The highlight of this trip is hiking the world famous Milford Sound Trek. Trying to get reservations for hiking the trail is really hard (unless you want to pay for an expensive guided option.) I was waiting on the website as soon as hut reservations became available and booked our trips within minutes of them opening. This article says that last season, tickets for the self-guided Milford Sound trek sold out within 90 minutes of being released. We might need to decide which trip we want to do next, and then book the huts for that trip right away (in April)

There are two of the famous New Zealand Great Tramps on this trip - the Milford Sound trek, and the Kepler Track. Both take 4 days to complete. Must book way ahead of time at Booking DOC website

It rains a tremendous amount on the western side of the south island, rain gear is essential, as are waterproof pack liners. Fortunately we got a lot of clear days too, though unfortunately we had a downpour all day when we hiked the most dramatic portion of the Kepler Trek.

Once again, the trip itinerary fit into two weeks (barely!). We would need to return to New Zealand twice or thrice more to completely tour the islands.

Feb 8: Friday Day 1 Detailed Info Leave Seattle 8:40 AM on Hawaiian Air HA2001 on 6 1/2 hr flight, land at 1 PM rent car in Honolulu Visit Katy & Matt	Feb 9: Saturday return rental car in Honolulu Leave Honolulu at 1:45 PM on Hawaiian Air HA0445. 10 hr flight	Feb 10: Sunday Day 3 Detailed Info Land in Auckland at 10 PM Stay in Auckland at Ibis Budget Auckland Airport Hotel	Feb 11: Monday Day 4 Detailed Info Leave Auckland 9:30 AM on Air New Zealand on 2 hr flight Arrive in Queenstown at 11:30 AM Pickup rental car Queenstown Hill hike 3 hr hike, listed as best hike Stay in Queenstown at Lakeside Motel	Feb 12: Tuesday Day 5 Detailed Info Full day Ben Lomond Hike 7 hr, 7 miles. Listed as best hike There is a gondola to get us partway up Ben Lomond G Force Paragliding Stay in Queenstown at Lakeside Motel	Feb 13: Wednesday Day 6 Detailed Info Drive 2 1/4 hrs, 172 Km to Te Anau Pickup Milford Track tickets from Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre Drive 1/2 hrs, 30 Km from Te Anau to Te Anau Downs Day 1 of the Milford Track Hike 1 PM Water taxi to Glade Wharf 5 Km hike to Clinton Hut Stay at Clinton Hut	Feb 14: Thursday Day 7 Detailed Info Day 2 of the Milford Track Hike 6 Hr 16.5 Km hike to Mintaro Hut If weather is nice, hike up Mackinnon Pass for view when it isn't raining Stay at Mintaro Hut
Feb 15: Friday Day 8 Detailed Info Day 3 of the Milford Track Hike 7 Hr 14 Km hike to Dumpling Hut Short side hike to Sutherland Falls Stay at Dumpling Hut	Feb 16: Saturday Day 9 Detailed Info Day 4 of the Milford Track Hike 6 Hr 18 Km hike to Sandfly Point 2:00 PM Water taxi from Sandfly Point to Milford Sound Drive 120 KM (2 hrs) to Te Anau Stay in Te Anau at Bellavista Motel	Feb 17: Sunday Day 10 Detailed Info 2 hour, 120 km drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound. Take a 2 hr nature cruise on Milford Sound at 11:00 AM The Chasm Walk 0.5 Km, 0.5 Hr Lake Marian Hike 4.8 Km, 3 Hrs. A best hike Mirror Lakes 0.5Km, 0.25 Hr Stay in Te Anau at Bellavista Motel	Feb 18: Monday Day 11 Detailed Info Day 1 of the 60 Km Kepler Track Hike Pickup Kepler Track tickets from Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre Kepler Track car park to Luxmore Hut 6 Hrs, 14 Km Side trip to Luxmore Caves 0.5 hr side trip up Mt Luxmore Stay at Luxmore Hut	Feb 19: Tuesday Day 12 Detailed Info Day 2 of the 60 Km Kepler Track Hike Luxmore Hut to Iris Burn Hut 6 Hrs, 14.5 Km Stay at Iris Burn Hut	Feb 20: Wednesday Day 13 Detailed Info Day 3 of the 60 Km Kepler Track Hike Iris Burn Hut to Moturau Hut 6 Hrs, 16 Km Moturau Hut to Rainbow Reach 1.5 Hrs, 6 Km. Catch 3 PM shuttle bus back to Te Anau Te Anau Bird Sanctuary Free, open until dusk. Stay in Te Anau at Bellavista Motel	Feb 21: Thursday Day 14 Detailed Info Full day Kayak trip on Doubtful Sound 6;30 AM at Te Anau office, w/ lunch Stay in Te Anau at Bellavista Motel
Feb 22: Friday Day 15 Detailed Info We should spend our last 2 full days traveling the South Scenic Route Drive 5 hrs, 400 Km to Kaka Point Curio Bay tree fossils Cathedral Caves Matai Falls and Purakanui Falls Surat Bay Wildlife Walk Roaring Bay Penguins Stay in Kaka Point at Nugget View Beach Motel	Feb 23: Saturday Day 16 Detailed Info Drive 2 hrs, 130 Km from Kaka Point to Otago Peninsula Walks on Otago Peninsula Sandymount loop & Lover's Leap hike 1 hr, 3 Km 1 hour, 3:00 PM tour at Royal Albatross Center Drive 4 1/2 hrs, 310 Km to Queenstown Stay in Queenstown at Lakeside Motel	Feb 24: Sunday Day 17 Detailed Info Return Queenstown rental car Leave Queenstown at 9:30 AM for 2 hr flight to Auckland on Air New Zealand Pickup Auckland rental car Karekare Falls Tasman Lookout Hike Stay in Auckland at Auckland Airport Kiwi Hotel	Feb 25: Monday Day 18 Detailed Info Auckland Airport Kiwi Hotel includes a continental breakfast Return Auckland rental car Leave Auckland on United at 3:30 PM for 12 hr flight to San Francisco 2 hr 20 min layover in San Francisco Leave San Francisco on United at 9 AM for 2 1/2 hr flight to Seattle Arrive in Seattle at 11:30 AM	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday

