Off to New Zealand for 4 weeks

[Analog6]

Well, I am off on Thursday 6 May!

Do we have any NZers (or former visitors) on here(?) - care to look over my itinerary (below) and make suggestions for things to see? Note the Photography workshop (21-24 May) is the fixed point around which the itinerary must work. I'm also planning to visit as many Lord of the Rungs sites as I can, if anyone has been to any good ones please let me know and any tips for making the best out of it. (This is a self drive excursion, and I cannot fiance any more organised tours in it so it must be Do It Yourself stuff).

Suggestions for places to see and photograph along the way most welcome. I am staying with another photographer and his family in Invercargill but apart from that will be on my 'Pat Malone' so time is flexible, subject to being early enough to check in at accommodations each afternoon.

DAY # / DAY-DATE / FROM-TO & DETAILS

1 Thu 6th / Gold Coast / Fly to Melbourne
2 Fri 7th/Melbourne to Christchurch - arrive Ch 1450

3 Sat 8th / Collect car 0900 Drive to Mt Somers via Masham, Papanua, Aylesbury, Darfield, Glenroy, Rakaia Gorge & Mt Hutt, Alford Forest, Stavely, Buccleuch

4 Sun 9th / Mt Somers - drive to Mt Potts for photos, then on to Geraldine

5 Mon 10th / Geraldine to Mt Cook - photos lakes and area

6 Tues 11th / Mt Cook - explore lakes/Mt Cook area - drive to Kurow. Staying 2 nights at farmstay - hills walking, activities, photos of scenery etc.
7 Wed 12th / as above

8 Thu 13th / Kurow - Dunedin via Duntroon (elephant rocks) - other spots along way?? - through Hampden to Moeraki Boulders then R#1 to Dunedin (staying 2 nights on Peninsula.
9 Fri 14th / Dunedin - Castle, other attractions, taking Taeri Gorge train trip 1230

10 Sat 15th / Dunedin to Catlins (stay 1 night) - any high spots??

11 Sun 16th / Catlins - drive to Invercargill (staying 2 nights)
12 Mon 17th / explore Invercargill & surrounds

13 Tues 18th /Invercargill to Te Anua, leave early to arrive by 8am - Doubtful Sound overnight cruise - leaves 0830 - back 1230 next day
15 Wed 19th / Return to Te Anau at 12.30 drive to Milford Sound

16 Thu 20th / Milford Sound Milford Sound boat trip 9.30-11.30 - Mirror lakes on way to/back Milford Sound

17 Fri 21st / Leave Te Anau 6am - drive to Kinloch via Queenstown
Kinloch 3 day Landscape workshop Queenstown Centre for Photography at Kinloch 2pm Friday to 10am Monday
18 Sat 22nd (as above)
19 Sun 23rd (as above)
20 Mon 24th / Kinloch via Queenstown - Arrowtown to Wanaka

21 Tues 25th / Wanaka to Haast - Jackson's Landing jetty sunset if weather allows

22 Wed 26th / Haast to Greymouth

23 Thu 27th / Greymouth via Reefton and then down to Waia

24 Fri 28th / Waia to Kaikoura

25 Sat 29th / Kaikoura - early shots of bay (dolphins if I am very lucky), then back to Christchurch

26 Sun 30th / Christ-church - return car 1100 - Antarctic Centre, Kiwi place, both near airport??
27 Mon 31st fly home

And a pic of my very stuffed camera bag - Lord knows how I am going to lift it into the overhead space but I'll manage somehow. They are a bit more casual here in Oz/NZ about carry on than Europe and US. Tripod and various chargers in checked luggage with my clothes (and darned few of those), I'll go to thrift shops if I run short.

 

[Cindy Flood]

Odille, I can't comment on your itinerary, but do wish you a wonderful time.

 

[Analog6]

Thanks Cindy

 

[Lisa]

Hi, Odille, I'm leaving for vacation in NZ the day after you are...but to the north island instead (Rotorua & Tongariro), and only for a week.

I've seen a handful of parts of the south island on two past trips, and my one comment that isn't in the guidebooks is to allow some time in the mountains on the drive from Te Anau to Milford. Most people just head for Milford and spend all their time there on a boat cruise, but I was just as impressed by the mountains on the way there (especially the region east of the Homer Tunnel). We ended up stopping a number of times to gawk at the mountains and do some short hikes. Also in the area is one end of the Routeburn Track, which is gorgeous; we did a day hike from that end of it, and it was well worth it. You're doing an awful lot of driving, however, so I don't know whether you can fit it in...

Lisa

 

[Terry]

Sounds like a great trip. Enjoy!

 

[Analog6]

Lisa, thanks for that. I was aware of it and have had some good guidelines from people on the NZ photo forum and our own Australian Photography forum. I definitely want to get to Mirror Lakes on the way to Milford Sound.

It is a lot of driving but luckily I like driving and as I'll be on my Pat Malone I can take as much or as little time as I like. Most places I've already asked about late check in and I plan to be on the move by sun up each morning.

I put my carry on bag out to get the camera backpack into it last night, but somebody beat me to it.

I think Mr Raymond cat is saying No way are you leaving me at home, Mummy.

 

[waynelake]

Hey, hello...

Got here a bit late, however, looks like a good trip...
Can not comment much, considering you've left etc, maybe you'll look here again.

On the 25th you turn right to Jacksons Bay. It could also be worthwhile to think about going to the end of the road, straight ahead, toward Cascade River/Martyr Saddle. Its a great panoramic view..... Plenty of short walks through the whole of Haast Pass area...

-Deer Park Heights has some LOTR sites. Uncertain about the latest, if the hill is open or not. Rumor was it was closed as they were filming the Hobbit or something...
-12 Mile Delta is a Dept of Conservation land, a LOTR site, love that place, is 10 kilometers from Queenstown, toward Glenorchy/Kinlock.

I'm in Queenstown, look at my emails daily. [email protected]
Could meet up in town if you're keen & have time...

Wayne