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
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Feb 9: Saturday
return rental car in Honolulu
Leave Honolulu at 1:45 PM on Hawaiian Air HA0445. 10 hr flight
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Feb 10: Sunday
Day 3 Detailed Info
Land in Auckland at 10 PM
Stay in Auckland at Ibis Budget Auckland Airport Hotel
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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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.

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 |
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 | Price dominated by plane fare
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 |
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?

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.