Travel & Holidays NZ South Island small trip?

Going to be there for a week in their summer.
I've been to the main Tourist places, Lake Wanaka (I think), Lake Tekapo, seen Mount Cook, Arrowtown, Queenstown, Punakaki Rocks, Kaikoura, Akaroa, Hamner Springs, Milford Sound, Dunedin, Fox Glacier, walked the Routeburn Track etc... so looking for other ideas!

 

Where are you flying into/out of? A week is not alot of time. What do you want to focus on?



QUOTE="Gockie, post: 764796, member: 111"]Going to be there for a week in their summer.
I've been to the main Tourist places, Lake Tekapo, Queenstown, Punakaki Rocks, Kaikera, Milford Sound, the glacier etc... so looking for other ideas![/QUOTE]

 

In and out of Christchurch. I realise 1 week isn't long enough

 

An idea... maybe fly into Invercargill if the flights are reasonable, then work our way back to Christchurch?

 

Are you interested in a particular physical activity? Tramping, canyoning, White water rafting, fishing, cycling, horse riding?

There are some ‘rail trails’ for cycling.

You can do some interesting activities by helicopter too.

 

Canyoning, biking /Mountain biking/ unicycling

 

Does this make sense for 6 nights?

 

I'll put in a vote for Nelson/Tasman - tons of great mountain biking at Kaiteriteri (end on the beach with ice cream!) and Wairoa Gorge (The Wairoa Gorge MTB Park, Nelson) as well as others, beaches with sea kayaking along Abel Tasman National Park, alpine environments up in Nelson Lakes NP, canyoning (Abel Tasman Canyons - Canyoning adventures in New Zealand), plus lots of other options like horse riding, tramping, wine tasting, craft brewers and more. I'll also throw in the idea of Helibiking (Helibike Nelson) with a friend's company.. Tons of backcountry routes become possible day trips with that.

5 hour drive from Christchurch and you can make a loop of it through Blenheim and the Marlborough Sounds or via Lewis Pass and Hanmer Springs. You can also do a short flight from Christchurch to/from Nelson if you wanted.
It is more mellow and less crowded than Queenstown and better weather than the We(s)t Coast. We lived there for 7 years and never lacked for options.

 

I am from invercargill.. honestly there’s really not a lot to do.. unless you were to keep travelling 30min south to Riverton which is a lovely spot! Time would be better spent around Wanaka, arrowtown etc but you mention you’ve all ready done that!

 

Thanks for that

 

I'd skip Invercargill, you'll be doing alot of driving. The peninsula around Dunedin is gorgeous, the Moeraki boulders, Kaka Point. It's up to you, but I'd have a couple of nights, get to know the area and spend less time just driving through everywhere. Then go inland up towards Wanaka etc and have a couple of nights there. Tekapo also has awesome cycling and walking tracks, lesser known areas such as Lake Alexandrina...you'll miss them if you drive in, just spend a night and drive out.

 

I live in Motueka and agree this is the best area

 

No it isn't. The House of Pain for many teams including the Wallabies.

 

Queenstown is a good place to start

Yes it would be a good trip in a camper-van and stay in the national parks each night we have done that drive..
Another way is just base yourself just outside Queenstown at the link below the price range drops off may june and the drive walk to Wanaka,and some of the best lake front walking tracks in the world start 150 mts from that hotel..
https://secure3.hilton.com/en_US/dt/reservation/book.htm?execution=e1s1

 

If you're going to stop over in Te Anau, make sure you do the glowworm caves. It was a great experience!

 

Try walking the queen charlotte track in Marlborough Sounds....fantastic scenery...fantastic weather...water taxis drop off your bags each day!....or if you are adventurous you can MTB it as well

 

+1

I have to agree with Nelson. I reckon that particular part of New Zealand is quite underrated.

There are a lot of awesome things to do within a 1-2 hour drive of Nelson which you could easily cram in a week.

 

Head to the top half. Lots to do around Nelson. We spent a day on the Marlborough Sounds mail run boat and was fabulous ... lots of wineries, food and art galleries ... hubby went sailing one on one out of Picton thru the "other" sounds ... did some hiking in the national park (nearly got trapped by an incoming tide after enjoying a beach too much) ... then head down the coast to Christchurch via car or rail ...