequence:
Picton
Christchurch
Methven (hot air balloon)
Lake Tekapo (see stars. is the observatory tour worth it?)
Mt Cook (Hooker Valley trek, Lake Matheson aka "mirror lake")
Franz Josef Glacier (helicopter ride)
Wanaka
Milford Sound/ Doubtful Sound
Te Anau
Queenstown (Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables)
Questions:
1. does the sequence make sense? is there any road from Mt Cook to Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier?
2. for there places i am going, where shld i spend the night, and how many days to spend at each place?
3. seems like quite a long drive from picton to christchurch... anything in between that is worth a visit?
4. is my plan sensible? or shld i take domestic flight from auckland to christchurch instead?
TIA
Methven (hot air balloon) if you want to take risk of dying you can go ahead.
Lake Matheson is not at Mt cook village. It is at Fox Glacier that side.
Wanaka you go queenstown first before Te Anau.
Milford Sound can self drive depend on season.
Doubtful Sound you cannot drive there cause need to cross 2 lakes.
1. does the sequence make sense? is there any road from Mt Cook to Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier?
Road of coz got but no direct, you can go google map to look. Will be long drive and waste of time.
2. for there places i am going, where shld i spend the night, and how many days to spend at each place?
depend on what u want to do, got hiking? else most are just 1 night while queenstown can be more nights.
3. seems like quite a long drive from picton to christchurch... anything in between that is worth a visit?
Picton to chc is 4 hrs drive away. unless u want to visit nelson or other site along the way from picton to chc only Kaikoura for whale watch.
4. is my plan sensible? or shld i take domestic flight from auckland to christchurch instead?
along the way from Ak to Wlg things to see one.. then ferry over to picton. only thing u need to check if your car rental allow u to return car at chc.