New Zealand - Experience

Unless you plan to stay for more than a month, you can't possibly see all that New Zealand has to offer. With smart planning, though, it is possible to enjoy a jolly good sample in 12 to 14 days. For people with less time, I strongly recommend one of the many package tours available, and a focus on either the North or South Island.

For those planning their own itinerary, keep in mind that tours follow two well-worn paths -- the "golden triangles" of Auckland-Waitomo-Rotorua on the North Island and Christchurch-Queenstown-Fiordland-Mount Cook on the South Island. I wouldn't let that deter you from visiting those areas -- just be aware that during peak travel seasons, there is a premium on tourist beds, along with larger crowds at attractions.

Highlights

If your goal is to see all of the most popular highlights, you may as well join a tour. But I think you'll have a much richer experience if you isolate, say, half a dozen highlights at most, and build the rest of your trip around places that are off the beaten track. Or, if you have specific interests, plan a trip that will have some meaning for you. Later in this chapter are a few basic itineraries to assist you with your decisions and planning.

The North Island -- For me, the North Island highlights would start at Auckland, with its endless opportunities for just about everything except snow skiing. Rotorua, with its rich combination of a "bubble, bubble, toil and trouble" landscape, a wealth of Maori culture, numerous adventure activities, and blissful lakes, is an obvious choice. And Wellington, the fair capital city with its stupendous Te Papa, Museum of New Zealand, terrific nightlife, and beautiful harbor, is a must. Add to that the vineyard and Art Deco delights of Napier and Hawkes Bay, the sandy beaches of the Far North, and the balmy treasure that is Waiheke Island, and you will have nipped off a decent bite of New Zealand.

The South Island -- Whether or not you're a nature lover, you really should experience kayaking on the crystal-clear waters of Abel Tasman National Park. Along with the greater Nelson Province, this is a magical area filled with outdoor and cultural activities. I love Queenstown and have to agree with a young backpacker who said it was the best place he had visited in five countries. Look beyond the tourist hype to an unbelievably beautiful landscape and endless opportunities for fun and mischief. The mysteries of Milford Sound are worthwhile, despite the crowds -- pray for a wet day because it's much more spectacular then, with hundreds of waterfalls. And, of course, there's Christchurch, blessed with beauteous English details and contemporary New Zealand cool (in both senses of the word). Add Banks Peninsula for a quirky taste of rural New Zealand, Otago Peninsula's unquestionable superiority as a wildlife haven, and Stewart Island for the best natural New Zealand experience you will have.

Taking to the Highways -- Some kind and ever-so-thoughtful person -- and I think it might be someone at Jasons Publishing (www.jasons.com) -- has had the frightfully good sense to have created seven marvelous highway route planners. They include The Twin Coast Discovery Highway, covering Northland and Auckland; and The Pacific Coast Highway, covering Auckland, Coromandel, coastal Bay of Plenty, Eastland, and Hawkes Bay. These free maps detail the best features of each trip, places to stay and eat, and adventures to sample along the way. They're available at visitor centers throughout the country.

Touring Plans

Touring the North Island Only

• Day 1 -- Arrive in Auckland in early morning; rest before sightseeing in the afternoon.

• Day 2 -- Take a day trip to Waiheke Island and stay overnight.

• Day 3 -- Return to Auckland in the early morning and drive to Rotorua via Hamilton and Cambridge.

• Day 4 -- Rise early and start taking in the best that Rotorua has to offer, finishing with a Maori concert and hangi (earth-oven feast) in the evening.

• Day 5 -- Head up to Tauranga and Mount Maunganui for lunch, then move on up the east coast of Coromandel Peninsula, spending the night at Whitianga.

• Day 6 -- Take a full day to wander over the Coromandel Peninsula, down the west coast to Thames. From here, follow the rest of the Pacific Coast Highway back to Auckland, stopping off at the Seabird Coast. Spend your last night in Auckland at a fancy restaurant and a smart hotel or B&B.

• Day 7 -- Spend the day taking in some more of Auckland's charms before an early-evening departure for your overseas destination.

Touring the South Island Only

• Day 1 -- Fly directly into Christchurch if you can; otherwise, schedule an early-morning arrival in Auckland, and make a connection to Christchurch. Take a rest before sightseeing in the late afternoon and early evening.

• Day 2 -- Sightsee in Christchurch in the morning and take an afternoon drive to Akaroa (1-hr. trip) on the Banks Peninsula. Enjoy a night on the town and dine well.

