Travel time question for the South Islanders

[BarBender]

We are spending the school holidays in Wanaka next week. The plan is to fly into Christchurch on Sunday night and drive to Wanaka on Monday morning.

Couple of questions:

How long does it take to drive from Christchurch to Wanaka going down SH8 via Geraldine - Lake Pukaki - Lindis Pass?

Also - If the long range forecast for Monday looks good I'm keen to hire a bike and my son and I will head out 73 towards Hokitika and ride down SH 6 coming into Wanaka from the north. How long would that ride take? I have no idea so advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Jerry74]

We are spending the school holidays in Wanaka next week. The plan is to fly into Christchurch on Sunday night and drive to Wanaka on Monday morning.

Couple of questions:

How long does it take to drive from Christchurch to Wanaka going down SH8 via Geraldine - Lake Pukaki - Lindis Pass?

Also - If the long range forecast for Monday looks good I'm keen to hire a bike and my son and I will head out 73 towards Hokitika and ride down SH 6 coming into Wanaka from the north. How long would that ride take? I have no idea so advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

its about 6 hours give or take

[BarBender]

its about 6 hours give or take

Cheers - Is that from Christchurch to Wanaka via Lindis Pass? or down the West Coast

[Jantar]

Christchurch to Wanaka is about 5 hours by bike, or 6 hours by car via Tekapo. Or 8 hours by bike, 9 hours by car via the west coast. These times do not allow for much in the way of sightseeing stops.

[FJRider]

Via the Lindis... about the same travel time from Hokitika to Wanaka. Add about three hours to get to Hoki' from Christchurch. All the trips can be done faster... but why would you want to...take longer and ENJOY...

[Jerry74]

6 hours but if you want to stop and admire the scenery have a feed etc, about 7 or 8

[FJRider]

I've been known to take a week to get down the WEST coast... but I was on a honda at the time...

[BarBender]

Via the Lindis... about the same travel time from Hokitika to Wanaka. Add about three hours to get to Hoki' from Christchurch. All the trips can be done faster... but why would you want to...take longer and ENJOY...

6 hours but if you want to stop and admire the scenery have a feed etc, about 7 or 8

Christchurch to Wanaka is about 5 hours by bike, or 6 hours by car via Tekapo. Or 8 hours by bike, 9 hours by car via the west coast. These times do not allow for much in the way of sightseeing stops.

Thanks guys. Appreciate that.
6 hours in the car via Lindis Pass for mother and daughter and by themselves is a long time. Mmmmmmm. Might have to save the West Coast for another time.

[AllanB]

Its a nice trip. Wanaka is lovely.

Check out the following:

Lake Tekapo - stop and encourage the family to take a piss in the Hydro lake - If anyone asks what you are doing tell them you are a North Islander you have been using the power and want to give a little something back.

As you travel south - notice how the roads get coarser. I suspect they are part owned by motorcycle tyre companies and designed to tear up our rubber hoops as quickly as possible

[FJRider]

Thanks guys. Appreciate that.
6 hours in the car via Lindis Pass for mother and daughter and by themselves is a long time. Mmmmmmm. Might have to save the West Coast for another time.

Family time is always good... just dont count the number of times you say..."I wish I was on a bike".... You'll just get angry. SO WILL MOTHER...

The west coast will still be there... on the way back ???

[BarBender]

Its a nice trip. Wanaka is lovely.

Check out the following:

Lake Tekapo - stop and encourage the family to take a piss in the Hydro lake - If anyone asks what you are doing tell them you are a North Islander you have been using the power and want to give a little something back.

As you travel south - notice how the roads get coarser. I suspect they are part owned by motorcycle tyre companies and designed to tear up our rubber hoops as quickly as possible

LOL

Family time is always good... just dont count the number of times you say..."I wish I was on a bike".... You'll just get angry. SO WILL MOTHER...
The west coast will still be there... on the way back ???

Would be nice but it sounds like its 9-10 hours in the car back for them!!
Will take your advice and bite the bullet for the week we're down.... (That will be hard....)

On the plus side - I think I will have earned some brownies points to justify a ride back down on my own or with a few mates around Feb....

[JMemonic]

Shame you cant break it up with and overnight along the coast, that way you are not rushing and get to enjoy the scenery.

Mind you I have been known to take 6 hours from Kaikoura to Blenheim stopping to enjoy the view.

[BarBender]

Shame you cant break it up with and overnight along the coast, that way you are not rushing and get to enjoy the scenery.

Mind you I have been known to take 6 hours from Kaikoura to Blenheim stopping to enjoy the view.

yes - a two or even three dayer would be ideal. So much to take in from what I've heard. Next time.

[CookMySock]

The best tool to use for trip-time estimates is wises.co.nz - it has a really accurate time and distance estimator.

If you want to use a non-direct route, use maps.google.com because you can grab the route with the mouse and click and drag it. Also, you can zoom in and use the satellite view to see exactly what is where. It's very good.

Steve

[crazybigal]

well we used to do queenstown -christchurch all the time in the car when we lived in queenstown, that was 5.5hour trip. wanaka would be a little less as you dont have to travel the 40min to queenstown.
up the west coast can be slow, lots of campervans! we did it in april in a car, qtn-hokatika, i think it was a good 7 hours. then 2+ over to christchurch
so maybe 10 hours wanaka -chch via the coast.
west coast on a bike is fun! we did westport to chch via the arthurs pass in 1 day no trouble.