My South Island (New Zealand) Itinerary

Thenarrator on 27/12/2018 - 22:16
Last edited 27/12/2018 - 22:17

Hi i'll be going to queenstown/wanaka/milford sound over the easter break with family and would like someone to review my itinerary below. I'm particularly concerned about whether I should change accommodation on 24/4 from queenstown to Te anau because i've got a lot of walks at te anau on 25th and not so much to do on 24th at queenstown. Sleeping there on 24/4 would even the timing out more but I could be wrong. Anyone agrees or have other suggestions? It would mean that I have 2 nights at queenstown and 3 nights at te anau.

My family nor I are not really into extreme sports. Paragliding is probably the max for me.
thanks!

21/04/2018
7am -8am breakfast, then depart from franz josef
8-10:30am drive from franz to haast, stopping at knights point lookout, ship creek lookout.
10:30-3:30pm drive to wanaka stopping for lunch, blue pools walk (1hr), lake wanaka lookout, lake hawea lookout.
3:30-4:30pm Wanaka Tree
4:30-5pm Afternoon tea/dinner @ Eriks fish and chip or Yohei Japanese Cafe"
SLeep @ Wanaka

22/04/2018
9-10am yohei japanese restaurant breakfast
11am-12pm rippon winery
12-1:30pm drive to arrowtown
1:30-2:30 lunch (suggest @slowcuts)
2:30-5pm Autumn leaves @ arrowtown
Sleep @ Queenstown

23/04/2018
Explore Queenstown Gardens, Skyline Gondola, Do paragliding, Eat at one of the following:
Habebes Cafe, Loco Cantina, Empanada Kitchen, @ Thai, Erik's Fish n Chips"
Sleep @ Queenstown

24/04/2018
Drive to Glenorchy (half day?), explore queenstown (nothing else to explore? useless day?)
Sleep @ Queenstown

25/04/2018
6am-6:30am breakfast and depart from queenstown
6:30-8:30am drive to te anau
8:30-12:30pm arrive at key summit stopping at eglinton flats (5min), mirror lakes (5min)
12:30-1:30pm lunch
1:30-5pm key summit trail (2.5hr return).
5pm + checkin at te anau
Sleep @ Te anau

26/04/2018
5am-6am breakfast
6am-8am drive to milford sound
8am - 11am Rosco's beginner morning kayak (if you not doing kayak, you can explore around milford sound)
11am - 12:30pm lunch.
12:30 - 3pm cruise
3pm - 5pm lake gunn nature walk (45min)
Sleep @ Te anau

Travel New Zealand Oceania

Comments

  • pao2x on 27/12/2018 - 22:39

    Try a jetboat ride in Lake Wakatipu or Shotover

  • DiLs on 27/12/2018 - 23:37

    few suggestions.
    1. use www.bookme.co.nz to get a lot of cheap activities
    2. try not to drive to milford sound, that means you will be missing on all the attraction and views. Secondly, the usual bus drivers know the points to stop which you may miss
    3. Rather than Glenorcy, you can go further up to Paradise but it has about 10km unsealed road
    4. you have put a very tight schedule of things, you would be stressing.
    good luck and enjoy, its a beautiful part of the world

    • Thenarrator on 27/12/2018 - 23:57

      Do u think glenorchy + paradise can be done in half day?

      • DiLs on 28/12/2018 - 13:31

        Ya

  • Donaldhump on 28/12/2018 - 01:27
    +1

    i thought being in the military was rough.

    petrol is 2.30-2.60 just letting you know

    • Thenarrator on 28/12/2018 - 11:30

      hm ok thanks for info. Theres not much escaping from it i guess.

  • Ramennightmare on 28/12/2018 - 09:45

    on 24th, it seems pretty loose and really not much not to in Glenorchy other than the pier. So I would suggest on the way to Glenorchy, you can stop at Bob's Cove there is a 1 hour return walk. And then, upon your return, you can try Lake Alta walk @ the remarkable (1.5hr - 2 hour return walk) highly recommended. Your itinerary seems fine, just on the first day, it might be a bit tight and depends on your family size, everyone really has to stick to that on first day.

    At wanaka, before you head to Queenstown the 2nd day, you could try the Mount Iron track (short version of Roy's peak)or Puzzling world.

    Besides, I personally I would suggest visiting Fox Glacier than Franz Josef, because Franz Josef is more uphill and you have to walk more because of the glacier retreat. Franz Josef 45mins vs Fox Glacier 30 mins. Besides, at Fox Glacier you can visit the Glow Worm Hole at night as well as the Lake Matheson walk (another mirror lake).

    Hope this helps, not sure about your family size, stamina and how many times you have visited South Island.

    (Just came back December and took my wedding photo there last June as well)

    • Thenarrator on 28/12/2018 - 11:46

      Thanks for track suggestions at near queenstown. Stamina is not very good and first time going south island so i'm trying give them as much rest as possible. Given so rush on 25th with all the driving + trail near milford, I was thinking of driving on the night of 24th to sleep at te anau rather than queenstown.

      Accomodation do seem cheaper at queenstown than te anau however.

      • Ramennightmare on 28/12/2018 - 12:10

        Yes, it is. Since there are more options in queenstown, therefore the accommodation is cheaper. You try Fiordland National park lodge, that might be cheaper. And, you could try to leave on night of 24th and stay in Te Anau, you could probably do some short walk around there too. Just remember to bring some insect repellant when you do the hiking in Te Anau Area, there can be a lot of sandflies, just to make your hike more enjoyable. Feel free to ask any questions. Since this is the first time you been to Queenstown, I would suggest trying out the Ferg Burger (20mins wait normally) and Ferg Bakery (Boston Cream Donut), they are pretty affordable and taste amazing.

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