Hi All,
We are a couple going to South Island Queenstown for 10 days during Christmas. We have booked the hotels car rental and flights. We will also take the helicopter ride to the glaciers.
Just wondering if we are missing anything.
-What clothes should we pack?
-Do we get the SIM card from Vodafone?
-Do we take some USD which we have or just use our Australian credit cards?
Anything else please let us know.
You could consider getting a NZ local sim so you aren't charged roaming rates.
I got a NZ sim from Sims Direct, they had a black Friday sale not so long ago and I assume they will have a boxing day sale too. Used them for my trip to the US and Asia this year too and can confirm that they are legitimate. Saves you the hassle of landing and then having to find a local telco store to pick up a sim if you are going to get a local sim.
Either roaming or pick up a Spark travel sim at the airport - $43 for 10GB (yes NZ is expensive for mobile plans). Can be bought in NZ but $49 in store. If possible set it up as eSim so you can keep your existing number on for sms verifications and imessage etc
Spark should have the best coverage (equiv network to Telstra in Aus); definitely the case in the North Island anyway.
Travel sims bought in Aus will highly likely be on 2degrees which in my experience have the worst coverage of the 3 - and probably not much cheaper than an airport sim.
Temperature is cold, around 18deg max in the day so bring jackets and thermals
Use Aus cards - Macquarie bank, ING, Citibank, 28deg will have the best FX rates and ING will refund any ATM fees to withdraw locally. Very rare to find somewhere that's cash only
I take back my comment; in QT right now and definitely do not need thermals. It’s been 20-26deg each day which feels hotter in nz so it’s been shorts and t shirts for the last week
Bring a rain jacket or brolly as there’s random small downpours but seem to clear quickly
It takes far longer to drive on NZ roads (they're lower quality
Cant possibly be lowre quality than Victorian Roads….
The roads are similar to inland tassie - windy and sometimes hilly.
If you see a white sign with a black stripe going diagonally through it, that means there is no speed limit, but a maximum of 100 must still be obeyed.
Don't bother going to the Blue Pools north of wanaka if it's not a sunny day. The water will just be a normal colour
1/ If you are going to go for Ferg Burger in Queenstown. Call them ahead and order your burger, don't join the insane queue that never seems to move. Take the burger and go to the lake is much nicer.
2/ If you like hot chocolate, do try the Pantagonia Hot choc, there's on by the lake.
3/ Webcam for Queenstown here https://www.queenstown.com/webcams - Doesn't look too cold so take stirlo's suggestion above.
4/ and yes, don't drive from Queenstown to Milford South for a day trip. We did it, it was not nice.
No need to take USD, they trade in possum skins.
Dont forget to learn some basic Dutch before you go
Go to Countdown and buy a sim card and get a cheapish plan. Better than paying like $5/day
Don't bother exchanging currency. Can use paywave everywhere. Just have a good travel card.
"4/ and yes, don't drive from Queenstown to Milford South for a day trip. We did it, it was not nice."
Yes, much better to do an overnight cruise (or two nights) to really appreciate the Sounds. We did - much better than spending the whole time in touristy Queenstown, IMO.
You don't need cash for anything but maybe a fruit seller on the side of the road.
Google Maps is accurate when not taking bad weather into account.
There is an unlimited sim which I enjoyed using but if you have hotel Wifi you probably won't need it.
Telstra is $5 a day for calls/texts, not much data but use free wifi mostly. A sat nav is good if doing lots of driving. Car rental places have them.
Driving takes longer.
No need for cash we use Citi bank plus card mostly or CC.
Gotta love their name for Woolies, COUNTDOWN.
If you have a foreign exchange fee free credit card, take that with you - no need to even take cash out from ATM. Just tap and go.
2) Skinny 7 day $20 SIMs are the best value, buy when over there
It's quite cold there even for summer. https://www.google.com/search?&q=queenstown+temp
I'd take several hundred in AUD then use a bank or foreign exchange if you need in an emergency. Otherwise as long as you credit card is generic and doesn't have crazy fees you should be fine.
Weather on the cooler side but can still have some pretty warm days so pack layers.
Lots of folk warning you off the Milton Sound trip as a day trip but there are coach tours that will do it in a (long) day without the stress of driving yourself.
Make sure you do the Shotover jet boat - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4PBIuJT4Iw - amazing fun.
Absolutely love travelling south island NZ. It is seriously incredible.
Your post just made me remember we once couldnt get through to our accommodation on the West Coast due to a land slide, so we had to find accommodation at very short notice. Fortunately no one was getting through the other way either. This was near the glaciers. We still had an incredible trip
Thank you so much all for all the responses. We are definitely going to take thermal jackets, bomber and warm clothing. I completely misunderstood the weather thinking it’s summer and shorts and Tshirt weather.
