Once by way of the pass head South to the beautiful alpine lakes of Tekapo and Pukaki. This is also the gateway to Aoraki the place you’ll be able to take a day hike or simply enjoy the stunning views from the lake. Camp by the lake, at the foot of the mountain or head to the close by town of Twizel for guesthouses and motels. If you’ve prolonged your South Island itinerary out to 10 days contemplate a day trip to Milford Sound. It’s a protracted day and when you don’t need to rush it I would advocate staying in Te Anau the evening earlier than and after to permit you time to self-drive and cease along the greatest way.

Dunedin’s Victorian character is preserved in its many fine stone buildings. Mount Hutt, fifty six miles/90 km south west of Christchurch, is certainly one of the hottest ski fields in New Zealand. At the base of Mount Hutt lies the small country city of Methven, which in winter turns into a lively resort for one of New Zealand’s top ski fields.

Go To Nugget Point Lighthouse

Enjoy the Scenic Class expertise onboard with a spread of recent food and beverages available from the café car. Seating is comfy ‘2 Seat-Aisle-2 Seat’ reclining seats with head rests or ‘Table Group’ seating – great for families, small groups or assembly new pals. If you plan on cooking most of your meals and buying alcohol from liquor shops you can eat and drink for as little as $25 to $30 NZD per individual per day. With that mentioned, I would permit extra particularly if you wish to enjoy meals and drinks out.

A vary of accommodations obtainable including a hotel, chalets, a youth hostel and campground. See the extraordinary south island in a week with an itinerary that is centered on lovely autumn scenery. You’ll journey from the east coast to the west, then again again through magnificent mountain passes.

We suggest the Hooker Valley Track which is a four-hour It’s easy to do, however be certain to put together for the weather by sporting good shoes and waterproofs. It is one one of the most in style walks, however it is often quiet both means. You will cross three swing bridges before getting to the Hooker Glacier, the place I recommend having a picnic overlooking the attractive lake.

If you wish to travel by Intercity Bus, I advocate you get the Flexipass the place you buy hours and you can travel any route in the country depending on how lengthy the bus is. It is a nice way to hop across the country with out having to pay a ton of cash. After spending 2 weeks exploring the South Island, it is time so that you simply can head house. If you book a flight out from Christchurch or Auckland, you possibly can fly domestically from Queenstown straight to these cities, spend another night time there in case you have the time before heading again residence.

There are loads of selections for hiring a van in New Zealand together with some massive name rental companies. Jucy, Britz, and Maui Rentals are a few players you’ll see all over the place on the road, nevertheless, get your self a Wicked Camper. They’re a long-time rental firm in New Zealand AND Australia who’ve been serving backpackers their Batmobiles for twenty years sturdy. Christchurch marks the top of your New Zealand South Island journey.

For fabulous views and nice rooms in the centre of town at an excellent value strive the Akaroa Criterion Motel. A objective constructed viewing platform has been built simply 5 minutes away from the centre of town the place penguins can often be seen waddling again to their hives on the finish of the day. Dunedin is surrounded by the beautiful Otago Peninsula, and a beautiful twenty minute drive from Dunedin around the the peninsula leads toLarnach Castle, famouslythe solely castle in New Zealand.

Day 13

It’s 309 km long so I would allow 2-3 days to finish it whereas enjoying one of the best attractions along the way. The drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy is extremely scenic and offers lots to see and do along the finest way. I advise permitting roughly 2 hours every method if you wish to try one of the best attractions on this road trip. If fact, from Queenstown you could simply spend nearly all of your day driving to Glenorchy, exploring Glenorchy, after which driving again. Upon arriving to Queenstown, choosing up our camper, and buying our food for the week, we had 6 hours of sunlight left & decided to drive straight to Lake Tekapo to shoot the Lupin fields.

Also, the first snowfall for the yr is normally in May so you’ll have the ability to count on protected trails on the mountains. I highly recommend you stop off at one of the many beaches along the greatest way. Beaches price seeing are Tahunanui Beach for its white sands and delicate waves as well as The Glen and Cable Bay. Further up the Crown Range is the Summit lookout, which at over 1,100 meters presents great views of the Crown Range valley. After having fun with the views, continue you on your road journey towards Wanaka. Worth stopping at is the Crown Range Lookout for a shocking mountain vista with the Kawarau River beneath.