What to see on New Zealand's south island?
October 5, 2005 5:55 PM Subscribe
Kiwifilter: I leave for New Zealand in, oh, 36 hours. What's not to miss on the south island?
We will spend a day and a half in Wellington, then ferry down to the south island. We'll spend four days tramping the Queen Charlotte Track, and then have nine days we haven't bothered to book, other than our last night, to be spent at the Marueia Springs. We will hire a car.
We are very interested in natural beauty, and less interested in cities (though Dunedin seems charming). Fiordland sounds lovely, as do the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers.
Based on our calculations and rough itinerary, we would need to spend nine hours driving on two of those free days to make a circuit of the island. This has little appeal.
So MeFi'ers, what would you recommend, based on the mid-October springtime weather? Is Fiordland fantastic? Are the Incredibles incredible? Moeraki Boulders magnificently beautiful? Would the glaciers, though grand, be worth visiting in October, or will visibility be too low?
Or will the driving be quicker than the Hema road atlas for NZ estimates (9 hours from Picton to Dunedin, for example)?
Any responses would be greatly appreciated!
We will spend a day and a half in Wellington, then ferry down to the south island. We'll spend four days tramping the Queen Charlotte Track, and then have nine days we haven't bothered to book, other than our last night, to be spent at the Marueia Springs. We will hire a car.
We are very interested in natural beauty, and less interested in cities (though Dunedin seems charming). Fiordland sounds lovely, as do the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers.
Based on our calculations and rough itinerary, we would need to spend nine hours driving on two of those free days to make a circuit of the island. This has little appeal.
So MeFi'ers, what would you recommend, based on the mid-October springtime weather? Is Fiordland fantastic? Are the Incredibles incredible? Moeraki Boulders magnificently beautiful? Would the glaciers, though grand, be worth visiting in October, or will visibility be too low?
Or will the driving be quicker than the Hema road atlas for NZ estimates (9 hours from Picton to Dunedin, for example)?
Any responses would be greatly appreciated!
I envy you.
I haven't been to NZ since I was a child, but my strongest memories are of the Pancake Rocks near Punakaiki . The wildlife and the scenery are incredible.
New Zealanders are great about giving you advice, just remember they are a lot tougher about trekking than most North Americans.
Happy trails!
posted by gesamtkunstwerk at 7:10 PM on October 5, 2005
I haven't been to NZ since I was a child, but my strongest memories are of the Pancake Rocks near Punakaiki . The wildlife and the scenery are incredible.
New Zealanders are great about giving you advice, just remember they are a lot tougher about trekking than most North Americans.
Happy trails!
posted by gesamtkunstwerk at 7:10 PM on October 5, 2005
If God were looking for a place to retire, I think he'd choose Fiordland.
P.S. Driving is a little tricky, so budget extra time.
posted by gesamtkunstwerk at 7:14 PM on October 5, 2005
P.S. Driving is a little tricky, so budget extra time.
posted by gesamtkunstwerk at 7:14 PM on October 5, 2005
Yes, Fiordland is fantastic. I went to Milford Sound and it is amazingly beautiful. Highly recommended. And if you like mountains, Mount Cook is very... mountainy.
posted by kyleg at 7:17 PM on October 5, 2005
posted by kyleg at 7:17 PM on October 5, 2005
Best answer: Here's some advice from a South Islander (though now resident in Wellington).
Go to one of Fox and Franz Joseph glaciers, but there's no point doing both. Having said that, if you drive down the West Coast you'll go through both townships.
I'd skip Moeraki, but again, they'll be close to your route if you do go down the West Coast so you may as well have a peek if you've got time up your sleeve.
When you get to the south of the West Coast you'll go over Haast Pass and down into Queenstown. Queenstown is pretty touristy but the surroundings, including the Remarkables (the Incredibles?), are stunning. If you want to bungy jump or jet boat here's the place to do it.
From Queenstown definitely drive to Milford Sound, the most accessible part of Fiordland. From memory, the drive itself is worth the trip.
Now, you could then head on to Dunedin and the Catlins (a rugged coastal reserve south of Dunedin). I don't particularly rate Dunedin, however, and the subsequent drive north along the coast is dreary.
Instead, I'd recommend taking the inland route through Tekapo and Twizel to Christchurch. You'll pass through the broad, open McKenzie Country (my favourite part of the country), with the Southern Alps looming in the west.
From Christchurch to Maruia you don't have much choice other than the inland route past Hanmer Springs. If you had the time and wanted to go whale watching I'd take a day trip up the coast to Kaikoura first.
