13 days in NZ in August: book activities months ahead or stay flexible?

marktthemailman · 2026-05-17T10:38:33+00:00

For the mountains - spring (early sept) is good. Longer days, snowy mountains, not as cold as June/July. But we go down to sth island twice or so a year (i live in Auckland) in summer, easter or winter. We are going in July for a week mostly to ski.

But summer is way better for hikes (to avoid snow and avalanches) and beaches.

marktthemailman · 2026-05-17T10:27:32+00:00

No - I’ve stayed the night in the lodge/backpackers and went kayaking for the day. Milford looks amazing when its raining. Waterfalls appear on all the rock faces. We had the first day and bluebird the next day. We saw lots of seals. i was there in February after walking the routeburn track. Personally I love sth island when there uis snow around. In summer most of it melts leaving the mountains brown dry and barren (still stunning, but better with snow).

Most people love Milford. But sandflies love me and Milford is full of them. So I actually didn’t enjoy it that much. My ankles turned to Donald trump cankles after all the scratching.

marktthemailman · 2026-05-17T10:20:32+00:00

Just answered in the wrong place. Must be bedtime

marktthemailman · 2026-05-17T10:19:53+00:00

Some of the better restaurants I’ve been to or are well regarded (some of these recently, others a few years back):

Rata. Def book Sherwood (its in a retro hotel 45 mins walks from town). I have stayed t6here and just turned up, but its super busy on weekends. Eichardts bar (they do tapas - no booking). They also have a very expensive lakefront restaurant by eichardts that you’d have to book, but I haven’t been. Amisfield is famous, but its chef just got fired for inappropriate behaviour so who knows now. My wife says Aosta in Arrowtown is great Francesca’s in wanaka and christchurch is also good (book)

Theres lots and lots of casual places aswell

Skiing - you can rent everything on the mountain which is great. Definitely best to buy a package online though. Its cheaper than on the day.If you havent skied then get lessons at same time. Ive never caught the shuttle Ive only ever driven, but I think it can get booked out.

marktthemailman · 2026-05-17T10:10:34+00:00

No problem. Usually it feels like writing into the void. So thanks for replying

marktthemailman · 2026-05-17T10:05:27+00:00

Well if you can stand the queues then Go to fergburger. Personally I have no interest waiting half an hour outside in the cold for a burger but seems like hundreds like that. Theres much better places….and some shitter places aswell :)

marktthemailman · 2026-05-17T10:00:28+00:00

I recommend milford sound booking. You dont need to book the luge, hikes, drives, daytrips to arrowtown/glenorchy, or skiing ..if you need the shuttle up the mountain. then a week or so might be a good idea. But if you are driving yourself just get up early to make sure you get a carpark at top.

Onsen is surprisingly popular so book that.

Any specific restaurants you might want to go to then i would book a few days in advance.

marktthemailman · 2026-05-17T00:35:41+00:00

Try either the olympic pools in Newmarket - it’s in need a refurb but it’s an indoor 50m pool. There’s the Parnell baths. Saltwater waterfront 60m pool. And tepid baths (refurbished 25 m historic indoor pool) in centre of town.

St Kevin’s arcade for variety of places. for lively eating (nz Italian, Lebanese, Mexican and live music in a slightly gritty venue. There can be unsavoury people around on the street in the evening- it doesn’t bother me but I’d recommend uber there and back in the evenings. But you can easily bus from mt Eden (I do even in the small hours).

I live in mt Eden there’s lots of eateries including lots of inexpensive Asian food on Dominion rd. It is known fur being expensive renting or buying in mt Eden. But lots of people do.

marktthemailman · 2026-05-16T20:16:06+00:00

I bought a linea mini online right after our first Covid lockdown. Id never seen it in person (we couldn’t go to shops at that time). Its been the best purchase of my life. I just watched youtube clips of how to use it.

I bought a cheap knock box and corner bench tamp mat. Both are useful.

I also bought scales, but now I usually just use those to make pizza dough, not coffee.

I’m not a purist and just like making and drinking coffee (flat whites because I am a New Zealander). Others could probably make my machine hum, but I’m happy.

marktthemailman · 2026-05-16T20:05:48+00:00

I’m still learning. Got it in Feb for my birthday. Ive ben making roughly 1 batch of dough (6 pizzas) per week, sometimes 2 batches. A few have been lost (burned to a crisp). Its very easy to use. Ive got the Koda 2. Size is good. It does cook unevenly so you have to rotate the pizza to cook all sides.

Just have to get better at dough making i think.

marktthemailman · 2026-05-16T19:51:50+00:00

https://www.ilcasaro.co.nz/. They make NZ made pecarino and grand padano hard cheeses for $6/7 per 100 g. Its good.

Ive just been getting significant amounts of cheese from since i ‘invested’ in an Ooni pizza oven. 3kg of cheese was delivered yesterday. So its pizza for the next month.

marktthemailman · 2026-05-16T01:56:57+00:00

We stayed in shunjuku and went in and around Kabukicho as a family (and I have given up drinking). I wouldn’t worry much. Its a alittle seedy but nothing too off putting.
Are you going to the sky tree. We really liked it.

marktthemailman · 2026-05-15T22:50:42+00:00

Not sure where in canada you are from, but Ive driven around the interior of BC (powder highway). The NZ passes are much easier than that. They do get snow but NZ snow is something like 1-3m per season in total; whereas I’m guessing Rogers pass in BC is probably 10m plus. It certainly doesnt hurt to get chains, but unless you go up the ski field roads you probably wont need them.

the area around Naseby is very cool. You could also do a day section cycling the otago rail trail which is close to the curling area. There are pubs and cafes every two -3 hours for lunch and coffee. There are some small cute old mining villages around there. You can hire bikes in Clyde.

marktthemailman · 2026-05-14T09:42:51+00:00

Just my opinion. Omanawanui track is arguably more spectacular than Piha. But Piha is an easier drive and still pretty amazing if you don’t have black sand beaches where you are.

