[umas1082]

Hello New Zealanders,

I will be visiting NZ during the month of December and Plan to drive around.
What will be a realistic driving time from Franz Joseph to Blenheim.?
I get all kinds of numbers from diff websites/Maps. Please help.

Thanks
Umas1082

[jeffanar]

I find www.wises.co.nz the most reliable for driving times around new zealand - google maps is good for driving directions but their times are often way out

[cappuccino]

The AA website is really useful and has a driving times calculator: www.aatravel.co.nz/main/td-calculator.php

The Jasons website is helfpul too with planning your trip: www.jasons.com/New-Zealand/

[umas1082]

Thank you Guys/gals for the replies.
However this is my crazy Itinerary

day 1 Arrival in Christchurch from US- ( Arrival in NZ, Leisure)
day 2 Christchurch--- Kaikoura whale watch
day 3 Christchurch--- Mt Cook---- Queenstown
Day 4 Te anu ( Milford sound tour)
day 5 Queenstown to Franz Joseph to Blenheim
Day 6 Ferry Crossing to Wellington /leisure
Day 6 Wellington--- Outskirts/Leisure
Day 7 Wellington --- Taupo--- Rotorua
Day8 Rotorua
Day 9 Rotorua---- Auckland
Day 10 Auckland
Day 11 Back to US

Day 5 is what I am really worried about, and I have no Choice.
am i nuts to do it this way. ?

Thanks, Suggestions will be appreciated .

Umas

[newarrival]

You can probably do Queenstown via Franz Josef to Blenheim in one day, but it will be a looooong drive! And it is a bit of a waste if you just drive the whole time without any chance of seeing anything on the way!
The same goes for Christchurch to Queenstown, especially via Mount Cook.

In my opinion it is too much to see for 11 days- and the distances you choose are too far away.

It might work if you arrive, let's say in Auckland, and drive south- but not as far as Queenstown, that is too long a drive. I also noticed that you plan to do a Milford Sound Tour on day 4 and then, on day 5, start from Queenstown, which means that you have to go back to Queenstown on the day of the tour to be able to start really early on the morning.

You will probably get a lot more replies- but I wouldn't want to do your tour, tbh!:exit

[talisker]

day 1 Arrival in Christchurch from US- ( Arrival in NZ, Leisure)

So you've got one day of "Leisure" before you get down to the hard work of your ordeal? :D

It seems pretty rushed to me - I certainly wouldnt be cramming as much into two weeks. One suggestion though - how about moving the Kaikoura visit. Spend a day less in Christchurch, then have a night in Kaikoura on the way up to Blenheim.

You could also fly into Milford from Queenstown - takes much less time than the drive and is a pretty amazing trip. One word of warning though, if you've got no scope for postponing activities to another day, this could be ruled out by weather conditions. Same with the whale watching I imagine.

[umas1082]

Thank you "Newarrival"
for your frank opinion.

Yes, I am a bit worried about Day 4 and 5.
But on day 4 I am taking a tour from Te anu, so no driving other than
Te anu to Queenstown.
Also, I am hoping that the drives will be very scenic and that is what I am looking for , not planning for any activity other than stops on the way.

Umas

[umas1082]

Yeah "Talisker"
am certainly pushing it, I see what you mean.
Can you give me some idea about average speed on Hwy#6 #63. Is it less than
80Kmph. ?

I will probably need one more vacation right after i finish this one.

[newarrival]

The average speed can be as slow as 60kmph, I guess- at least on all those smaller roads down south and on a lot of the roads when you go up the West coast! There will be campervans and other cars driving around and it is not always possible/ safe to pass them.
From Queenstown to Te Anau it will take around 2 1/2 hours, so still quite a while....
And yes, a lot of the driving will be very scenic and therefore worth the time, but, on the other hand, I find it difficult to drive and at the same take enjoy the scenery?!:uhoh

The suggestion Talisker made to spend a night in Kaikoura on the way up to Blenheim sounds good to me, it might be difficult, though, if you plan to go up along the West coast.
Very valid point he made regarding the weather.....

