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Travel By Car: How to Plan a Road Trip in New Zealand 🚙 [2024]

Nz pocket guide is 10 years old. thank you for trusting us with your trip for over a decade, everything you need to know about planning a road trip (by car) in new zealand.

So you’ve decided you want ultimate freedom to travel the country at your own leisure by travelling by car in New Zealand . That’s awesome! This guide will tell you all you need to know about travelling by car and how to plan a road trip in New Zealand, from what sort of license you need to road trip budget and more!

This ultimate guide to travel by car in New Zealand is for both those international visitors who want to rent a car in New Zealand and those who are staying in the country for a while and therefore prefer to buy their own. We’ll go over where to rent or buy a car from, important road rules to know for driving on New Zealand’s roads, what costs to expect, how to plan a road trip itinerary and even where you can legally sleep in your car if you want to.

So get ready to hit the road with this guide to travelling New Zealand by car and how to plan the ultimate New Zealand road trip!

What You Need to Drive in New Zealand

Are you able to drive in New Zealand? You can legally drive in New Zealand if you have a full valid driving license written in English. If yours is not in English then it must be accompanied by either an International Driving Permit (IDP) or a translation which has been approved by the New Zealand Transport Agency. You can read more about these in:

• Why You Need an International Driving Permit for New Zealand
• How to Translate an Overseas Driving License for New Zealand

Further Things You Need to Rent a Car

If you are renting a car, you may come across a few other restrictions, such as age restrictions that may mean you have to pay a young driver’s surcharge for being under 25 years old or a mandatory insurance excess reducer. However, this does not apply to all rental companies so be sure to compare your rental options. Check out more on the subject in Age Restrictions When Renting a Vehicle in New Zealand or simply choose a company from  The Best New Zealand Car & Campervan Rentals for Ages 18 to 25 .

Do You Need a Credit Card to Rent a Car in New Zealand?

A final thing you may need when renting a car in New Zealand is a credit card, or at least a Visa or MasterCard debit card. In order to hire a car in New Zealand, you need to provide a bond, also known as a security deposit, which will be returned to you upon dropping off your vehicle providing the vehicle is undamaged, has a full fuel tank and meets the other conditions of the rental agreement.

The bond is usually the same price as your insurance excess option, which can range from NZ$250 to $4,000! Because is a lot of cash to hand over upfront, car rental companies tend to prefer taking a credit card imprint, which means they will have access to the specified amount of money from your credit card should you damage the vehicle. Therefore, a credit card with Visa or MasterCard is needed to hire a car from most companies. Many companies are happy with a Visa or MasterCard debit card, while a rare few rental companies will accept a cash deposit.

Head over to  How to Hire a Car or Campervan in New Zealand Without a Credit Card  for more advice on the subject.

Getting a Car in New Zealand

Now you need a vehicle. How you go about getting a car in New Zealand varies depending on whether you rent or buy.

Should You Buy or Rent a Car in New Zealand?

Deciding on whether to buy or rent a car in New Zealand basically depends on how much time you have in New Zealand. If you plan to be in New Zealand for less than a month, then renting a car is the fastest no-nonsense way of getting on the road quickly. On the other hand, buying a car is much more cost-effective if you plan to be in New Zealand and need to use a vehicle for much longer.

Each method has its pros and cons, for instance, renting a car is much more straightforward than buying a car, which is often time-consuming and requires maintenance. Nevertheless, if it’s not obvious whether you should buy or rent a car to travel New Zealand then take a look at our complete guide, Should You Rent or Buy a Vehicle to Travel New Zealand?

How to Rent a Car in New Zealand

It’s simple. Compare car rental companies by following the tips in How to Compare Car and Campervan Rental Companies in New Zealand and simply make a booking with your desired dates and pick-up/drop-off locations. When you make a booking, you will either have to pay the price of your rental in full or make a non-refundable deposit. Either way, when you rent a car in New Zealand you pay for the rental before you drive the car, not when you drop it off.

The Best Car Rental Companies in New Zealand

While we’re here, we might as well share with you some of the best car rental companies in New Zealand. Check out the links to rental company comparisons based on pick-up locations:

• The Best Car Rental Companies in  Auckland
• The Best Car Rental Companies in  Wellington
• The Best Car Rental Companies in  Christchurch
• The Best Car Rental Companies in  Queenstown
• The Best Car Rental Companies in  New Zealand

Plus, check out Booking.com or DiscoverCars.com for cheap car rental deals.

New Zealand Car Relocations

It’s also worth mentioning car relocations, which can actually be the cheapest type of car rental in New Zealand! This is when rental companies need to relocate vehicles from one depot to another, often offering the rental for free! The downside is that usually the relocation is required to be completed within just a few days. Find if it’s the right option for you by checking out our full car relocation guide,  New Zealand Car Relocations: How to Get Free Car Hire .

For much more details on the car rental process, be sure to check out  Renting a Car in New Zealand: The Essential Guide .

How to Buy a Car in New Zealand

Because buying a car is usually a large investment, you will really want to make sure you follow all the necessary steps when buying a car. You can find cars listed on backpacker or city/town Facebook Groups , the New Zealand auction site TradeMe , car dealerships, even hostel notice boards and more. Use a combination of these, as well as what we mention in 5 Ways to Find a Car for Sale in New Zealand to find some vehicles quickly.

Next, you will need to arrange a car viewing with the seller. Make sure to inspect the car for any faults, do a test drive and make sure the vehicle has all the necessary certificates, such as a Warrant of Fitness (WOF) , which is a legal requirement to drive on New Zealand roads. There’s a lot to go through but don’t worry, we go through it all in Buying a Car in New Zealand: Step by Step .

What Type of Car to Rent or Buy in New Zealand

So the next question is, what type of car should you get for travelling in New Zealand? The New Zealand car scene is awash in Japanese imports, such as Toyota , Nissan , Mazda and Honda , so these are the makes that are the cheapest to buy or the most available to rent. But here, we’re focussing more on whether you need to rent or buy a small to medium car, a large car (like SUV or 4WD) or an electric car.

Small to Medium Cars

Perfect for : Travelling from city to city, either solo, as a couple or as a group of three or four. Rental budget : Cars can go as low as NZ$25 per day in the low season to over NZ$100 per day for higher-end models in the high season.

Fuel efficient and reliable, the small to medium car is the most economical choice. A car with 2WD (2-wheel drive) is the same car that you are probably used to back home. Car rental companies use a wide range of models to satisfy every need, from the classic  Nissan Maxima  to the all-time favourite  Toyota Corolla  without forgetting the  Gertz ,  Swift  and other small to medium car models. Other options include people-movers which are cars that can accommodate up to six people comfortably like the  Toyota Estima .

Large Cars (SUVs and 4WDs)

Perfect for : Travelling in style with a group of friends or family, accessing ski fields, and accessing more remote gravel roads, if the rental agreement allows. Rental budget : 4WD usually starts around NZ$70 per day in the low season and can be more than NZ$195 per day in the high season.

You will also find 4WD (4-wheel drive) and SUVs for rent in New Zealand. It is absolutely not necessary to get a 4WD to enjoy New Zealand. Almost every spot that international visitors go to can be accessed with a normal car. A few rare instances where you might prefer a 4WD vehicle are accessing ski field roads in the middle of winter (although, there are usually shuttle alternatives available) and accessing remote areas for hunting, fishing and tramping.

Instances where you might find SUVs a better rental car in New Zealand are for travelling on New Zealand’s gravel roads, of which there are many when you go off the main tourist routes. However, be sure to check that your car rental agreement allows you to take your rental vehicle on gravel roads, as many do not. The extra space that SUVs provide for groups and families may also be a reason to hire.

The type of models available range from the  Nissan Pathfinder ,  Toyota RAV4  or the  Hyundai Tucson .

Electric Vehicles (EVs)

Perfect for : Environmentally-conscious travellers or those wanting to save money on fuel. Rental budget : In the low season, you would be able to find a small EV car for around NZ$70 or a Tesla at NZ$195 per day. In mid-summer, it is common to find them up to NZ$150-$215 per day.

With models across the spectrum, electric vehicle rentals are becoming more and more popular in New Zealand. What’s more, the infrastructure is in place to keep your vehicle charged throughout New Zealand.

When it comes to size and practicality, see the sections above for the benefits of small to medium cars, as well as campervans and motorhomes. The only categories that electric cars are lacking in New Zealand are 4WDs and SUVs.

When it comes to fuel efficiency, EVs obvious come out on top with charging stations costing much less (or are sometimes free) compared to refuelling with petrol or diesel – see our how-to at  NZ EV Guide: How to Travel Around New Zealand in an Electric Car . Electric vehicles are also one of the more  sustainable transport options .

Weigh more of the pros and cons of each vehicle type in our guide,  What is the Best Type of Car to Rent in New Zealand?

How to Drive in New Zealand

Now you’re ready to hit the road! Wahoo! But for your own safety and the safety of others, make sure you read up on the rules of the New Zealand roads.

While you can get more in-depth details in our guide, How to Drive in New Zealand , these are the main things you need to be aware of.

