Venturing Into New Zealand -THE GIST

A trip to New Zealand is always one of our wishlists.But,it had become a pleasant experience when the dream came sooner than we had expected.Yes,we wouldn’t lie... there was  a lot of preparations  made months and months before the actual trip.Wouldn’t you agree with us...that half of the fun is PLANNING for a trip itself?? Imagine the fun of hunting for the cheap flights fare...,browsing over blogs,websites for tips and things to do ............ Plan and plot out a route to take and activities to do along the way..

Before that I am happy to see one of my shutterstock images of New Zealand featured in one of the US review....Milesway-8 of the Craziest Places to Take an Adventure Trip

Our previous oversea trips (well..,ours were just  handful..) were via travel agents.So,this was our first D.I.Y trip.Why D.I.Y  then?The only answer was.. money is tight right now and we couldn’t afford the trip FOR 6 OF US  via agent . So we started to consider designing our tour ourselves so we can spend less on a great trip. A million thanks to CikNy  who finally managed to drag her family to join us..This doubled the joy of the trip..

Our 2 families (10 enthusiastic travellers..wink!) went to South Island, New Zealand from 3-10 Dec 2015.We had stopover  at Sydney (half day on 2^nd Dec & 2 days on 11^th & 12^th Dec).Here is the overview of the trip to NZ, for those of you who are planning a trip there...Hope it will help

We spent 8 nights in motorhomes  and 1 night in a motel in Christchurch.We rented out a six berthed motorhome from MAUI (pronounced as Mawi World! ) 

A summary of our final itinerary is as follows:- Please click the links for the related entries..

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Pre-Journey

A Dream Come True – a teaser on our oncoming trip to NZ

Preparation – tips and tricks,what-to-expect on this DIY trip.The infos gathered from a lot of readings,researches & enquiries.

The Journey Began

Sydney-Transit 12 Hours – on how we spent our 12 hours transit at Sydney Airport

Arrival at Land of Long White Clouds

Christchurch – 1 night stay at Airport Lodge Motel & wandering around the motel neighbourhood

Airport Lodge Motel

Christchurch to Lake Tekapo

Christchurch---Rakaia Gorge--MtSomers---Mount Sunday---Lake Tekapo  – Journey to Edoras ,the city built by Rohan's second King, Brego son of Eorl the Young in Lord of The Ring film

Lake Tekapo to Wanaka

Lake Tekapo-Lake Pukaki-Mount Cook – our first night at campsite,Lake Tekapo.Admiring the turquoise coloured Lake Pukaki on our way to Mount Cook, the highest mountain in NZ

Church of Good Sheppard,Lake Tekapo

Lake Pukaki

Hooker River-Lake Wardell-Twizel-Lindis Pass-Lake Outlet Holiday Park,Wanaka – 

Bushtrekking at Hooker Valley,scenic drive through Lindiss Pass (yellow-brownish grass on mountain slopes that looks like very short and soft fur from afar) ..ended our day at Lake Wanaka campsite.

Hooker Valley Track

Wanaka to Moke Lake

Puzzling World of Wanaka-Lake Dunstan-Cromwel – having fun at Wanaka wonderful world of madness and then had best fruit ice cream at Cromwel

Puzzling World of Wanaka

Kawarau Gorge Mining Centre-Roaring Meg-AJ Hackett Kawarau Bridge – watching other people doing Bungy Jumping from Kawarau Bridge.Our kids tried the Zipride!..

Bungy Jumping

Zipride

Glenorchy & Moke Lake – enjoying Glenorchy’s spectacular landscapes used as  location for film The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Narnia movies.Headed to magnificient ,scenic Moke Lake campsite -beside a small lake,surrounded by mountains.

Moke Lake

Moke Lake to Milford Sound Lodge

Queenstown - dubbed the Adventure Capital of the World, this city has a lot to offer!We had our gondola and luge rides here.Hooray! 

Skylift

Luge

Te Anau-Eglinton River-Mackay Creek-Mirror Lake-Homer Tunnel-MilfordSound Lodge –
unforgettable scary drive through dark Homer Tunnel before reaching Milford Sound Lodge!

Homer Tunnel 

Milford Sound Lodge to Dunedin Holiday Park & Motel

Milford Sound Cruise – a life time experience cruising over 8^{th world} wonder..

Cruising on Milford Sound

Waterfall Splash!