[JandM]

The driving in much of NZ is indeed scenic, and/but you need to allow for the fact that a great many of the roads, while designated as main roads, are winding and hilly (mountainous, really). You can have a look at places you're thinking of travelling by looking on Google Maps StreetView, to get an idea. And there are strict speed limits, backed up with speed cameras and hefty fines, even for foreign tourists.

Do you have any possibility of allowing flexibility, so that if you find you are tired out and/or you find you'd like to see more of somewhere, you could stay in place an extra day?

[tim&em]

Speaking as someone who loves driving and does long distances all over south island whenever we get the chance...

Day 5 is extreme and will take you ALL day even if you set off at the crack of dawn and drive until dark. You'll hate not being able to stop at all the great things to see and do on the journey. Also, you risk driving in the dark which is not a good thing on mountain roads - plus you miss the view.

Day 3 is possible, but the detour to mount cook could add 2-3 hours depending on how long you want to stop there. Again, you'll probably miss a lot because you've got such a distance to cover.

A good place to break the journey down to Queenstown is Tekapo.

I think, in such a short time you risk saying, well I drove all over New Zealand, but didn't really have time to do or see anything else! Would definitely advise cutting you trip down and leaving something for "next time". Maybe pick an island and spend most of your time there.

[talisker]

How about ditching a lot of the north island bit. Fly straight from Wellington to Auckland. Don't get me wrong, I like the North Island, and it gets a lot of bad press from some misinformed visitors - "All the decent scenery is in the South Island..." etc, but you're missing most of the best bits anyway. e.g. the Bay of Islands, Coromandel, Hawkes Bay etc.

Also, the Wellington to Auckland drive is very long and not particularly scenic. It'll be a shame to miss Rotorua, but I think you'll find having a few days extra in the South Island of huge benefit.

[umas1082]

Looks like I may need an extra stop at Greymouth to avoid the longest stretch.
Hey, I got 11 days and that is all i can afford at this point, nothing new, there is never enough time to do anything these days.
One question, are the roads safe at night > 9 PM .? is it going to be cold in december.?

[umas1082]

Talisker,
thanks for the suggestion

I am spending 2 days in Rotorua, its not enough you mean.
I know I cant cover all the nice places NZ has to offer, am trying to do the best i can in limited time, may be another visit to NZ later will have to be done.

umas

[tim&em]

One question, are the roads safe at night > 9 PM .? is it going to be cold in december.?

Generally, the roads where you are planning on going are twisty, unlit and sometimes involve steep climbs and descents and some sheer drops. Don't get me wrong, we have driven at safely in these places at night but generally you have to go quite a bit slower and it takes a lot of concentration. Also, you have to watch out for possums and other animals that love jumping in your path.

However, I would mainly say that the reason to avoid driving at night is that you miss the scenery, and that feeling of freedom on the open road.

We once couldn't avoid driving Te Anau to Queenstown at night and it was no fun at all, just a relief to get there.

December is getting into summer, so it should be generally getting hotter. However it can be a strange time of year. Last Christmas in Christchurch it was raining and cold on Christmas Day but then over the next couple of weeks hit some near-record breaking temperatures...

[umas1082]

tim&em,
Thanks for your observation

I thought about takapo but decided against it.
here is why. 8AM start to Mt cook, 2 hours break, down to Takapo, 1 Hour
Start from takapo 4 PM to Queenstown. I was told there will be sunlight till 9PM.
So I should reach Q by 9PM, Wouldn't that be reasonable. ?

Umas

[umas1082]

Here's another question. ?
what will be the most unique NZ food that I cannot find anywhere else. ?
and what is best place to get it in NZ.

umas

[talisker]

Talisker,
thanks for the suggestion

I am spending 2 days in Rotorua, its not enough you mean.


No I think 2 days is fine for Rotorua, I just meant if you missed it out this time you could use those 2 days as part of your S Island trip, and miss out on a load of boring driving.

