Joshlin

Hi All
we've booked a camper van for 5 days, starting from chch, we want to do queenstown, possibly milford sound, dunedin and places en route (we've done Mt Cook / Tekapo) - i know there was a thread a while back with some good routes but can't find it.
any advice / thoughts / suggestions - has anyone done q'town to milford sound and back again in a day - lots of the planned tours seem to do it, but I'm under the impression it's a bit of a driving trek and not sure how well kids would cope.
Cheers
Vicki

Buzzy--Bee

I did

Day 1 - Chch - Queenstown
Day 2 - Queenstown - Te Anau
Day 3 - Te Anau - Milford - Arrowtown
Day 4 - Arrowtown - Franz Josef
Day 5 - Franz - Chch

Queenstown to Milford takes about 5 hours.

HTH

Buzzy

RobClubley

There are maps of where we went on our blog (link in my sig)
Lots of photos too.

Geelong Gent

Did you do a detailed report ? We are considering a 2 to 3 week joint in campervan but its been over 20 years since I set foot on the main land

southerner

Vicki,

Its a bit of a challenge with that sort of timeframe, and it seems such a shame that Christchurch is the only place you can realistically pick up and drop campervans (otherwise fly into Dunedin, out of Queenstown would be perfect for you). We had a similar issue when booking for some relatives over Xmas.

Anyway, getting from Christchurch to Queenstown involves covering a bit of ground you've seen before, but no need to drive up the spur road to Mt Cook I guess. Its a fabulous drive all the same through Tekapo and the rest of Mackenzie Country.

How about
Day 1 - Christchurch to Wanaka
Day 2 - Wanaka to Queenstown
Day 3 - Day trip to Milford using coach (eg Real Journeys)
Day 4 - QT to Dunedin (through Cromwell, Alex, Lawrence)
Day 5 - Dunedin to Chc (Oamaru and SH1)

Its not perfect, and ideally you would have another day each in QT, Te Anau and Dunedin. I think driving a campervan (which ever route you take) from Christchurch to Milford Sound and back is just too much, and thats why I recommend using a coach for Milford Sound - or fly (or fly in/coach out) if you can afford to.

Driving times with a campervan are CHC to Wanaka (5), Wanaka to QT (1.5), QT to Dunedin (4), Dunedin to CHC (5). You'll need to get early starts to allow time for sightseeing stops, and chance to look around each of your destinations.

If you were also to drive to Milford you would add another 8 hours driving in total (assuming you would drive from Te Anau through to Dunedin via Gore and Balclutha).

Good luck planning and enjoy the trip - its some of the best scenery in the world.

Joshlin

thanks for all your suggestions - we've reminded ourselves that we don't need to do it all this time around - the joy of living here!

Think we might sacrifice milford sounds this time and spend more time q'town / dunedin. then next time think we'll look at flying into q'town and then doing milford / wanaka / te anau etc from there. The kids are only little (6&3) so probably wouldn't appreciate the scenery as much as we would - they'll be just excited at being in a campervan! (easily pleased)

Cheers again
Vicki

Buzzy--Bee

No because the trip was 13 years ago before this website was invented.

Buzzy

Geelong Gent

I am shocked

You did not have a note book during this trip?

lardyl

keeping it short and focused with minimal travelling sounds like a good plan asthe kids are young - the Kingston Flyer is a nice ride for boys of the right age, shotover jet being another one for older kids (AKA adults) to have fun in. Our kids (2 and 6) loved the museum in Arrowtown - we only went there as it was raining. They also enjoyed spending time on the beach in Wanaka and at Puzzle World, just down the road. Have a great trip!

ohnojo

Hope you enjoy the trip. We had a similar dilema as we're going to Wanaka for the Warbirds over Wanaka airshow and have 5 days off so really wanted to see EVERYWHERE while we were there !!
We've decided to do Wanaka, Queenstown then over to Oamaru for the penguins and Moeraki boulders then home to ChCh along the east coast.

It's going to be very frustrating not being able to visit Milford Sound, Dunedin etc. as they're all " in that area "

lardyl

did that in the New Year with kids and my eldest loved the penguins at Omaru - do the free viewing without reallly young kids mind (as noise upsets the birds and twitchers). Then visit the little blue penguins at sunset to sit in the little amphitheatre and watch them come up the rocks - might be a tad nippy mind, it was in January!
Moeraki is worth a visit and there are a few museums and attractions on the way up/down the coast.

ohnojo

It sounds great, thanks for the tips. We're not going with littluns - just the 17yr old "Plane mad. Gonna be a pilot " son.