Itinerary version 3 - Google Calendar view

Guys, I have created a calendar for us all to share, send me an email or txt with your Gmail and I will share it with you, (I will give you edit rights)

This is following discussions we had last night (over Momo Tea :P)  and further refining and combining our original itinerary with the one recomended by Jono's colleague.  Click on the images for a larger view.

The main changes are:

• Driving out on the first day
• Staying near Fox Glaciers instead of Westport
• Not driving up to Nelson
• Driving to Te Anau and Fiordlands
• Being in Dunedin/Christchurch on a weekday to go to Cadbury factory and Cookie Time factory
  

Itinerary in map form

Here’s the itinerary from my previous post, but in google map form. I couldn’t be bothered changed the ‘A’ and ‘B’s, but I’m sure you

can work it out.

Day 2: travel to fox glacier and stay the night there.

Day 3,4: Wanaka

Day 5: Queenstown (but stay in Wanaka) – there are two options: either via crown range, or cromwell

Days 6,7: Stay in Te Anau and visit the fiordlands.

Day 8: Dunedin via the bluff.

Day 9: Mt Cook

Day 10: Home!!!!

Travel research

Hey guys,

It occurred to me today that my morkmate is from chch. I've had a chat with him, and he gave me a run down of what he would recommend for a 10 day trip. opps.. just realised it's not a 10 day trip. haha. I got confused with 10th jan.

He drew a map for me (I'll post it up later). Essentially it goes as follows:

day 1: akl to chch. Spend day in chch.
day 2: Fox Glaciers
day 3: Wanaka ( various puzzles, mazes, beaches/lakes)
day4: Wanaka ( various puzzles, mazes, beaches/lakes)
day 5: Queenstown (but stay in Wanaka. Do the gondolas. Can walk up and potentially take the gondola down fro freeee!)
day 6:Te Anau
day 7:Te Anau (Fiordland national park.. very beautiful.)
day 8:Dunedin (via bluff, catlan beaches etc) stuff to do incl penguin colony, university, beaches.
day 9:Mt Cook - the road between dunedin and mt cook is amazing. Good Orchards.
day 10: Fly back to Auckland from chch.

This doesn't take us to the north part of the south island, but he said he would recommend that we do that on a separate, dedicated trip. What do you guys think?

Nancy's Fancy Ideas

Hi Guys & Gals,

Just wanted to let you know I found a cheaper flight for you on jetstar its either 5.40pm or 10.25pm flight but its $91. Also I've already told Jono and Ed about a cheap car rental place I found on the internet which is yourway.co.nz I've managed to get a rental for $46 a day! since you'll be coming in and out of Christchurch cos thats the only place they are in the South island, they provide free shuttle service to and from the airport as well.

In terms of accommodation I can help out in Queenstown, Christchurch and Nelson if you like, I can try get friends rate which is $110 but not sure if thats over your budget or not....

Oh and Queenstown you should go on the luge! so much fun! :)

South Island Itinerary 2nd Draft

Heres the current breakdown of travel times and costs:

Please, I encourage all of you to post ideas for each individual town or stops we can make :)

Flight: $180 return

Car Rental: $250

Petrol: $25

Total: $455

2 Jan
6:50am Flight from Auckland to Christchurch - $59
Edmund, Kathy, Gen
-Jono to meet us there

Rent a car approx $100 per day + petrol $10per day

PS I will try to get cheap car rental, may go down as low as $70 per day, which equates to $175 pp

3 Jan

Drive Christchurch to Dunedin - 5 and 1/2 hours

Will reach Dunedin in the early afternoon
If we come here on a Sunday, is the Cadbury factory open? maybe not aye?


4 Jan

Drive Dunedin to Invercargill - 3 hours

Drive Invercargill to Bluff and back - 3 hours (1 hour drive each way)

Drive Invercargill to Queenstown- 2 and 1/2 hours

Theres probably not much to do in Invercargill, and we can do a bit more driving to get 2 nights in Queenstown instead.  (and we make it back to Christchurch in the end)

Bluff Oysters

5 Jan
Queenstown

6 Jan
Queenstown

7 Jan

Drive Queenstown to Greymouth - 7 hours or Drive Queenstown to Westport - 8 and 1/2 hours 

Bear in mind it could take longer since this is the awesome West Coast Drive through Fox Glacier.  Will be stopping for photos etc. So I guess we can decide which town to stay depending on accomodation.

8 Jan

Drive Greymouth to Nelson - 4-5 hours

We can travel around the Malbrough Sounds area and Picton?

9 Jan

Drive Nelson to Hanmer Springs - 4 hours through the mountains or 5 hours along SH1 (east coast)

According to Nancy this is like a mini Queenstown.  Could be good to relax here

10 Jan

Drive Hanmer Springs to Christchurch - 2hours

Can rest up some more in Hanmer, or last minute sights in CHC, then afternoon or evening flight.

Flight CHC to AKL $120
Ed, Jono, Kathy, Jono

Flight Plans and Itinerary

We can fly down to Christchurch on the 1st or 2nd - Cost: $70-$100
Stay in Christchurch for 2 nights
Stay in Dunedin for 1 night
Stay in Invercargill for 1 night
Stay in Queenstown for 2 nights
Stay in Westport for 1 night
Stay in Nelson for 1 night
We fly out from Nelson some 8 nights later - Cost $90-$120
(alternative route out is to drive back to Christchurch and fly back to Auckland)