New Zealand - recommendations?

nfanel

i'm (hopefully!) planning a trip to australia and new zealand next year. i already have a friend who is living and can be a tour guide in australia, but am trying to figure out what to do in new zealand.

i'll probably only have a week there and don't want to spread myself too thin. am thinking about doing the south island - and if so, definitely the wanaka/queenstown/milford sound area. is the franz josef glacier worth it? would it be taking on too much to hit the north (of the south island) and abel tasman national park?

any insight would be appreciated!

Black Diamond

nfanel wrote:

i'm (hopefully!) planning a trip to australia and new zealand next year. i already have a friend who is living and can be a tour guide in australia, but am trying to figure out what to do in new zealand.

i'll probably only have a week there and don't want to spread myself too thin. am thinking about doing the south island - and if so, definitely the wanaka/queenstown/milford sound area. is the franz josef glacier worth it? would it be taking on too much to hit the north (of the south island) and abel tasman national park?

any insight would be appreciated!

You are getting this advice from a New Yorker so take it as it is. Spent 4 weeks in NZ a while ago. 3 on the south island.

Abel Tazman and Franz Joseph are absolutely worth it!! Had a great kyacking trip in the north and went cramping on the glacier which was the greatest thrill and scare of my life!

Are you going to do the Milford Track. That is an unbelievable experience but a 3 day journey.

nfanel

Black Diamond wrote:

You are getting this advice from a New Yorker so take it as it is. Spent 4 weeks in NZ a while ago. 3 on the south island.

Abel Tazman and Franz Joseph are absolutely worth it!! Had a great kyacking trip in the north and went cramping on the glacier which was the greatest thrill and scare of my life!

Are you going to do the Milford Track. That is an unbelievable experience but a 3 day journey.

thanks for the input! that is really helpful!

not sure yet about the milford track, though i just read it's the "mother of them all..." i'm in the EARLY planning stages and was looking into that or the routeburn track. did you do the routeburn?

sorry if this is a stupid question, but what is cramping? one of my friends did one of the guided 1-day glacier "adventures" and that seemed like something i can manage.

i wish i had four weeks to spend...there is so much to see!


maybe i'll do 1.5 weeks in NZ and 1.5 in OZ...

Black Diamond

nfanel wrote:

thanks for the input! that is really helpful!

not sure yet about the milford track, though i just read it's the "mother of them all..." i'm in the EARLY planning stages and was looking into that or the routeburn track. did you do the routeburn?

sorry if this is a stupid question, but what is cramping? one of my friends did one of the guided 1-day glacier "adventures" and that seemed like something i can manage.

i wish i had four weeks to spend...there is so much to see!


maybe i'll do 1.5 weeks in NZ and 1.5 in OZ...

Putting on cramp-ons your shoes and climbing on top of the glacier. It was exhausting, exhilirating and scary! Lot of crevices! Are you going to take a train up there. It is a beautiful trip.

Only did the Milford. it was incredible and met some very cool people from around the world. Note: I tried to quit smoking while I did the treck. Figured no cigarette stores I would be good. Everyone smoked and I almost lost it! Basically had to carry a nurse's back pack so she would supply me.

duggro

Spend as much time in NZ as possible!! Oz just doesn't come close!

If you only have a week though hit milford sound/doubtful sound and the manapouri area for, at most, 2 full days. Get some snowboarding done in queenstown with some good nightlife too. Spend a night in the purple cow hostel in wanaka.

I wish I couldve afforded a glacier walk- do it if you can

AAAAAAAH I MISS NEW ZEALAND SO MUCH!

nfanel

duggro wrote:

Spend as much time in NZ as possible!! Oz just doesn't come close!

If you only have a week though hit milford sound/doubtful sound and the manapouri area for, at most, 2 full days. Get some snowboarding done in queenstown with some good nightlife too. Spend a night in the purple cow hostel in wanaka.

I wish I couldve afforded a glacier walk- do it if you can

AAAAAAAH I MISS NEW ZEALAND SO MUCH!

purple cow hostel...now that sounds interesting!

thanks for the tips! i am definitely looking forward to the NZ part of this trip more and more every day!

itsevobaby

what black diamond said was pretty much on the button, abel tasman, franz joseph & DEFINITELY do the milford sounds, beautiful. queenstown is perfect for all your adrenaline junkie stuff, bungy jumping, sky diving, kayaking, jet boats, hiking, climbing, skiing, you can do it all down there, but it is a tourist area & can be expensive. kaikoura on the east coast of the south island is great for whale watching & swimming with dolphins etc, but there is some real beauty on the west coast. the top of the south island around nelson & golden bay is quite isolated, but gorgeous, lots of nice beaches, great weather. you can catch a ferry from picton at the top of the south to wellington at the bottom of the north island, it takes about 3 hours. if you're coming to the north island & craving civilisation, then come & stay in wellington depending on how long you are around, there are some amazing kayaking trips to be had in north island as well, especially down the wanganui & rangeitiki rivers. there's also the volcanic hotpools around lake taupo & rotorua, again, touristy, but still interesting. hope this helps, good luck!

nfanel

itsevobaby wrote:

what black diamond said was pretty much on the button, abel tasman, franz joseph & DEFINITELY do the milford sounds, beautiful. queenstown is perfect for all your adrenaline junkie stuff, bungy jumping, sky diving, kayaking, jet boats, hiking, climbing, skiing, you can do it all down there, but it is a tourist area & can be expensive. kaikoura on the east coast of the south island is great for whale watching & swimming with dolphins etc, but there is some real beauty on the west coast. the top of the south island around nelson & golden bay is quite isolated, but gorgeous, lots of nice beaches, great weather. you can catch a ferry from picton at the top of the south to wellington at the bottom of the north island, it takes about 3 hours. if you're coming to the north island & craving civilisation, then come & stay in wellington depending on how long you are around, there are some amazing kayaking trips to be had in north island as well, especially down the wanganui & rangeitiki rivers. there's also the volcanic hotpools around lake taupo & rotorua, again, touristy, but still interesting. hope this helps, good luck!

that helps a lot, thanks! and i don't mind the touristy stuff...since i will be one too! i don't know how daring i'll be. definitely up for the hiking, climbing, kayaking, biking... but prob not the sky diving or bungee jumping!