South Island Road Trip

[martyyyn 102]

My wife has decided we should have 10-14 days in the South Island in January. I don't care much for sightseeing so for me this will be all about the roads.

We'll be taking the F10 rather than the E34 so it's more of a grand tour than a targa.

Her list so far includes Kaikoura for the whales, Christchurch to see our daughter, the Canterbury Plains, Aoraki/Mt Cook for the mountains, Twizel for Lords of the Rings, Dunedin for the architecture, Te Anau/Milford/Manapouri for boat trips/dolphins/pengiuns and then back up the West Coast but there are currently no plans on where to go and what to see on that side.

She's found a hotel at the North tip of Lake Pukaki but I'm wondering if it's best to do Mount Cook National Park from the other side (Fox Glacier/Franz Jospeh area).

Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions, especially on towns to stay ?

We'll be in no rush, we both hate the Contiki style of seeing 10 countries in 14 days, but where is it best to spend a couple of days and where to only stay overnight to to break up a longer journey ? Although to be fair no trip is much more than a couple of hours which is easy enough.

[C-130 Hercules 556]

You can only do the Mt Cook area from west coast by plane or if you tramp in. Best if you place yourself in lkae tekapo, twizel area. Of course there is the hermitage and a yha at Mt Cook. You gotta do some day tramps in the area to really appreciate it. 

[kiwi535 538]

as far as roads themselves,all the passes,Buller gorge,the drive along lake Pukaki and Tekapo,The west coast is pretty good for its whole length.Milford for a truly unique Homer Tunnel expperience(and the boat trip is worth it esp if it rains).Takaka Hill and staying around Takaka area .Shotover Jet is good too.

[Olaf 3235]

Driving south from Christchurch down the coast to Dunedin wasn't particularly exciting, you can reward yourself with the Steampunk Museum in Oamaru, and Moeraki if you choose that route.  

I enjoyed the drive across from Dunedin to Invercargill in Spring, for the scenery.  Though I should have taken the twisty coastal option.  You might as well take a look at Bluff while you're down there (extraordinarily desolate), and enjoy Bill Richardson's Transport World in Invercargill... and of course a look at https://www.ehayes.co.nz @Autoglym will tell you about other attractions.    

The Crown Range is worth a drive. As Paul mentions, Tekapo/Lake Pukaki is superb.   Can't help you out on the west coast, haven't been there yet! 

PS - take 14 days.  it's stunning.  Be warned, though... half of New Zealand will probably be down there!

 

PPS - TAKAKA is brilliant, if you make it up there and the Golden Bay region you must enjoy a meal and the ales at The Mussell Inn.

 

Edited November 8, 2020 by Olaf

[leichtbau 525]

Blenheim to Greymouth via SH6, SH69, SH7. Greymouth to Chch via SH73. Chch to Pukai via SH1, SH79, SH8. SH8 and SH6 to get to Wanaka, then down the Crown Range to Queenstown, then SH94 / 95 for Manapouri and Te Anau.

Do Kaikoura on the way back.

[martyyyn 102]

Thanks everyone, given us something to think about.

[Sammo 2476]

I'm an Aucklander but have done 3-4 pretty good SI Road trips in the last 10 years and just did another 10 day one in September (sadly in a rental RAV4).

This time around we flew into CHC, then did the below:

• Drove across Arthurs pass (fantastic)
• Stayed in Punakaiki (not as cool as I remembered but neat if you have not been there - the coast up there is beautiful and wild)
• Drove down West coast and stayed at Fox Glacier (again, not as cool as I remembered, a lot of highway driving really)
• Stopped in to the Blue Pools past Haast en-route to Wanaka - 2nd half of this drive is spectacular, first half a bit boring
• Wanaka - always worth a visit
• Drive from Wanaka to Queenstown over the crown range is incredible, worth stopping at Arrowtown and if you enjoy a Winery, Amisfield nearby is brilliant, although bookings essential
• Although the drive from Queenstown to Te Anau is pretty boring South of Wakatipu (but still beautiful) the drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound is extraordinary (running out of superlatives now)
• HIGHLY recommend staying at Milford Lodge and enjoying the sound in the evening and morning away from the crowds - Milford Lodges new Chalets are top notch too, especially the Riverside ones
• flew out of Queenstown which meant less backtracking

If you're going to be in CHC, ducking up to Kaikoura could be good, and then drive down to Mount Cook / Pukaki and Tekapo then through the Lindis pass to Wanaka and Central Otago. Lindis Pass is beautiful.