Can someone give the Spark link $43 for 10GB prepaid plan I can’t seem to find this online?
I’m getting a bit panicky with the driving after reading a lot of reviews. My wife can’t drive so it’s just me driving in South Island. I drive mostly in Sydney and did drive in Victoria and Tasmania that’s about it.
Queenstown to Glacier Google map is showing 355km, how is the drive? Any tips? We will stay two nights there.
Our plans are as follows for Dec.
24th - 4 Nights Queenstown
*24th - Stay in Hotel - Holiday Inn Express Queenstown
*25th - Roam around Downtown
*26th - Milford Sound (booked day trip through Viator)
*27th - Lake Wakitipu and Queenstown Hill
28th - 4 Night Glacier (staying in Fraz Josef Oasis)
*28th - Full day Driving
*29th - Rest
*30th - Heli Pad to Frans Joseph (Booked through Helicopter.co.nz) at 2pm
*31st - Rest
1st Jan- Glacier to Queenstown 4 nights (Staying in Oaks Queenstown Shores Resort)
*1st drive to Queenstown
*2nd to chillout or Gondola Ride
*3rd Mout Cook Trip (Booked through TripAdvisor a day trip)
*4th Free to rest up
*5th fly to Sydney
Don't be nervous about driving it's much easier for an Aussie than a European or American and there's plenty of them on the road there. The great thing about driving is pretty much every km has something new and beautiful to see
Thanks a lot. I remember going to Janolan Caves and the driving was crazy.
Does our itinerary look okay? Is there any must see we are missing?
Do they have rafting?
There's not much to do in Franz Josef I'd be inclined to have more rest days elsewhere or instead do Milford after you leave Queenstown and then stay somewhere between Milford and the Glaciers
Thank you.
Could you please review our itinerary and let us know if this makes sense or are we overdoing everything?
Hi all we are a week away from going to South Island. We need some tips in Fraz Josef Glaciers.
We are staying for 4 nights. 1 day driving and resting up. 1 day Heli pad and walking tour on the Glacier.
What can we do on day 3 and 4? Do we need to stock up on food from Queenstown?
We will be staying in Fraz Josef Oasis.
Im in FJ right now. Weather is shithouse and I. 99% sure my glacier heli hike will be cancelled today.
4 days is kinda long in FJ but activities get cancelled here quite often due to weather so consider at least one day as backup for activities in case of bad weather.
We are in FJ as well. Did your Heli hike get cancelled? Any tips for beginners hike as we are slow like turtles.
We are going in tomorrow. The weather here sucks it was too hot yesterday and overcast today.
Yep, hike cancelled. Im with a tour so refund will soon be issued.
You may get lucky tomorrow. Or not. Weather here in west coast makes no sense.
We arrived in Queenstown and it’s nothing short of breathtaking. After Queenstown we drove to Franz Joseph in the most terrifying drive.
I wanted to ask you guys what’s the name of the animal I saw dead on the road. They seem to be a lot. I almost hit one but so glad I didn’t.
What sim card did you end up getting?
THanks for the info too
Dont stay in FJ for more than 2 nights. Weather is mostly shit (unless you are lucky) as they get torrential amounts of rain. Nice hiking though but be prepared to get wet. Not many places to eat out etc. You're better off spending a night (or two) in Te Anau (even at a cabin in the caravan park - we stayed in winter and it was fine and had a lovely view) and driving yourself to milford south. There are a few small hikes on the road into milford that are nice to stop at.
Driving is fine - just some windy roads, nothing tasmania wouldnt have prepared you for. Not sure what the terrifying drive was but it is all fine.
Dont go overboard with the crazy warm winter clothes. Yes, it can get cold and it does, but equally you can get warm weather. Just take some layers. You will not need thermals. Just take a good rain coat as it rains heaps on the west coast.
Really not sure why you would want to take US dollars or even aussie dollars. Hit an atm at the airport, get some cash out and otherwise use your credit card. Itsthe same as here, no shortage if atm options and no point exhanging money at banks or other.
Good luck
Whatever you'd pack for the southern states of Australia
Optus had decent roaming deals when I went last year. Most telcos will have a cheap deal to use your Australian number in NZ as so many people travel there.
LOL, NZ is not a third world country. You can use credit cards and withdraw from ATMs everywhere.
Don't do drive from Queenstown to Milford Sound for a day trip. It takes far longer to drive on NZ roads (they're lower quality and more windy) and you'll end up stressing about getting there and back and be rushed.