New Zealand (South Island) – Planning the Route

<<Fulfilled in April, 2023>>

Welcome to my travel blog!

I’m thrilled to embark on this digital journey, sharing my adventures and experiences with you. My next update will take us through the breathtaking landscapes of New Zealand. The beauty and diversity of this country are something I can’t wait to delve into.

Following New Zealand, we’ll set off to explore the mystic terrains of Iceland. Its unique blend of ice and fire makes it a fascinating destination, and I’m excited to share my insights and stories from this trip.

Additionally, I plan to introduce a ‘Retro Series’ – a special segment where I’ll revisit some of my past travels. These trips, ranging from recent adventures to those I planned for my parents, while I may not have joined all these trips physically, the experiences are worth sharing.

Stay tuned for more updates, and let’s travel the world together, one post at a time!

Introduction

I have a preference for traveling during the off-season. The reasons? Fewer crowds and more affordable accommodation. However, my recent trip to New Zealand’s South Island in April 2023 was shaped by the constraints of my vacation schedule, aligning perfectly with the theme of this blog 🙂

By the way, I live in Taiwan, so there are no direct flights to the South Island. The most popular routes involve layovers in Auckland or Sydney. This arrangement reduces my 12-day vacation by almost two days.

Preparation is key to my travel experiences. I thoroughly research each destination, focusing on unique experiences and prioritizing what matters most. Additionally, I’m always mindful of seasonal restrictions that could affect certain locations.

Routes to consider

Below is a list of some popular itineraries that are circulating on the internet (from a Taiwanese’s perspective):

Route 1

• Auckland –✈︎✈︎✈︎– Queenstown —- Te Anau + Milford Sound —- Queenstown —- Wanaka —- Lake Pukaki —- Mt. Cook —- Lake Pukaki —- Lake Tekapo —- Christchurch –✈︎✈︎✈︎– Aukland

The problem with this itinerary, which I don’t like, is that it’s a one-way trip. The South Island is a place where you can manage a round trip. With the current itinerary, you would miss the glaciers on the west coast and the northern part of the South Island.

Route 2

• Auckland –✈︎✈︎✈︎– Christchurch —- Oamaru —- Dunedin —- Te Anau + Milford Sound —- Queenstown —- Wanaka —- Lake Pukaki —- Mt. Cook —- Lake Pukaki —- Lake Tekapo —- Christchurch –✈︎✈︎✈︎– Auckland

I believe this is a good itinerary, but it involves a trade-off between the east and west coasts, each of which has its own merits. At one point, I considered following this route and extending it to include Nugget Point Lighthouse and Invercargill/Bluff. The distances for both the west and east coast options are nearly identical (around 800 km each), making either feasible for my schedule. However, I ultimately chose the west coast route for a couple of reasons: First, the peak season for penguin watching in Oamaru is from September to February, which I would miss in April. Second, the allure of Franz Josef Glacier was too strong for me to resist!

Route 3

• Auckland –✈︎✈︎✈︎– Christchurch —- Lake Tekapo —- Lake Pukaki —- Mt. Cook —- Lake Pukaki —- Queenstown —- Te Anau + Milford Sound —- Queenstown —- Wanaka —- Franz Josef Glacier —- Greymouth –(TranzAlpine train)– Christchurch —- Kaikōura —- Christchurch –✈︎✈︎✈︎– Auckland

This one closely resembles the trip I have taken. I prefer round trips over returning via the same route. However, the segment from Lake Pukaki to Mt. Cook is unavoidable, necessitating travel on the same route twice. But, given the breathtaking scenery, I don’t mind traversing it twice.

The TranzAlpine train is a comfortable option, but it travels directly through the Cave Stream Scenic Reserve and Castle Hill, where I hope to spend some time exploring. Also, there’s the issue of the rental car, which I would have to return in Greymouth. This could potentially be more expensive than returning it to Christchurch Airport.

Additionally, I have modified the Te Anau and Milford Sound segment of the itinerary. The drive from Queenstown to Te Anau takes about two hours, and it’s another two hours from there to Milford Sound. If you attempt a day trip from Queenstown, it involves eight hours of driving, meaning you would spend most of the day in the car. Alternatively, if you spread it over two days starting from Queenstown, you’ll find there are fewer activities at night in Te Anau or Milford Sound compared to Queenstown. Therefore, I opted for ‘two separate day trips’ to visit Te Anau and Milford Sound — the former by car and the latter by plane. The trade-off is missing the scenic drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound, but this saves a significant amount of time, allowing for more exploration in Queenstown within a tight schedule.

Final itinerary

Day 1: Taipei –✈︎✈︎✈︎– Sydney –✈︎✈︎✈︎– Christchurch
Day 2: Christchurch
Day 3: Christchurch —- Lake Tekapo (Drive distance 258 km, time 3h15)
Day 4: Lake Tekapo —- Mt. Cook (Drive distance 108 km, time 1h20)
Day 5: Mt. Cook —- Queenstown (Drive distance 288 km, time 3h50)
Day 6: Queenstown —- Te Anau —- Queenstown (Drive distance 341 km, time 4h05)
Day 7: Queenstown –✈︎✈︎✈︎– Milford Sound –✈︎✈︎✈︎– Queenstown (Plane)
Day 8: Queenstown
Day 9: Queenstown —- Wanaka (Drive distance 75 km, time 1h15)
Day 10: Wanaka —- Franz Josef Glacier (Drive distance 308 km, time 4h15)
Day 11: Franz Josef Glacier —- Arthur’s Pass (Drive distance 334 km, time 4h30)
Day 12: Arthur’s Pass —- Christchurch Airport (Drive distance 128 km, time 1h35) –✈︎✈︎✈︎– Sydney –✈︎✈︎✈︎– Taipei

With this itinerary, you are gonna MISS the following attractions:

• The entire North Island: so many attractions including the big cities Auckland and Wellington, Hobbiton if you are LOTR fans, Rotorua Māori culture, geothermal pool, mud spa, etc. to name a few.
• Upper South Island: most famously the whale watching in Kaikōura, but it is off-season in April as well. Orcas may be seen from December to March, and humpback whales in June and July. The Te Waikoropupū Springs, Golden Bay, Nelson Tasman are also famous north coast attractions.
• East coast: Oamaru, Dunedin, Nugget Point Lighthouse, Invercargill, oysters in Bluff, which I have mentioned before.
• Doubtful Sound: Typically, tourists choose to visit one of the fjords, not both. However, if you opt for Doubtful Sound, reaching it by plane is probably the better option.
• Fox Glacier: This presents a similar dilemma to that of the fjords. I can’t comment on both glaciers since I haven’t visited them both, but I believe either one would be a great choice.

Closing remarks

No itinerary is perfect. Trade-offs are inevitable when you have limited time and/or money. So, it all depends on your priorities. I hope this helps!