Hope this helps. Have fun. Nine hours is about right from Picton to Dunedin, but nine days is plenty for a really good circuit of the South Island.
posted by nihotaniwha at 7:20 PM on October 5, 2005
Go to one of Fox and Franz Joseph glaciers, but there's no point doing both. Having said that, if you drive down the West Coast you'll go through both townships.
I'd skip Moeraki, but again, they'll be close to your route if you do go down the West Coast so you may as well have a peek if you've got time up your sleeve.
When you get to the south of the West Coast you'll go over Haast Pass and down into Queenstown. Queenstown is pretty touristy but the surroundings, including the Remarkables (the Incredibles?), are stunning. If you want to bungy jump or jet boat here's the place to do it.
From Queenstown definitely drive to Milford Sound, the most accessible part of Fiordland. From memory, the drive itself is worth the trip.
Now, you could then head on to Dunedin and the Catlins (a rugged coastal reserve south of Dunedin). I don't particularly rate Dunedin, however, and the subsequent drive north along the coast is dreary.
Instead, I'd recommend taking the inland route through Tekapo and Twizel to Christchurch. You'll pass through the broad, open McKenzie Country (my favourite part of the country), with the Southern Alps looming in the west.
From Christchurch to Maruia you don't have much choice other than the inland route past Hanmer Springs. If you had the time and wanted to go whale watching I'd take a day trip up the coast to Kaikoura first.
Hope this helps. Have fun. Nine hours is about right from Picton to Dunedin, but nine days is plenty for a really good circuit of the South Island.
posted by nihotaniwha at 7:20 PM on October 5, 2005
Best answer: Check out earlier posts.
Nine hours drive time from Picton to Dunedin sounds very reasonable. Maybe even too short. And of course you will want to stop on the way to look at things. It's 700 km by the shortest route (check out that map site, could be handy), New Zealand country roads are not all that great and the speed limit is 100 kmph.
I recommend Moeraki if you can pass on route, but you may be disappointed if you make a specific trip to them (they're big round boulders. If you're a fan of big round boulders you'll love them...)
It's pretty bloody wet just at the moment, so I'd be thinking about what to do if it rains all the time.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 7:38 PM on October 5, 2005
Nine hours drive time from Picton to Dunedin sounds very reasonable. Maybe even too short. And of course you will want to stop on the way to look at things. It's 700 km by the shortest route (check out that map site, could be handy), New Zealand country roads are not all that great and the speed limit is 100 kmph.
I recommend Moeraki if you can pass on route, but you may be disappointed if you make a specific trip to them (they're big round boulders. If you're a fan of big round boulders you'll love them...)
It's pretty bloody wet just at the moment, so I'd be thinking about what to do if it rains all the time.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 7:38 PM on October 5, 2005
I'm from Dunedin, originally. It is lovely, but if you're more interested in the outdoors, then Fiordland all the way. I second nihotaniwha's suggestion of driving to Christchurch from Queenstown via the inland route. Make a side drive to Mt Cook township if you have the time, and wander up the start of the glaciers there.
posted by gaspode at 8:03 PM on October 5, 2005
posted by gaspode at 8:03 PM on October 5, 2005
Best answer: If you are fond of natural beauty, Lake Tekapo is a magical place. The lake is a brilliant milky turquoise when the sun shines on it. Try staying at the YHA there, it's small and not modern but has a huge window which looks right out onto the lake.
Milford Sound and Fiordland in general are definitely a must-see. If you only want to do one glacier as nihotaniwha suggests, I'd pick Franz Josef - it's higher and more spectacular looking although you can't really get as close as you can to Fox. Franz Josef township is also a bit nicer, I think. You can also have a good time at Mt Cook village, going up to the Tasman glacier there, which is a very dirty-looking glacier but impressive nevertheless - partly just because of the eerie stillness and the occasional splash of a chunk of glacier falling off.
Kaikoura is very lovely if you like mist and mountains close to the sea, and seals sleeping on the rocks, and spotting seabirds and wildlife. I agree that Moeraki isn't worth going out of your way for, but is nice if you are down that way anyhow.
No matter where you drive, you will want to stop several places along the way - there are many waterfalls, scenic lookouts and the like. And the other thing you need to know is that the weather can be variable no matter when you're there. Rain and heavy cloud cover can be there shielding your view any time of year - but if you like mist and atmosphere, that's OK :)
posted by andraste at 8:34 PM on October 5, 2005
Milford Sound and Fiordland in general are definitely a must-see. If you only want to do one glacier as nihotaniwha suggests, I'd pick Franz Josef - it's higher and more spectacular looking although you can't really get as close as you can to Fox. Franz Josef township is also a bit nicer, I think. You can also have a good time at Mt Cook village, going up to the Tasman glacier there, which is a very dirty-looking glacier but impressive nevertheless - partly just because of the eerie stillness and the occasional splash of a chunk of glacier falling off.
