Cool guys! This was in summer (January?) I'm planning to be around the South Island in the end of June/July, I really want to see this road and I prefer to drive it and not take a coach, is it safe to do then?
Yep for sure, we actually just covered a few driving in winter tips during our last live session, we'll release a short video about it this week so keep an eye up for it :)
As a tour coach driver, my advise is... 1, Please stay on the correct side of the road. 2, Do not try and look at the scenery and drive. Pull over in a safe place, there is a few and take your pictures. Sorry to be a sad sack but I travel this road many times a year and see all sorts of action... June should be fine, I'll be there then too. July may get snow, however these days they close the road at the first sign of snow. Please just take your time and be aware of who is behind you, it is a spectacular drive, my favourite. Cheers
@@ExploreNewZealand Great Tips, Thanks! Actual travel will likely be 2nd week of July for Milford Sound. What I'm really not sure about is what happens when they close the road, how long does it stay closed? I normally book hotel reservations in advance, should I not do that? Or just be prepared to lose the reservation and go somewhere else? Or is it possible would have to sleep in the car? I have done lot's of driving in snow in USA, but never in areas where snow chains are required or roads get routinely closed. Also in NZ it looks like there is not always much choice of alternate roads so really not sure how this experience will be, or how likely it even will be that I would run into issues. If you're a coach driver there, I dare say you have a pretty awesome job!
@@come_explore_with_me_IL I don't travel a lot on the winter into Milford Sound, however they have now classed it as a no show road, and they will close it fairly quickly. However it often gets reopened within hours. Re accommodation, where were you thinking of staying in that area? As a general rule only places like Queenstown would be busy at that time of year, but Te Anau won't be. From my experience your should be ok for July, our season are changing and running late. I.e. There we are in last month of Autumn and the weather is not that cold yet. How that helps.
I kinda feel jealous, when we went it was warm and sunny and dry... we missed out on the waterfalls. I see you didn't see an keas when you stopped at Homer tunnel, apparently the keas hang around there because they know the people stop at the traffic lights.
Yeah, we've noticed that we see kea only when it stops raining, so we don't know if that has anything to do with it. As you'll see in the next few days, once the weather clears up, we see a lot more kea.
@@ExploreNewZealand Hi Planned to do the road trip early June (in a few days) So trust based on your review's thats its a good time to drive down to the sounds. We planned to stay the night at Te Anau, and start the journey to the sounds next day morning. What time is best to leave next day?
@@gt5577 Nice: depends on which boat you have booked. On tour we allow 3 hrs to go in. If I was going in by myself I would allow at least 4hrs if you want to take advantage of the photo stops, which are abundant. Plus you have a small walk from the carpark to the terminal. Enjoy your trip and remember be safe and be aware of who is behind you.
Ya i wish to travel by car or campervan....but the problem is that I am from India..n i am fearing whether it will be safe for me to go on a self- drive tour..all the videos that i am viewing on youtube are self driven car journeys..so i wish to do it but i am also fearing because dont know the road rules there..plz give your valuable suggestions..and also tell what are the other options for doing road journey of south islands??are other travelling options worth it just like car journey..do answer every doubt of mine😉😊
You can travel by bus if you you don;t feel like driving, there are heaps of companies like Wild Kiwi (which organise everything for you) to Intercity (That go from point A to point B) But indeed travelling by car is giving you a lot of freedom. Maybe Doubtful sound is better for you so you avoid the crazy Milford Sounds Road. You just start in Te Anau and the tour company takes you on a day trip (Boat - Bus - Boat) to the Stunning sounds :)
I am planning for a 14-15 days south island road trip in december and i am not able to zero in on a final itinerary..i want to include skydiving, jetboat, skylining, milford sound, mount cook,hooker valley, lake tekapo, lake pukaki, lake wanaka, tranzalpine train journey from Christchurch to Greymouth, franz joseph or fox glacier..so can u help me with the best itinerary??n any other thing that can fit in??
![เปิดบ้าน โคตรสวย ป๋องกพล รู้จักตั้งนาน เพิ่งรู้ว่ารวย!!! l [Nickynachat]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/tmgCF_2HfYI/mqdefault.jpg)
Great video.! Very informative! Many thanks ☘️
Thanks for the love Caroline, you are a gem!
Agreed - a stunning drive I did in 2004 when visiting stunning NZ. Thanks guys! 🥶🙏🇬🇧🥶
Yeah it is a drive I could do every day haha! So beautiful!
Dope Video! Sending blessing your way, Keep inspiring!🎒🙌🏻
Thanks team! Will you be travelling through NZ soon?
Cool guys! This was in summer (January?) I'm planning to be around the South Island in the end of June/July, I really want to see this road and I prefer to drive it and not take a coach, is it safe to do then?
