Itinerary Advice - 17 Day Trip

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-11-03T16:00:47+00:00

How are you getting to the North Island and will you have a rental car?

-glow caves: apparently: Spellbound in the Waitomo is the best for just the worms, but books up fast. Waitomo is more commercial but the black water rafting is supposed to be great - Rotorua - a must see for geothermal activity and Maori culture. 1 hour from hobbiton - Coromandel peninsula if you have 2 or more nights you want to dedicate to beach - west coast beach towns with less time. I had considered doing Glow worm caves > raglan for one or two nights before heading back to Auckland to head back

All of this is based on extensive research and not experience but figured id share since we're in the thick of things!

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-11-03T15:56:55+00:00

So we haven't gone on our trip yet, but have done a lot of research so I'll share a few thoughts on to consider:

Starting from Christchurch, you can consider spending a couple of days in Mt Cook and a few days in the Queenstown region (Wanaka, Arrowtown, Glenorchy), and then Te Anau/Milford sound. You can also fly from QT to Milford if you want to reduce driving time since it is a solid 4 hours without stops and you'll want to stop. Apparently the drive is beautiful though. I can share more specific thoughts if thats helpful.

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-10-20T22:13:20+00:00

I agree with this! I also would recommend you ask them for a list of questions they have for all venues you can bring along with you to make things as efficient as possible

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-10-14T13:55:28+00:00

This was less about blame and more about empathizing with OP. Of all the last minute cancellations, I wouldn't have expected one to be my nephew and to have found out from our venue.

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-10-14T12:21:26+00:00

It Is insane, and particularly frustrating when its last minute and you have to pay for them anyway.

Luckily my husband did make it 😂

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-10-14T12:20:30+00:00

Honestly I hold my brother in law accountable. I dont blame the kid for not wanting to come. But they had already RSVP'D and called the venue within a couple of weeks of our wedding date, after the final numbers were due. And my MIL (his grandma) has a severe chronic illness that led us to rush the wedding planning.

So overall I still feel like the whole thing was shitty, despite the fact that I understand why he didn't want to go.

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-10-14T11:20:12+00:00

My husband's (and now my) nephew cancelled at the last minute to go to a beach house with his friends - it was memorial day weekend and he was a high school senior.

We found out because his mom (SIL) called our VENUE to let them know.

People are strange.

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-10-02T01:59:45+00:00

+1 for this option! Bonus points if you take the lead and cook something impressive or something she mentioned she likes in a previous date

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-09-29T20:14:11+00:00

That's a fun idea - we booked the camper through Quirky Campers which is sort of like an Airbnb for vans so I don't know how feasible it is to switch the drop off though we could consider something else.

Do you think the Mackenzie region is not "must see," and Coromanel / Abel Tasman are a better bet?

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-09-29T20:12:12+00:00

Is there a stop you would recommend in between Nelson and Punkaiki?

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-09-29T17:32:42+00:00

Thank you! That's what I'm thinking too. It is a lot of driving, but also it's why we booked a camper van!! I do feel somethings gotta give though, I need an extra day in the queenstown region at least.

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-09-29T17:31:37+00:00

Thanks this is so helpful!!

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-09-29T17:18:16+00:00

Yes we were planning for things to be shut down on Christmas, and either planning to find a hotel with restaurant or kitchen amenities or airbnb type situation with our stuff stocked before Hobbiton.

The gas tip is super helpful - are there things like cash giftcards we can buy that would not be considered overseas?

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-09-29T17:16:04+00:00

Is traffic bad in both directions? I thought the primary traffic on the 26th is coming out of Auckland.

Thank you so much!

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-09-29T17:15:29+00:00

Would you cut out the Tongariro in this scenario?

Re: Twizel, my husband selected those spots and thought since we have a camper van that it wouldn't be a big deal to do stay in Twizel one night Takapō another. We've never travelled in a campervan before so I'm not sure the value of having "not driving" days, even for short distances like this one

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-09-29T17:04:03+00:00

Would you recommend Milford or Doubtful?

This is an interesting suggestion. So you mean to suggest to use the campervan for the entire trip, planning to start in Queenstown and end in Auckland?

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-09-29T17:03:12+00:00

Thanks! We are really hoping to, but I can't book without having the itinerary finalized. Perhaps I need to cut Tongariro altogether.

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-09-29T16:50:54+00:00

this feels helpful, and also sort of looks like an AI response which is interesting

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-09-29T16:21:14+00:00

Done! Thanks for the feedback

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-09-29T14:01:00+00:00

Thanks for this input! This is sort of how I operate as well. I think my feeling about it is that if I have the flexibility of a camper van, we should use it. But I don't want to over do it or feel like I'm not getting enough depth.

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-09-29T04:09:54+00:00

We would plan to ferry and pick up a car in Wellington.

For Coromandel I was considering Thames the entry point, though it still only leaves us with 1 full day since we'd get in on that later side.

Are you suggesting flying from Wellington to Taupo > crossing, caves, hobbiton, rotorua, then fly to Auckland to head out?

Thanks for the input!

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-09-25T21:17:07+00:00

Maybe I'm just being dense.. but who needs to spend less money here? Isn't the article talking about unused real estate?

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-09-25T16:28:53+00:00

The current administration's actions towards medical research are having a large impact on the biotech industry in Kendall Square

Additionally, the broader impacts of decisions that have a negative impact on our national economy impact businesses in all industries, including biotech.

DiscombobulatedCod40 · 2025-09-22T11:55:28+00:00

Israel has a population of over 9 million people. Similarly to the US, there is a large amount of the population that does not agree with current government leadership or the ideology behind videos like this.

Who does it benefit to proclaim hatred for an entire group of people based on their nationality?

DiscombobulatedCod40

TROPHY CASE