New Zealand travel resources

These are links to web sites for some of the resources - accomodation, etc. - we used on our trip around Otago, Southland, and Fiordland.

General Resources

Department of Conservation

administers national parks and maintains tracks

New Zealand Escape

is a directory of travel resources

Backpack New Zealand

is nicely organised - they also provided the map for this travelogue

eNZed

is a directory of New Zealand sites

Lonely Planet New Zealand

was an invaluable guidebook

Specific Resources

Apex car rentals

I spent a while hunting around the Net: these guys had a functional web site that gave quotes without too much dickering around, and offered a decent price ($45/day) with insurance, etc. Our car had done 130 000 kilometres, but served us well for another 2500.

City Central YHA (Christchurch)

we spent the first night here ($53)

Oamaru Blue Penguin colony

we were too early for the penguins, but there was plenty to see

Elm Wildlife Tours (Dunedin)

we spent two nights in Elm Lodge ($40/night) and went on their wildlife tour ($49/person)

Otago Museum and Dunedin Art Museum

are worth a visit - and the excellent University Bookshop is just over the road from the museum

Ulva Island

DOC

Rakiura Track (Stewart Island)

DOC brochure

Heritage Court Motel (Invercargill)

we stayed here twice, on our way to and from Stewart Island. It's a small (10 unit), friendly, family-run motel, with huge two bedroom units ($75/night).

The Kepler Track

DOC information

Milford Sound Lodge

we spent one night in a dorm here ($22/person). It's pretty much the only accomodation option in Milford Sound.

Real Journeys and Mitre Peak offer Milford Sound cruises

I doubt the choice of operator makes much of a difference - the choices are whether you go on a longer cruise that goes outside the Sound (we did), and whether you visit the "underwater observatory" (we didn't)

WWOOF - Willing Workers on Organic Farms

Lake Marian, Gertrude Saddle, Key Summit

Key Summit is very popular (100+ people were there the day we did it), Lake Marian fairly so (10+ people), and Gertrude Saddle much less so (1 other person). They're not essential, but I found topo map D40 and Moirs Guide South useful.

See also my reviews of New Zealand books.