[TimAck]

Hi Umas1082.

I just read your itinerary and I have to concur with the others. You're trying to cram in way too much for the time you have. I took my girlfriend (from England, I'm Kiwi) on a loop tour of the South Island and that took two whole weeks and felt rushed.

We did Christchurch, Dunedin, Te Anau, Queenstown, Wanaka, West Coast, Abel Tasman, Marlborough Sounds, Kaikoura and back to Christchurch.

I'd skip out the North Island part of the trip and focus on the South Island.

T.

btw - don't stay in Greymouth, there a nice little spot up the road called Punakaiki which is very scenic (pancake rocks, bush, beach, blowholes etc)

[toesonthenose]

We stayed with friends in Greymouth and drove to Blenheim, with our 3 kids. It was a long all day drive, slow and winding, lots of carsick kids. I think it took 7 or 8 hours with a couple of kid stops. Hokitika was a nicer town than Greymouth for a short stay if you need. I agree with the others here that you may be over doing it.

[Ana&Steve]

I know I cant cover all the nice places NZ has to offer, am trying to do the best i can in limited time, may be another visit to NZ later will have to be done.
No maybe about it!

what will be the most unique NZ food that I cannot find anywhere else. ?
I've never tried pavlova (:wah) but it's the national dessert of NZ. Also, for uniqueness (can't say as to tastiness), try paua (abalone) burgers and possum. Now for my favs, get flat white coffees and mince and cheese pies, available nearly everywhere.

I'm also going to suggest removing some items from your itinerary to enjoy others. You'll understand when you get to NZ why a quick blowthrough of the country will leave you very unsatisfied. You really need to soak up every awesome moment!:nice1 As much as I love Welly and the North Island, could you make this a SI only trip?

[newarrival]

If you consider an overnight stay, definitely go to Punakaiki like TimAck suggested! There is a lovely place a little bit north of the rocks, called Te Nikau Retreat....., in the middle of native bush, there are different kinds of accommodation and you can get freshly baked bread in the morning! You probably need to make a reservation, though, I think it is a well- known and well- loved place!

[tim&em]

tim&em,
Thanks for your observation

I thought about takapo but decided against it.
here is why. 8AM start to Mt cook, 2 hours break, down to Takapo, 1 Hour
Start from takapo 4 PM to Queenstown. I was told there will be sunlight till 9PM.
So I should reach Q by 9PM, Wouldn't that be reasonable. ?

Umas

Yes, you're right about the time, sunset is around 9pm in December, so that does give you lots more driving time that the rest of the year. In that case, the ChCh-Queenstown day does sound possible. Good luck! And remember to stop for lots of strong coffee :nice1

[mylesdw]

People coming to the South Island do it mainly for the scenery but you really don't need to travel that far to see plenty of it; it's everywhere.

Why not forget the Queenstown bit, it's a long way and you'll just get to see more of what you've been looking at all the way down and all the way back: namely rivers, mountains, lakes, forests, rugged coast, beaches and fjords. Queenstown is rather touristy and overated (imo) and Wanaka is much nicer.

Instead do Christchurch, Tekapo, Mount Cook, Wanaka, Haast pass and back up the west coast, then Hanmer, Kaikoura and Picton. You can do the boat cruise at Picton on the sounds there (Queen Charlotte Sound). You'll have a wonderful trip with simply loads to see and much more leisurely than your plan; so you can take time out to chill or stay a bit longer at the places you like (Hanmer is a great place for relaxation).

[petri]

That's quite an itinenary!

I would probably try to add a day to the south island to get it less extreme. Chc-MtC-Qtwn is quite a drive alone and Day 5 is pure driving as well. The drive from Queenstown to Fox Glacier to Blenheim is pretty scenic and with such a long drive, you won't be able to enjoy much of it.

Do you think you could fly to Queenstown on the arrival day and start the driving from there? AirNZ has pretty decent one-way fares. You could stop by at Kaikoura when you drive towards the north anyway, although I'm not sure Kaikoura is a required stop with such a tight schedule.

