Offroad-Express

Hi there,

I'm coming on a family holiday to NZ in late November - early December.

Our trip is mostly planned but we have some days off in the Queenstown and Fox Glacier areas and wondering if there are any tracks that would be worthwile to hire a 4x4 for the day to do - or any tracks out to somewhere we could maybe go fishing or do some bushwalking? (we are competent and experienced at both of these)

Ive done a lot of 4x4 ing in Australia so I'm after some tracks that would be medium grade or more, and would probably hire a large 4x4.

Any help in our planning would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers,
David.

Theres heaps of bush walks between fox and queenstown but you dont need a 4wd to get there alot of them start on the side of the road Theres skippers canyon close to queenstown which is a nice easy trip.

WOW skippers canyon road looks awesome!!

So do you think we would be able to do it in the Toyota Camry we are hiring?

On google images theres a picture of a warning sign saying "Some vehicles are not insured past this point", do you know if that means the hire car just wont be insured or does it mean you are not legally allowed to drive hire vehicles along it at all?

Cheers.

You should be fine in a camary, Dad and I took mums Corolla into skippers (he didn't want to take his car ) but you shouldn't have any problems. I'm not sure how you'd be placed with insurance. Other times I've been in with my terrano there have been other small cars. It's basically just a gravel road thats rather narrow in places.

If you go, watch out for the rafting buses. The guys that drive them seem intent on forcing you to back up as much as possible. We got caught by one arsehole driver who had a pull in bay about 10m behind him but kept driving forward until he was at our bumper. We had to back a few hundred meters up the road to get to the next passing area all while he was right on the bumper.

Nevis Valley could be worth a Drive, can get through in a 2WD although probably wouldnt take a rented Camry, maybe hire a Prado instead?

http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Garston&daddr=-45.1285358,169.1532105+to:Bannockburn&hl=en&geocode=FSI5Sv0dW-cNCikjf9hI773UqTEt4ACUT8NuDw%3BFalkT_0duhIVCinnOxVy0SorqDE3Mc2MjGToFA%3BFWX8T_0dsDEVCill1wVdUtXUqTGhfKbSBWee7g&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=12&via=1&sll=-45.080309,169.150314&sspn=0.119273,0.307274&ie=UTF8&ll=-45.224612,169.043884&spn=0.475887,1.229095&z=10

I don't think hire car companies let vehicles into skippers full stop. Have you sussed out where you are going to hire the 4wd from. There will be no hire avaiable at Fox and the last time my mates came over and hired a 4wd, it had to be done from CHCH. Just do your home work mate. Another option is maybe ask some of the boys on this forum if they would take you on a day trip and go as a passenger. If you can get out of Queenstown then head to the Serpentine and Old Man range. Now that's some good country.
Al

If you like river crossings macetown is another good trip.

As far as 4wd rentals in queenstown go, there were quite a few prado rentals around in the winter, so tehre must be some available. We hired a double cab hilux a few years ago too but I don't think that company is still around

albundy wrote: If you can get out of Queenstown then head to the Serpentine and Old Man range. Now that's some good country.
Al

Now those tracks would be cool to thrash a rented 4wd on lol dont think they'd like the condition of the 4wd when you gave it back
But awesome country alrite.

None of the rental companies in queenstown offer any off-road insurance unfortunately. There is a company in Christchurch that rents Surfs and Prados, with insurance for offroad use, but it's a bit of a drive from there.

ferozious wrote:Hi there,

I'm coming on a family holiday to NZ in late November - early December.

Our trip is mostly planned but we have some days off in the Queenstown and Fox Glacier areas and wondering if there are any tracks that would be worthwile to hire a 4x4 for the day to do - or any tracks out to somewhere we could maybe go fishing or do some bushwalking? (we are competent and experienced at both of these)

Ive done a lot of 4x4 ing in Australia so I'm after some tracks that would be medium grade or more, and would probably hire a large 4x4.

Any help in our planning would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers,
David.

There are several excellent tracks relatively local to Queenstown (ie within an hours drive). Skippers is a good option, but pretty much all the car hire companies specifically prohibit the use of their vehicle on Skippers Road. Off the top of my head there is also Macetown, Bullendale, Tobins Track, Eyre Creek, Upper Mataura, Nevis Valley, Waikaia Bush Road, Dunstan Road, Serpentine Church, Paradise, Rees River, Bendige, Thompsons Gorge, Hawksburn Road, Carricktown, Old Man Range.

Plus several others where landowner permission is required.

I don't know what the cost would be to hire a 4WD for such use, but it may be cost efficient to simply buy a cheap 4WD for use while you are here, then flog it off as you leave.

There are walking tracks everywhere - have a look on the DoC website.

You may also want to catch up with one of the two local clubs and see if they have a trip running when you are here - Shotover 4WD Club in Queenstown and Central Otago 4WD Club in Alexandra. PM me if you like.

Cheers