13 Essential New Zealand Road Rules

• Keep left! In New Zealand, we drive on the left side of the road
• When at a traffic light and the light turns green, give way to pedestrians first before turning
• It is illegal to use your phone while driving , you must use a hand-free set
• There is an alcohol limit for driving
• Do not overtake when the road has solid yellow lines
• Only overtake when it is safe to do so, such as when there is a passing lane
• Keep left on passing lanes when you are not overtaking so other vehicles can pass you
• You can only park on the side of the road in the same direction as the traffic flow
• Stick to speed limits
• In winter, have snow chains if you intend to drive anywhere with snow
• Slow down for animals on the road and wait for the farmer’s instructions
• Slow down on gravel roads
• Respect the priority markers on one-way bridges (which there are a lot of in New Zealand).

Travel Times and GPS

One extra thing to note is the New Zealand travel times and using a GPS. Expect travel times to take longer per kilometre than what you would expect on straight roads and motorways. Most of New Zealand’s road network consists of winding roads, gravel roads, narrow roads, as well as some motorways and straight roads.

Always prepare for journeys to take a little longer than the estimated time given on your GPS, especially on the South Island. If you are going somewhere a little off the beaten track, it is best to compare the directions of your GPS to another map or satellite view. Your GPS is likely to find the fastest route, which can sometimes be old gravel roads and sometimes dangerous tracks. What’s more, some GPS data may be wrong or not updated so always double-check the route.

New Zealand Road Trip Budget: The Cost of Travelling by Car in New Zealand

Whether you’re renting a car or driving your own, there are some costs to consider for your road trip budget in New Zealand. Here, we focus on the car-related costs, which we also go into much more detail in  The Cost of Renting a Car or Campervan in New Zealand: FULL Guide . If you want to add food, accommodation, activities, etc. to your budget, be sure to check out  NZ Travel Budget: How Much Does a Trip to New Zealand Cost?

Cost of Fuel

The obvious cost is fuel. Of course, fuel costs vary throughout the country and on whatever is going on in the fuel industry, but the average cost for petrol is usually NZ$2+ per litre (approximately NZ$7.60+ per gallon). For diesel, it’s NZ$1.35+ (approximately NZ$5.10+ per gallon) but you also have to pay a road user charge (RUC) which is around NZ$76 per 1,000km (621 miles). Charging electric cars in New Zealand is between NZ$5 and $10 per 100km (124 miles).

Check out weekly fuel price data on the MBIE website and RUC costs on the  NZ Transport Agency website .

Another cost to put into your budget is the cost of the ferry between the North Island and the South Island. Prices are around NZ$175-255 one way for a car with one passenger. Find out more in our complete guide to the Ferry Between the North Island and South Island .

The three toll roads in New Zealand are all on the North Island: the Northern Gateway Toll Road , the Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road and the Tauranga Takitimu Drive Toll Road . Find out more in our guide to the Toll Roads in New Zealand .

Car Rental Costs

If renting a car, there is the obvious daily cost of the rental itself, which ranges from NZ$20 a day to NZ$200 a day, depending on the vehicle and season you rent. Other fees may include a young driver’s fee if you are under 25 years old, a one-way fee if dropping off the vehicle in a different location to where you picked it up, and an extra driver’s fee. There may also be optional extras like hiring a GPS or snow chains. If there is any damage to the car that you cause, it is likely you will have to pay for damages unless you have paid for top insurance. We’ll go through more of that below.

For a full car rental cost breakdown, check out The Cost of Renting a Car or Campervan in New Zealand: FULL Guide .

Car Maintenance Costs

When having your own car, there is the risk of it breaking down or having some sort of engine problems. It’s up to you to get these fixed, as most insurance companies don’t cover major expenses past the basic breakdown cover. To reduce the chances of this happening, make sure you really check a car before buying it, plus keep the car well-maintained while it is in your care. Follow the tips in How to Maintain Your Car for Travelling New Zealand . Be aware that you also may need to update the WOF certificate of vehicle registration too.

Car Insurance

While car insurance is not mandatory in New Zealand, some people do prefer to pay for insurance in case the worst should happen and the expenses are too much for them to afford. For your own car, we suggest you look at How Car Insurance Works in New Zealand to help decide whether car insurance is right for you.

When renting a vehicle, basic insurance is almost always included in the price. You have the option to drop the excess to a lower value by paying extra. For example, a high excess that might be included in your rental could be NZ$3,000, but you may have the option to reduce this excess to, for example, NZ$250 excess for an extra daily cost of NZ$25. For more information, check out  New Zealand Rental Car & Campervan Insurance: Explained!

Where Can You Sleep When Travelling by Car in New Zealand?

Those travelling by car in New Zealand must sleep at commercial accommodations (or any private property where you’re lucky enough to be invited). We’ll go through your accommodation options below, but first:

Can You Sleep in Your Car in New Zealand?

Some people when travelling around New Zealand want to sleep in their car to save money on accommodation. However, there are only a few designated places where you can legally do this: campsites and holiday parks. Sleeping in your car in any public place is illegal and getting caught could land you an instant NZ$200 fine. For more advice on the subject, check out Car Camping NZ: Where to Camp if Your Campervan is Not Self-Contained .

So, where can you sleep when travelling by car in New Zealand?

Backpacker Hostels

Backpacker hostels are often the cheapest option to stay for those travelling by car. Hostel prices in New Zealand range between NZ$20-$35 per person per dorm bed, although, private rooms are also available at around NZ$80-$120 per room per night. There are communal facilities available for cooking, laundry, bathrooms, etc. Find out more about hostels in What is a Hostel? A Beginner’s Guide to Backpacker Hostels .

For travellers who prefer a little more privacy, motels usually come as private units with an ensuite bathroom and either tea/coffee-making facilities or a kitchenette with cooking facilities. There are units with sleeping arrangements of just a double bed up to multiple bedrooms. Prices for motels range from NZ$130 for two people to NZ$150-$250 for four people per unit. Check out what typical New Zealand motels are like by browsing our  Motels  category .

Holiday Parks

Commercial holiday parks usually have all the facilities: powered sites for campervans, motel-style units, a toilet block, cooking facilities, showers, laundry and much more. These facilities come at a price with powered sites and tent sites often similarly priced between NZ$15-$50 for two people. Holiday park units are priced similar to motel rooms (see above). To find out more, check out our  Accommodation Guide to Holiday Parks in New Zealand .

Hotels and Lodges

Offering privacy and perhaps a little luxury, hotels and lodges are another popular choice of accommodation in New Zealand. Although less practical than motels and holiday parks, as they are less likely to have self-catering facilities, they may offer their own meal options, breakfast inclusions and experiences. Hotels can be found in New Zealand’s main cities, while lodges are more likely to be found in New Zealand’s towns and rural areas. Hotels (excluding budget hotels) and lodges cost around NZ$160+ for a room with just a double bed for sleeping arrangements. Have a browse of some of them in our Hotels   and  Boutique Accommodations  categories .

If you want more options to be able to sleep anywhere in New Zealand, consider travelling in a self-contained campervan or motorhome. More advice can be found in  How to Plan a Campervan Trip in New Zealand: FULL Guide . Or check out our video:

Where to Go: How to Plan a Road Trip Itinerary in New Zealand

So the big question is: where are you going to go on your road trip in New Zealand? Road trip itineraries should be catered to your interests, visiting destinations with the experiences you want to do and the sights you want to see. While we have a full guide on  How to Create the Perfect New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary , here’s a quick rundown on some New Zealand destinations.

North Island

• Bay of Islands  for its islands, beaches and getting out on the water
• Auckland  for its volcanoes and city life
• Rotorua  for the geothermal activity and Maori culture
• Tongariro National Park  for volcanic landscapes and hikes
• Whanganui National Park  for canoeing in the wilderness
• Taranaki  for volcanoes and surf
• Wellington  for capital city vibes and great food

South Island

• Picton  for its water activities
• Abel Tasman National Park  for beaches, forest, kayaking and walks
• Kaikoura  for marine wildlife
• Franz Josef & Fox Glacier  for glaciers, heli-hiking and hot pools
• Queenstown  for adrenaline activities
• Fiordland National Park  for untouched wilderness and Milford Sound
• Aoraki Mt Cook  for mountains
• Stewart Island  for remote wilderness and wildlife.

Pre-Made New Zealand Road Trip Itineraries

Once you’ve got some dream destinations selected, it’s just a case of connecting the dots on the map and researching what amazing things there are to see and do along the way. To make the whole process easier, we’ve compiled countless itineraries categorised by budget, luxury, honeymoons/couples, families, foodies and more. Head to our Trip Ideas category to start browsing, or, start with these:

• North Island in One Week : Road Trip Itinerary
• South Island in One Week : Road Trip Itinerary
• North Island in Two Weeks : Road Trip Itinerary
• South Island in Two Weeks : Road Trip Itinerary
• New Zealand in Two Weeks : Road Trip Itinerary
• New Zealand in Three Weeks : Road Trip Itinerary
• New Zealand in a Month : Road Trip Itinerary .

Again, check out our Trip Ideas category for much more examples for planning the perfect New Zealand road trip by car.

More About Travelling by Car in New Zealand and How to Plan a Road Trip

That’s it for our complete guide to travelling by car in New Zealand and how to plan a road trip. But, don’t worry! We have many more road trip tips for you at the ready:

• 20 Ways to Save Money on Car Rental in New Zealand
• 12 Safe Driving Tips for New Zealand
• 10 Things We Like About a Road Trip in New Zealand

Finally, for more essential NZ tips, don’t miss the  31 Tips for Travelling in New Zealand !