• Day 3 -- Take the TranzAlpine scenic rail trip to Greymouth via Arthur's Pass National Park; pick up a rental car in Greymouth and drive south to Franz Josef village. Take a helicopter flight over the twin glaciers before curling up in bed.

• Day 4 -- Rise early for the stunning drive through Haast Pass to Wanaka. Lunch here before continuing on to spend the night in Queenstown. Spend the afternoon taking the gondola to the top of Bob's Peak.

• Day 5 -- Either spend a leisurely day ambling around Arrowtown and the wineries, or drive 45 minutes to gorgeous Glenorchy and join one of the Dart River soft-option rafting, jet-boating, or kayaking adventures. Return to dine in Queenstown and spend another night checking out the nightlife.

• Day 6 -- If your budget allows, fly to Milford Sound and take a cruise on one of the boats. Fly back to Queenstown in the afternoon and drive to Dunedin, where you'll spend the night. If you'd rather investigate wildlife on Otago Peninsula, skip Milford Sound and head straight for Dunedin.

• Day 7 -- Leave Dunedin early and drive to Christchurch. Catch your flight to Auckland for your overseas departure.

If you have 2 weeks

That's easy -- just combine the above two itineraries for an overview of some of the best destinations.

If you have 3 weeks

Use the itineraries above; at the Auckland end, add 2 days for driving north to the Bay of Islands and the Far North, coming down through the Waipoua Kauri Forest and then over to Rotorua. And instead of leaving Rotorua and heading to Tauranga, drive east to Napier to spend a night in vineyard and Art Deco territory. From here, take the shorter route through the Waioweka Gorge to Opotiki and drive on to Tauranga, spending a night at Mount Maunganui. Then follow the rest of the North Island 1-week itinerary.

When you find yourself back in Auckland, catch a flight to Wellington and spend a day at Te Papa and a night in the city. Catch the early-morning ferry to Picton, where you'll pick up a car and drive to Kaikoura to go whale-watching, before carrying on to Christchurch to continue with the South Island itinerary outlined above.

A Wine Lovers Itinerary

Let's say you have 2 weeks to sample New Zealand's wine. Fly into Auckland and spend 2 days here -- visit the Henderson and Kumeu vineyards and catch a bit of the city nightlife. Next, take the ferry to Waiheke Island and forget about the rest of the world for 2 days as you explore some of the 45 wineries making world-class wines.

Back on the mainland, take a flight to Napier and spend 2 to 3 days savoring the pleasures of the Hawkes Bay wineries around Havelock North and Hastings. Indulge even further by staying in a cottage in the middle of a vineyard. (You can do that on Waiheke, too.) Pick up a rental car and drive to the Wairarapa, where once again you can stay in a vineyard cottage, a stylish lodge, or a hotel in Martinborough. From here, drive to Wellington and dine in a smart restaurant or two before catching the ferry to Picton on the South Island.

In Marlborough, you'll need at least 2 days to come to terms with the many delightful wineries. From Blenheim, drive to Christchurch, staying a night in the Amberley/Waipara area an hour north of the city. This is where you'll find another 15 wineries to explore. Christchurch, of course, deserves another day; then take a quick flight to Queenstown to get a taste of wines from the deep south.

An Action-Plus Ininerary

If fast and furious is your usual modus operandi, then don't delay: Get straight to Queenstown. There's enough madness and mayhem here to keep you busy for at least a week. Then head north to Rotorua and Taupo for white-water rafting and adventure kayaking on wild, wild central rivers. Divert to Waitomo for black-water rafting in underground caverns that will take your breath away. Continue north to Auckland for night kayaking to Rangitoto Island. If you have more time, get yourself up to the Poor Knights Islands and go underwater to meet the sharks.

A Sloth's Guide to New Zealand

Take a 2-week tour of New Zealand's upscale country lodges. This will be a truly unique experience as you encounter some of the finest accommodations in the country. Every lodge has its own special charm; most are in stunning locations, and all provide a range of sightseeing and activities should you wish to raise your heart rate above sloth level.

A Tramper's Ininerary

Start in the Nelson region, where you can wander the Abel Tasman Coastal Track for a few days, before tackling the more trying Heaphy Track. With easy access to three national parks here, you could stay put and explore them all. If you want bigger and better things, get yourself to Fiordland for one of the world-class walking tracks -- Milford, Hollyford, Routeburn, and Kepler. If you're still not suffering from muscle fatigue, catch a ferry across to Stewart Island and see if the Rakuia or the North West Circuit doesn't finish you off!