New Zealand trip booked, now the tour planning

[Andy MacD]

Incorporate it with an around the world trip!

Wow, something to aim for, I’ll heed to be content with NZ in Jan then another 4/5 months over the year in the continent. Ain’t retirement wonderful!

 

[funflair]

If you’re an NZMCA member you can download an app.

Shows their sites dump stations places to go etc

I found it invaluable

I didn't manage to download the app on iPhone as I had to use the Southern Hemisphere app store and the iTunes account/credit card details wasn't compatible, I managed OK using the web site though and got the same information re dump station and their own camp grounds etc, Rankers is another app that seems to work well but the NZMCA was my "go to".

 

[ToGoldlyBo]

Just been on the site, you need to be a member of a club in home country. Are you a member of CMC or CCC, if not how did you get round that?

Yes I am a member of CMC, so no problem

 

[Andy MacD]

When I looked into it further I found joining CCC the cost of a years membership was less than the one off joining fee NZMCA so all good.

 

[ToGoldlyBo]

Assuming you’re crossing mid Sept it’s coming out at $533 so £236. You must have got a better price as a discount of £70 seems very generous.

Yes we are crossing mid September and the crossing was definitely less than 400 though I can't look up the exact figure until I get home. It didn't seem to matter what day of the week or which ferry. It was the same price

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Otter Spotter]

Hi there, I posted a couple of weeks ago when trying to decide who to book my NZ trip with, thanks for all those who contributed and particularly KiwiKampers who has given me loads of info and advice.

I’ve now booked through Trailfinders for January 26 and have a Maui Ultima for 24 days between Auckland and Christchurch.

Next thing I need to do is book the Cook Straight ferry and I need to decide firstly when and then how.

For when I’m thinking 7 days North Island and remainder South, is that reasonable for those who have done this trip?

As for how I can either get Trailfinders to do it, I don’t have a cost from them yet, or do it myself. I see that if I join the NZMCA for £45 I get access to their sites and also a discount on the ferry fare, but I need to log in to find out what the discount is. Does anyone know and also is the NZMCA membership worthwhile for such a short trip?

Over and above that if anyone is able to recommend places to go, things to see and places to park up I’d welcome all the info to aid our planning.

Thanks all

Be aware that Maui vans are light on storage so think seriously about taking hard cases out with you, we ended up using a 5 berth MH and had to store the cases on the overhead double bed. We often saw suitcases sat outside vans at night, ok until it rains !.
As you are going Auckland and leaving vehicle on South Island you will have to take your cases with you.

 

[Andy MacD]

Yup, got that one covered Otter Spotter , we’ve got a set of soft bags for that very purpose, last used for a RV trip to Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Utah a few years ago so will need dusting down.

 

[Otter Spotter]

Yup, got that one covered Otter Spotter , we’ve got a set of soft bags for that very purpose, last used for a RV trip to Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Utah a few years ago so will need dusting down.

Well done Andy

 

[ToGoldlyBo]

Be aware that Maui vans are light on storage so think seriously about taking hard cases out with you, we ended up using a 5 berth MH and had to store the cases on the overhead double bed. We often saw suitcases sat outside vans at night, ok until it rains !.
As you are going Auckland and leaving vehicle on South Island you will have to take your cases with you.

Tricky that isn't it. We are doing a one away drive so we have soft bags but we also booked a 4 berth van for two of us. Extra space to live and ruin to keep bags.

But we are in a Renault from Wendekreisen. Smaller family firm

 

[The general]

ONE LANE BRIDGE AHEAD

Shared with the railway as well ?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

Shared with the railway as well ?

No, there just a bridge with a single carriage way. The road is marked on either side with the above warning, and N.Z has a lot of bridges!!

 

[The general]

No, there just a bridge with a single carriage way. The road is marked on either side with the above warning, and N.Z has a lot of bridges!!

Granted i visited seversl times yrs ago and remember wooden bridge one lane with railway tracks , first time i visited arthurs pass was hard driving way before the road improvements . Exchange rate 3/30$ to the pound happy days

 

[funflair]

We crossed late Feb 2025 and the total return cost was NZ$ 1206.66.

 

[The general]

On my last visit ok hire car , but you dropped off car in wellington , foot passenger then picked up car in picton .

 

[ToGoldlyBo]

Assuming you’re crossing mid Sept it’s coming out at $533 so £236. You must have got a better price as a discount of £70 seems very generous.

Yes we are crossing mid September and the crossing was definitely less than 400 though I can't look up the exact figure until I get home. It didn't seem to matter what day of the week or which ferry. It was the same price

Just looked it up. We paid $351 for the one way crossing north to south on 21st September. So it looks like the membership gets a very good discount.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Silver-Fox]

We crossed late Feb 2025 and the total return cost was NZ$ 1206.66.

Was that for the ferry crossing???

 

[funflair]

Was that for the ferry crossing???

Yes, with 7m motorhome.

Think I should have replied to this below,

Assuming you’re crossing mid Sept it’s coming out at $533 so £236. You must have got a better price as a discount of £70 seems very generous.

ToGoldlyBo said:
Yes we are crossing mid September and the crossing was definitely less than 400 though I can't look up the exact figure until I get home. It didn't seem to matter what day of the week or which ferry. It was the same price

 

[Jake Royd]

And this, https://www.steampunkoamaru.co.nz/. https://www.newzealand.com/sg/feature/moeraki-boulders/#:~:text=Moeraki is now most famous,Dunedin up State Highway 1.

Whilst you are in Omaru (if you go) don't forget to go and see the little blue penguins.
Pay the extra for the premier viewing stage.
We loved them.
We hired a big automatic Mercedes based Maui van.
It was the start of my thing with motorhomes.

 

[Silver-Fox]

Yes, with 7m motorhome.

Blimey that’s shot up since we were there in 2016.
Having said that it was 9 years ago

 

[The general]

The picton ferry some history , cook strait can be a extremely rough crossing , i akways remember first time i used it it took railway wagons !

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[The general]

Is white island still off limits after the eruption a few yrs back ?

 

[Andy MacD]

Thought I’d wrap this one up answering the questions I posed at the start.

As expected everyone has a different opinion on the division of time between N & S islands but looking at feedback and web site tours it seems most recommend one third N and two thirds S so I’ve gone along with that.

For the ferry the standard crossing with premium lounge (we’re spoiling ourselves) for the January day we’re crossing is $980 or £435.

You get a discount from NZMCA but you need to be local or a member of a UK club to join. CCC joining was £53 and NZMCA £45 ($102). The ferry fare, with the lounge, is £243 ($549). All together £341.

From a financial perspective we save £94 but also benefit from all the NZMCA sites and CL equivalents.

Job done.

Now to start planning the route, 154 days to go