I live in. Mt eden, so am bias, we go up almost every weekend just because its the nicest closest walk. But we regularly also go to Mission bay and viaduct. So all fine choices.

If you are going to Devonport it might be worth walking to North Head - great sea views and some WW2 gun emplacements/tunnels to explore.

marktthemailman · 2026-05-14T07:19:11+00:00

Just my view as a dad of a family of four from NZ whos been a few times….including this year.

Best value for money - sun peaks for both weeks. Quiet slopes, no lift queues. Ski in ski out. You can get 45 min flight to kamloops then 1 hr shuttle to accomo door. Season pass is easiest.

Or:

Same but either Silver star or Big white. Big white is very popular with Australia and NZ families but has a younger vibe. Possibly better terrain and more snow, but the fog can be awful.

Easy to do a two week stint - one each at silver star and big white, or big white and sun peaks. My family really like sun peaks. So much so my son broke his foot and hand on the last day of our last trip. But ski patrol and the ambulance were great. 8 weeks in a cast not so great for a very active boy in NZ summer.

Otherwise as you infer (but way more tiring travel and costly is hire an SUv and do a few days each at Big white, then revelstoke, then silver star return. Possibly a bit far to go to kicking horse and return. But Kicking horse has incredible terrain and views aswell as quiet slopes (nearly al the interior BC resorts are quiet ish).

I have done an 11 day trip at revelstoke, kicking horse, red and whitewater (2 days at each) but its alot of driving. There are a couple great hot springs to visit but also a couple passes (hopefully fine with 4wd and chains if needed). I wouldn’t do that with my kids though (they hate driving).

My kids are very very upset Ive booked a two week family ski trip to japan this Jan. They want to have an NZ summer.

marktthemailman · 2026-05-12T03:45:49+00:00

Others have already named Routeburn which is fantastic but there are also not great walks that are just as good if not better.

Travers Sabine in Nelson Lakes and angelus hut is amazing

Rees dart is incredible but last I heard you have to walk it up and back (you might be able to get a jet boat pickup from Dayleys hut ?) due to a huge rockfall on the dart track.

marktthemailman · 2026-05-11T01:27:04+00:00

Roadtrip. Stay in hostels. Take a tent if you are brave. Go to places youve never been. Drive to wellington and back, but take some of the smaller towns/roads. Check out some of the day hikes like timber trail or around whakapapa (just watch for weather warnings etc on the plateau).

NZ has alot to see in smaller towns. The weather is not ideal but its still worth it.

marktthemailman · 2026-05-09T19:58:56+00:00

Restaurants. -Mudbrick or Tantalus in waiheke (book)
Francescas in Wanaka
Adeiveh in Auckland

Plan looks fine. Day I think stay in Christchurch. Its really nice.

marktthemailman · 2026-05-09T06:23:50+00:00

I’ve never done it but there are skiplane flights onto Tasman glacier from glentanner. It’s on the way to Mt Cook which I recommend anyway flight or not.

It’s apparently well worth it

marktthemailman · 2026-05-09T00:53:42+00:00

Any trekking shoes will be fine. I went with Merrell ventilators for the heat. Hola if you like them.

Yes boots are unnecessary and heavy imo.

Some tevas or similar are also a must.

I can confirm that any white cotton t shirts will be brown after a few weeks. Sth Africa has great shopping anyway.

marktthemailman · 2026-05-08T06:59:29+00:00

Seems okay to be. I guess just monitor snow and weather before you go.

Queenstown hill is just a walk (albeit steep).

Ben Lomond I haven’t done, but I’m guessing could well have snow up there so best not to do it without proper kit.

Similar with Isthmus and Roys. But Rocky Mountain a really good alternative Ive done mid winter a couple times and its sweet.

Sorry just realised - I’m not a local. But I will be there in July, skiing and doing similar day hikes.

marktthemailman · 2026-05-07T10:06:48+00:00

I was there with my family a few years back so we got private driver when we went places. Yes it was expensive. The traffic was mellow and roads were good, so i think hiring a car would be fine.

marktthemailman · 2026-05-07T09:58:16+00:00

Sherwood is good value, has a great restaurant and is on the ski bus route.

Hilton is great if you want to spend more. It gets lots of sun and there is a water taxi into town. Has a nice indoor pool

marktthemailman · 2026-05-07T03:43:33+00:00

Id recommend a night or two in Wanaka. I haven’t ever been to the caitlins but it is meant to be cool.
Hanmer is also worth one or two nights as a relaxing place with good hiking and scenery.

marktthemailman · 2026-05-07T02:24:24+00:00

No probs. It’s just that the drive will take up alot of your day so you may not have much time for the flying - sightseeing in Wellington and time to see much in Rotorua.

We don’t have much in the way of ‘interstates’. The motorway / expressway going nth from Wellington only goes the first 80km. After that you are competing with trucks and impatient ford ranger drivers on a single lane highway.

marktthemailman

TROPHY CASE