Friday, 1 September 2006
5-day drive from Picton to Queenstown (via Mt Cook)
Five days Picton to Queenstown via Mt Cook
General
Many people drive Picton Queenstown in a day or two, perhaps with an overnight stay in Christchurch. While quite possible, this is a suggested more leisurely alternative which samples the best of the South Island
Day 1 Picton Nelson Area (Picton Kaikoura direct 160Km)
Depending on when you arrive in Picton, this can be flexible. But most people arrive early to mid afternoon.
Otherwise leave Picton and head out to Nelson, the Arts and Craft centre of south Island. (The trip further out to Golden Bay is special but quite lengthy. The Takaka Hill is in fact a mountain, has a small but interesting underground cave complex with extinct Moa bones etc and is worth a visit, as is the Pupu Springs area, the crystal clear surface outlet of an enormous subsurface aquifer which contains literally billions of gallons of pure fresh water, in area covering about one fifth of whole South Island)
The drive from Picton to Kaikoura is easy and pleasant. Travel through Blenheim, now a wine town in the Marlborough grape growing district, and there are many wineries to visit, most of which offer tasting, foods and some do tours etc.
From Blenheim the road sits between the Seaward Kaikoura Ranges and the coast and is a continual scenic contrast, especially in winter when the snow is on the mountains so close to the sea itself.
Kaikoura is known for its dolphin and whale watching which is well organised and safe, and considerate to nature. You can swim with dolphins and or whale watch with boats, planes and helicopters.
We can recommend several things here. Firstly accommodation. There is an Irish Pub Motel, which has a pleasant setting, good food and an Irish atmosphere with constant Irish music, called Donegal House on Schoolhouse Road. Also, just before Kaikoura there is a unique (self built) artist studio come B&B called Homewood Hill on 20 acres of land offering a wonderful view over the countryside and Kaikoura township. The couple are easy to relate to and they have two rooms on offer although they only ever accept one set of guests. (ph 03 319 7400) On the main road through town, about a 5-minute drive, is a wonderful little eating-house called Hislop’s, which serves excellent food from mainly organic ingredients.
When leaving town, turn left at the top of the hill and drive out to the viewing platform above Kaikoura, which has great 360-degree views.
Day 3 Kaikoura to Christchurch (Kaikoura Christchurch direct 187 Km)
One option is to simply drive down the coast, continuing to enjoy the very pleasant scenery. Another option is to cut inland and go over Mt Lyford, a slightly longer drive but more scenic, quieter, and a change from the Coast. Good snow covered country around winter, and chains may be requested a few times a year, but this would be signposted, and locals will also advise. The road is good quality and surfaced.
This road passes close to Hanmer Springs, a thermal resort, if you feel like a hot springs spa bath.
It takes half a day to reach Christchurch allowing you some time for local sightseeing in the Garden City. Special highlights include a walk along the Avon River, perhaps enjoying a short punt ride down the River and back instead of walking. The tourist tram runs around the key tourist spots and visits things like the Info Centre/ mini museum, the Cathedral, the Arts and Craft centre, the new Art Gallery and the Museum, as well as the Christchurch Gardens, which are really all worth a visit.
Day 4 Christchurch to Mt Cook (Christchurch Mt Cook direct 330 km)
If time permits two side drives out of Christchurch are worthwhile. One is out to Akaroa, an historical French settlement in the crater of an extinct volcano now open to the sea, which is interesting and the town has a special French ambience. That’s a half-day minimum. A shorter drive, about 1.5 hours, could take you to the port of Lyttleton via the Christchurch Hills area. Very quaint, European, old style buildings etc and easy to do.
Proceed towards the West Coast on H23 until you reach Darfield. Turn off towards Mt Hutt and Methven. This drive goes through open sheep/cattle country, crosses the Rakaia Gorge and ends up at Geraldine following a back country route which is 10 times prettier than the boring and busy H1 coastal road to Timaru.
Geraldine has a popular bar/diner in the centre of town called the Village Inn, adjacent to an open car park and a pleasant short River Walk. The food and service here are good, and it’s a good place for an intermediate stop on the way to Mt Cook.
Proceed along H79 to Fairlea where you intersect H8 and travel on to Tekapo, enjoying the summer Lupens flowers which border the road. Tekapo has a pretty blue lake, and is famous for the Church of the Good Shepherd, with a picture window in the Church, which overlooks the Lake and the snow capped mountains, and creates a special feeling of contact with God/Nature, whatever you conceive him/her/it to be.