Yep for sure, we actually just covered a few driving in winter tips during our last live session, we'll release a short video about it this week so keep an eye up for it :)
As a tour coach driver, my advise is...
1, Please stay on the correct side of the road.
2, Do not try and look at the scenery and drive. Pull over in a safe place, there is a few and take your pictures.
Sorry to be a sad sack but I travel this road many times a year and see all sorts of action... June should be fine, I'll be there then too. July may get snow, however these days they close the road at the first sign of snow.
Please just take your time and be aware of who is behind you, it is a spectacular drive, my favourite.
Cheers
@@ExploreNewZealand Great Tips, Thanks! Actual travel will likely be 2nd week of July for Milford Sound. What I'm really not sure about is what happens when they close the road, how long does it stay closed? I normally book hotel reservations in advance, should I not do that? Or just be prepared to lose the reservation and go somewhere else? Or is it possible would have to sleep in the car? I have done lot's of driving in snow in USA, but never in areas where snow chains are required or roads get routinely closed. Also in NZ it looks like there is not always much choice of alternate roads so really not sure how this experience will be, or how likely it even will be that I would run into issues. If you're a coach driver there, I dare say you have a pretty awesome job!
@@NZPocketGuide Will have a look thanks!
@@come_explore_with_me_IL I don't travel a lot on the winter into Milford Sound, however they have now classed it as a no show road, and they will close it fairly quickly. However it often gets reopened within hours.
Re accommodation, where were you thinking of staying in that area? As a general rule only places like Queenstown would be busy at that time of year, but Te Anau won't be.
From my experience your should be ok for July, our season are changing and running late. I.e. There we are in last month of Autumn and the weather is not that cold yet.
How that helps.
I kinda feel jealous, when we went it was warm and sunny and dry... we missed out on the waterfalls. I see you didn't see an keas when you stopped at Homer tunnel, apparently the keas hang around there because they know the people stop at the traffic lights.
Yeah, we've noticed that we see kea only when it stops raining, so we don't know if that has anything to do with it. As you'll see in the next few days, once the weather clears up, we see a lot more kea.
Or maybe it's just plain old coincidence 😅
Kea are really abundant when it is cooler, they are an ALPINE parrot after all :)
@@ExploreNewZealand Hi Planned to do the road trip early June (in a few days) So trust based on your review's thats its a good time to drive down to the sounds. We planned to stay the night at Te Anau, and start the journey to the sounds next day morning. What time is best to leave next day?
@@gt5577 Nice: depends on which boat you have booked. On tour we allow 3 hrs to go in. If I was going in by myself I would allow at least 4hrs if you want to take advantage of the photo stops, which are abundant. Plus you have a small walk from the carpark to the terminal.
Enjoy your trip and remember be safe and be aware of who is behind you.
Which is betr doubtful sound or milford sound?actually i can travel at one place only..so ur suggestion plz
Both of them are absolutely amazing. Milford Sounds is much easier to access though. Are you traveling by car?
Ya i wish to travel by car or campervan....but the problem is that I am from India..n i am fearing whether it will be safe for me to go on a self- drive tour..all the videos that i am viewing on youtube are self driven car journeys..so i wish to do it but i am also fearing because dont know the road rules there..plz give your valuable suggestions..and also tell what are the other options for doing road journey of south islands??are other travelling options worth it just like car journey..do answer every doubt of mine😉😊
You can travel by bus if you you don;t feel like driving, there are heaps of companies like Wild Kiwi (which organise everything for you) to Intercity (That go from point A to point B) But indeed travelling by car is giving you a lot of freedom. Maybe Doubtful sound is better for you so you avoid the crazy Milford Sounds Road. You just start in Te Anau and the tour company takes you on a day trip (Boat - Bus - Boat) to the Stunning sounds :)
I am planning for a 14-15 days south island road trip in december and i am not able to zero in on a final itinerary..i want to include skydiving, jetboat, skylining, milford sound, mount cook,hooker valley, lake tekapo, lake pukaki, lake wanaka, tranzalpine train journey from Christchurch to Greymouth, franz joseph or fox glacier..so can u help me with the best itinerary??n any other thing that can fit in??
This is our itinerary suggestion for the South Island in 2 weeks -> www.backpackerguide.nz/south-island-in-two-weeks-new-zealand-road-trip-itinerary/
I went on a tour bus there but we stopped for bathrooms
Awesome!
I went there with my family in a bus thought it was at our
You missed a word ;)
A tour
gotcha!
03:20 Whaddaya mean?
It's only 10 metres a year...
...making 100 m of snow on top...
Just going off NZ Weather data :)
At least I went there but it took forever so I will never go there again
Worth the lengthy trip though right?!
Yeah, 6 metres a year...
On the *dry* side of the divide.
explodingtnt