Gondola / Luge / Dinner - 15 minute walk from hotel. Dinner reservation 5 p.m. Leave for enough time to Gondola to top and do luge ride back down to Stratosphere Restaurant
Monday
Pick up Maui Campervan (open 8:00a - 4:30p) - make sure Self Check-in has been completed. Will need taxi (Green Cabs or Queenstown Taxi) or Uber ride to and get there close to 8:00a to start off as early as possible
Drive to Milford Sound - approx 5-6 hours
Real NZ Milford Sound Overnight Cruise 4:00p - 9:15a (allow at least an hour to park in the RealNZ Bus Parking and arrive at check in at least 30 minutes before departure). Things to bring:
Non-slip shoes/ boots
Waterproof jacket
Warm sweater/fleece jacket
Sunscreen/sunglasses
Insect repellent
Swimwear (optional)
Camera
Overnight bag only
Personal medication including for asthma and allergies
Camp in Kaiteriteri - Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve (Reserved)
Monday
Drive to Picton from Kaiteriteri - approx 3 hours
Interislander Ferry to Wellington Check in 1:15 p.m. for 2:15 p.m. departure - Check in with vehicle one hour prior to departure. Duration approx 3.5 hours
Arrive Wellington approx 5:45 p.m.
Camp near Wellington - Wellington Top Ten Holiday Park (Reserved)
Tuesday
Drive from Wellington to Waitomo - approx 6 hours
Wellington movie studio Weta Cave?
Attractions along the way?
Camp in Waitomo - Waitomo Top 10 Holiday Park (Reserved)
Wednesday
Black Labrynth Waitomo Cave tour. Check in 9:00 a.m. for 9:30 a.m. start - duration approx 3 hours end at 12:30 p.m. Things to bring:
Swimsuit
Towel
Drive from Waitomo to Matamata - approx 1.5 hours
Hobbiton Movie Set Tour. Check in 2:45 p.m. for 3:00 p.m. start - duration 2 hours end at 5:00 p.m.
Camp near Hobbiton/Hamilton - Cambridge Top 10 Holiday Park (Reserved)
Tongariro Alpine Crossing - could be New Zealand's most spectacular day hike
Wine Tasting in one of New Zealand's wine regions
Handforge a Knife - spend a day forging your own knife and crafting the handle with native NZ timber
Surf lessons in Raglan
Things to Eat
Seafood - variety of freshly caught and prepared in a multitude of ways
Greenshell Mussels - Havelock is the greenshell mussel capital of NZ
Crayfish - Kaikoura
Bluff Oysters - one of the largest and tastiest oysters. Many consider to be the most delicious oyster in the world. Most common on the South Island. Also known as dredge, mud, or flat oysters
Tastiest fish include snapper in the North and blue cod (not a true cod relative) in the South. Grouper (hapuku) and marine-farmed salmon are also found on menus
Whitebait Fritters - Kiwis love this smeltlike fish caught as juveniles. Find pancake-size fritters at markets or as a daily special in cafes. Strict controls and high demand make it a delicious and pricey dish. Seasonal September to November.
Nelson famous for seafood, especially scallops (as well as fresh produce)
Lamb and mutton common
Cervena - farm raised venison is a local delicacy available all over NZ
Bakery Shops (Stores) should not be missed
Meat Pies must be tried - You can get a huge range of flavors but My Queenstown Diary favorite is steak and mushroom, steak and blue cheese, lamb, or butter chicken.
"Take Away" bars for hamburgers at least once
Fish 'n chips are a must
Pavlova - country's most beloved dessert is a meringue-based concoction with a soft inside and a crispy outside, served with whipped cream and fruit
Wine - Sauvignon blancs and pinot noirs are particularly well-regarded
Queenstown two main craft breweries include Altitude and Searchlight
Brewtown - 5 award winning breweries and distillery in Upper Hutt north of Wellington. Elevated bar food. Go Karts, axe throwing, and other entertainment.
Coffee
Flat White - espresso with steamed milked poured over top
Long Black - hot water with espresso poured over top
Lemon & Paeroa (L&P) - NZ's most famous soft drink. Carbonated lemon-flavored drink
Kumara Fries - sweet potato or yam like vegetable
Hangi - a Maori hangi is a culinary experience and classic Maori cultural tradition. The preparation involves steaming meat, seafood, and vegetables for several hours in a large underground pit. It's often paired with a concert (similar to a Hawaiin luau).
Muttonbird - seabird served saturated in bull kelp, providing briny taste. Fresher the further south. Only found in NZ and Australia. A unique and acquired taste.
Marlborough Region - Visit a winery restaurant; Cloudy Bay clams; salmon and Greenshell mussels; local crops-besides grapes-include cherries and garlic.
Things to Buy
Merino Wool - NZ is world's 2nd largest wool producer and high-country merino wool is the most sought after.
Products are sold everywhere - just confirm it was made in NZ
Sheepskin rugs and clothing
Home spun woolen jerseys (sweaters), leggings, hats, scarves, and gloves make for great souvenirs
Abalone - iridescent blue-gray paua shell inlaid on wooden homewares or silver jewelry
Greenstone jade jewelry - national gem of NZ. Local lore says purchasing for yourself is bad luck so have a companion buy it for you
Maori wood carvings
Maori flax leaf-woven articles - kete products usually come in the form of backpacks, handbags, or wallets.
Wild Fern's Bee Venom - skin care products using ethical and sustainable local sources. Bee venom is one of their most popular found in eye creams, face masks, moisturizers, and lip plumpers.
Whittaker's Chocolate - native NZ brand
Olive Oil - Simunovich (south of Auckland) and Frog's End Estate (outside Nelson) have earned accolades for their extra-virgin varieties
Manuka Honey - produced by bees that pollinate the manuka bush
Rugby Gear - All Blacks jersey, scarf, or hats
Things to Read or Watch
Belich, James. The New Zealand Wars. New York, NY: Penguin 1998. An account of the 19th-century conflicts between Maori and the British Crown
Druett, Joan. Tupaia. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger, 2010. The story of Tupaia, Captain Cook's Polynesian navigator who facilitated meetings with Maori
King, Michael. The Penguin History of New Zealand. New York, NY: Penguin, 2012. A fabulous collection of everything from Maori oral tales to colonization and the modern age by one of New Zealand's most revered historians.
Salmond, Anne. Two Worlds: First Meetings Between Maori and Europeans, 1642-1772. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press, 1992. An examination of early encounters between Maori and Western explorers.
Exchange at banks, some hotels, and Bureau de Change kiosks, which are in international airports and most city centres.
The power supply is 230-240 volts, 50 hertz AC via a three-prong flat-pin plug. North American appliances will require an adapter and sometimes a transformer
Resources
Discover Down Under - Denver based travel agency specializing in Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji vacation
itineraries. We've worked with them twice now and they've been great to work with arranging nearly every aspect of our
trips based on our interests.
New Zealand Itineraries - Official NZ Site with a lot of good information and itineraries for traveling in NZ.
My Queenstown Diary - Great informative blog for traveling
NZ with particular focus on Queenstown and the South Island. Bailey appears to be an avid adventurer and has great
information for road trips, adventures, food, beer & wine, and hiking NZ's tracks. Of particular interest for us for this trip: