Month+ two-island itinerary for recent retirees, input invited

Greetings. We're a well-traveled and recently retired couple, early 60s, USA east coast, planning well ahead for a month-plus trip slated for February-March 2026. First trip to New Zealand, and who knows if we'll be able to return. See draft itinerary below. All input welcome, but at this early stage mainly seeking input that would affect reservations for flights and key lodging, which we hope to make in a few weeks as reservation windows open. It's an iterative process of course; some of this is based on present indications that a multi-city route flying out of Christchurch instead of returning to Auckland for a round trip will be reasonably price-comparable.

Have driven extensively in rural/wilderness USA, Iceland, Azores, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Ecuador, etc., so I think I have a realistic view of driving times and difficulties, but feel free to tell me if any of this is excessive. (Google Maps driving time estimates for this route are 5.5 hours North Island, 30 hours South Island. I know that's optimistic and the distribution across days is necessarily lumpy, but FWIW, by that measure it averages well under 2 hours per day.) USA residents, so most driving experience is on the right-hand side, but have driven on left in Kenya and will be getting a brush-up lesson in England soon. Part of the reason for the train segments to Hamilton and to Wellington is to ease into the driving. Hamilton partly because I couldn't find a better place to break the train route and access a car rental (hire) agency.

Looking for a probably age-typical mix of scenery, photography, flora and fauna, day hikes, Maori culture, light adventure activities. Quite into LoTR but don't need to be obsessive about it. Softened by some urban arts/culture/craft shopping, but that's not why we're coming. Ample budget but we're not particularly into spending huge $ on short thrills like helicopter tours.

Length is already pushing the envelope on what my wife will like, so looking more for cuts and substitutions than for net additions. Eg, is the Arthur's Pass/Aoraki/Wanaka/Te Anau passage excessive in context? Note that the contemplated 5 nights in Wanaka are partly to catch our breath from frequent packing/unpacking/settling in.

Please comment away!

Numbers starting each line represent the sequential night locations.

|1,2| Auckland - Depart via train to Hamilton, rent car there

|3,4,5| Raglan uplands - Preferred lodging has 3 night min

|6| Rotorua - Hobbiton en route, stay Whakarewarewa. Te Puia?

|7| Hamilton - Arrive end of day, geothermal sites/walks en route, Hamilton Gardens if have time. Depart a.m. by scenic train (Great Journeys Northern Explorer)

|8,9,10| Wellington - urban time, WETA tour. Depart Ferry to Picton, rent car there

|11 to 14| Abel Tasman Nat'l Park - Beach time, day hikes

|15,16| Punakaiki - Pancake rocks, Charleston glowworm cave tour. [Added per comment: Hokitika Gorge.]

|17,18,19| Arthur’s Pass - Stay at Wilderness Lodge (min stay), daily activities

|20,21| Aoraki/Mt Cook - Hooker Valley Track

|22 to 26| Wanaka - Hiking, light adventure tours.

|27,28| Te Anau - Queenstown en route. Milford and/or Doubtful Sound cruise|

|29,30,31| Dunedin - Town (brewpubs), Tunnel Beach, Albatross, Penguins

|32| Oamaru - Steampunk HQ, penguins? Moereki boulders beach en route; check tides. Depart via slight detour: inland scenic route through Windwhistle.

|33,34| Christchurch - Fly out (to SF stop)