Spending 2 months in New Zealand

[Glenn22]

My wife and I of 50+ years are frequent O cruisers. We love fine dining, good wine and 4 or 5 star accommodations. We love driving vacations as well. For example, 7 years ago after a cruise from Tahiti, we spent 1 month in Australia driving from Sydney to Adelaide and back. We plan to spend 2 months in NZ next winter. Initial plans are a pied-a-terre of 5 weeks in a seaside rental near Auckland followed by a 21 day high end camper to tour of the south island. This means fewer times unpacking and packing. Does this mix make sense in terms of timing and locations?

[buchhalm]

Oh you are just trying to make us envious!

🙂

[sleepingcat]

oh lucky you! Yes, get a motorhome for the South Island and pick it up in South Island to avoid the  high ferry charges from wellington to Picton, its easy as foot passengers and doesn't require advance booking.  

 

( on our trip we did South Island first, picking up the motorhome in Christchurch, after returning it we got a free repositioning car hire to Picton(you only pay the fuel and insurance). then a one way hire in Wellington which we dropped off in Auckland. then a cruise ship to return to UK). 

 

NZ campsites could not at all be described as 'high end'  in our experience (as compared to what we are used to in Europe), but they have what you need, and unlike other places there is usually a kitchen campers can use, and it may be equipped. Though they have great troubles with backpackers stealing their stuff.  Take care with your m/h hire, there are loads of complaints in reviews about the main companies.  But having said that, almost all the campsites also have cabins or bungalows, so a car tour is also possible. We preferred motorhome as we own one in UK. Note that many roads in South Island are gravel rather than tarmac, and some m/h hire companies will not insure you for the gravel roads.  if you want to explore the glaciers, parks, mountains etc you need a hire company without that restriction. 

 

final bit of advice is dont try to see everything. we had 21 days in South Island and never even got down to Milford sound.  we like to spend at least 2 nights in each place to get the feel of it, and if we like it we stay longer. we did not prebook anything except the motorhome and the apartment in Auckland at the end. 

 

There is a specific camping road atlas for NZ which we bought ahead of time in UK and used for planning. the hire company would have given us one included in the hire if we had not already had a copy. 

[Over from NZ]

Just curious (as a Kiwi), as to why you'd do it in winter (there's pros and cons to both seasons)? 

[OzKiwiJJ]

54 minutes ago, Over from NZ said:

Just curious (as a Kiwi), as to why you'd do it in winter (there's pros and cons to both seasons)? 

I think the OP means their winter not ours.

[Over from NZ]

9 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I think the OP means their winter not ours.

That makes more sense now.. lol. Cheers. 

[buchhalm]

Yes, i was going to ask about the winter as well,  but then figured that it must be THEIR winter...