The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:

• Tourism New Zealand (General travel advice - Updated [2024])
• Immigration New Zealand (Visa and immigration advice - Updated [2024])
• New Zealand Customs Service (Customs and Biosecurity - Updated [2024])
• New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD online platform - Updated [2024])
• Tiaki Promise (Care for people place and culture - Updated [2024])
• Safe Travel (NZ travel advisories - Updated [2024])
• Stats NZ (Statistics and travel data - Updated [2024])
• Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (Road and transport tips - Updated [2024])
• DriveSafe (Road safety - Updated [2024])
• Council websites and freedom camping maps (Local travel advice region by region - Updated [2024])
• AdventureSmart (Know before you go - Update [2024])

Our editorial standards : At NZ Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.

About The Author

This article has been reviewed and published by Laura, the editor-in-chief and co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. Laura is a first-class honours journalism graduate and a travel journalist with expertise in New Zealand and South Pacific tourism for over 10 years. She also runs travel guides for five of the top destinations in the South Pacific and is the co-host of over 250 episodes of the NZ Travel Show on YouTube.

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The BEST New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary in 2024

• Last Updated: April 10, 2024

Read on for an epic New Zealand road trip itinerary for a bucket list journey of a lifetime!

New Zealand is spectacular. At times it seems as though there is picture-postcard scenery at every turn.

For many travellers, a New Zealand road trip is pretty close to the top of their travel bucket list.

Whether you’re hiring a campervan or car, exploring New Zealand with your own set of wheels is the best way to experience this rather stunning area of our planet. 

The North Island and the South Island both offer incredible scenery and attractions for a New Zealand road trip.

Whether you plan to explore one or both islands, we’re going to dive into the top things to see and do in New Zealand for an epic road trip.

Table of Contents

Where to Start Your New Zealand Road Trip

Driving in new zealand , hiring or buying a vehicle, responsible travel in new zealand, how long is this new zealand road trip , bay of islands and the northland, coromandel peninsula , mount maunganui and rotorua , lake taupo and the tongariro national park , waitomo and the forgotten world highway ,  mount taranaki to wellington , ferry crossing from wellington to picton, picton to the abel tasman national park , abel tasman national park to kaikoura, kaikoura to the west coast via the arthurs pass national park , hokitika to haast , haast to wanaka, wanaka to queenstown, queenstown to milford sound or doubtful sound, the sounds to the catlins national park , catlins national park to the otago peninsula , otago peninsula to mount cook national park, mount cook to akaroa, akaroa to christchurch , planning your new zealand road trip.

Before you can get started on your New Zealand road trip we want to walk you through a few decisions you’ll need to make.

We’ll discuss transport and safety on the roads, as well as responsible travel. We want to provide you with a little information that will make your road trip safer and more enjoyable.

Then we’ll talk about the highlights of both the North Island and the South Island of New Zealand so you can plan your road trip itinerary!

Most people will fly into Auckland on the North Island and make their way south, or fly into Christchurch on the South Island and make their way north or further south for their New Zealand itinerary.

For this New Zealand road trip itinerary, we’re going to start in Auckland and finish up in Christchurch .

However, any New Zealand road trip itineraries can also be done in reverse. The Christchurch to Auckland route can sometimes result in cheaper rental fees due to it being less popular than Auckland to Christchurch.

Before embarking on a New Zealand road trip it’s worth doing some research to get to know the road system a little better.

First, in New Zealand, you drive on the left-hand side of the road. This is not a great surprise as it was formerly part of the British Empire.

Second, you should expect the roads to be narrow and very windy. Driving in New Zealand is not like driving on the open highways of the USA or Australia.

Expect journeys to take much longer than they would in your home country. 

Roads are in excellent condition and people in New Zealand are generally very courteous drivers.

However, during peak travel seasons don’t be surprised if you find yourself behind a huge 6 berth camper van at some point. 

Road conditions are a super important thing to consider when planning a road trip anywhere, but especially on a New Zealand itinerary!

This really depends on how long your New Zealand itinerary will be. If you’re buying a vehicle you will need to add time to the beginning and end of your road trip.

Generally, if your New Zealand itinerary is 6 weeks or less it’s not really going to be cost or time effective to buy a vehicle.

If you have longer than that, however, buying may be the best option.

So get the calculator out and start the number crunching. 

The best way to get around is to rent a car and explore on your own! We recommend Rental Cars , which has the largest range of vehicles for the best value on the market.

“Freedom camping” is limited to certain locations and self-contained vehicles.

If you’re self-contained, this means that you can go for three days or more without dumping waste or water, have a toilet, fresh and wastewater storage and a rubbish bin with a lid. 

There are clear signs where you can and cannot freedom camp and what the vehicle requirements are.

Sadly there are a small number of people that continue to spoil it for everyone by freedom camping where they shouldn’t.

Or they freedom camp in vehicles which are not self-contained or they leave their rubbish for someone else to clear up.

Please don’t be one of these people. 

New Zealand road trip itineraries can last as long or short as you want. We want to share some awesome road-tripping ideas from across the country that can be pieced together as you see fit.

We also have a New Zealand itinerary post that takes you through 1, 2 and 3-week itineraries. You may find this useful in planning how much time to spend in which destinations throughout. Check it out !  

Important Note! Before you book any international trip, we honestly recommend getting travel insurance. You never know when things will go wrong, and medical bills can add up quickly if you get sick or injure yourself overseas.

Our personal recommendation based on our own experience is World Nomads .

New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary – North Island

You’ll begin this New Zealand road trip itinerary on the North Island in Auckland. From here we’ll take you the length of both islands.

Click here for a Google Map of the North Island road trip itinerary

Spend your first couple of days getting over the jet lag and exploring New Zealand’s largest city. Check out the Sky Tower as well as the Auckland Museum and Art Gallery.  

Take a day to get out of the city and explore the city’s beaches and hiking routes before picking up the keys to your vehicle and heading out onto the open road. 

READ MORE: How to travel Auckland like a local !

From Auckland head north to the Bay of Islands. The towns of Paihia and Russell are big draws here.

However, en route make sure you visit the spectacular Tutukaka Coast .

This stunning stretch of coastline is rarely visited and with numerous deserted beaches and awesome views, it offers something very different from Paihia and Russell. 

From the Bay of Islands, you can continue heading north towards Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach.

This off-the-beaten-track area of New Zealand is particularly breathtaking. However, it is noticeably economically depressed in parts.

The vast majority of people lack the time to make it this far as it’s another day’s drive from the Bay of Islands.

If you have the time it’s well worth it, but if your time is limited then you may wish to spend it elsewhere.

From the Bay of Islands, double back on yourself and loop around Auckland before arriving at the base of the Coromandel Peninsula.

Many people will skip this and head on to Taupo or Rotorua.

However, doing this will mean you will miss out on one of New Zealand’s most incredible yet secret destinations. 

One of the highlights of this part of New Zealand is quiet coastal roads that at points hug the ocean’s edge. As you begin to circle around the end of the peninsula you head up into the hills offering some lovely views. 

There is some stunning coastal scenery dotted along the peninsula. Cathedral Cove and the hot water beach to the south of it are particularly lovely spots on the eastern side of the peninsula.  

As you leave the Coromandel Peninsula head towards to small coastal town of Mount Maunganui to check out its gorgeous beach and the stunning views from the top of Mount Maunganui itself. 

After some time in the town of Mount Maunganui head over to New Zealand’s geothermal capital Rotorua.

On the way check out Te Rerekawau and Mclaren Falls , two excellent spots for a break from driving. 

You also have to visit Wai O Tapu Thermal Wonderland on your trip to New Zealand. As part of the Okataina Volcanic Centre, Wai O Tapu has the coolest geothermal views and landscapes.

From Rotorua hop on the Thermal Explorer Highway and head down towards Lake Taupo and the central region of New Zealand’s North Island 

READ MORE: Be sure to consider these things to do in Rotorua !

After following the Thermal Explorer Highway from Rotorua you will arrive at Lake Taupo, the North Island’s adventure capital.

Every New Zealand road trip must include a stop in Taupo. Its central location allows you to branch out to other areas of the North Island without having to double back on yourself.

After getting your fill of adrenaline activities in Taupo head towards the stunning Tongariro National Park along the south edge of the lake.

Expect stunning views, especially if you’re travelling around sunset. 

The Tongariro National Park is stunning and is home to numerous excellent hikes.

Make sure you base yourself around Whakapapa where there are several accommodation options including an excellent holiday park for those travelling in a campervan.

Whakapapa is the starting point for many hikes and is very close to Mangatepopo car park , the starting point for the Tongariro Crossing , regarded as one of the best one-day walks in the world

Check out our New Zealand itinerary and our article on the top 25 things to do in New Zealand for some additional suggestions on things to do in both Taupo and the Tongariro National Park. 

For this section of the New Zealand itinerary, there is a bit of doubling back on yourself. However, I promise it’s worth it. 

From the Tongariro National Park head north towards the tiny town of Waitomo just a stone’s throw from the town of Te Kuiti , which prides itself as being the sheep shearing capital of the world. 

