NZ Itinerary from Christchurch

[The Moose]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

I will revise the itinerary tomorrow after doing a little more research and go from there.

[petsar68]

Spend 5 days in and around Wanaka and Queenstown (use the Crown Range Road to get from one to another). Wanaka is cruisy and easy, quite busy over holidays but a nice vibe. Swim in the lake, it's much warmer than Queenstown!!

Get a lakeview hotel in Queenstown, your choice is a bit hidden up the gondola valley.

Watch bungy jumping at Kawarau Bridge (it's free, hilarious and you can stand right next to the jumper on the bridge), drive up Coronet Peak (nice sealed Road) for breathtaking views, visit historic little Arrowtown for a meander and amazing sticky bun from Provisions (65 Buckingham St) combine Arrowtown with the bungy as it's on the way, take the Gondola in Queenstown and get a multi-ride pass on the brilliant luge at the top, go on the Earnslaw at sunset, smuggle your booze on and get merry, jump in the lake just to say you've done it (not off of the boat), walk Queenstown Gardens around the lake, eat a Fergburger - they really are thatgood, party up at the lovely Bardeaux, Mini Bar, Surreal, and Debajo (all down little hidden lanes and locals favourites).

Jet boating? I'd drive to Glenorchy (40 minutes, another epic driving rd), and do the Dart River trip - bit off of the usual tourist trail and more personal than the usual Kawarau/Shotover tourist conveyor belts. The best adventure I've had in Queenstown was the quad biking trip, I'm not a biker at all but this was incredible, great value, very personal service and so much better than I imagined - http://www.offroad.co.nz/



I live just outside of Queenstown and give my stamp of approval for the suggestions quoted above !

[Bull1t]

cheddar said:

The best adventure I've had in Queenstown was the quad biking trip, I'm not a biker at all but this was incredible, great value, very personal service and so much better than I imagined - http://www.offroad.co.nz/

I've done this and highly recommend it as well. The terrain is simple enough the learning curve for non riders is pretty low. You can ride over the top of the hill and see the Nevis bungy as well which is even more impressive than the bridge.
http://www.bungy.co.nz/the-nevis/the-nevis-bungy

[cheddar]

Bull1t said:

cheddar said:

The best adventure I've had in Queenstown was the quad biking trip, I'm not a biker at all but this was incredible, great value, very personal service and so much better than I imagined - http://www.offroad.co.nz/

I've done this and highly recommend it as well. The terrain is simple enough the learning curve for non riders is pretty low. You can ride over the top of the hill and see the Nevis bungy as well which is even more impressive than the bridge.
http://www.bungy.co.nz/the-nevis/the-nevis-bungy

Good to hear another positive story about this outfit.

The instructors were incredible - out of 15 riders they noticed that 2 of us were a little more adept than the others so they pulled us out of the group, took us back to base, swapped our little automatic quads for manual 350cc Yamaha's and gave us our own guide for 90 minutes who had us drifting and jumping all over the mountain.

I think we paid $169 (it's more now), I will remember it for the rest of my life.

OP - skip doing the bungy jump (just watch them free at Kawarau) for the same money try this instead.

[The Moose]

Thank you so much to everyone for your suggestions. I've taken what we want to do and some of your suggestions and come up with what I think is a pretty damn good plan. Have a gander and comments are of course always appreciated. The hotels may need a little tickle. It'll be a pretty full holiday - not too much time to relax. You can sleep when you're dead, right?

8th Jan - 14:30 Arrive Christchurch Airport
8th Jan Hokitika 245km - 3 hours Beachfront Hotel - Bed & Breakfast for 2 - Ocean View Room
9th Jan Lake Matherson Restaurant - Dinner
9th Jan Franz Josef Glacier 135km - 1.5 hours Alpine Glacier Motor Lodge
10th Jan Wanaka 285km - 3 hours Edgewater - Bed only - Hotel Studio Room inc free WiFi - FIND A RED STAR BURGER!
11th Jan Queenstown 70km - 1 hour Will be longer due to longer router. Including stop at Kawarau Bridge and trip to Coronet Peak. Possibly Arrowtown also. FIND A FERGBURGER! Hotel TBC
12th Jan Drive to Glenorchy + Dart River Jet Boat Trip - http://www.dartriver.co.nz/
12th Jan Queenstown. Hotel TBC
13th Jan - Quadbike Tour - www.offroad.co.nz
13th Jan Te Anau inc poss Jet Boat Ride 170km - 2 hours Distinction Luxmore - Deluxe Hotel Room
14th Jan Drive to Milford Sounds and chill there. Maybe water sports.
14th Jan Te Anau - Distinction Luxmore - Deluxe Hotel Room
15th Jan ? Lake Tekapo? Hotel? (This will however, take us back down some roads already travelled)
16th Jan Return to Christchurch - Clearview Lodge
17th Jan - Chill in Christchurch, have a wander around, return MX5
17th Jan - 15:45 Flight out of Christchurch

