$3000 Two Weeks Road Trip At New Zealand South Island (Include Fox Glacier Heli Hike and Sky Dive)

The total expenses (in NZD) of this road trip that two of us spend is tabulated below:

50% of the expenses are spent on Fox Glacier Heli Hike ($429 per person) and Skydive with video ($448 per person). We did both on the same day, so we spent 50% of the overall on that day only!

The others two activity that we spent a lot is Milford Sound Cruise ($40 per person, we booked one week before through the Bookme) and Queestown Skyline Luge  ($60 per person for 5 Luge)

Transport is the second most costly in the road trip. Lucky we got a free upgrade from Nissan Windroad (Mid Size Wagon) to a more sportive Toyota Rav4 (Mid Size SUV). There was an upgrade of NZD300! We chose Mid Size Wagon because we wanted to sleep in the car with lot of space. I bought a Air Mattress Arpenaz 120 (from Decathlon, cost SGD45). I didn't bring the pump, I blown with my own mouth like blowing a big balloon. Haha!!

Find cheap petrol apps: Gaspy

For the accommodation, we slept at the campsite, but not in the tent, it is in the car as sometimes we lazy to set the tent and car could give us a warmer environment. We only found free campsite at Christchurch and Dunedin. Christchurch's free campsite is in the rural area but has good toilet facility. Dunedin free campsite is a car park area which has toilet facility too. This campsite is easily getting full, we got the last parking space! We also experienced one time Holiday Park which is at the Arrowtown, the facilities there are really nice! 

Find camping site apps: Rankerz Camping NZ, WikiCamps NZ

As for the meal, mostly we cooked the food that we bought from the supermarket. When there is no cooking facility in the campsite, have to use the gas stove and camping cookware. I bought a Cooler bag (from Decathlon, cost SGD 25) to cool some food ingredient with ice pack, vegetables still can stay fresh but not meat.

This total expense is excluded flights, souvenirs, snack and biscuits that brought back to the home.

I flight with Air New Zealand from Singapore to Christchurch with transit at Auckland, it cost SGD 1040, this was the promotion price.

With these total expenses (Accommodation, Transport, Meal, Activities) of around NZD 1800 + Flight + Souvenirs and those thing in Supermarket, the total budget with NZD3000 should be doable.

We bought a lot of souvenirs and things from supermarkets!

The chocolates, jams, bars that we bought from the supermarket in the first round!

Souvenirs!

I packed these two wines with air mattress inside the cooler bag. I didn't break!
I also sealed the wines with seal bag in case it breaks. 

Must buy souvenir.

Bars are too cheap in New Zealand!

New Zealand Road Trip Day 16 - Leaving New Zealand

After having breakfast, we spend whole morning arrange and packing the luggage and backpack. Since we can check in 2bags with 23kg, hence we try to pack our thing nicely as we have only one luggage. The others is my big backpack and two small backpack.

We set the tent behind the car so that can easily access our thing when raining.

Last morning for our New Zealand Road Trip

Breakfast

The thing we bought last night

In the afternoon, we went to Christchurch old district to walk around include the traditional church, tan railway. We shopped at several souvenir store.

Christchurch Cardboard Cathedral

185 empty chairs to commemorate those people die in the earthquake

Lunch at Wendy as we don't know what to eat

New Regent Street District

Art in the town

At 3pm, we finished walk at the old district. We were near to a petrol station that only sold nzd 2.01 per liter for petrol 91. Hence we went to add for the last time.

Then we drove west to Sunson asian market. She shopped for the skin and facial care product as this store sell at the cheapest price. I just bought so soap only. We only left the market at 5pm. Since we have to return car at 6pm,we were rush to pak n save by the last things.

After we return the car, we sit the van back to the airport. Prepared back to normal life.

Returning the car

Waiting for the flight

Dinner before flight

On the flight to Signapore after transit at Auckland airport. It is a long journey back

Supper? I was having while watching the movie

Long journey back to Singapore

Early breakfast after few hours of sleep. I was having it while watching the movie

Next day. Flying to the west but sun catch faster than flight

landed Singapore safely

Back to hot and humid country

This is how i packed the two red wine with the air mattress. XD

The souvenir that we bought

The soap and conditioner bought at Asian market

We bought lot of energy bars!

New Zealand Road Trip Day 15 - Back to Christchurch : Kea Point Track, Tasman Glacier Viewpoint, Lake Pukaki, Christchurch

It was so cold to sleep in the car. We were just hiding in the sleeping bag although the alarm ring at 7:30am as it is very cold. When we wake up at 8am, the temperature is just negative 3degree, we were so cold and hurry to boil the water to drink the hot drink. After having the bread with jam breakfast, we hike the Kea point track. The view along the journey is quite amazing as we were getting nearer to the snow-capped mountain. When we reached the Kea Point, we managed to see the Mount Cook and took a lot of photos.

With negative 3 degree, the car wa==iss frost outside

The view here is so nice!

A layer of frost

Start hiking to Kea Point

At the Kea Point

The view is amazing

That's mount cook

Telephoto for Mount Cook Peak

After we went back to the campsite, we boiled water again for coffee before we departed to another walking track. The next track we hike is the tasman glacier view track. It is a climb up track to see the tasman lake and glacier. We only got to see a little glacier as it is retreating.

The view when hiking to the Tasman Glacier viewpoint

That far far away is the Tasman Glacier, It is retreating

Some of the iceberg on the Tasmna Lake

Another side viewpoint is quite amazing too.

After that, we leave Mount Cook Village at 12pm. We stop half way at the Lake Pukaki lookout to cook for noodle soup lunch while enjoy the beautiful scenery of snow capped mountain. After that, we stopped at the Lake Pukaki Salmon shop again, we saw there is the small box of salmon sashimi and hence we bought at try while enjoy the view again. Today is so sunny that there is no many cloud. We still able to see the mount cook from far away. The weather is totally different when we came here first time during day 3.

Take another photo of this again when back

Lunch at the Lake Pukaki Viewpoint

Today weather is very nice compare to the day first time came here. Still able to see Mount cook Peak

Lake Pukaki Salmon

Nice Weather

After that, we departed to Christchurch which is a 3 hour journey. We slowly leaving the snow capped mountain scenery, then back to the normal view of New Zealand and then to the normal highway.

We reached Christchurch around 5:30pm. This is the last night of our trip. Hence we just shopped at the supermarket for foods to bring back home. We were at the Pak’n Save Hornby. Then we went to the Countdown to compare price as it is not far away. After shopped and survey for this foods, it is 9pm already. Then we headed to the free campsite on the first day. After having the simple dinner, we set up the tent, clean some of the thing in the car and sleep.

Messy car inside

Survey for bars

Jam must buy

Late Dinner

She was drunk?

Photo with air mattress when i was cleaning it.