Spend your time in Waitomo deep underground exploring the area’s caves , with the Lost World being the pick of the bunch. 

From Waitomo double back on yourself and head to the town Taumarunui and hop on the spectacular and rarely visited Forgotten World Highway .

Running through some gorgeous New Zealand countryside the highway ends in the town of Stratford , very close to Mount Taranaki.

With its almost perfect cone, Mount Taranaki reminds many of the more well-known Mount Fuji. The area is home to some spectacular hikes. 

From Mount Taranaki head towards the east coast and follow it all the way down New Zealand’s wet and windy capital, Wellington .

There are numerous tiny beach towns to stop at on the way, with windswept Hitamangi being a decent place to spend the night. 

If you’ve skipped the sections from Tongariro to Taranaki, then an alternative route is the rather lovely road that follows the Mangawhero and Whanganui Rivers all the way to the coast offering some spectacular scenery en route. 

Spend your time in Wellington at the Te Papa Museum to learn about New Zealand’s history.

Head up to Mount Victoria for some lovely views over the city. And spend at least one evening eating and drinking on Cuba Street .

READ MORE: Check out these other great things to do in Wellington !

New Zealand South Island Road Trip

New Zealand South Island road trips are more common and, honestly, more adventurous than those on the North Island.

But clearly, if you’re visiting New Zealand you should plan to see both the North and South Islands. If you’re short on time, however, and you can only visit one island, the South Island has more dramatic scenery and adventure activities.

Click here to check out a Google Map of the South Island road trip itinerary .

Park up on the ferry and get ready to enjoy some spectacular views as you come toward Picton through the Marlborough Sounds on your crossing to the South Island of New Zealand.

This is, of course, weather-dependent. I’ve done this crossing twice, once in the winter and once in the summer.

The former was a crossing of wind and rain and not much else. Check out this map of the South Island to provide some frame of reference for your trip and add to your itinerary beyond our recommendations below.

This section of our New Zealand South Island road trip is littered with some awesome stop-off points.

There are plenty of hikes and places to explore on the edge of the Marlborough Sounds as you follow the coast around reaching the small city of Nelson.

There’s plenty to keep you occupied here for a few days. 

Beyond Nelson, it’s a straight shot to Kaiteriteri , a town on the very edge of the Abel Tasman National Park.

There is plenty of great hiking through the park. But you should also consider kayaking in Abel Tasman National Park .

READ MORE: Be sure to add these things to do in Nelson while you’re there.

This area of New Zealand always leads to difficult decisions. Head straight to the West Coast via Murchison and the Buller Gorge, cut across the South Island via Hammer Springs, or loop back around via the Marlborough Wine Region. Decisions decisions. 

Since we’re planning to head to Kaikoura, we’re going to look at the latter two options (don’t worry we will get to the west coast I promise). 

If you’re a fan of wine and coastal scenery then head to Kaikoura via the Marlborough Wine Region stopping in at various vineyards along the way.

The alternative is to head for Hammer Springs via the Buller Gorge. Spend a night in Hammer Springs soaking in hot pools or just enjoying the scenery, then hot foot it down to Kaikoura. 

Kaikoura is one of the wildlife capitals of New Zealand. The vast majority of this can be found in the waters surrounding the peninsula which is home to a staggering array of wildlife.

Whether you want to watch whales and albatross, swim with dolphins, or kayak with seals it’s up to you. 

From Kaikoura head south and back to the West Coast via the stunning Arthurs Pass National Park .

Although this route does involve some extra kilometres on the road, I promise you it’s absolutely worth it. 

This gorgeous National Park is rarely visited in comparison to others in New Zealand. There are numerous hikes available as well as plenty of places to simply pull up and enjoy the scenery. 

The Jackson Retreat Alpine Holiday Park is a great option for those who want to spend a night in the area.

As well as spectacular views over the national park itself, the park also has its own glow worm trail and hike to a lovely waterfall. 

Coming via Arthurs Pass will spit you back onto the west coast just north of Hokitika , a town famous for its gorge and beaches.

If you want to can double back north along the west coast road toward Punakaiki and Westport before doubling back on yourself and heading back down towards Hokitika. 

From Hokitika, it’s a straight shot south down the wild west coast to the small town of Haast . On your way, you will pass through glacier country.

Around both the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers numerous short hikes offer some pretty amazing views. 

The views on the entire journey down are pretty spectacular, no doubt you’ll be stopping plenty of times to take photos. 

From Haast, you have 2 options. Follow the Haast Pass through to the beautiful Wanaka.

Or head due south to Jackson Bay , the end of the line on the west coast.

The latter of these offers empty roads and stunning desolate beaches. With small mountains jutting out of the land a couple of hundred metres from the ocean’s edge, the view when taking a dip is stunning.

If you head down to Jackson Bay then double for Haast and then take cross the Haast Pass through to Wanaka. 

The journey through the Haast Pass is full of stunning scenery, short hikes, and some gorgeous waterfalls with the blue pools being particularly beautiful.

Make sure you have a good pair of walking boots as Wanaka is full of awesome hiking trails offering some breathtaking views. 

Many people also choose to go hiking in Mount Aspiring National Park on the way to Wanaka.

READ MORE: Check out more activities in Wanaka .

Make sure your camera is charged because this drive is a beauty.

Taking you past the stunning Crown Range and The Remarkables as you enter Queenstown this journey is truly special. 

I’d also recommend heading up to the tiny town of Arrowtown which is in between Wanaka and Queenstown.

From Queenstown take a day trip up to the stunning little town of Glenorchy . This drive is also an absolute stunner. 

READ MORE: Be sure to add these great Queenstown activities to your itinerary!

No doubt about it, the drive from Queenstown to Te Anau is an absolute stunner.

From here the road splits; north to Milford Sound and South to Doubtful Sound.

From Te Anau to Milford Sound is probably more spectacular than the route down to the edges of Lake Manapouri from where Doubtful Sound cruises depart. 

Milford Sound is one of the most popular destinations in the country and is a must on a road trip of New Zealand’s South Island. Many people visit Milford Sound as a day trip from Queenstown.

But if you’re driving your own car on a road trip, you have the luxury of visiting Milford Sound on your own time and spending some time there. Then you can continue on after seeing the famous Milford Sound.

However, of the sounds, it is Doubtful Sound that I feel is the more spectacular of the two.

At 3 times the length and 10 times the area of its more well-known cousin, it is simply awe-inspiring. 

This gorgeous but rarely visited national park is bypassed by the main SH1 highway, enjoying a calm and carefree life far away from the majority of travellers that flock to New Zealand’s shores.

Winding country roads, breathtaking coastal scenery, and oodles of hiking trails are just the start of this part of your road trip.

Head down Curio Bay and Porpoise Bay to experience some of the park’s most famous residents – the curious Hectors Dolphins that are sometimes keen to come to socialise with swimmers. 

From the Catlins head to the gorgeous Otago Peninsula . This is another wildlife haven with albatross viewing and seal kayaking on offer.

At night head over to the Royal Albatross Centre to watch the Little Blue Penguins returning to their nests after a day hunting out in the open ocean. 

The eastern portions of the peninsula are home to some gorgeous beaches and equally stunning hiking trails which are well worth checking out. 

READ MORE: Plan to do some great hiking on the Otago Peninsula .

This gorgeous drive follows the coast up through the town of Omaru through Twizel and onto one of New Zealand’s most stunning sights – Mount Cook .

As you follow the coast up from the Otago Peninsula make sure you stop in at Omaru to check out the town’s funky steampunk vibe.

If you stay the night there is an additional Little Blue Penguin colony that you can observe in the evening.

From Omaru journey inland towards the small town of Twizel . This is a gateway to Mount Cook National Park, with many using it as a stopping point to maximise the enjoyment of the drive to New Zealand’s highest peak.

This is because the drive along Lake Pukaki , towards Mount Cook is simply breathtaking, and maybe one of the most stunning drives in the country.

Therefore it makes sense to do it first thing in the morning when you have the best light and the fewest people.

The road up to Mount Cook is littered with stunning viewpoints. However, Peter’s lookout is probably the pick of the bunch. 

If you’re in a campervan make sure you head for the Whitehorse campsite . This awesome DOC site is the starting point for the Hooker Valley Trail and the Kea Point Track . 

Also, make sure you check out the hikes around the Tasman Glacier as well. 

This long but stunning drive takes you along the banks of Lake Pukaki and Lake Tekapo. Lake Tekapo is one of New Zealand’s most gorgeous lakes.

Next you’ll head through the heart of Canterbury, and onto the Banks Peninsula , which is one of the most picturesque places in New Zealand. 

Along the south edge of Lake Pukaki stop in at the Alpine Salmon Shop to chow down on some excellent sashimi.

Make sure you check out the Church of the Good Shepherd on the banks of Lake Tekapo.

There are some rather lovely hikes in the area, plus some awesome stargazing to be had from the Mount John Observatory . 

There are a fair few quaint towns that you may want to stop in en route. The small town of Fairlie is famous for its bakery which serves some truly spectacular pies and close proximity to the Mount Dobson ski field.

The small town of Lake Tekapo is also a lovely place to stop. There are lots of hikes and a Dark Sky Reserve where you can stargaze.