The drive to the Mt Cook viewing area at the base of Lake Pukaki is by way of H8, but an interesting alternative is the Old Bullock Trail which now traces the path of the huge fast flowing canals which connect the Lakes of the region. It is more interesting, quieter, gives good views of the Mackenzie Country generally, and gives you a chance to visit the salmon farm if you wish. From the viewing area proceed to the Mt Cook turnoff and enjoy the Lakeside drive to Glentanner Station about half way along the Lake. This has clean rest rooms, good light food, and a small airport from which you can take scenic rides over the Southern Alps, 
glaciers and Lakes, either by plane or helicopter. Modern Helicopters have a more comfortable ride, but if you plan a landing somewhere, be aware that they do not shut down the jet turbines and there is always background noise. The small Ski planes which operate out of Mt Cook are an alternative, and when they land high on the Tasman Glacier the experience is awesome, partly due to the remoteness and serenity of the high mountains that you are visiting, and the total quiet and stillness is a special feature of the trip.
The Hermitage at Mt Cook is always busy, especially around lunchtime when the tourist coaches drop in. Try to avoid the 12-2 rush.
The restaurants and bars offer special views and you should take time to stop and experience the feeling of the Resort itself. The sunsets are spectacular, usually, but remember to organise a place to stay because the closest accommodations are a fair drive away. You can stay at Mt Cook, Tekapo, or Twizel, but why not enjoy Mt Cook, eat at the very special Panorama Room at The Hermitage, and take in the evening beauty the sunset and the stars. There is a variety of accommodation at Mt Cook from bunkrooms through family style motel units to luxury rooms.
We have always enjoyed the Glacial Lake at Mt Cook. The Tasman Glacier is receding and the large Lake at the base of the Glacier is the result of the melting tip of the Glacier itself. In Summer, you can kayak or board an inflatable boat. The tour requires a 10 min bus ride and then a 20 min easy walk, before you board the small boat for an hour or so exploring the Lake, the face of the Glacier, the icebergs in the Lake itself, which have calved off the face of the Glacier. On most occasions there is the opportunity to go ashore on an iceberg in the lake, and examine the crystal clear ice at close quarters.
Day 5 Mt Cook to Queenstown (direct 271 Kms)
The drive to Queenstown is about 3 to 3.5 hours so this can be a leisurely day, starting late if you like to enjoy the morning at Mt Cook. Alternatively, you may wish to start early and drive to Queenstown via Lake Wanaka and the Crown ranges.
Assuming the direct drive back the first major town is Twizel, built/extended to house the workers on the major hydro-electric schemes of the area en they were being built. Nothing of major interest here, but just out of Twizel is another salmon farm offering fresh salmon for sale, say if you were contemplating Sashimi, or baked salmon for dinner!
The cliffs are a natural feature, sculpted by rain and wind, and are hard to describe. About 50-70m high stretching about a kilometer. Sheer cliffs, stalagmite type pinnacles, little valleys and grottos, interesting formations of all sorts, and while geologically fascinating, the kids also enjoy the fantasy-like aura of the place. Takes about 1.5 hours from the main road turnoff.
Proceed over Lindis Pass and on to Lake Dunstan, a man made lake as the result of the building of the Clyde Dam below Cromwell. Drive alongside the lake to Cromwell, now a retirement/holiday/education/stone fruit town situated at the intersection of the Kawarau River and Clutha Rivers, which drain Lake Dunstan itself.
One of the most interesting features of Cromwell is “old Cromwell town” a recreation of the mining town it used to be, which is a five minute drive off the main road and worth a look. Treat it as a food and drink stop, in a 150-year-old town by the shores of the River.
The whole gold mining area around Queenstown starts here and proceeds up the Kawerau Gorge through towns such as Bannockburn and Gibbston. Look out for the old mining site about 10 Kms south of Cromwell which you can visit if you wish. The Gorge contains the Kawarau River, which drains Lake Wakatipu on which Queenstown sits, so we are close to Queenstown now. On the way through the Gorge look out for the first hydro station at Roaring Meg stream and also new Wineries. There are about 5 or 6 now, of which Gibbston Valley and Chard Farm wineries are probably the best, in terms of both tourist features and wine quality. Both offer tasting and Gibbston has a large Restaurant and Wine cave as well. If you travel to Chard Farm, look out for the scene from Lord of the Rings filmed here, as you return towards the highway.
Both wineries are close to the “Bungy Bridge” where A J Hackett launched the bungy concept 20 years ago. Stop off and watch a few crazy people jump.
The road then winds 10 minutes back into Queenstown itself via Lake Hayes, which often offers good photographic opportunities.