EDIT - Just saw you're not one for sightseeing - I'm an hobby photographer so my view will be biased by the landscape, but as a driving experience the landscape certainly factors, and I was impressed with the quality and flow of the SI roads compared to Auckland / Northland, that's for sure.

Be wary of speed as well / use cruise control - I got done at 120kmh on an 8km long flat straight by a cop several kms up the road - easy to creep up on some of these roads, especially in a 5 series, and the cops are enjoying snapping the local tourists...

[Kiwi_BMW 89]

The best thing about the South Island is the scenery.

Things not to miss

Omaka Aviation Museum Blenheim

Speights Brewery tour

The Catlins

Bill Richardson Museum

Bluff, and take a trip across to Stewart Island and go and see Kiwis in the wild.

Manapouri Power Station

Overnite cruise on Doubtful Sound  - Doubtful is better than a cruise on Milford Sound, but you still need to drive to Milford for a look at Mitre Peak etc

Cardrona Hotel

WestCoast from the bottom to the top, the glaciers, Hokitika, Shantytown, Monteiths Brewery tour, Punakaiki,  Trans Alpine train trip, Cave rafting

Just a few of the things I can think of 

[qube 3568]

Ive got a trip coming up starting this weekend.

will be in a campervan so driving isnt the main point but rough plan is:

 

Fly into CHCH stay the night

Drive through Lewis Pass to Nelson Lakes Nat Park

down the Greymouth and camp at Hans Bay Lake Kaniere

Drive through Arthers Pass and backroads to Lake Tekapo and find a motor park to camp

next morning to Lake Pukaki and knock out hooker valley track

quick stop clay cliffs then drive to Dunedin for the night, maybe check out the Speights tour if have time

back up to Lake Hawea near Wanaka for a night

drive down the Queenstown early morning drop off the van, do some shopping and bus into Te Anau for the night

catch another bus to The Divide and 3 day tracking west to east the Routeburn

bus back to Queenstown for the night 

fly back up to Auckland

[lemusa 86]

Definitely go through Arthurs Pass and hope it's raining when you do (it probably will be!) for maximum scenic feels.

Things I haven't seen mentioned: 

Benmoore Dam, a little out of the way but worth a look as are many of the smaller hydro setups dotted around.

Bluff is worth a drive out to get the required "sign photo" but there is literally nothing else of interest there. 

Do a helicopter glacier tour if budget allows, otherwise you could walk it but yeah nah. It's hard to believe it's the same planet up there...

SH1 between Christchurch and Oamaru is the most boring bit of road on the island. Try and avoid that stretch and you can't go too wrong.

Bring a jacket. Sometimes the south forgets it's summer.

[martyyyn 102]

I just wanted to update this in case anyone else is thinking of doing the same.

We did the following over 15 days with 3 nights at Christchurch, Aoraki, Dunedin and Greymouth.

SH1: Picton to Kairoura via Blenheim

SH1: to Christchurch

SH1-SH79-SH8-SH80 to Aoraki via Burkes Pass and Lake Tekapo

SH80-SH8 to Dunedin via Lindus Pass and Cromwell, Alexandra, Milton

SH1 to Christchurch via Oamaru and Timaru

SH77-SH73 to Gerymouth via Arthur's Pass

SH7-SH69-SH6-SH63 to Picton via Reefton, Buller Gorge, Lake Rotoiti, Wairau Valley and Blenheim.

Apart from SH1 from Dunedin to Christchurch every other road was a joy. No roadworks, no bad driving, not too many cars at all and all the trucks and campervans pulled over where ever possible. The F10 soaked it all up with no fuss.

Highlights were undoubtedly Burkes Pass and Lake Tekapo. Driving around the lake to stay at Aoraki and then driving to the various walks around there made me wish I was in the E34. Across Arthur's Pass was stunning but the last stretch from Greymouth to Picton was by far the best. Buller Gorge was sensational it's just a shame the limit has been reduced to 80kms. (which appears to have annoyed the locals as well).

Also had an M5 Competition (with the plate M5C) park next to us in Dunedin which was quite something in the most sensational colour.

 

[Driftit 1925]

Was at Mansfield a few weeks back with that same M5C. Real nice colour.