A couple of questions if you don't mind:

1. Can anyone recommend a hotel in Queenstown?
2. Any of our other hotels need changing?
3. Where exactly is the bungy jump at Kawarau Bridge? I assume a few miles East of Queenstown on the 6?
4. Where to stay on the 15th Jan working our way back to Christchurch? Lake Tekapo sounds as good as any. Hotel suggestion? Nice route to get there?

[GravelBen]

The most direct way from Te Anau to Tekapo (or Mt Cook village, which is about 45 min each way side trip from the main road before Tekapo) is back through Queenstown-Cromwell-over the Lindis Pass(a nice drive)-Omarama. Getting on towards 5hrs - if you wanted a longer route with some variety you could go via Gore-[some interesting back roads I can advise]-Roxburgh-Alexandra before rejoining the same route at Cromwell.

The Kawarau bungee bridge is where SH6 goes into the Gibbston Valley, just east of where the Crown Range road (from Wanaka) zig-zags down to join it.

Edited by GravelBen on Sunday 29th September 11:09

[cheddar]

The Moose said:

Thank you so much to everyone for your suggestions. I've taken what we want to do and some of your suggestions and come up with what I think is a pretty damn good plan. Have a gander and comments are of course always appreciated. The hotels may need a little tickle. It'll be a pretty full holiday - not too much time to relax. You can sleep when you're dead, right?

8th Jan - 14:30 Arrive Christchurch Airport
8th Jan Hokitika 245km - 3 hours Beachfront Hotel - Bed & Breakfast for 2 - Ocean View Room
9th Jan Lake Matherson Restaurant - Dinner
9th Jan Franz Josef Glacier 135km - 1.5 hours Alpine Glacier Motor Lodge
10th Jan Wanaka 285km - 3 hours Edgewater - Bed only - Hotel Studio Room inc free WiFi - FIND A RED STAR BURGER!
11th Jan Queenstown 70km - 1 hour Will be longer due to longer router. Including stop at Kawarau Bridge and trip to Coronet Peak. Possibly Arrowtown also. FIND A FERGBURGER! Hotel TBC
12th Jan Drive to Glenorchy + Dart River Jet Boat Trip - http://www.dartriver.co.nz/
12th Jan Queenstown. Hotel TBC
13th Jan - Quadbike Tour - www.offroad.co.nz
13th Jan Te Anau inc poss Jet Boat Ride 170km - 2 hours Distinction Luxmore - Deluxe Hotel Room
14th Jan Drive to Milford Sounds and chill there. Maybe water sports.
14th Jan Te Anau - Distinction Luxmore - Deluxe Hotel Room
15th Jan ? Lake Tekapo? Hotel? (This will however, take us back down some roads already travelled)
16th Jan Return to Christchurch - Clearview Lodge
17th Jan - Chill in Christchurch, have a wander around, return MX5
17th Jan - 15:45 Flight out of Christchurch

A couple of questions if you don't mind:

1. Can anyone recommend a hotel in Queenstown?
2. Any of our other hotels need changing?
3. Where exactly is the bungy jump at Kawarau Bridge? I assume a few miles East of Queenstown on the 6?
4. Where to stay on the 15th Jan working our way back to Christchurch? Lake Tekapo sounds as good as any. Hotel suggestion? Nice route to get there?

Wow - you like to keep busy then.

By the time you clear customs and immigration on the 8th, go to your car rental place and do all the signing and checking faf I'll be surprised if you're clear of Christchurch by 6pm, that means you'll be crossing some of the Alps/West Coast in the dark and miss the scenery.
Why not stay in Chch that day, find your feet, have a beer and burger, look at the quake stuff and leave nice and early the next day?
And, you can do easily do Tekapo to Chch airport on the way back on the 17th - take the inland scenic route, past Stavely/Mt Hutt not SH1 and gain an extra day.

Queenstown hotel? This http://www.millenniumhotels.co.nz/copthornequeenst... is absolutely my favourite by miles, big big rooms, big balconies, incredible views, underground parking, 5 minute walk to town, very affordable - you MUST book a lake view otherwise you get a dingy courtyard and make sure you book a 'twin' room then you get two double beds.

