New Zealand - South Island

My husband and I will be touring New Zealand for two weeks prior to our April 2 cruise on Princess. We are trying to decide which route to take from Christchurch to Queenstown. We want to see some of the eastern coast so we will go south on Hwy 1 until we get to Hwy 83 or Hwy 82, or go a little farther south and go west on Hwy 85. We are interested in which will give us the more scenic route. We will be traveling in a campervan so we would like to stop in campgrounds along the way.

Does anyone know which route would be better? Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks, Jennifer

My husband and I will be touring New Zealand for two weeks prior to our April 2 cruise on Princess. We are trying to decide which route to take from Christchurch to Queenstown. We want to see some of the eastern coast so we will go south on Hwy 1 until we get to Hwy 83 or Hwy 82, or go a little farther south and go west on Hwy 85. We are interested in which will give us the more scenic route. We will be traveling in a campervan so we would like to stop in campgrounds along the way.

 

Does anyone know which route would be better? Any help would be appreciated!

 

Thanks, Jennifer

Hi again Jim

Not sure what your route is planned for after Queenstown but i would suggest the following.

Christchurch south on SH1 [state Highway 1]

Right onto SH79 just after Ealing

SH79 joins SH8 at Fairlie

Continue on SH8 past Lake Tekapo [campground], Lake Pukaki, Twizel.

Continue south on SH8 towards Cromwell. Worth taking detour to Wanaka [campground] or can continue straight to Queenstown which is SH6 after Cromwell.

The scenery is great on all routes in that region but Lake Tekapo and Wanaka are worth seeing, but it really depends on your time avaialble and where you are heading after Quuenston. Do you want to see Dunedin [though i think you are doing that on th cruise]

If you are heading back up the west coast after Queenston allow plenty of time as the roads are slow.

Regards

Ian [Tauranga NZ]

Hi Ian,

Thanks for your response. We've been overloaded with work, trying to get a piece of rental property ready to go, so we haven't addressed our itinerary recently.

We ordered a New Zealand map and have been routing our trip using that. If we go the route you recommended, will we miss anything on the west coast that we should see? We will be visiting Dunedin on the cruise.

Thanks, Jim

Hi Ian,

 

Thanks for your response. We've been overloaded with work, trying to get a piece of rental property ready to go, so we haven't addressed our itinerary recently.

 

We ordered a New Zealand map and have been routing our trip using that. If we go the route you recommended, will we miss anything on the west coast that we should see? We will be visiting Dunedin on the cruise.

 

Thanks, Jim

Hi Jim

there are some good spots on the west coast if you head up that way, from Wanaka the SH6 goes up past the Franz Joseph and Fox Glacier, you could then keep going north to Westport and then head in land over to Nelson area. We have just come back from the Abel tasman national park and would recommend you make this a stop if possible. Good places to stop but we liked Kaiteriteri. Theres Blenheim for wineries etc, the soundfs around Picton at the top end of the island. Lots of choice.

Regards

Ian