One option to consider is fly-cruise-fly for Milford sound. It takes about four hours and you get to see the sound and fly over the alps for a great views. If you take the earliest flight, you could fly-cruise-fly Milford sound in the morning and still drive to Fox Glacier during the rest of the day. The drive from Queenstown to Milford Sound can be pretty painful due the busses.

Day 7-9 I would probably stay at Taupo for the first night. There's plenty to do around Taupo as well and saves you a bit of driving, Taupo to Rotorua is pretty quick. Also gives you more time to see Tongariro, Lake Taupo, Orakei Korako etc.

Don't forget that New Zealand's reputation as adventure destination doesn't mean that driving is the only adventure you can do ;-) For an hour of driving one should schedule at least two hours of activities.

A friend is doing a similar, "too short" trip and here's their itinenary:

Day 1: Arrival to Auckland, evening
Day 2: Auckland
Day 3: Auckland to Coromandel peninsula (east coast)
Day 4: To Rotorua
Day 5: Visit to White Island (staying at Rotorua)
Day 6: Rotorua - Auckland for late afternoon flight to Queenstown
Day 7: Queenstown
Day 8: Milford Sound (fly-cruise-fly)
Day 9: Queenstown to Fox Glacier
Day 10: Fox Glacier to Hanmer Springs
Day 11: From Hanmer Springs to Kaikoura, to Christchurch
Day 12: Christchurch & Akaroa
Day 13: Afternoon flight to Sydney

I recommended they'd drive to Waitomo after the White Island and trying to squeeze an extra night for Fox Glacier for more weather and activity options.

We did two weeks in NZ on our first visit and it was so short that we had to come for two months the next year -- which result a plan to immigrate ;-)

[umas1082]

Thanks Guys/gals for all your suggestion. I very much appreciate it .
I decided to take one extra day in SI, That will be between Queenstown and Picton.
Also, I will take the Bus Tour directly from Queenstown to Milford, to cut down on too much driving.
I will certainly try "flat white coffees and mince and cheese pie"
Believe me, We will enjoy the scenery while driving/stopping.
I will let you know how it went after I come back.

Regards,
umas

[Manks]

Thank you Guys/gals for the replies.
However this is my crazy Itinerary

day 1 Arrival in Christchurch from US- ( Arrival in NZ, Leisure)
day 2 Christchurch--- Kaikoura whale watch
day 3 Christchurch--- Mt Cook---- Queenstown
Day 4 Te anu ( Milford sound tour)
day 5 Queenstown to Franz Joseph to Blenheim
Day 6 Ferry Crossing to Wellington /leisure
Day 6 Wellington--- Outskirts/Leisure
Day 7 Wellington --- Taupo--- Rotorua
Day8 Rotorua
Day 9 Rotorua---- Auckland
Day 10 Auckland
Day 11 Back to US

Day 5 is what I am really worried about, and I have no Choice.
am i nuts to do it this way. ?

Thanks, Suggestions will be appreciated .

Umas

Having just spent two weeks doing the South Island alone, I concur with the others that this is a lot to do.

If you can afford the fly-cruise-fly option to see Milford Sound, I'd go for that. It will save you so much time on the road (4.5 hrs drive to do a 2 hr cruise to do another 4.5 hr drive) and is spectacular. You might also be able to fly from Wanaka, which would save you the extra drive into Qtown.

Day 5 is quite frantic. E.g. we did FJ to Qtown and it took us a good 5-6 hours with some short stops in Haast and Wanaka for brekkie/lunch. We found Greymouth to be pretty dead, and thankfully we were staying in Hokitika!

Welly to Rotorua is also a pretty long drive (altho not as bad as Day 5). Have you considered flying from Welly to Rotorua instead? http://flightbookings.airnewzealand.co.nz/vgrabview/en_NZ/

There's so much to see and do it is so hard to prioritise. We did three weeks in total and barely scratched the surface of the country. But then we're hoping for a longer stay next time ;)