There are hikes along the road between Milford Sound and Te Anau

The South Scenic Drive goes along the southern shore of the South Island. We made numerous stops along the way.

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I recorded all of our expenses for the entire two week trip. The trip turned out to be well worth every penny!

Excursion	New Zealand $	Comment
Queenstown Gondola	NZ$78	Two roundtrip tickets
G-Force Paragliding	NZ$478	Two rides on paraglider
G-Force Video and Pictures	NZ$100	Two USB sticks of in flight video
Te Anua ferry to start of Milford track	NZ$180	one way trip at 1 PM
Milford Track Huts	NZ$840	Great Tramps huts are NZ$140 per night per adult
Milford Track Car Relocation	NZ$240	Use Track Hopperservice.
Sandfly Pt to Milford Sound ferry	NZ$104	One way trip at 3 PM, a 20 min boat ride.
Milford Sound Nature Cruise	NZ$171	We just want the boat ride, not the bus rides to/from Queenstown
Kepler Track Huts	NZ$520	Great Tramps huts are NZ$130 per night per adult
Doubtful Sound Kayak	NZ$698	Full day of sea kayaking
Cathedral Cave Admission	NZ$10	Two Tickets
Royal Albatross Viewing Center	NZ$100
Total	NZ$3519	US$2408

Hotel	$US	Location	Comment
Ibis Budget Airport Hotel	US$106	Auckland
Bella Vista Motel	US$149*4	Te Anau	4 nights. Wi-Fi, Microwave, Refrigerator, Superior Queen Studio Room
Lakeside Motel	US$116*3	Queenstown	3 nights. Wi-Fi, Kitchenette, no free breakfast
Nugget View Beach Motel	US$100	Kaka Point	One night. Kitchenette. No free breakfast
Auckland Airport Kiwi Hotel	US$103	Auckland	One night. Kitchenette. Free continental breakfast
Total	US$1253	Cost for 2 people	Does not include Milford or Kepler Huts

Price dominated by plane fare

Transportation	$US	Comment
Seattle to Auckland roundtrip	$2185
Auckland to Queenstown roundtrip	$485
Seatac Parking	$107
Honolulu Car Rental	$58	One day rental from Thrifty
Yellow Bus Tickets	$23	Shuttle to/from Auckland airport
Queenstown Car Rental	$478	Compact car from Alamo
Queenstown Car Collision Damage Plan	$154	Expedia Insurance (a mistake)
Auckland Car Rental	$61	Compact car from Alamo
Auckland Car Collision Damage Plan	$22	Expedia insurance (a mistake)
Total	US$3573

Category	New Zealand $	Comment
Meals	NZ$188	We ate a lot of meals using kitchenettes in motels
Gas	NZ$185	1456 Km on Queenstown Car Rental
Groceries	NZ$203
Other	NZ$185	Souveniers
Total	NZ$761	US$521

Grand Total

$2408 + $1253 + $3573 + $521

US $7755

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Queenstown weather

Fiordland National Park weather

Fiordland National Park website

All of tourist stops along the Southern Scenic Route drive along the southern tip of the South Island.

Great Tramps in the Fiordland area. We will do the Routeburn hike on our next trip (I hope)

Just in case we run out of hikes to do in New Zealand, here is a list of alternative Great Tramps.

Here is a chart of rainfall at Milford Sound. February is the driest month, but it is still almost 20 inches (in one month!). It also averages 13 days of rain per February, which implies that there are 15 dry days each average February?

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Information on Great Tramps Huts

Hut provides cold running water, flush toilets, gas burning stoves

Bring your own food, utensils, pots & pans, plates & cups

Hut provides a few hours of light in the evening (Until solar charged battery runs out)

No electricity, no WiFi. Bring your own headlamp

Hut provides wooden bunk bed and mattress in room with 8 to 20 bunks

Bring your own sleeping bag and pillow

Huts must be reserved well in advance! Milford Track reservations for 2019 sold out within hours.