South Island campervan trip in 7 days with kids

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danepak

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#280033 23-Nov-2020 13:40

Does this sound feasible with two kids (age 8 and 10) in January?

Day 1: Fly in to Chch and drive in hired campervan to Lake Tekapo

Day 2: Lake Tekapo/Mt Cook

Day 3: Wanaka

Day 4: Wanaka

Day 5: Te Anau

Day 6: Queenstown

Day 7: Queenstown and return to Auckland

No need to do Milford Sound, as we've been there before and kids probably don't appreciate it enough for an 8 hour return trip.

Any suggestions are very much appreciated.

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#2609097 23-Nov-2020 13:49

It’s feasible, but there’s a lot of time travelling between locations. If you could squeeze another two days to break up the driving with a couple of non travel days I’d think you’d find the whole trip more enjoyable and less stressful.

Blurtie

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#2609107 23-Nov-2020 14:04

Kinda depends on what you and your family are into...

Do you have any plans booked in for any of those destinations? Out of the places you've listed, I would reconsider heading to Te Anau unless you've got something you desperately need to go there for. From memory, Te Anau was really just a base for going to Milford Sounds.. Not much else there otherwise (happy to be corrected tho!).

Any reason you're just passing through Christchurch? If you haven't been down here for a while, you could extend that first day/night in Chch and bump Te Anau off your list. That would only mean you're on the 'road' for 4 out of the 7 days - as opposed to the 5 out of 7. There's a few cool family friendly things to do now in Chch - Margret Mahy park, the new Library, Riverside, walk in the port hills, hot pools in New Brighton etc. - you can probably tell that I'm Chch based.

Personally speaking, I find with trips like this, sometimes less is more. I do understand the temptation to squeeze in as much as you can though.

Senecio

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#2609110 23-Nov-2020 14:13

I second skipping Te Anau. I’m here right now visiting the in-laws. It’s a lovely place but unless you need a base to explore Milford or Manapouri and Doubtful sound then there’s nothing much here for you. Especially now, the Main Street is especially quiet without international tourists.

MikeAqua

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#2609112 23-Nov-2020 14:19

A bit of whistle stop tour, but achievable.

I'd also question the value of going to Te Anau. Very little there and even in January it can be cold on a sunny day. I've only ever used it as base for hunting/fishing/tramping/diving Fiordland.

Mike

cyril7

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#2609128 23-Nov-2020 14:33

Ha, I read the thread title to quickly and thought it said South Island campervan trip with 7 kids, and my reply would have been No 😁

ren1316

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#2609137 23-Nov-2020 14:47

Yes, more time in Chch and head across to Akaroa.

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BlueShift

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#2609194 23-Nov-2020 15:48

ren1316:

Yes, more time in Chch and head across to Akaroa.

Yes to Akaroa, its gorgeous - except for the not-so-minor detail of driving a lumping great campervan over the hill.

OTOH, if you want to have a family adrenaline experience, do it!

Handsomedan

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#2609222 23-Nov-2020 16:15

Without Te Anau, I'd say it's a good trip that's doable.

Can't imagine the kids being particularly excited by Te Anau. Unless you plan on going from there to somewhere (which you won't have time for).

I think 7 Days from ChCh to ZQN via Tekapo and Wanaka is a good trip - in fact one I did myself about 20 years ago with my wife (we were younger and had no kids then).

An extra day in ChCh would be better than Te Anau IMO...or simply add that day to another leg like ZQN.

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#2609272 23-Nov-2020 16:33

this is not very helpful but last month during the october school holidays i was coming out of the supermarket and in the carpark was a young family in a campervan. the mother had lost the plot and was absolutely screaming and tearing the poor kids (could see 2) to shreds for apparently not listening to her.

take it easy, it's a holiday, and if things don't go to plan just chill

qwertee

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#2609294 23-Nov-2020 17:42

When we have friends visiting, we use Te Anau as an overnight stop before heading to Milford early morning to avoid the rush
as bus loads drive in from Queenstown

We take the afternoon cruise to the glow worm caves and I think its worthwhile but expensive

danepak

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#2609301 23-Nov-2020 18:09

Thanks all.
In regards to Te Anau, I thought it would be a gorgeous trip on the boat to Doubtful Sound.
But judging by the posts here, we should not bother.

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JeremyNzl

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#2609308 23-Nov-2020 18:20

Devils advocate,

Take Arthurs pass to Hokitika, Or Lewis if you want Pancake rocks at Punakaiki

Shanty Town at Greymouth,

Beautiful scenery, amazing walks both long and short, Many Scenic rest areas both coastal and inland lakes and bush.

You can see Mt Cook from the other side. Glow worms at Franz, Glacier walk at Fox.

Haast though to Wanaka is gorgeous with tree lined roadway.

and you can still do Wanaka and QTown,

I would trade Mt Cook / Tekapo for the West coast any day, And if not doing Milford. Franz Jospeh would be a suitable replacement for TeAnau

I spent a week in July with the Wife and Kids on the West Coast using Motels and a chance to blow the cobwebs out of the Q7,

Scenery blew me away, GreyMouth was the only place we didn't enjoy, Shanty Town was excellent though.

Living in Central Otago I really enjoy the coast and bush as its the opposite of what we have.

Whichever route you take , please be careful on our southern roads.

Amosnz

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#2609310 23-Nov-2020 18:26

danepak:

Day 1: Fly in to Chch and drive in hired campervan to Lake Tekapo

Day 2: Lake Tekapo/Mt Cook

Day 3: Wanaka

Day 4: Wanaka

Day 5: Te Anau

Day 6: Queenstown

Day 7: Queenstown and return to Auckland

Agree the others, skip Te Anau if possible, its 2 hours driving each way for not much.

We did a campervan trip along this way in September but not mt cook. First night we stayed Tekapo holiday park (walking to the springs), day 2 church of the good sheperd, watched a few fishermen on the canal just outside of Tekapo and at the lake pukaki end, high country salmon for some feeding, clay cliffs at omarama (worth the drive up a gravel road - campervan suitable), night 2 at Albert town campground. Day 3 puzzling world wanaka & hook wanaka (if you feel like salmon fishing) wanaka beerworks (didnt even get into cbd here), night 3 freedom camped at lowburn (north of cromwell), day 4 highlands motorsport park and into queenstown for luge etc. we stayed at arrowtown holiday park to do the gibbstone valley bike ride to the winerys (but it rained so drove instead). There is also a really cool freedom camping spot at the bottom end of lake wakatipu (kingston lake camp - bout 30mins drive from qtn).

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Amosnz

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#2609312 23-Nov-2020 18:29

danepak: Thanks all.
In regards to Te Anau, I thought it would be a gorgeous trip on the boat to Doubtful Sound.
But judging by the posts here, we should not bother.

Doubtful sound was really good (lots more wildlife for us than Milford), but it takes a full day! Boat leaves about 9am for 45min trip across Manapouri, then 45min bus ride across NZ's most expensive road, then 3 hours on the actual sound, then in reverse to get back. We didn't dock till almost 5pm (and had Milford booked the next day so drove up Milford sound road as far as we could to a DOC campground).

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danepak

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#2609352 23-Nov-2020 19:12

Should we avoid Wanaka, if we do Queenstown (or visa versa)?

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