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North Island
WELLINGTON - NELSON - via St
Arnaud BLENHEIM - Christchurch FERRY (WELLINGTON-PICTON), depends
on the type of ferry (2hours 15mins or 3hours)
PICTON - NELSON (110km/68miles, 2hours 10mins)
Catch a ferry service across Cook Strait with your Budget
Motorhome into the beautiful Marlborough Sounds (visit www.interislandline.co.nz for Interislander and Lynx ferry
timetables and information).
If travelling with a vehicle it is advisable to book ahead.
Some rental car companies require that vehicles are dropped off
in Wellington and that the rental is renewed in Picton.
On arrival with your Budget Campers Motor Home Rentals in the picturesque town of
Picton, follow the signs to Queen Charlotte Drive. This scenic
drive skirts the south-western corner of Queen Charlotte and
Pelorus Sounds to the small town of Havelock, the home of mussel
farming in New Zealand. Main street Havelock boasts a number of
quaint colonial buildings - boutique cafes, galleries and the
opportunity to taste mussels grown in marine farms in the
sheltered bays of the nearby Sounds. Pelorus Bridge is a popular
stop on this journey with its short bush walks and picnic areas.
Continue the journey to Nelson, arriving mid-afternoon.
Stay in Nelson for the next two nights.
For more information on the Nelson region visit www.nelsonnz.com
NELSON REGION
Nelson is known for its year-round sunshine, golden beaches,
proximity to three National Parks, 300-plus working artists and
craftspeople, boutique wineries, fresh local produce and seafood,
historical streetscapes, waterfront cafes and restaurants, and a
thoroughly relaxed lifestyle.
Explore the following areas in the Nelson region:
- Nelson city - the
urban centre of the Nelson region, a compact city of
40,000 people. From Nelson visitors can organise an
adventure, begin an arty shopping spree or start a survey
of the Nelson fresh food feast. Pick up art and craft
trail guides from the Visitor Information Centre for the
journey.
- Motueka and approaches
- this is the fruit belt of Nelson, a band of rich land
across the middle of the region that supports apple and
pear orchards, vineyards, berryfruit growers, hop
gardens, and kiwifruit and stonefruit orchards.
It has also proved fertile ground for artists and
craftspeople, and the approaches to Motueka are perhaps
the most intensely arty of all roads in the region.
- Golden BayCampervan is
only two hours from Nelson city, is an extraordinary
experience in - the road trip to Golden Bay in your Budget Camper itself: a scenic drive over Takaka Hill, the marble
mountain. There are well sign-posted lookouts, and the
marvels of Harwoods Hole (176 metres/577 feet deep) and
the Ngarua Caves are well worth visiting.
- Another attraction in the
Golden Bay area is Te Waikoropupu Springs: visit
these large mineral springs set in native bush - wahi
tapu (sacred place) to the local Maori iwi (tribe). These
are New Zealand's largest freshwater springs, set in a
reserve protecting old gold workings, regenerating forest
and a fine patch of mature bush. The Springs include easy
walkways with interpretative panels and are located off
State Highway 60, 7 km/4 miles north of Takaka.
For those visitors able to
stay additional days in the area, a trip to either the Abel
Tasman or Kahurangi National Park is recommended:
- Abel Tasman National Park
The smallest of New Zealand's
national parks, Abel Tasman is a compact treasure house
of nature with glittering beaches, turquoise water and
spectacular ocean views. A range of wildlife inhabits the
area, including penguins and a seal colony in the Tonga
Island Marine Reserve.
Visitors can
experience the Park in the following ways:
- The Abel Tasman
Coastal Track (three to five days): this
popular year-round walk can be undertaken with or
without a guide. There are a number of
accommodation facilities, ranging from basic
Department of Conservation huts and lodges to
independently owned lodges with excellent
facilities. Bookings are recommended in summer
months and passes are required if camping or
staying in Department of Conservation huts
- Sea kayaking
(one-day to multi-day trips): explore the
coast from the water, rest on beaches with no
foot access and observe the water wildlife.
freedom camping is an option when overnighting.
Kayak rental operators are based at Marahau,
Kaiteriteri and within the Park. They offer
guided trips and Budget rentals and provide
equipment, instruction and full safety briefings
- Day trips or
overnight stays: water taxis can drop
visitors into the Park to walk sections of the
Track. Visitors also have the option of staying a
night in a variety of accommodation styles. There
are also day cruises and nature tours that
include walking through the Park
- Kahurangi National Park
This Park of 451,000 hectares/1.1 million acres of
glaciated mountain ranges and rich forest is home to an
exceptional variety of native plants and wildlife. The
best known hiking trail is the Heaphy Track, a walk that
takes four or five days from the Aorere Valley across to
the northern West Coast and Karamea.
Activities in the area
include:
- Walking and tramping:
there are more than 570 km/354 miles of track in the
Park. Enquire at the local Department of Conservation
office for information walks. The more popular longer
walks include the Heaphy Track (one of New Zealand's
Great Walks) and the Wangapeka Track. Short walks are
available at most road ends
- Rafting: remote, wild
rivers are a feature of Kahurangi
- Fishing: the Park has
many rivers prized internationally for their trout
fishing
There are many back country huts
in the Park. A wide variety of accommodation is available in the
nearby towns, from backpackers to luxurious lodges.
For more information on National Parks visit www.doc.govt.nz click on Recreation then National Parks
Other activities that require additional days in the
Nelson region include:
- Guided tours to Farewell
Spit: enjoy this nature reserve on a sandspit jutting
into the Tasman Sea. There are excellent 4WD safaris
along the Spit to the lighthouse and bird habitats -
these are based in Collingwood, and it is recommended
visitors book in advance for the safari trip
Wharariki Beach: experience
a wild and beautiful coastal landscape, where the wind and waves
have created massive rock and sand dune formations. Easy half-
and full-day walks
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