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  1. #21
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    Anyone have information on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing trek? I know most people take a bus from Taupo, but how would I know the bus schedule or the logistics for that particular hike?

    Thanks!

  2. #22
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    TripAdvisor forums can be helpful for planning your trip.
    We spent 2 weeks on the South Island during winter (July) and loved it. Not any trail advice for ya though since there was snow in many places.

    One blog I follow is Walking with Wired. If you search that and Routeburn or Tongariro crossing you’ll see her write-ups. Granted she hikes a crazy amount of miles per day (compared to me at least). If nothing else some nice pics to look at.

    And pardon my indulgence of sharing a short video from our trip. Such good memories. We met our daughter there who was studying abroad.
    https://youtu.be/x_YMh_dnffA

    Hope you have a great trip. And share pics/vids when you return.

  3. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by ukbballrulez33 View Post
    Anyone have information on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing trek? I know most people take a bus from Taupo, but how would I know the bus schedule or the logistics for that particular hike?

    Thanks!
    You've already gotten some great advice, but here's my take.

    I made arrangements though Extreme Backpackers for the Tongariro Crossing - just google and then email them - they know everything about the schedule. Here's the thing: there are days when they do not allow the crossing due to weather, so the recommendation is to budget at least one extra day in case you have to hold over. IMHO, that is a big price to pay on a two-week trip. If I were trying to see parts of both islands in two weeks, I would do the Whanganui "Great Walk" (its a three, four, or five day canoe trip, your choice), and then hop down to Queenstown to the Kinloch Lodge, and do the Routeburn and Greenstone tracks as a loop hike. It's more like a crescent, but transportation by the folks at Kinloch (great food!) will round it out for you. (That was our original plan, but we had to skip the Greenstone portion.) Plan that right, and you should still have time to hop over to see the Milford Sound. But, if your heart is set on the Tongariro Crossing, it is an impressive landscape. (I don't know about March, but in Dec/Jan you will be crossing with *thousands* of others on the day you go, as I think Hutzlebein noted.)

    Also, it's not backpacking, but a great experience are the Waitomo Caves at Otorohanga, and from there you can easily get an outfitter (e.g. Wades Landing) to take you to the Whanganui. Or, skip the Caves, and you could still have time to get over to do the Crossing.

    For two weeks, though, you might consider just the South Island: Abel-Tasman, Routeburn, and Kepler or Milford. (We did not get to the Kepler, nor did we hike the Milford Sound - but we got to see it on a day trip.) I have a detailed spreadsheet that I used to plan our trip two years ago. I would be happy to send it to you if you pm me your email address.

    No matter what you decide, be prepared to have a great time!

    036.jpg069.jpg101.jpg1481.jpgLake Mackenzie2.jpg
    There are two kinds of people in the world: those who say there are two kinds of people, and all the others.

  4. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by El Gordo View Post
    You've already gotten some great advice, but here's my take.

    I made arrangements though Extreme Backpackers for the Tongariro Crossing - just google and then email them - they know everything about the schedule. Here's the thing: there are days when they do not allow the crossing due to weather, so the recommendation is to budget at least one extra day in case you have to hold over. IMHO, that is a big price to pay on a two-week trip. If I were trying to see parts of both islands in two weeks, I would do the Whanganui "Great Walk" (its a three, four, or five day canoe trip, your choice), and then hop down to Queenstown to the Kinloch Lodge, and do the Routeburn and Greenstone tracks as a loop hike. It's more like a crescent, but transportation by the folks at Kinloch (great food!) will round it out for you. (That was our original plan, but we had to skip the Greenstone portion.) Plan that right, and you should still have time to hop over to see the Milford Sound. But, if your heart is set on the Tongariro Crossing, it is an impressive landscape. (I don't know about March, but in Dec/Jan you will be crossing with *thousands* of others on the day you go, as I think Hutzlebein noted.)

    Also, it's not backpacking, but a great experience are the Waitomo Caves at Otorohanga, and from there you can easily get an outfitter (e.g. Wades Landing) to take you to the Whanganui. Or, skip the Caves, and you could still have time to get over to do the Crossing.

    For two weeks, though, you might consider just the South Island: Abel-Tasman, Routeburn, and Kepler or Milford. (We did not get to the Kepler, nor did we hike the Milford Sound - but we got to see it on a day trip.) I have a detailed spreadsheet that I used to plan our trip two years ago. I would be happy to send it to you if you pm me your email address.

    No matter what you decide, be prepared to have a great time!

    036.jpg069.jpg101.jpg1481.jpgLake Mackenzie2.jpg

    Thanks for all of the information El Gordo - it's greatly appreciated. My (extremely rough) itinerary currently is this:

    Land in Auckland early Sunday morning. Try to stay awake to get used to the time change and explore the city of Auckland.
    Monday - depart early morning on a flight from Auckland to Queenstown.
    Tues through Thursday - Do Routeburn track from Shelter to Divide.
    Friday - Milford Sound day Cruise
    Sat-???? something else close to Queenstown? Potentially a Kelper day hike...? Open to suggestions

    Week 2:
    Sunday - Fly back to Auckland and drive to Waitomo.
    Monday - Do Waitomo cave tour and drive to Taupo.
    Tues - Tongariro Alpine Crossing
    Wed - Drive to Cathedral Cove/rest
    Thur - Cathedral Cove hikes/ enjoy beach
    Fri - Drive back to Auckland
    Sat - Fly home.


    As always, very open to suggestions on this rough schedule. I'll also PM you my email so you can send me your itinerary. I would definitely like to check it out.

    I know most people would say leave out Cathedral Cove, but I'm not going to NZ JUST to hike. I want to explore the cities a little and see what all the country has to offer (which includes beaches). Does that make sense?

  5. #25
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    I was not familiar with Cathedral Cove - looks beautiful, so why not! Not sure you will have time to get from Milford Sound to Te Anau, which is the jump-off point for the Kepler Track within the limits you've set out. The Milford Sound complicates things a bit. When you arrive in Queenstown, you could go straight to the Kinloch Lodge (which is at the north end of Lake Wakatipu). They will take you to, and back from, the Routeburn. Once back at Kinloch, you can day hike the Sylvan Track. But, from the Routeburn, you want to go west over to the Milford Sound. Maybe the folks at Kinloch could arrange that. If you return all the way to Queenstown from the Milford Sound on Friday night, I would just spend Saturday in Queenstown doing tourist stuff. Plenty to do there.
    There are two kinds of people in the world: those who say there are two kinds of people, and all the others.

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