My estimate budget 16k max bro. haha

Hi guys, me and my friends are heading to NZ next week for about 11-12 days. We will be on campervan for most of the time on South Island. I got a colleague came back fromNZ last week told me weather is very cold there now.
Anyone can share if boots like Timberland/Northface is required? Sweater, Thermal clothes and so on is in my pack list but I plan to wear sport shoes with thick socks. Buying boots for single trip use seem does kind of waste, but wanted to hear out so I can make a call.
Thanks.

Planning to go for south island self-drive family vacation trip from 12th - 23 march 2019. Three healthy adults, two elderly with knee issue and one children. Do you guys think the dates are ok?

The route that i got in mind now is:
Christchurch - dunedin - invercargill - te anau - queenstown - twizel - christchurch

Initially was thinking to cover haast - hokitika - arthurs pass and the glaciers. However, this require hiking which i dont think my parents is able to do it.

Appreciate your advise and sharing of experience.

maybe can add Lake Tekapo or perhaps Mt Cook in your itinerary since you're planning to go to Twizel.

Depends if you planning to go to snowy areas or not. It's always good to have waterproof shoes (hiking shoes or boots) as NZ is a country where rain come and go and always wet.

It's winter now so yes it's very cold. Even in north island its cold, south island is colder.

I suggest you get a pair of good waterproof comfy hiking boots, you can use them even in non-winter countries.

i see, its like missing some great spot like milford sound, mt cook and tekapo..

which airline? direct to christchurch or u still have to go auckland? if u still need to fly back to auck after christchurch, then u dont have to make a round trip... u can start chrischurch then end at dunedin.. there is an airport at dunedin, use jetstar back to auck, drop ur rental car there too.. jucy got a station there.

Hi guys, me and my husband are going to NZ south island next month. Here is our itinery. Can you help us to see whether we are too ambitious to cover them all?

Day 1: 1.20pm reach Auckland. Transfer to Christchurch. Dinner and walk around Christchurch
Day 2: Take our rental car and depart to Lyttelton, Akaroa, Back to Christchurch stay overnight
Day 3: Depart to Kaikoura. Stay a night in Kaikoura
Day 4: Depart to Greymounth via Arthurpass. Check in at Greymouth
Day 5: Depart to Hokitika, Franz Josef Glacier, Fox Glacier, Lake Matheson,Jetty Viewpoint. Check in at Wanaka
Day 6: Laka Wanaka, Cromwell, Arrowton, Queenstown
Day 7: Queenstown
Day 8: Depart to Te Anau, Then to Milford Sound Cruise, Walk around, Check in at Te Anau
Day 9: Depart to Manapouri, Omarama,Mount cook village check in
Day 10: Mount cook, Lake Tekapo, Mt John observatory
Day 11: Depart to Christchurch

Thinking to hire a campervan from Queenstown to Christchurch to experience it. How is the road condition from Queenstown to Christchurch? Is it easy to drive? We are not that familiar with driving a van. Anybody can recommend campervan company which is reliable?

Thank you in advance!:D

on the driving part, just share my experience..
was on the way to queenstown from mt cook... most of the time its a single lane road... put your eye on the side especially when reaching queentown, steep mountainous area.. im forced to drive abt 100kmh while get horned by local.. was trying to find a safe area to stop to.let them.pass but when we are being pushed, driving at that speed, it was always too late to turn.to the area that u can stop and allow them to overtake..

Everything is fine until day 5.
Unless you are literally just driving pass FJG and Fox without stopping, this day is quite impossible.
The Haast Highway from Fox to Wanaka will take you 4 to 5 hours drive with some stops in between. I suggest you stay the night over in FJG or fox and continue to Wanaka the next day.

Day 8 will be a very early morning departure from Queenstown to Milford Sound so if you want to avoid that, either stay the night at Te Anau on day 7 or take a really late cruise at Milford.

Take out Manapouri on day 9 since you're not doing Doubtful Sound and head straight from Te Anau to Mount Cook since it will be another long drive.
The rest are fine.

So in conclusion, I would sacrifice day 2 or day 3 to accommodate the extra day at FJG/Fox.

Thanks. Decided to just stay a night in FJG so is not so rush and took out Manapouri.


Anyone can suggest a website and company where you guys booked your campervan? Thinking to experience campervan from Queenstown back to Christchurch. Motorhome republic charge a bond of NZ 7500 which i think is insanely high.

I booked through Rankers with Britz
Taking the full coverage option (can't recall what they call this) so there's no bond / charge held on the credit card
I heard you'll likely lose a couple % in exchange rate even if they return the amount fully...

I just came back from NZ, renting a motorhome.. First day, already involve in an accident.. I was looking for a parking at PaknSave parking, when making a 90 degree turn, the back of the motorhome hit a car and dented its bumber.. I forgot that I drove a longgggggg vehicle.. lol.. There was a passerby saw it and .. bla bla bla.. Settle everything for half an hour. Fortunately, the car owner was a woman and she was kind, and didnt scold me like I was expecting.. I took 0 excess insurance btw.

Btw, PaknSave (Hornby) really have no suitable parking for motorhome except the only 1 that I found. There was another motorhome driver keep driving round and round for like half an hour, until finally he gave up and just waiting there until I'm gone, and he took my parking spot..

This post has been edited by zeese: Sep 28 2018, 04:40 PM

Will be in South Island this Saturday for 2 weeks!

Wow so exciting!
Do u mind to share your itinerary?

Yeah sure, I have something like that in mind:

Day 01 - Arrival at Christchurch, chill for the rest of the day
Day 02 - Kura Tawhiti Conservation Area > Arthur's Pass National Park > Brunner Mine > Greymouth
Day 03 - Punakaiki > Hokitika
Day 04 - Franz Josef Glacier
Day 05 - Fox Glacier (heli-hike) > Lake Matheson
Day 06 - Haast Pass > Lake Hawea > Wanaka
Day 07 - Wanaka & surroundings
Day 08 - Cardrona > Arrowtown > Lake Manapouri > Te Anau
Day 09 - Milford Sound & surroundings
Day 10 - Queenstown (NYE Countdown)
Day 11 - Glenorchy & Queenstown surroundings
Day 12 - Lindis Pass > Omarama > Lake Pukaki > Mt Cook
Day 13 - Mt Cook
Day 14 - Lake Tekapo > Geraldine > Christchurch
Day 15 - Back to Melbourne

Any ideas if I could experience the same scenic route (maybe 70%) by driving as opposed to taking the TranzAlpine train from Christchurch to Greymouth?

Between CHC & Greymouth, I definitely recommend driving as you can stop by Castle Hill & Arthurs Pass with quite a few interesting stops on the way.

With the train, you see less but you get to relax obviously by not driving.

Where are you spending the night? Greymouth?

Yes I’ll be staying at Greymouth.
After some research I have decidedly to drive as well.
This allows me to do some short hiking in Arthur’s Pass.

Any particular interesting stops you would recommend when traveling between CHC and Greymouth?
Thanks

Yep, stop by Castle Hill to view the big rocks.
Arthurs Pass National Park don't miss the Devils Punchbowl Waterfall and Otira Viaduct lookout.
Brunner Mine is an interesting place to stop by as well to understand some history of the mining in NZ.

Or do what I did, drive and simply stop wherever it looks amazing. Which was quite a number of places for me. We did stop by Castle Hill but didn't hike up close.