Kaikoura is very lovely if you like mist and mountains close to the sea, and seals sleeping on the rocks, and spotting seabirds and wildlife. I agree that Moeraki isn't worth going out of your way for, but is nice if you are down that way anyhow.
No matter where you drive, you will want to stop several places along the way - there are many waterfalls, scenic lookouts and the like. And the other thing you need to know is that the weather can be variable no matter when you're there. Rain and heavy cloud cover can be there shielding your view any time of year - but if you like mist and atmosphere, that's OK :)
posted by andraste at 8:34 PM on October 5, 2005
A friend of mine comes from Timaru and convinces everyone he meets to go there. Funny thing is, they all go and say it is most picturesque, a little fishing town.
And congrats on your promotion, Admiral ;)
posted by bdave at 9:13 PM on October 5, 2005
And congrats on your promotion, Admiral ;)
posted by bdave at 9:13 PM on October 5, 2005
PS: that's in the South Island.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 9:25 PM on October 5, 2005
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 9:25 PM on October 5, 2005
Best answer: Just got back from there a week ago. We drove west from Picton (via Blenheim area wineries, which were terrific), to Westport then down the west coast. On the west coast Truman's Track and the Pancake Rocks were both stunning. We caught a helicopter up onto Fox glacier and did some hiking... if you can afford it it's a great way to get up close to the awesome ice caves and isn't too strenuous.
Driving up through Hast Pass is great. Just north of Lake Wanaka we stopped off and found some beautiful blue pools in a mountain stream... just a side adventure but it was a real highlight for me. (sorry.. can't remember the place name)
Puzzling World at Wanaka is fun if you have a twisted sense of humour and have the cruel ability to laugh at others who are trapped in family holidays from hell.
Rather than doing the 9 hour drive we did a fly-cruise-fly from Queenstown to Milford Sound... and it was worth every penny. (The incredible swarm of sandflies as we boarded the boat was the only bad thing!)
The Mt Cook area is a great way to drive from Queenstown as it takes you past some stunning lakes. I'd book ahead if you want to stay at Mt Cook for the night - the hotel is quite busy. It's remote but there's some great walks there.
Overall we were very impressed at how easy it was to get around. Roads and walking tarcks were all in excellent condition, traffic was light, and we generally found that the travel times quoted in guidebooks were way over the time it took us ... even with repeated stop offs for sightseeing.
posted by bruceyeah at 9:44 PM on October 5, 2005 [1 favorite]
Driving up through Hast Pass is great. Just north of Lake Wanaka we stopped off and found some beautiful blue pools in a mountain stream... just a side adventure but it was a real highlight for me. (sorry.. can't remember the place name)
Puzzling World at Wanaka is fun if you have a twisted sense of humour and have the cruel ability to laugh at others who are trapped in family holidays from hell.
Rather than doing the 9 hour drive we did a fly-cruise-fly from Queenstown to Milford Sound... and it was worth every penny. (The incredible swarm of sandflies as we boarded the boat was the only bad thing!)
The Mt Cook area is a great way to drive from Queenstown as it takes you past some stunning lakes. I'd book ahead if you want to stay at Mt Cook for the night - the hotel is quite busy. It's remote but there's some great walks there.
Overall we were very impressed at how easy it was to get around. Roads and walking tarcks were all in excellent condition, traffic was light, and we generally found that the travel times quoted in guidebooks were way over the time it took us ... even with repeated stop offs for sightseeing.
posted by bruceyeah at 9:44 PM on October 5, 2005 [1 favorite]
PS: that's in the South Island.
P.P.S: That's on South Island.
The island? His name is South.
posted by The Monkey at 10:59 PM on October 5, 2005
P.P.S: That's on South Island.
The island? His name is South.
posted by The Monkey at 10:59 PM on October 5, 2005
If your in the mood for a pizza when your in Dunedin, you might want to drop by Poppa's...
posted by fairmettle at 4:46 AM on October 6, 2005
posted by fairmettle at 4:46 AM on October 6, 2005
Response by poster: Thanks to all who replied! In my haste, I overlooked the earlier relevant post, but I am pleased to have received your highly informative responses to my particular questions. I will be taking a printout of this thread with me.
If I am eaten by the voracious kea bird, please warn the others.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 5:06 PM on October 6, 2005
If I am eaten by the voracious kea bird, please warn the others.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 5:06 PM on October 6, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by pompomtom at 6:18 PM on October 5, 2005