Yes, stay in Tekapo on the way back, it's the best of your 3 options of Omarama/Twizel/Tekapo. Lake Tekapo hotel? I don't know your budget but this http://www.peppers.co.nz/bluewater/ is the best, otherwise anywhere that's walking distance to the hot pools, I'd get a room at the campsite by the lake.

Kawarau Bungy? - Check it out when you drive over the Crown Range from Wanaka, turn left at the bottom of the zig zag for the bungy (5 minutes up the road) and do Arrowtown and Coronet peak on your way into Queenstown after the bungy, you drive right past them.

Do the Gondola/Luge combo in Q/town and take your Fergburgers to the lake for great people watching and views.

I would do a scenic flight to Milford Sound, you get the fly/cruise combo, can pick your weather, save a load of time and the flight is beyond amazing.

Edit: Just looked at the fly/cruise price, ouch - $425 each!!! Still worth it....

And....it is a 600km round trip in a car, personally, I wouldn't do that in a Maybach if it was hammering down with rain, let alone an MX5 (Ben might disagree) - can you leave that bit open for other possible adventures if the weather doesn't play ball?

You'll be doing over 1000 'B road' miles in 10 days even without adding Milford.

Edited by cheddar on Sunday 29th September 21:29

[uncinqsix]

cheddar said:

By the time you clear customs and immigration on the 8th, go to your car rental place and do all the signing and checking faf I'll be surprised if you're clear of Christchurch by 6pm, that means you'll be crossing some of the Alps/West Coast in the dark and miss the scenery.
Why not stay in Chch that day, find your feet, have a beer and burger, look at the quake stuff and leave nice and early the next day?

I'd second that - you really want to be doing the Chch - Hokitika drive during the day.


(However, 6pm is probably a bit pessimistic for clearing the airport after a 2.30pm arrival. My record is 15 minutes from sitting on the plane to getting into a taxi, but that was a midnight arrival into Wellington from Oz, with no baggage )

[cheddar]

uncinqsix said:

I'd second that - you really want to be doing the Chch - Hokitika drive during the day.


6pm is probably a bit pessimistic for clearing the airport after a 2.30pm arrival.

You're right you could do it a little quicker but it's a holiday so allowing for any delays, arrivals queues, organising car rental shuttle, paperwork, car check, sort and pack lugagge, get directions, fire up car, head out of town (rush hour), all without hurrying and bingo, the suns going down (right in your eyes on that evening trip over to the West) and your brain's too faddled to compute that you're even in New Zealand.

How about doing a halfway house of leaving Christchurch, get to quiet Darfield (1 hour max), stay here http://darfieldmotel.co.nz/ (gateway to the West) and have a beer and travel chat with a local PH'er?

Edited by cheddar on Monday 30th September 20:28

[The Moose]

Is that your place Cheddar?

I thought it'd be light a fair bit later than that during the Summer - maybe I've got that rather wrong!

I'll have to have (another!) re-jig of the plans and see what'll fit. I don't know if we're pushing it trying to be in Queenstown and Te Anau for 2 nights each.

[cheddar]

The Moose said:

Is that your place Cheddar?

I thought it'd be light a fair bit later than that during the Summer - maybe I've got that rather wrong!

I'll have to have (another!) re-jig of the plans and see what'll fit. I don't know if we're pushing it trying to be in Queenstown and Te Anau for 2 nights each.

No, not my place Moose - I live in the next village along.

I suggested it as it's on your route West, half an hour from the Alps and sets you up nicely for an epic drive the following morning.

[Penguinracer]

From Te Anau it's worth taking the Doubtful Sound trip - boat across Manapouri, coach over Wilmot Pass & boat on the sound.
It knocks spots off Milford, although I can see the attraction of Milford from a driving perspective.
Alternatively charter a float plane to get you into Dusky Sound - now you're getting seriously remote.

[The Moose]

So, how's this sounding (no pun intended... honestly!) then:

8th Jan - 14:30 Arrive Christchurch Airport
8th Jan - Darfield - Darfield Motel (meet Cheddar for a drink...or two)
9th Jan Hokitika 245km (possible lunch in Greymouth) - 3 hours Beachfront Hotel - Bed & Breakfast for 2 - Ocean View Room
10th Jan Wanaka 285km - 3 hours Edgewater - Bed only - Hotel Studio Room inc free WiFi - FIND A RED STAR BURGER!
11th Jan Queenstown 70km - 1 hour Will be longer due to longer router. Including stop at Kawarau Bridge and trip to Coronet Peak. Possibly Arrowtown also. FIND A FERGBURGER! Hotel TBC
12th Jan Drive to Glenorchy + Dart River Jet Boat Trip - http://www.dartriver.co.nz/
12th Jan Queenstown. Hotel TBC
13th Jan - Quadbike Tour - www.offroad.co.nz
13th Jan Te Anau inc poss Jet Boat Ride 170km - 2 hours Distinction Luxmore - Deluxe Hotel Room
14th Jan Drive to Milford Sounds and chill there. Maybe water sports.
14th Jan Te Anau - Distinction Luxmore - Deluxe Hotel Room
15th Jan ? Lake Tekapo? Hotel? (This will however, take us back down some roads already travelled)
16th Jan Return to Christchurch - Clearview Lodge
17th Jan - Chill in Christchurch, have a wander around, return MX5
17th Jan - 15:45 Flight out of Christchurch

