Help and Advice for Planning our New Zealand Holiday

by Alan
(Ashford,Kent,United Kingdom)

Hi Gail

We are in our seventies and planning 3 weeks in NZ in the North and South Islands,finishing in Auckland for a gathering of old friends early July. Any suggestions or advice would be gratefully received

Alan

Hi Alan

As that will be our winter the weather is very difficult to predict. The north will almost certainly have quite a bit of rain. Christchurch and anywhere south, and the central North Island may well have snow, which could affect driving conditions. The Desert Road is often closed.

You do not say how you prefer to get from one place to another. So I will give you a couple of options.

Option 1) You could use a car /motels or hotels combined with internal flights. The Tranz Alpine Railway from Christchurch through Arthur’s Pass to Greymouth would be lovely at that time of year. You could then drive down the West Coast, stopping at Punakaiki Rocks, Hokitika, Fox Glacier and Franz Joseph Glacier and across to Queenstown After some time in Queenstown, including Arrowtown, and hopefully including a side trip or overnight tour to Milford Sound, you could fly to the North Island – either Taupo or Rotorua, where you would want a couple of days, then drive through to Auckland. You may find it easier to use internal flights between places.


Option 2) Another suggestion would be to do short tours between places, so you don’t have to drive yourselves. Or you could hop between cities. with cheap internal flights. You can book some grab-a-seat flights with Air New Zealand. You could fly from Christchurch to Queenstown to Nelson-where there are lots of wineries, crafts, and it is all very scenic, Wellington( see note below), Rotorua where you would want at least two days, and finally Auckland. Or alternatively, drive between some destinations such as Rotorua to Auckland which is only three hours, or alternatively take a bus.


3) Wellington may be of interest – It is a nice city to visit, compact and you can walk most places if you base yourselves centrally. Parliament, Botanical Gardens and Te Papa our national museum are all there, although it is not your traditional museum. There are many interactive displays. A day or two will be enough here.


Your question is a little difficult to answer, without more information on your interests, means of travel and being winter. I would plan to spend more time in the South Island than the North. I hope this is of some help. If you would like more specific information please email or ask via the Questions page.

Kind Regards

Gail