South Island Trip

Fingaz · Post by **Fingaz** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:49 pm

Hey Everyone,

I’m planning to embark on a "round the South Island" trip in the MX 5 towards the middle of the year.
I’ve never driven down to the south island before, so I’m looking for suggestions as to a sports car friendly route. Possably even a little gravel if there is any on the way round. Im leaving from Wellington, hopeing to go for about 14 to 18 days.

Has anyone taken a specific route around that they would recommend ?

Ryan

Posted in the right place this time

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:48 pm

Hi...here goes.
Picton to Havelock via Queen Charlotte Drive, then to Nelson. Nelson to Golden Bay (Farewell Spit) and return. Nelson to Westport. Westport to Karamea and return. Westport to Wanaka via Cape Foulwind seal colony, Punakaiki, Greymouth to Arthurs Pass via Lake Brunner and back to, Hokitika via Kumara. South via Lake Kaniere to the Franz Josef with a side trip to Okarito. On to Fox Glacier with a side trip to Lake Matheson and Gillespies Beah (gravel but MX5 friendly surface). To Wanaka via Haast Pass (0ne of NZs best MX5 roads!!!) To Q'town via Cadrona (magic MX5 road). Side trips to Glenorchy and Cromwell...both fantastic roads.
Q'town to Te Anau to Milford Sound and return to Te Anau. Te Anau to Tuatapere via Souther Scenic Route and on via Invercargill and thru the Catlins to Balclutha (another amazing road). Balclutha to Dunedin and a side trip to the Albatross Colony on the Penisular. Dunedin to just north of Oamaru, to Omarama and on to Mt Coo. Mt Cook to ChCh via Geraldine. Side trip from ChCh to Akaroa via the Summit Road all the way from Sumner to Gebbies Pass! (Take the turn off from the Hill Top Tavern to Akaroa and return via Barrys Bay).
Christchurch to Kaikoura then back track 5 ks to take the drive through to Hanmer via Waiau (magic road). Hanmer to Reefton via Lewis Pass (another of my favourites esp the Rahu Saddle). Reefton to Murchison then Picton.
If you haven't fallen in love with the South Island roads by then, you haven't got blood in your veins!!!

Enjoy making your plans!

Ian

Gravelben · Post by **Gravelben** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:40 pm

Hard to get better than that!

But one clarification - When taking the side-trip out along the Otago Peninsula, I'd recommend go out along Highcliff Rd on top of the peninsula, and back along Portobello Rd beside the Harbour. Both are fun so if you take the same one both ways you'll be missing out

Oh, and where you say 'blood' I think you mean 'petrol'

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 5:13 pm

Ben...you are right on both counts!!

Ian

Fingaz · Post by **Fingaz** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:05 pm

Gravelben wrote: Hard to get better than that!

But one clarification - When taking the side-trip out along the Otago Peninsula, I'd recommend go out along Highcliff Rd on top of the peninsula, and back along Portobello Rd beside the Harbour. Both are fun so if you take the same one both ways you'll be missing out

Oh, and where you say 'blood' I think you mean 'petrol'

Thanks Very Much - sounds as good as i hope it will be !

Gravelben · Post by **Gravelben** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 4:54 pm

Went for a blat over the Crown Range (Wanaka-Queenstown) on Saturday night actually (I'm in Cromwell), they've resurfaced a lot of the section between Cardrona and the top recently so its nice and smooth, have to take things a bit easier down the Queenstown side currently as the works is still happening there - nothing rough but a bit of dirt on the road, cones everywhere etc as they're widening it in places. Dirt on the road makes it even easier to scare yourself coming downhill a bit hot into the hairpins...

emexfive · Post by **emexfive** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 6:18 am

Let's say one started in Wellington and took the ferry over on a Friday night or Saturday morning. How far could one get and still turn around and get back to Wellington by Monday morning? I know a poor way to see the south island, but that may be my best bet for a while.

peter · Post by **peter** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 7:03 pm

I'm amazed all the Mainlanders haven't bombarded you with direction on how to drive their favourite roads!

If you drove non-stop you'd make it to Bluff and back by Monday morning, if you shared the driving.

