New Zealand

[Mon_The_Fife]

Bumping this thread, going to be using the wifes redundancy money to spend 3 weeks next January/February in NewZealand. Planning on starting in the South and working our way back up driving all the way. Any hints, tips, things to see or experiences gratefully received. Especially if it relates to someone who can put a decent itinerary together.

Jan/Feb is a good time to come over here. It’s bloody roasting, it has been mid 20’s for weeks now and no sign of letting up.

3 weeks will get you to the main tourist spots. It feels like I spend that long most mornings trying to get over the Auckland Harbour Bridge. In terms of the South Island, Queenstown is beautiful so to as nearby Wanaka, we did a kayak trip on Lake Wanaka. Milford Sound is worth the trip too, even featured in the last Mission Impossible movie. It’s a bit of a drive (like most places in NZ) but worth it.

I haven’t been any further south so don’t know too much about Invercargill and Dunedin but there is a lot of Scottish heritage there. Wasn’t a fan of Christchurch, it’s still a massive building site post earthquake. Nelson, is probably my favourite place in NZ. Trying to get the mrs to move there from Auckland but she isn’t keen. It depends on what you’re interests are but a trip to the Abel Tasman is a must and walking some part of the track is worth it.

As has been said, you can do Auckland over a couple of days, but a wine trip to Waiheke Island is good fun. My parents are coming to visit me again at the end of the year, I swear that they are only coming back to do the wine again.

If you need any Auckland based info, feel free to drop me a message.

[AberdeenHibee]

Doing a 15/16-day New Zealand tour with my best mates in October/November 2019.  Doing:

1. Auckland. 

2. Auckland. 

3. Auckland/Hahei. 

4. Rotorua. 

5. Rotorua/Wellington. 

6. Wellington/Kaikoura. 

7. Kaikoura/Hanmer Springs. 

8. Hanmer Springs/Franz Josef. 

9. Franz Josef. 

10. Franz Josef/Queenstown. 

11. Queenstown. 

12. Queenstown. 

13. Queenstown/Twizel. 

14. Twizel/Christchurch.

15. Christchurch. 

A lot of travelling and a bit of a whistle-stop tour of a huge and amazing country I know.  But we all work full-time professionally and this was the most time any of us could get off consecutively.  So just thinking **** it, lets go for it.  We are 27 so now is a good time to go!  Thinking can do this, then if there are any more specific areas I really loved the look of could always go back in a couple of years! 

[paul wright scores]

On 27/03/2019 at 21:55, AberdeenHibee said:

Doing a 15/16-day New Zealand tour with my best mates in October/November 2019.  Doing:

1. Auckland. 

2. Auckland. 

3. Auckland/Hahei. 

4. Rotorua. 

5. Rotorua/Wellington. 

6. Wellington/Kaikoura. 

7. Kaikoura/Hanmer Springs. 

8. Hanmer Springs/Franz Josef. 

9. Franz Josef. 

10. Franz Josef/Queenstown. 

11. Queenstown. 

12. Queenstown. 

13. Queenstown/Twizel. 

14. Twizel/Christchurch.

15. Christchurch. 

A lot of travelling and a bit of a whistle-stop tour of a huge and amazing country I know.  But we all work full-time professionally and this was the most time any of us could get off consecutively.  So just thinking **** it, lets go for it.  We are 27 so now is a good time to go!  Thinking can do this, then if there are any more specific areas I really loved the look of could always go back in a couple of years! 

Sounds brilliant - we went to Rotorua, Franz Josef, Queenstown and Christchurch, amongst other places in 2017 and had a fantastic time.

Use https://www.bookme.co.nz if possible as you can save yourselves a lot of money for doing a lot of the activities. 

[AberdeenHibee]

On 20/04/2019 at 12:56, paul wright scores said:

Sounds brilliant - we went to Rotorua, Franz Josef, Queenstown and Christchurch, amongst other places in 2017 and had a fantastic time.

Use https://www.bookme.co.nz if possible as you can save yourselves a lot of money for doing a lot of the activities. 

We are now booked to go with Haka Tours.  They sound absolutely brilliant and have rave reviews online.  One of our mates did a Haka Tour and highly recommended!  Planning to do: 15,000 ft skydive, Franz Josef Heli-Hike, swimming with wild dolphins, sea kayaking...amongst many other things!

[paul wright scores]

On 21/04/2019 at 19:26, AberdeenHibee said:

We are now booked to go with Haka Tours.  They sound absolutely brilliant and have rave reviews online.  One of our mates did a Haka Tour and highly recommended!  Planning to do: 15,000 ft skydive, Franz Josef Heli-Hike, swimming with wild dolphins, sea kayaking...amongst many other things!

Sounds great - enjoy.