Milford Sound-Homer Tunnel-Route Burton Trek-Deer Flat-TeAnau-Lakefront-Lumsden-Baclutha-Gore-Dunedin – long,long drive to Dunedin campsite..But the road trip was scenic..

Route Burton Trek

Dunedin to Timaru

Otago Peninsula-Cadbury World-Dunedin Railway Station-Otago University – No trails of penguins at Otago Peninsula... Dunedin tour by visiting Cadbury World,beautiful railway station and oldest university in NZ...

Baldwin Street-Moeraki Boulders-Oamaru – climbing the steepest street in the world...admiring the unusually huge mineralized rocks along a stretch of Koekohe Beach  and wandering around Oamaru town (a trip to Victorian Era).

Baldwin Street

Moeraki Boulders

Timaru to Christchurch

Christchurch Tramride - Punting on Avon – hop on hop off tramride..touring around Christchurch (rebuilding phase post earthquake)..punting on Avon River in Edwardian style..phew!

Punting on Avon

Last day in NZ

Willowbank Wildlife Reserve,Christchurch – saying goodbye to wallabies and other NZ wildlife creatures..

Arrival at Sydney

Circular Quay-Paddy Market and La Perouse Beach

Sydney Harbour Bridge

The Rocks 

Sydney Opera House

Ferry to Manly Beach

Manly Beach

La Perouse Beach

Last day in Sydney..before departing to Home Sweet Home – La Perouse Beach,again..and visit to University of Sydney

Where We Stayed?

AIRPORT LODGE MOTEL-2^nd DEC 2015

105 Roydvale Avenue
Christchurch , 8053, New Zealand

2-rooms apartment  NZD 205.22

Inclusive VAT 15 %  NZD 30.78

Rankers of Aotearoa has a database of 68,000+ travel reviews (and counting).Check out the websites if you want to know more about transport,accomodations & activitiesin NZ.

LAKE TEKAPO MOTELS & HOLIDAY PARK (POWERED CAMPSITE )-3^rd DEC 2015

2 Lakeside Drive, Lake Tekapo,

South Canterbury, New Zealand

Rate-4 adults + 2 children     NZD84

LAKE OUTLET HOLIDAY PARK  (POWERED CAMPSITE) --4^th DEC 2015

197 Outlet Rd, Wanaka 9343, New Zealand

Rate-Adult      NZD15

         Child      NZD 8

       Power      NZD 5

MOKE LAKE  DOC (DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATIVE) (NON POWERED CAMPSITE)-5^th DEC 2015

50 Stanley Street
Queenstown
9300

Rate

Adult            NZD10

Child            NZD5

MILFORDSOUND LODGE (POWERED CAMPSITE )--6^th DEC 2015

State Highway 94, Piopiotahi ,Milford Sound

PO 140 TE ANAU,NZ

Rate

Adult           NZD25

Child           NZD13     

DUNEDIN HOLIDAY PARK AND MOTELS (POWERED CAMPSITE )-7^th DEC 2015

41 Victoria Road,St Kilda,Dunedin

Rate

Adults-NZD26-NZD40 varies on days / season?

For us,4 adults + 2 children     NZD98

TIMARU TOP 10 HOLIDAY PARK (POWERED CAMPSITE )-8^th DEC 2015

54A SELWYN ST, WAIMATAITAI,

TIMARU 7910, NEW ZEALAND

Rate

NZD 43 for 2 adults

Extra adult NZD18/pax

Child NZD10

219 ON JOHN MOTELS AND HOLIDAY PARK (POWERED CAMPSITE )--9^th Dec 2015

219 Johns Road
Northwood / Belfast
Christchurch

4 adults + 2 children     NZD68

ACTIVITIES THAT WE DID / ATTRACTIONS IN NZ

Sightseeings & scenic drive-a lot & it's FOC!

Bush Trekking at Hooker Valley –FOC

Hooker River

 Zipride at AJ Hackett Kawarau Bridge



Gondola & Luge Rides at Skyline Queenstown 



Milford Sound Cruise



Climbing Baldwin Street,the steepest street in the world -FOC



Hop on hop off Christchurch tramride and punting on Avon River

Tram

Punting



Visit NZ wildlife creatures at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve,Christchurch

We considered this trip as a sweet memorable journey,not destination...Everything that we planned had been made easier by Allah swt,with minor hiccups..Most importantly,we had our loved ones to accompany during the journey...and the ibrah from this musafir,would hopefully made us better human beings.

Wassalam..

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