If you’re here in the winter then Mount Hutt is another worthy skiing spot. However, you will definitely need snow chains on your tires. 

Bypass Christchurch and make a beeline for the small town of Akaroa , the main town on the stunning Banks Peninsula.

Spend a few days exploring the many hiking trails that crisscross the peninsula.

Head over to Okains Bay to explore and relax on this stunning and often deserted beach. 

If you fancy getting up close to some of the area’s wildlife there are some excellent dolphin swimming and watching tours .

Christchurch is the final stop on this NZ road trip. A short drive from Akaroa, it certainly makes a pleasant change 

Christchurch is well known for its botanical gardens and cathedral. The latter is still being held up with a mixture of structural support and scaffolding after the 2011 earthquake.

It’s still fenced off, acting as a timely reminder of New Zealand’s precarious position at the hands of Mother Nature. 

READ MORE: Check out some of the best things to do in Christchurch !

DISCLAIMER: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, which means if you book accommodation, tours or buy a product, we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. These commissions help us keep creating more free travel content to help people plan their holidays and adventures. We only recommend the best accommodations, tours and products that ourselves or our fantastic editorial team have personally experienced, and regularly review these. Thanks for your support, kind friend!

Richard Barnes

Hi, We’re Alesha and Jarryd!

We’ve been traveling the world together since 2008, searching for the planet’s best destinations and adventures.

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Do you have any info on hotels , B&B’s to stay at in New Zealand, north and South Island?

Hi Marion, that is awesome you are travelling to NZ. Best to hop online and check out the reviews for places and see which one suits your budget and location. All the best and have a great trip.

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An Epic New Zealand Road Trip – Itinerary, Tips, and Planning

This is Part 1   of our 4 part series on planning the ultimate New Zealand road trip. We will cover every aspect – itinerary, accommodation, packing, driving, budgeting – of planning an unforgettable drive through the north and south islands in New Zealand:

Read Part 2 – Where to stay in New Zealand  (opens in new tab)

Read Part 3 –  Travel Fashion – What to pack for a trip in New Zealand  (opens in new tab)

Read Part 4-  How much will that Road Trip in New Zealand cost  (opens in new tab)

They say a road trip in New Zealand shouldn’t be the first one you go on because it spoils you rotten. It offers so much that any other road trip you might take in the future just leaves you hankering for more. Having driven through the length and breadth of the country, we can tell you it’s true!

I travel for images. When I think of our summer in New Zealand I think of bees buzzing over symmetrical rows of fragrant lavender, magnetic fuchsia lupins sprouting from the ground, sun-soaked beaches, hissing volcanoes and geysers spitting steam to fields full of flowers, and perfectly-preened alpine villages. It truly doesn’t get more scenic than this!

Highlights of our New Zealand road trip

Here are some things you shouldn’t miss for the world when you are in New Zealand:

• Turquoise lakes in Pukaki and Mackenzie country
• Drives and hikes around Queenstown, especially Coronet Peak and Crown Range
• Thermal wonderlands in Rotorua. Spitting volcanoes, geysers, mudbaths, and steamy fumaroles – Rotorua has it all.
• Clouds suspended over South Island’s lakes each morning
• The coffee! New Zealand is a coffee lover’s paradise. You will find great coffee everywhere, even at gas stations.
• The night sky over Lake Wanaka
• Picnics amidst sun-drenched landscapes with freshly-picked berries and Kiwi wine. We loved locally-produced Pinot Noir.

This is the route we followed while we were in New Zealand. Our day by day account will give you further details of our road trip. The official New Zealand tourism website  also has great options for hikes, day trips etc. It’s worth consulting when you’re in the area. Let’s go:

Day 1: Fly into Auckland and gear up for your road trip

Write away this day as you’ll fly into New Zealand – we flew in from Fiji to Auckland and flew out from Christchurch to Sydney. Flight connections into and out of New Zealand are very good – we always use Skyscanner to compare flight prices. The long flight is bound to leave you tired, so spend the rest of the day collecting your rental car and stocking up on groceries for your trip. Make sure you get a good night’s sleep before beginning your road trip in New Zealand.

Here are a couple of things to keep in mind about renting a car in New Zealand:

• Unlike Iceland , you don’t need a 4X4 for New Zealand unless you’re travelling in a large group and need a spacious vehicle. A basic car will suffice as roads are in excellent condition and all landmarks are accessible via paved roads.
• Camping is extremely popular in New Zealand and there are tons of free/affordable camping sites in the country. Most car rental providers have a number of motorhomes and campervans on offer.
• You will need to drop off your rental car at the ferry terminal in North Island before boarding a ferry to South Island. You can pick up another car at the ferry terminal on South Island. We rented an economy car with Hertz – it’s always a good idea to compare car rental prices – we suggest doing that here . We booked the car online before flying to New Zealand. We picked up our first car at Auckland Airport and dropped it at the ferry terminal on North Island. We took the ferry, crossed over to the South Island and picked up our second car at the terminal itself. The process is seamless. Our ferry was delayed by an hour but the Hertz office at Picton remained open beyond official opening hours. We dropped off the second car at Christchurch Airport before boarding our flight back home. All in all, a seamless experience with Hertz when it came to car rental.

Sleep – We got to Auckland at an unearthly hour (2.30 am), so we slept at an airport hotel. We stayed at Ibis Hotel Auckland Airport . It’s a 5 minute cab ride/15 minute walk from the arrival gates. There’s a large supermarket next door where you can stock up on groceries and snacks.

Day2: The fun begins in Auckland

Explore the city of Auckland during the day and drive to the rugged Muriwai beach in the evening. A gorgeous drive through pick-your-own farms and picturesque pastures takes one to Muriwai beach. The beach is just 40 minutes away from Auckland but its stark wild beauty stuns. It is home to an impressive colony of Gannet birds between August & March. Forces of nature are at their best and fiercest here: huge waves crash against rocks as nesting birds rest on clifftops. Muriwai’s dramatic coastline is especially stunning during sunset. Entry: Free, Parking: Free

Sleep – We stayed at a private ensuite room at Haka Lodge, Auckland City .

Day 3: Drive to Rotorua via Coromandel Peninsula

If you love your roadtrips as much as we do, then take a long-winded detour to the Coromandel Peninsula before ending up in Rotorua. Sure you’ll be on the road for 3 extra hours, but it’s worth it!

The Coromandel Peninsula, jutting out at the eastern corner of the North Island, is home to spectacular beaches and woodlands. Leave Auckland early in the morning, picnic along the way, and head to the one of Coromandel Peninsula’s famous beaches for the afternoon. We spent most of our time at Cathedral Cove, a dramatic cerulean beach framed by volcanic rocks. There is a park-and-ride facility to ferry visitors from the car park to the entrance. Entry is free and the park-and-ride ticket costs NZD 5/person. The beach is a 40 minute walk from the entrance.

You could stop at the little town of Tairua for a cup of coffee and head onwards to Rotorua. If you drive through the Coromandel Peninsula, you’ll reach Rotorua in the evening. Sleep early and get a good night’s rest after a long day on the road 🙂

Sleep – We stayed at Shula Lake House on Days 3-5, a quaint and beautiful B&B overlooking Lake Rotorua

Day 4: Explore New Zealand’s Thermal Wonderlands In Rotorua

Locals joke that you can smell Rotorua before you see it and it’s true. The town is famous for its sulphur pools and bubbling geothermal areas and you can smell the sulphur EVERYWHERE. Rotorua is the site of incredible thermal activity. Unfortunately you will have to pay entrance fee to enter all geothermal reserves in New Zealand . Unlike Iceland or Bolivia, most Geothermal Areas, especially the dramatic ones, are all charged here 🙁

But Rotorua’s geothermal areas are astounding and you shouldn’t miss them for the world. In fact, they were one of the highlights of our road trip in New Zealand . There are many options to choose from, so we chose 2 based on locals’ recommendations:

1. The aptly named Hell’s Gate is one of the most dramatic geothermal reserves we’ve ever visited. This is because the heat source is very close to the surface of the Earth here: the Earth’s crust is extremely thin in certain places here, so visitors are constantly warned not to steer off the designated paths. There are bubbling sulphurous springs, volcanic mud pools, steaming fumaroles, highly acidic Sulphur baths, a unique cooking pool, and the Southern Hemisphere’s largest hot waterfall. The temperature of the pools ranges from 40 degrees celsius to a whopping 145 degrees. The bubbling lava, hissing steam, inferno pools and unique mud volcanoes will have you marveling at Mother Nature.

Maori people used these naturally occurring sulphurous and acidic waters for treating aches, pains, and war wounds. Today it’s not possible to touch these formations. But if you want to get deep and dirty, it’s possible to take a dip in the adjoining mud baths at Hells Gate. The mud here is said to have healing properties, so slather away…..

2. We also visited the popular Wai-o-tapu reserve , also known as a Thermal Wonderland . Wonderland is the right word because here at Wai-o-tapu it’s possible to see some incredibly colourful manifestations of thermal activity – entire pools of orange, green, and yellow lie next to steaming geysers and dreamy white terraces. These unique natural formations left us completely gobsmacked. I couldn’t get enough of the Artist’s Pallette, a large pool deftly coloured in shades of blue, green, yellow, and orange by naturally-occurring minerals . The intensity of the colours keeps changing according to water levels, the direction of the wind, and sunlight, so I found it hard to tear myself away from it.

