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Te Anu - Mt Cook Village drive with overnight stay in Wanaka

Ferntree Gully...
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Te Anu - Mt Cook Village drive with overnight stay in Wanaka
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Hi I am arranging a self guided tour for 7 adult around NZ in May next year ( fingers crossed ) My hubby is doing the driving so have only factored in travel say max 4 hours per day of driving....... - So far i have us on our trip for 2 nights at Te Anu doing both Milford and Doubtful Sounds,and then i have us driving from Te Anu to Wanaka overnight then onto Mt COOK Village for 2 nights

I have us staying in Wanaka overnight as i believe 5 hours is a long drive and there would be lots to see and do along the journey and dont want to rush just an awesome drive.

Should i do this or just go straight through to Mt Cook Village? We have already spent 6 days in Queenstown before heading down to Te Anu and i am running out of days wanting to see everything. Any advice ??

Christchurch, New...
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1. Re: Te Anu - Mt Cook Village drive with overnight stay in Wanaka
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Are you driving after one of boat trips, or next morning?

Ferntree Gully...
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2. Re: Te Anu - Mt Cook Village drive with overnight stay in Wanaka
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HI I plan to do direct from Queenstown to Milford Sound, overnight Te Anu then the next day Doubtful back overnight at Te Anu and then depart fresh for the day to either Wanaka or Mt Cook Village. I had based my original trip on just doing Milford but thought doing both would be awesome but that leaves me with a day to make up at the end of the trip so wasnt sure if we should just drive straight through to Mt Cook Village

Sydney, Australia
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3. Re: Te Anu - Mt Cook Village drive with overnight stay in Wanaka
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Two nights at Te Anau (note spelling) gives you only one full day, which is not enough for both Milford and Doubtful Sounds. If you want to visit both, you will need 3 nights.

There is not all that much to see between Te Anau and Wanaka. The spectacular bits are the gorge east away from Queenstown, Lindis Pass, and the road next to Lake Pukaki between Twizel and Mount Cook.

For me, 6 days would be too much in Queenstown (even if you really mean 6 nights = 5 days). You would need to very very keen on adventure tourism.

Nelson-Tasman...
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4. Re: Te Anu - Mt Cook Village drive with overnight stay in Wanaka
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how many days do you have? From the above this appears your itinerary.

7 adults -

2 nights at te anau

1 night Wanaka

6 nights Queenstown

2 nights mt cook

Where are you going after mt cook, and where are you before te anau?

I would recommend you travel from te anau to queenstown, 5 ngihts in queenstown, then 2 nights in wanaka, then 2. nights mt cook. That is the logical way to travel without back tracking.

Consider a coach tour to milford sound - May is our autumn and the milford road can be treachous at that time.

Nelson, New Zealand
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5. Re: Te Anu - Mt Cook Village drive with overnight stay in Wanaka
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can you please post your full itinerary?

Currently, you don't appear to have enough days. You will need to take a night or two off Queenstown

1 - 5 Queenstown

6 drive to Te Anau

7 day tour Doubtful Sound

8 day tour Milford Sound

9 drive to Wanaka

10 drive to Aoraki/Mt Cook

11 explore

12 drive to Chch

or of doing Doubtful sound, you could -

6 drive to Te Anau, continue to Manapouri, overnight Doubtful

7 return from overnight

8 day tour Milford Sound

anyhow, I would take another night off Queenstown and have 2 nights, one full day, Wanaka

Sydney, Australia
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6. Re: Te Anu - Mt Cook Village drive with overnight stay in Wanaka
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I was writing my reply #3 while you were writing reply #2.

Queenstown to Milford and back to Te Anau is too far for one day. There are many things to see between Te Anau and Milford, and it is not an easy road. I would estimate a minimum of 6 hours of driving, plus stops and plus the cruise. And in May, the Milford Road is not a good idea unless you are very familiar with it.

Christchurch, New...
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7. Re: Te Anu - Mt Cook Village drive with overnight stay in Wanaka
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WE left Queenstown just before the bus at sparrow fart and drove to Manapouri to catch the Doubtful Sound trip. It was a full and really enjoyable day. We stayed that night in Te Anau. There was no way we could have driven any further.

Milford is 2 hours further on, it really is to far to drive in a day, and certainly not return.

There is so much hasel parking in Milford that I would consider just getting a coach from Te Anau. That may in fact be only option in the future.

WL's plan is a good one.

Edited: 2 years ago
Nelson-Tasman...
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8. Re: Te Anu - Mt Cook Village drive with overnight stay in Wanaka
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#2 Te Anau to Mt cook in a van is too far. We recommend 250km a day with two day nights in places to explore.

When do you arrive in Queenstown, and when do you leave for Te Anau? its too much travel to do it all in one day. Just to get from Australia to Queenstown is a minimum of 7 hours travel by the time you leave home, check in at airport, boarding, travel, disembark, immigration, rental vehicle etc.

Ferntree Gully...
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9. Re: Te Anu - Mt Cook Village drive with overnight stay in Wanaka
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Hi - Thank you all for the information our DRAFT trip is as follows in May

Arrive late PM Christchurch - 1 N

Christchurch - Trans Alpine Train - Greymouth - 1 N

Greymouth - Fox Glacier - 2N

Fox Glacier - Queenstown - 4N

Queenstown - Te Anau- Milford Sound - Te Anau 2 N

Te Anau - Wanaka - 1N

Wanaka - Mt Cook Village - 2N

Mt Cook - Christchurch 2N

Home

I was thinking of driving from Queenstown straight to Milford Sound for an afternoon Cruise, then back to Te Anau overnight, the next day doing Doubtful Sound back to Te Anau overnight then onto either Wanaka or Mt Cook Village. I did think it would be a huge drive to Mt Cook with lots to see hence the overnight at Wanaka. I will read all of the awesome information and reassess our trip

Nelson, New Zealand
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10. Re: Te Anu - Mt Cook Village drive with overnight stay in Wanaka
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You drive through Wanaka after leaving Fox. Te Anau to Wanaka to Aoraki/Mt Cook is a detour.

What do you plan to do Fox for two nights? The access road/walking track to Fox is closed (washed away on a flood) if wanting to access either glacier you need to helicopter. Franz offers more accommodation/dining options. If you don't wish to helicopter one night Franz is plenty.

Queesntown to Milford to Te Anau is a gruelling day. We suggest two nights Te Anau if wanting to self-drive - it is then an 8 hour day trip. May through Oct is avalanche season on the road when we suggest doing a bus tour. With so little time, one fiord is really alll you need. Milford is the better day trip, Doubtful is better as an overnight.

Do you really need 3 nights Chch?

Arrive late PM Christchurch - 1 N

Christchurch - Trans Alpine Train - Greymouth - 1 N

Greymouth - Franz Glacier - 2N

Franz - Wanaka - 2 nights

Wanaka - Te Anau 2 night 1 fiord or 3 nights to cover 2 fiords

Te Anau to Queenstown - however many nights you have

Queenstown - Aoraki/Mt Cook - 2N

Aoraki/Mt Cook - Christchurch 1N

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