Now, the best way to see this all would be through a boat cruise (NZ~), but if you want to take it a step further, you can also do a helicopter tour over Milford Sound!
During this journey, we explored some wonderful beaches before arriving at the port town of Picton which is lauded as the gateway to the Marlborough Sound (this is also the gateway to the South Island for ferries that come from the North).
If you’ve got outdoor equipment like diving gear, hiking boots, etc. you must clean them before you travel to New Zealand in order for the inspection process to go more quickly for you. Be advised that New Zealand is firm about this given how they have sniffer dogs and bio-sensitive X-ray machines to detect any unwanted items.
New Zealand Travel Guide
» Quick Travel Planning
» New Zealand Currency
IMPORTANT: New Zealand has STRICT quarantine laws for undeclared food and other biohazards. This means that you should not bring in any kind of fresh food such as bananas, apples, honey, etc. as you make sure that you dispose of them before going through the baggage claim area. Processed or packaged food can be accepted but you are supposed to declare them on your arrival card. If you’re ever in doubt, ask for clarification — otherwise, you will be charged with a hefty fine.
» Cost of Travel in New Zealand
IMPORTANT: New Zealand has STRICT quarantine laws for undeclared food and other biohazards. This means that you should not bring in any kind of fresh food such as bananas, apples, honey, etc. as you make sure that you dispose of them before going through the baggage claim area. Processed or packaged food can be accepted but you are supposed to declare them on your arrival card. If you’re ever in doubt, ask for clarification — otherwise, you will be charged with a hefty fine.
» Visa for New Zealand
IMPORTANT: New Zealand has STRICT quarantine laws for undeclared food and other biohazards. This means that you should not bring in any kind of fresh food such as bananas, apples, honey, etc. as you make sure that you dispose of them before going through the baggage claim area. Processed or packaged food can be accepted but you are supposed to declare them on your arrival card. If you’re ever in doubt, ask for clarification — otherwise, you will be charged with a hefty fine.
» Where to Stay (New Zealand Accommodations)
IMPORTANT: New Zealand has STRICT quarantine laws for undeclared food and other biohazards. This means that you should not bring in any kind of fresh food such as bananas, apples, honey, etc. as you make sure that you dispose of them before going through the baggage claim area. Processed or packaged food can be accepted but you are supposed to declare them on your arrival card. If you’re ever in doubt, ask for clarification — otherwise, you will be charged with a hefty fine.
» Wild Kiwi Routes
IMPORTANT: New Zealand has STRICT quarantine laws for undeclared food and other biohazards. This means that you should not bring in any kind of fresh food such as bananas, apples, honey, etc. as you make sure that you dispose of them before going through the baggage claim area. Processed or packaged food can be accepted but you are supposed to declare them on your arrival card. If you’re ever in doubt, ask for clarification — otherwise, you will be charged with a hefty fine.
» Packing Guide
IMPORTANT: New Zealand has STRICT quarantine laws for undeclared food and other biohazards. This means that you should not bring in any kind of fresh food such as bananas, apples, honey, etc. as you make sure that you dispose of them before going through the baggage claim area. Processed or packaged food can be accepted but you are supposed to declare them on your arrival card. If you’re ever in doubt, ask for clarification — otherwise, you will be charged with a hefty fine.
» Helpful Māori Phrases
After a night’s rest, we proceeded to drive down the Kaikoura coast where we got to see the damage from the earthquake that happened in 2016. These roads were only recently opened so we could see how hard the country has worked to fix things; but amidst this, we were enamored by the beauty of the coastline which often had dolphins and seals playing in the shallow waters.
NOTE: Some of you have been asking me which of the 7-day tours is best to take. Well… this is quite a difficult question to answer because each of those tours has its own charm.
Technically, there is NEVER a bad time to go especially if it’s for a New Zealand road trip itinerary; yet of course, since both the North and South Islands are long and narrow, the weather is not uniform. So as an overview, below are New Zealand’s seasons:
New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary
It’s plain to see that this New Zealand road trip itinerary has been an ultimate adventure for me — and it’s all thanks to Wild Kiwi! It’s plain to see that this New Zealand road trip itinerary has been an ultimate adventure for me — and it’s all thanks to Wild Kiwi!
So armed with our shovels, we searched for a good spot by the beach and lounged as we watched the sunset on the horizon. Needless to say, this was truly one of a kind!
New Zealand Dollar (NZD) wherein about NZD 1.70 is equal to about USD ~ / €0.85~ (this is as of August 2022). In the event that you want to exchange your money for NZD, I highly advise that you do NOT exchange your money at the airport since the rates there are not competitive.
…And as if we were still hungry for more, we made sure to make some stops along the way before finally arriving back in Christchurch, and some of the spots we dropped in were: Tasman Glacier, Lake Tekapo, and Church of the Good Shepherd.
NOTE: If you want to stay back in the North Island, it’s advisable to fly over to Wellington, the capital of New Zealand.