The adjoining Champagne Pool is no less dramatic. Greens, oranges, and metallic outline the pool and complement the bubbling CO2 : the result is a surreal formation that seems to have walked right out of a postcard. Then there is Devil’s Bath, a cloudy green lake, that keeps changing colour with the wear. One thing’s for sure – you, like us, won’t forget your visit to Wai-o-tapu for a long long time

Top Tip : Wear sturdy shoes to explore geo-thermal areas and go early to avoid crowds. We reached Hell’s Gate at 9.00 am and almost had the entire reserve to ourselves.

Day 5: Enjoy Rotorua’s Free Attractions and relax at a spa

Fortunately there is also plenty of free stuff to be enjoyed in Rotorua. Drive by Ohinemutu to see a modern day Maori Village for yourself. This isn’t a cultural attraction perse, so it’s a good way to peak into the real lives of Maori locals in 21 st century New Zealand. Kuirau Park has some sulphur activity and it’s free to witness : however it is nowhere near as dramatic as the geothermal activity in the paid parks.

We recommend spending the better part of the day driving along Lake Rotorua, the famed Blue and Green Lakes, and Lake Tarawera . Picnic by the banks of the Blue Lake and spend the rest of the afternoon walking around the absolutely dreamy Redwood Forest . The Redwoods are home to tall trees and boast of dozens of walking trails.

Spend the evening at one of Rotorua’s famed thermal pools. We spent it at Polynesian Spa , which is a bit of a legend in Rotorua. It is home to naturally acidic waters, said to vanish aches and pains. Local rugby players are said to swear by these hot pools. It also boasts of alkaline pools with antiseptic properties – according to local legend, this water is the elixir for ageless beauty! We don’t know about the veracity of those claims, but a dip in Rotorua’s thermal spring water did leave us invigorated. Polynesian Spa has a variety of pools – we rented one of their tiny private pools, at quite a reasonable rate (NZD 27/person for 30 minutes).

Day 6 The Thermal Explorer Highway and Taupo

It’s time to leave your hotel in Rotorua and get back to the road. However New Zealand’s geothermal areas don’t end with Rotorua – geysers, mudpools, hot springs continue along the route known as The Thermal Explorer Highway.

Evidence of volcanic activity and sulphur springs is everywhere to be seen. Drive down to the bustling town of Taupo via the Waireki Terraces . The chalky silica terraces, surrounding bright blue pools of bubbling water, are one of the most unique things you’ll see in New Zealand. The complex also has some rather beautiful thermal pools but we skipped them as we’d had our fair share of soaking in thermal pools in Rotorua. Entry to the the terrace walkway costs NZD 12.50 and there’s an additional charge for using the pools.

Instead of the thermal pools, we chose to spend our evening at Huka Falls . There are various scenic points overlooking the falls and there is a pleasant 1 hour walk around the falls if you’re craving some activity. Both entry to the falls and parking are free

Sleep : We slept in a private room at Haka Lodge, Taupo on days 6&7

Day 7: Explore Taupo

Lake Taupo (toe-paw) was formed thousands of years ago by a volcanic eruption. Its volcanic character ensures a proliferation of steaming mud pools, silica terraces, and thermal valleys. The Lake itself is the focal point of all activity: its shores are lined with restaurants, cafes, and bars. We were in Taupo on a dreary grey day, so we spent it lazing on the shores of the lake, enjoying a languorous lunch in the town, and devouring one too many cups of coffee at Ozone Coffee Roasters (highly recommended).

In case you’re in the mood for something more adventurous, Taupo is the getaway for a gorgeous 17 km hike to the Tongariro Alpine Crossing . We didn’t get a chance to go on the hike but heard great things about it from fellow travellers.

Day 8: Interislander Ferry Terminal via Wellington

This was a long day that took us through some of the most scenic panoramas on the North Island of New Zealand. Taupo’s volcanic environs give way to a sensational stretch of highway through a desert, which in turn swiftly gives way to fields of flowers and vineyards, with towering mountains on the horizon. This part of the drive through the North Island of New Zealand is sure to cast a spell on the most skeptical of tourists – sunlight spills over through the windows as the car glides through villages dotted with picture-perfect cottages, orchards laden with fruit, and bright purple flowers billowing in the wind.

Plan your route for the day depending on the schedule of the ferry that will take you to the South Island. We booked an afternoon ferry with Interislander – we left Taupo early in the morning and had a gorgeous brunch in Wellington, walked around and finally reached the ferry terminal by 1 pm, dropped our rental car, and checked in our bags. If you’ve booked a rental car with international providers such as Hertz then you will have to drop the car off and pick another vehicle on the South Island.

Our ferry was delayed a bit. Don’t think of the ferry crossing as a mere commute – the Interislander ferry passes through the scenic Cook Strait and there are great vistas on offer. There’s wifi on board, so I spent a bit of time indoors. Needless to say, Vid was on the deck clicking photos throughout the 3 hour ferry ride. Urgh photographers 😉

Top Tip : Have a leisure lunch at a winery in Hawke’s Bay on this day. If you don’t want to splurge at a winery in Hawke’s Bay or find a restaurant in Wellington, pack a picnic because there are plenty of opportunities along the way.

Sleep : We slept at at a ‘luxury’ apartment in Picton, but it was quite a let down, so we can’t recommend it. But we would recommend spending this night in Picton (search for accommodation here ), where the ferry pulls up, instead of driving onto Kaikoura.

Day 9: Whale watching and hiking in Kaikoura

Kaikoura is THE place to go whale watching on your road trip in New Zealand. We were there on a day when the probability of spotting whales was low and most tours were cancelled, so we had to give it a miss. Oh well!!

Instead we went for a long rambly walk on the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway – the well-maintained walkway traverses the cliffs of Kaikoura and offers stunning views of the Kaikoura Peninsula. There’s a colony of seals, rare birds (sparrows, titis, albatrosses) and plenty of flora along the way to keep you occupied. Golden fields overlook the azure ocean, ensuring an invigorating experience. We were there on a grey, dreary day and still loved it. I can imagine it being absolutely spectacular on a clear day. Parking and entry to the walkway is free. The entire walk takes around 3 hours but you can turn back anytime. Take your camera, water, and raincoat.

Once you’ve worked up an appetite and made your way back to the car park, head to town to sample Kaikoura’s fresh seafood. There are plenty of restaurants in town but Kaikoura Seafood BBQ seems to the most popular. The take-away has been featured in Lonely Planet and locals love it too.

Top Tip : Don’t book your whale watching tour in advance. Kaikoura’s weather is notorious and tours get cancelled at the last minute quite frequently. It’s best to enquire about whale-watching conditions once you are there and then book a tour.

Sleep : We slept at Brook House B&B for the night.

Days 10 & 11 –Arthur’s Pass National Park (New Zealand You BEAUTY!!)

This part of South Island is where the fun truly begins for any road trip enthusiast. We have no qualms in admitting we enjoyed the scenery of South Island much more than North Island. As far as drives are concerned, this is the stretch where the magic begins . The drive along the Great Alpine Highway is sensational – clouds suspended over mountains and lakes dilly dally with daisies and lupins.

You will cross Castle Hill , where Maori and European settlers cleared the forest centuries ago. The huge limestone boulders are said to have provided shelter for Maoris. The boulders are unmissable and definitely worthy of a stop. Castle Hill, home to one of the most scenic public toilets in the whole wide world. If it seems familiar, it’s because portions of ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ were shot here .

Arthur’s Pass, nestled in the heart of New Zealand’s Southern Alps, is the highest pass across the Southern Alps. It will definitely be one of the most scenic places you will see on your road trip through New Zealand. Arthur’s Pass Village, an alpine village surrounded by forests and mountains on all sides. Just 5 minutes from the village is the spectacular Bealey Valley . You’ll find glacier views, entire fields full of flowers, stunning drives, and forests in the area. It offers a lot of hiking and photography opportunities and we stayed in a rustic cabin overlooking the valley.

We spent the afternoon walking to the Devil’s Punchbowl Falls . The return loop takes about 1 hour. If you want something shorter and less strenuous, try the Millennium Walk :This walks takes you over a little stone bridge where you can see Avalanche Creek Waterfall. If you want something longer, look up the stunning Bealey Spur Walk.

Sleep: We slept at The Bealey Hotel – they’re comfortable (not luxurious) and the location is exceptional.

Day 12 – Wanaka via Lake Matheson, Fox Glacier, and Franz Jozef Glacier

It’s hard to get enough of the pristine Alpine beauty of this area of New Zealand. Barren river beds, glacial valleys, New Zealand’s characteristic purple lupins swaying in the wind, daisies peeking out of rugged cliffs, and gorgeous villages populated with colourful cottages along the way. This is where the drive becomes truly special. Stop for a picnic and take a short helicopter tour and hike at Franz Jozef Glacier . The drive to Wanaka through Lake Matheson, Fox Glacier, and Franz Jozef Glacier is a long and tiring one – you might consider breaking it and spending a night around Fox Glacier.