However, if you really wanted to see the country and enjoy it, I'd do this trip from Wellington :

If you went over Friday after work - say leave Wellington at 6.00 pm - you'd be in Picton at 9, Blenheim is 28kms, 30 minutes away, Kaikoura is 129 kms, 1 hour 30 from Blenheim - stay overnight either place.

Saturday - leave around 7 - it's a beautiful drive down the East Coast, you'd be in Christchurch by 10.45 from Blenheim or 9.15 from Kaikoura. stop for morning tea at the Arts Centre, go for a ride on the trams, then drive to Wanaka via Tekapo (and when you get past Tekapo get off the Tourist highway and fine the canal roads - they link most of the hydro dams and the scenery is mind-blowing. You should arrive at Wanaka around6 or 7 pm. Stay overnight.

Sunday, leave again at 7.00, drive to Haast, then head up the West coast - I'd stop at Franz Josef Glacier, it's well worth the walk up to the glacier face. You'd be arriving there around 11.00.
Keep heading North, Greymouth is 2 hours away, I forget where Shantytown is but that's worth a 2 hour stop, and there's a Morris Car Museum on the way that needs your camera.

I'd be arriving in Picton around 7 with this schedule, so I'd either take the ferry across that night and sleep in my own bed Sunday night (If I lived in The Capital) or morning ferry and pull a sickie...

Picton to Wanaka = 773km, about the same going back on the West coast, say 1500 km, three tanks full?

And yes, I'm going to keep a copy of this for myself to try one day.

Good Luck! and show us the photos!

Peter
DRGN1

emexfive · Post by **emexfive** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 6:22 am

Fantastic! Thanks! I haven't been bombarded with advice since I'm still in Northern California!

I won't be getting to Wellington until late Sept, early Oct. But a portion of my brain is already there it seems! I can't stop thinking about it. Normally I'd have a hard time moving to a country I've never been to for an entire year or more, but it sounds/looks so darn spectacular and all the Kiwis I come in contact with are so helpful and friendly that it eases my mind.

I'm very pleased to see that a round trip that far down into the South Island is possible for a weekend. That sounds like one epic trip. I'll be bringing enough photo gear to REALLY look like a stupid American tourist, so hopefully I'll get some good shots for the trouble and embarrassment. I'm hoping NZ will inspire me to take my landscape shooting to the next level.

I think I may need to get some sort of soft luggage that'll strap to the trunk/boot to fit more camping and photo gear. I'd rather not fit a permanent luggage rack.

Can you tell I'm excited in advance about this upcoming travel?!

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 9:03 am

Actually, such a trip is NOT really possible. (with all due respect Peter).
Some suggestions for a South Island tour are contained in posts earlier in this thread.
Driving in NZ is nothing remotely like driving interstate in the US.
While we can, and perhaps have, driven 12 hrs in a day.....why would you, when travelling through this gorgeous country????????? Around almost every corner there is a new vista which screams out STOP, savour and explore!
As someone who for a living, advises tourists on self drive itineraries, anyone who tries to see the Souh Island in less than a week (and ideally a lot longer) is doing NZ and themselves an injustice.
I can assure you that folk from North America are the ones who are the most amazed that to even briefly sample a few of the South Island's delights...takes WAY more time than they ever imagined.
Imagine on day 1, you decide to turn right between Picton and Blenheim down Ruapara Road and visit one or more of the many world class wineries, linger over a gold medal sauvignon blanc and a delcious alfresco lunch of Marlborough mussels (exported around the world)...oops, our itinerary is history.
To our potential US visitor...you will be blown away, that I promise....but slow down and smell the roses!

Cheers, Ian

emexfive · Post by **emexfive** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 12:43 pm

I do hope/plan to take some more leisurely trips. But for the foreseeable future after I arrive I'll be working long hours and taking more than 2 days off at a time isn't likely. At the very least when my contract is over a year from arrival I can then take my time to see more of it. Not to mention some of the amazing worlds near(ish) NZ, Antartica, Pacific Islands etc.

12 hours a day with the top down in good weather passing amazing scenery I think is pretty doable. At least I've done it touring the Pacific coast of California and Oregon. If for no other reason than to quickly scope the places I want to see more of on later excursions. But warning taken. It did sound like a lot for 2 days, but I did ask for the MOST I could get in in a weekend.

Again, thanks for the opinions.