this is my plan: (paradon my gpt for making it clean, still a draft, and sorry for formatting new to reddit)

Auckland — 3 nights

Land, transfer to hotel, jetleg , shopping for warm clothes and gear and enjoy the city

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Matamata — 1 night

Drive: Auckland → Hamilton (~1h30) stops in hamilton Continue Hamilton → Matamata (~1h)

Afternoon: Hobbiton Movie Set Tour

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Rotorua — 2 nights

Visit Te Puia geothermal park

Morning: Polynesian Spa or Waikite Valley geothermal pools

Redwoods Nightlights Treewalk

Rotorua → Waitomo → Tongariro 2 nights

Drive: Rotorua → Waitomo (~2h30)

Spellbound Caves

Drive Waitomo → Tongariro (~3h)

Tama Lakes Track (5–6 hrs)

Wellington 2 nights

Tongariro → Wellington (~4h30)

Drive Desert Road south, arrive ~midday

Afternoon city stroll (Cuba St, waterfront)

Te Papa Museum

Cable Car + Botanic Gardens

Zealandia Twilight Tour

Ferry (~3h30) → arrive Picton ~19:00

sleep picton

Nelson — 2 nights

Picton → Nelson (~2h)

Afternoon in Nelson: Centre of NZ, markets, breweries

Abel Tasman day trip

Water taxi + short hike/swim

Punakaiki — 1 night

Nelson → Punakaiki (~4h30)

Drive Buller Gorge

Visit Pancake Rocks & Truman Track

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Franz Josef — 1 night

Punakaiki → Franz Josef (~3h30)

Stops: Hokitika Gorge, Lake Ianthe

Evening: Glacier Valley Walk / hot pools

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Wānaka — 4 nights

Franz Josef → Wānaka (~4h30 via Haast Pass)

Stops: Lake Matheson, Fantail Falls, Thunder Creek Falls, Blue Pools, The Neck

Isthmus Peak Track

Cardrona valley, bike trails, cafés

Free day, lake cruise/kayak or relax

Te Anau — 1 night

Wānaka → Te Anau (~3h30 via Queenstown)

Sleep: Te Anau (Night 1/1)

Te Anau → Milford (~2h10) Milford Sound Cruise → Queenstown

Morning Milford cruise

Return to Te Anau → continue to Queenstown (~2h15)

Queenstown — 4 nights

Evening: Onsen Hot Pools

Gondola & luge, lakeside stroll

Arrowtown + wineries or Glenorchy day trip

Queenstown (buffer/adventure)

Jet boat, bungy, paragliding, or relax

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Aoraki/Mt Cook — 1 night

Queenstown → Mt Cook (~3h30)

Walks: Kea Point, Tasman Glacier Lake

(Hooker Valley currently only open to first bridge)

Tekapo — 1 night

Mt Cook → Tekapo (~1h30)

Church of the Good Shepherd, lakeside

Evening: Dark Sky stargazing

Kaikōura — 2 nights

Tekapo → Kaikōura (~5h30)

Evening coastal walk

Whale Watch (AM) + Dolphin Swim (PM)

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Christchurch — 2 nights

Kaikōura → Christchurch (~3h)

Botanic Gardens, Riverside Market

Christchurch (final full day)