Sleep : We slept in a private ensuite room at Base Wanaka for 2 nights in Wanaka. It was rather busy and noisy, so if you’d prefer some peace and quiet, we’d suggest looking at some other options for Wanaka

Day 13 – Explore Wanaka

After the long drive on Day 12, it’s best to relax on this day. However if you’re feeling active (and we were!), opt for a short trek to the  Diamond Lake lookout  or Lake Hawea lookout. We chose for the former. The Diamond Lake circuit is just 45 minutes long but you can continue onto the Wanaka lookout point. We went all the way upto the Wanaka lookout and the entire circuit took about 2 hours.

Wanaka is a compact town and it’s easy to explore on foot. Spend a leisurely morning walking along the lake – you could also go kayaking or sunbathe on the shores. Try the scrumptious coffee and ice-cream at Patagonia Chocolates. Make sure you grab an afternoon nap because we recommend going star-gazing at night . The night-sky at Lake Wanaka on a clear day is mesmerising – in fact, we’ve never seen so many stars even when we were deep in the Bolivian Wilderness

Day 14 – Drive to Queenstown

Queenstown is a short drive from Wanaka but it’s one that takes ages. That’s because you will feel compelled to stop and take photos every 2 minutes. There are 2 ways to get to Queenstown but make sure you take the Crown Range route to Queenstown –  this is the highest main road in New Zealand and it’s a beautiful drive. There are plenty of lookout points as you drive through New Zealand’s Lake District. This drive offers a bit of everything – glistening lakes, ice-capped peaks, and stunning roads. Try to spot keas (mountain parrots) and enjoy the journey – it truly doesn’t get better than this.  You’ll also pass Cardrona, a small township where you can stop for coffee.

Sleep : We slept at Lake’s End Lodge for 4 nights in Kingston, close to Queenstown. However, this place has now closed (during the pandemic). However, there is no dearth of accommodation options in and around Queenstown

Day 15: Explore Queenstown

Choose lake-side accommodation and you could wake upto clouds suspended over Lake Wakatipu. Spend a leisurely day exploring everything that Queenstown has to offer: drives, picnicking in the countryside, and panoramic points of view. Queenstown is so picturesque, it will definitely leave you gobsmacked! If you’re into adventure sports, Queenstown is also extremely popular for bungee jumping and sky diving.

If there’s one thing you need to do see in and around Queenstown, it’s Glenorchy. I know I said that drives don’t get better than Wanaka-Queenstown  –  I lied! The 40 minute drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy  is probably the most scenic drive you’ll ever experience . No wonder then, there’s a place called Paradise just up the road from Glenorchy. A number of movies including The Lord of The Rings and Wolverine have been shot here – one look at the grand landscapes and you’ll know why!! On your way back from Glenorchy to Queenstown, take a li’l detour on a gravel road for Lake Moke . It’s a perfectly secluded picnic spot – we loved it!

Day 16: Milford Sound 

Help me, I’m running out of superlatives here! Leave your hotel in Queenstown early for a drive to the heart of New Zealand’s Fjordland on Day 16. Milford Sound was referred to as the Eighth Wonder of the World by Rudyard Kipling, so we had high expectations from it. As with everything else in New Zealand, it delivered!!

The drive to Milford Sound is a long and scenic one. Make sure you stop at the reflective Mirror Lake to stretch your legs. Grab some snacks and get your fuel tank topped up at Te Anau because there are no gas stations or supermarkets between Te Anau and Milford Sound.

You’ll start spotting hand rugged cliffs as you inch closer to Milford Sound. Once there, Mitre Peak, the distinctive mountain you’ll spot on most postcards, will greet you. That’s the cue to look around and absorb jaw-dropping 360 ° views of New Zealand’s Fjordland. The views multiply manifold as you hop on a short cruise at Milford Sound. We took an afternoon cruise with Cruise Milford , which allowed us to get up close and personal with waterfalls, rainbows, sea-lions, and the gorgeous scenery at Milford Sound. The landscape here reminded both of us of the  Norwegian Fjords .

Optional : We’ve spent a lot of time exploring fjords in Scandinavia, so we opted for a short afternoon cruise at Milford Sound. However if this is your first time exploring Fjords or they simply fascinate you to no end, you could opt for a long multi-day trip to Doubtful Sound.

Day 17: Otago’s wineries & scenic drives in New Zealand

Now that you’ve had your fair share of glistening crystal lakes and craggy peaks, it’s time to enjoy the finer things in life. Spend the morning exploring Otago’s wineries . Book a wine-tasting tour or simply drop by a winery (Amisfield and Mt. Difficulty are two of the most popular options!) for a leisurely lunch. Sample some wines as you go along. If wines aren’t your thing, walk up Queenstown Hill or take the Skyline Gondola for stunning views of Queenstown.

Spend the evening in Arrowtown , a historic gold mining town. Take Gorge road from Queenstown towards Arrowtown  and go up Coronet Peak for some incredible views . Once you’re in Arrowtown, just walk around the charming historic settlement full of vintage candy shops, restored cottages, and restaurants. You could also explore gold-mining sites or the Chinese settlement by the river before you grab dinner in Arrowtown. End your stay in Queenstown with a spot of star-gazing – you can spot the elusive Milky Way on most clear nights.

Optional : Spend two days in Dunedin to see yellow penguins and visit the Otago Peninsula for the Albatross Colony.

Day 18: Drive to Christchurch via Mt. Cook and Lake Tekapo

After 4 nights in Queenstown, it’s time to leave it and drive onward to Mt. Cook National Park, famous for its flora. The drive will take you through Lake Hayes, perfectly-manicured vineyards and wineries in Gibbston, and fruit farms and orchards in Cromwell. Spend the afternoon exploring the unmitigatedly turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki (check out this short video we recorded at Lake Pukaki ). This entire area is overrun by bright purple lupins in the summer and it will cast a spell on you! Spend the entire day exploring the flora of Mackenzie and Canterbury and driving through Mount Cook National Park. Check into your hotel in Christchurch at night.

Optional : If you have an extra day or two spend it in a hotel near Lake Tekapo. The night skies here are legendary because it is a part of the UNESCO Dark Sky Reserve.

Day 19: Snooze in Christchurch

I’ll be honest. 4000 kms and so many new places later, we just wanted to sleep in Christchurch. We ventured out only to sample some amazing coffee at Pure Café and grab some eats.  We spent a lazy afternoon walking through Hagley Park, observing tourists punting on the Avon, and acquainting ourselves with dozens of varieties of roses at Central Rose Garden. If you are craving another jam-packed day, there is no dearth of things to do and see in Christchurch.

Sleep : We slept in a spacious serviced apartment at All Stars Inn Bealey Quarter in Christchurch

Day 20: Fly back to your home country

20 days and 4000 kms later, it’s time to fly back home. We’re sure you’ll spend the flight back home dreaming of crystal lakes that act as mirrors to surrounding glaciers, winding roads that hide secret lookouts, romantic long-winded walks, countryside lodges laden dripping with flowers, and New Zealand’s night skies that you experienced on your epic road trip. We don’t blame you one bit! 🙂

Here’s a short video of all the fun we had driving in New Zealand 🙂

Has our New Zealand road trip itinerary convinced you to book your flights to this breathtakingly gorgeous corner of the world? If you need more convincing, have a look at all our New Zealand posts .

Read about all our favourite road trips from around the world 🙂

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303 thoughts on “ an epic new zealand road trip – itinerary, tips, and planning ”.

FABULOUS photos and itinerary! Couldn’t agree with it more. Rather than staying in PIcton, we chose to stay in Mapua about two hours away from the port, but it was amaaaazing. We stayed at a place called “Kissing Gate” and glamped with vintage caravans. If you’re interested, check it out here: http://thefivefoottraveler.com/not-kissing-at-the-kissing-gate/

Great tip Sarah – we chose Picton because we were knackered after the ferry ride and didn’t want to drive at all. Kissing Gate sounds good 😀

Thanks for the recommendation Sarah. It was a delight to have you stay at Kissing Gate (www.thegates.co.nz). We have been humbled by TripAdvisor’s profiling of our unique glamping site in the world’s top 14 most awesome glamping sites. Yes, the drive from Picton is well worth it, especially as Kissing Gate (and Copper Gate and Corru Gate!) are nestled on 7 acres with tame sheep and organic orchards and is strategically located between Nelson and Abel Tasman National Park. We spent a lot of time travelling through India and love reciprocating the kind hospitality we encountered.

A beautiful reminder why I believe New Zealand is the most spectacular place on earth. Seriously, these photos are beyond words.

Thanks Leah – you’re absolutely right! We really enjoyed New Zealand and Vid spent most of his time photographing the country 😉 PS You should hop over to Iceland when you get a chance – think you’ll enjoy it! It’s very similar to NZ just more rugged and handsome

Stunning photographs. I am traveling to NZ next week and wanted to know what else can we do near Christchurch? I am driving to Mount Cook from Christchurch, staying a day and then coming back. Any other suggestions?

Looking at your photographs, I must say I can’t wait to be there 🙂

Thanks Jayesh. Have fun in New Zealand. Mt. Cook is gorgeous. You could also drive to Arthur’s Pass National Park Jayesh. Alternatively Waipara has some really good wineries 🙂

If you’re looking for things to do near Christchurch you could try Akaroa, Governor’s Bay, Hamner Springs or Kaikoura. All of those can be done in a day or easy overnight from Christchurch.

