u/Angelotravel99

Hey guys,

I would really love to visit New Zealand in either October or November. I’ve done some reading online, and many people say it’s not worth visiting without a car, so I’d like to confirm whether that’s actually true.

My plan would be to start in Queenstown and end in Christchurch: Queenstown → Wānaka → Aoraki / Mount Cook → Lake Tekapo → Christchurch, with Milford Sound as an optional addition.

The idea is mostly to enjoy the views and do a lot of hiking.

I’ll have around 14 days in total. Since October/November isn’t peak season, I’m not sure whether there will be enough public transport available to follow this itinerary comfortably.

Also, if this route is possible without a car, I’d love to hear suggestions for places nearby that I really shouldn’t miss. Maybe there are some amazing spots along the way that I haven’t considered yet.

Last year I went to Grindelwald, and it’s one of the most beautiful places I have seen in my lifetime. I loved how you are in the village, yet the mountains feel so close and towering right in front of you. The Eiger and the other nearby mountains look incredibly dramatic and majestic.

I also visited Zermatt, which is also very beautiful and surrounded by mountains, but I didn’t get the same feeling there because the mountains felt much farther away from the village.

I wanted to ask if there are any other villages like Grindelwald with such stunning views and authentic Swiss charm, preferably outside the Bernese Oberland, since I want to explore a new region.