Ride the Big 5
Self-Drive Ski Tour to NZ's BIG 5This DIY tour takes in the "BIG 5" ski areas on New Zealand's south island:
Mt Hutt (near
Methven),
Treble Cone and
Cardrona (near
Wanaka), plus
The Remarkables and
Coronet Peak (near
Queenstown).
If you are self-driving and you have some extra time, there is also
potentially visit some of the
New Zealand club fields along the way. For example, on transit from Methven to Wanaka you drive right by a couple of great little ski areas;
Mt Dobson and
Round Hill. You could add a night or 2 and stay in
Tekapo and maybe even add a day in
Ohau on the way from Tekapo to Wanaka.
The
best time to do this trip is between
mid July and mid September.
New Zealand is such an easy place to get around by car, so we highly recommend this DIY tour for your next ski holiday in NZ. Having a car provides the autonomy to go where and when you want to go. One thing to be aware of is that the access roads up to most ski areas in New Zealand are steep, narrow, muddy & slippery (with the exception of Coronet Peak and Round Hill), so consider spending the extra money to hire a 4WD car (with snow chains). If you don't feel confident driving in these conditions, you can still self-drive between the towns and take a shuttle bus up to the mountain each day.
We have used and can recommend the following websites for the best deals on car hire in NZ:
Oodles Car Hire (premium hire); and
Ace Car Rentals (budget hire).
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There are several ways you can start this trip, however we have always
liked to start at Mt Hutt where things are a bit more relaxed and
laidback, and work our way south to the hustle and bustle and excitement of Queenstown. You can then either drop the car
at Queenstown airport and fly back to Christchurch, or drive back up
(which is only about 6 hours if you drive it directly). It doesn't really matter which order you do the trip.
Day 1 - Travel Christchurch to Methven (Overnight Methven)
Fly into Christchurch airport and pick up the hire car (usually this will be from the airport) to drive to Methven, a very easy 1:30 hour drive. Methven is the closest town to Mt Hutt and where most people base themselves for skiing at Mt Hutt and the many club fields in the area.
Our favourite place to stay in Methven is
Mt Taylor Lodge; click here for other
Methven accommodation options.
Day 2 - Ski Mt Hutt (Overnight Methven)
Mt Hutt is one of our favourite ski resorts in New Zealand. It has something for just about everyone. It is child friendly, ideal for intermediates who want to rip up the groomers, and great for advanced skiers who want to head off-piste or ski chutes or steep bumps. On the down-side, Mt Hutt has a reputation for extreme weather conditions and can close due to high winds and / or poor visibility. It is not the end of the world though, as there are various ski fields within easy driving distance from Methven that are often open when Mt Hutt is closed such as
Mt Olympus and
Porters. Or a little further afield are
Craigieburn and
Broken River.
Day 3 - Ski Mt Hutt / Methven Heli Ski (Overnight Methven)
If your budget allows for it and you are a strong intermediate rider or above, consider a day of heli skiing with
Methven Heliski for the greatest day of your life! Methven Heli has some of the best heli skiing terrain you will find anywhere in New Zealand.
If heli skiing is not for you or doesn't fit the budget, head to Mt Hutt for another day of resort skiing (or one of the other nearby ski fields).
Day 4 - Ski Mt Hutt / Helipark / Travel to Wanaka (Overnight Wanaka)
If the budget doesn't allow for a whole day of heli skiing with Methven Heli then consider a day at
Helipark. Helipark is a ski resort without lifts; just a helicopter! It is a relatively cheap way to experience the thrill of heliskiing in a controlled environment. You basically pay for the helicopter to get you to the top and to get home, and then pay by the run thereafter. Heli Park is about 1 hour south of Methven (towards Wanaka) so if you decide to do this, pack the car with all your gear as you are already on your way to your next destination.
This is where you could potentially add a night or 2 and stay at Lake Tekapo and ski at Round Hill, Mt Dobson & Ohua on-route to Wanaka.
The town of
Wanaka is a magnificent picturesque village located on the shores of Lake Wanaka. We highly recommend staying at
The Oakridge Resort Wanaka or
Wanaka Edge Apartments. Also see other
Wanaka accommodation options here.
Day 5 - Ski Treble Cone / Cardrona (Overnight Wanaka)
Treble Cone is renowned as being one of the best, if not the best ski areas in New Zealand. It offers incredibly diverse terrain and a good lift infrastructure. This mountain tends to be more suited to intermediate to advanced riders. Beginners and kids are catered for, but
Cardrona is a far better option for these ability levels.
Day 6 - Ski Treble Cone / Cardrona / Heliski (Overnight Wanaka)
If you haven't been heli skiing yet, or you got a taste for powder and the exhilaration of heli skiing in Methven and your budget is holding up, we can highly recommend
Harris Mountains Heliski. These guys are the largest heli ski operator in New Zealand and have some exceptional terrain around Lake Wanaka.
Day 7 - Ski Cardrona - En-route to Queenstown (Overnight Queenstown)
Given that you drive right past the entrance to
Cardrona, it is ideal to use this opportunity to ski at Cardrona. At the end of the day be sure to have a couple of apres bevies at the
Cardrona Hotel at the base of the ski hill. Another option if you are a terrain park junkie is to head to
Snow Park which is located on the mountain range opposite Cardrona.
There is a huge amount of accommodation in Queenstown and prices tend to be quite reasonable due to high competition. If you want something a little special (and yet still very well priced) we recommend the
Heritage Hotel. At the moderate to budget end of the scale and perfectly positioned, we recommend the
Blue Peaks Lodge. See all
Queenstown Accommodation options here.
Day 8 - Ski Coronet Peak (Overnight Queenstown)
Coronet Peak is an easy 20 minute drive from Queenstown. It is renowned for its exceptional child-friendliness and family facilities. There is not a lot here for expert skiers but there are some great thigh-burning groomers, and the topography provides natural terrain park features for those who like a little air-time.
Day 9 - Ski The Remarkables (Overnight Queenstown)
The Remarkables ski resort is about 45 minutes drive from Queenstown and is ideal for beginners and intermediates. There is also some great expert riding available if you are prepared to hike to it.
Day 10 - Ski Coronet Peak / Remarkables / Heli Ski (Overnight Queenstown)
OK this is your last chance to go heliskiing, so why not end your trip on an extreme high note! There are a couple of choices of reputable heli ski operations in Queenstown;
Alpine Heliski and
Southern Lakes Heliski.
Day 11- Fly / Drive Queenstown to Christchurch / AucklandIn some cases (particularly from Australia) international flights are available directly to / from Queenstown. This will definitely shave transit time off your trip, but often seats are limited and they tend to be expensive compared to flying into Christchurch or Auckland and then taking a domestic flight. Find
cheap flights to New Zealand here.