Sounds like a fun filled trip to me

[uncinqsix]

Greymouth is a bit of a dump and isn't really worth a side trip for it's own sake TBH. Hokitika is a lot smaller, and there are a few things to do in the surrounding area. Hokitika Gorge is worth a visit, and there is a new treetop walkway that's apparently quite good. Best place to eat in Hoki is probably Cafe de Paris (run by a French bloke and fairly well regarded), or fish and chips on the beach if the weather's nice.

(My wife is from Hokitika, so I've spent quite a bit of time there with the in-laws)

[cheddar]

uncinqsix said:

Greymouth is a bit of a dump and isn't really worth a side trip for it's own sake TBH. Hokitika is a lot smaller, and there are a few things to do in the surrounding area. Hokitika Gorge is worth a visit, and there is a new treetop walkway that's apparently quite good. Best place to eat in Hoki is probably Cafe de Paris (run by a French bloke and fairly well regarded), or fish and chips on the beach if the weather's nice.

(My wife is from Hokitika, so I've spent quite a bit of time there with the in-laws)

True, Greymouth isn't a tourist mecca, but, as you'll now have the whole day to travel you could go through it and visit Punakaiki rocks which is 35 miles north of where you meet the West Coast, have lunch in Greymouth (instead of the rubbish at Arthurs Pass) and walk it of when you visit the pancake rock formations at Punakaiki.

Get your hotels and motels booked, it's a very busy time of year.

[uncinqsix]

cheddar said:

True, Greymouth isn't a tourist mecca, but, as you'll now have the whole day to travel you could go through it and visit Punakaiki rocks which is 35 miles north of where you meet the West Coast, have lunch in Greymouth (instead of the rubbish at Arthurs Pass) and walk it of when you visit the pancake rock formations at Punakaiki.

Get your hotels and motels booked, it's a very busy time of year.

Punakaiki is definitely worth a look. It's a little bit more driving, but the scenery is great along the way. Don't forget to stop off at the glaciers on the way down to Wanaka too.

[The Moose]

Right - I think we're all there.

Need to confirm a hotel in Hokitika - was looking at the Beachfront Hotel, but only inland rooms left. Anywhere else nice to stay in that region? Wouldn't mind staying up in Punakaiki if needed.

Christchurch - am looking at The Clearview Lodge - seems a little out of town which is a shame. Any suggestions for nice beachfront hotels?

Cheddar: Will take your advice on Peppers Bluewater and probably go for a night there.

[cheddar]

The Moose said:

Right - I think we're all there.

Need to confirm a hotel in Hokitika - was looking at the Beachfront Hotel, but only inland rooms left. Anywhere else nice to stay in that region? Wouldn't mind staying up in Punakaiki if needed.

Christchurch - am looking at The Clearview Lodge - seems a little out of town which is a shame. Any suggestions for nice beachfront hotels?

Cheddar: Will take your advice on Peppers Bluewater and probably go for a night there.

Hokitika: If you want to be in town and by the beach then the 'Beachfront Hotel' is your only option, I'd book that inland view room, plead for a cancellation on an ocean view and keep your fingers crossed.

Punakaiki: this http://www.punakaiki-resort.co.nz/welcome resort is the nicest beachfront accom, quite isolated but the West Coast isn't about the towns anyway, it's a bit pricey but gives you what you're looking for.

Christchurch: The central city is still a crumbled mess after the 2011 earthquakes, at night it's dead, where there were once lines of riverfront bars and restaurants there's now either piles of rubble or empty lots.
It never had much beachfront accommodation and has even less now.
This place http://www.wotif.com/hotel/View?hotel=W52779&p... is quite new, right opposite Brighton beach (not the most salubrious suburb) but, if you get a high room, you can crack open a beer and watch the waves roll in.

[GravelBen]

Sorry about the weather! This 'summer' really hasn't been up to the usual standard.