Hi…. Super clicks… All the pictures are lovely….

may i know during ehich month u visited New Zealand? I am planning to visit in February? Is it a good time?

Thanks Dhaval.

Thanks! We did our New Zealand road trip in the month of February 🙂

These photographs looks like a heaven on earth. We are planning to visit NZ in January. Since we have a friends staying in Auckland. Would be staying there for 3-4 nights and then would be moving towards South. So can you suggest places near by to Auckland tht can be discovered. Rotoura and coromandel can they be covered while staying in Auckland?

We have already mentioned some places around Auckland that are worth visiting 🙂 Yes, you can do coromandel and Rotorua from Auckland although it might make sense to spend time in Rotorua on your way down south to avoid the journey back to Auckland

Loved your detailed itinerary and of course the lovely pictures. I know it is not a fair question to ask, but how does this compare to your Iceland road trip in terms of wow factor?

Hey Rekha We’d say Iceland and South Island, NZ are at par with each other. Both have grand panoramas and stunning landscapes. However Iceland is more rugged and there’s always a sense of discovery involved while traveling in Iceland. NZ seems a tad preened and prettier in comparison. It’s a hard choice 🙂

these photos seem totally heavenly !!! what views !!! vid is undoubtedly the bestest (spare the error ;)) photographer !!!! just cant believe all the photos are real !!! totally ethereal guys !!! the outfits are perfect and so is the post !!! 😀

Thanks a million Kushagr 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it. It took ages to put it together but ’tis all worth it

definitely guys !!! it must have surely did !!! but yes hard work does pay off !!

Wow! The pics are so stunning. I am already in love with NZ. Vid, your photography has improved by multitudes. And Savi.. sweetie you are as gorgeous as ever!

Aww thanks a million Surabhi 🙂 Vid spends loads of time honing his photography skills, so I must make him read your comment

Those are probably the best views of NZ, collected all in one place:) Was following your trip on Instagram, you’re such an amazing and inspiring travelers. Thanks a lot for sharing your experience:)

Ksenia, thestylejungle.ru

Thank you so much 🙂 Happy to hear that you enjoyed the photos from our New Zealand road trip!

This is a fantastic post guys! I’m a Kiwi so it’s always interesting to me to see what tourists get up to when they’re visiting. Your itinerary was packed but great. And your photos…. just wow! Especially all those night sky shots. You’ve got me wanting to do more exploring here in my own backyard.

Thanks Bethaney – always love hearing from you 🙂 We had an absolutely great time in NZ – such a gorgeous country

Hey guys, love both your Nz n Sa road trip itinerary.

Which done do you think is more scenic ?

Hey Randhir – we’d say New Zealand is more scenic of the two. South Africa is more adventurous 😀

Great photos! And more greatness on the write-up!! Plan a trip to NZ in the near future.

Thanks a lot 🙂

I was so amazed with your photo really beautiful I could feel the happiness if only from the pictures trimakasih , I’m from Indonesia Did you ever to my country here many beautiful places I want you come to my country to take lots of pictures to post in this blog..

Thanks Fuad – Indonesia is stunning. We’ve spend a long long time in Bali and we love it 😀

ohk ..is New zealand more scenic than iceland too ?

The reason I’m asking is coz I want to take off on the most scenic road trip next year.

Hey Randhir – both countries are extremely scenic. New Zealand is prettier while Iceland is more rugged.

Hi! This looks like a great itinerary. If you could do it again – was there anything you would alter or change or do differently? Did you feel you had enough time? Thanks so much in advance for sharing your beautiful photos and travel ideas 🙂

We didn’t feel rushed at all and felt like we did justice to the places we visited without feeling rushed. Of course, if logistics allowed we’d spend 6 weeks but then reality kicks in 😉

Hi Savi & Vid,

Would like to know which month did you travel to New Zealand. Is it good to travel in August?

Thank you? Saritha

We went road tripping in New Zealand in February. Not quite sure about August – we believe it will be cold 🙂

New Zealand or South Africa for me in 2017, since 2016 is done ! Difficult choice ! You guys just made it all the more difficult with all these pictures.

That’s a hard choice indeed – you’ll love whichever one you choose. Do send us photos from your trip in 2017 🙂

I live in Australia and have been to NZ once. Your itinerary just makes me want to go there again. What an incredible holiday it seems you had, amazing photographs by Vid and very well described by Savi. Just 1 question if I were to do South Island separately would 10 days be sufficient?

Thanks a million Deep – yep 10 days are perfect for exploring South Island 🙂

That’s an awesome journey and chronicled so nicely! One can actually feel the excitement that you guys experienced. It really seems like a road trip is THE way to explore NZ.

I’m planning to visit NZ mid-October this year, but I only have 10 days plan, so obviously I’m now confused as to where to explore given so many places that you’ve mentioned here. I have planned my North Island trip (4 days), but it’s getting difficult to pick places in the remaining 5 in South Island. Could you suggest me the top places to go to? Also, does Hertz charge you again for the car hire once you drop-off your car at North Island and pick-up again in South Island? Or do they only continue to charge the per day rentals?

Hey Tanmay – you should head straight to South Island and spend the 10 days you have exploring just the South Island. You’ll love it.

Hertz doesn’t charge for dropping off at North Island at Wellington/picking-up in South Island at Picton. However when you’re booking the car just choose a one way rental from Auckland to Christchurch.

Love your blog and especially the photos!

I was wondering what route you would recommend to a fellow British person who only has a week to spend in New Zealand and has never been there?

Thanks Shivani – we’d suggest heading straight to South Island and spending your week there Shivani 🙂

Hi Savi & Vid! Love your blog and your experience in New Zealand is inspiring us to take our next vacation there. While December to February is the popular season, is October or November also a good time to go there hoping none of the places are closed.

Hey Prerit – October & November are great months to visit NZ. You’ll get there before the tourist hordes hit the main attractions, which is always a good thing 🙂

Thanks a ton for the detailed info. very very helpful when planning the trip.

Glad you found it helpful Krishna 🙂

For navigation and directions, did you guys rent a GPS from the rental care company? Paid for data to use google maps? could you please share the option you chose and the cost.

Hey Krishna – We chose neither. We used an offline navigation app called maps.me which we use for most of our roadtrips. It’s free and super convenient. You can read about it here: https://www.bruisedpassports.com/everything/5-favourite-travel-apps

Thank you so much for an detailed explanation. I am getting married in Jan and thanks, thanks to you both, I am daring to go on my honeymoon trip without any tours and travels but on my own as I love Driving. I am looking to spend 7-10 days, so as you folks suggested in some comments, will directly head to South. Can you please let me know what do you think I will miss the most if I do NOT travel to North ?

Looking forward to hear from you and trust me, reading your post has increased by excitement level to optimum

Hey Rohit – that’s awesome. Send us photos from NZ. You won’t regret doing the self-drive trip instead of a guided tour. If you have 7-10 days exploring only South Island makes sense. The highlights of North Island, which you’ll miss are the thermal springs and limestone formations in Rotorua.

Thanks Savi Vid for your response. 1 more input please. I am almost set up with my plan except the one below. What would you suggest between these 2 options for 3 days and why ? Remaining 7 days, I have planned for South New Zealand and that looks fine for me

1. India to Christchurh. Christchurch, Arthur pass, castle hill, great alpine highway, bealey valley and remaining time in south 2. India to Auckland. Auckland + Rotoura. Then fly from Rotoura to Christchurch and remaining 7 days in South

This is the only part of my planning left. Appreciate your help here

Regards, Rohit

Hey Rohit – it really depends on your personal preferences but if you have 10 days, we’d suggest flying to Christchurch and spending them all on the South Island 🙂

Hi Savi and Vid,

I really enjoyed your trip report. Would you recommend doing both the north and south if I have about 2 weeks? I was hopeful to visit Sydney for NYE prior to NZ, so probably have a total of 18 nights. Thanks!

Hey Melanie – we visited Sydney for NYE prior to our roadtrip in NZ too 🙂 Sure if you have 18 nights, do explore both North and South Island. If you like to take it slow and easy, then stick to just the South Island

Hey guys ! I love reading your blog and it has definitely helped me out in planning my trips especially the german alpine road trip. It was amazing as you said it was. I didnt even know it existed until I read your blog. I am now planning a new zealand road trip and naturally my point of reference was your blog first( I remember reading about it earlier) then I’d google everything else. But I’ve noticed that every single pictures has an ad which pops up. It can get a little bit annoying when the add pops up and I have to cancel it every single time. I love looking at the pictures you take (you guys do take some amazing pictures), is there any other way around this ? Or is this how the blog will be like from now on ? Not trying to sound negative or anything like that, just wondering. I don’t own a blog so I don’t know how it all works. Thanks guys 🙂

Thanks a ton for informing us about this. We don’t mind at all – in fact we really appreciate the feedback. We actually run minimal ads on our website, so will definitely look into why this is happening and address it asap 🙂 So happy to hear that you enjoyed our post on Bavaria and made it there. Yay

Yes we (took my parents too) did enjoy the german alpine trip. It was the highlight of our Europe trip. So many other blogs do not have as much detail/information as yours. If the ad stuff enables you guys to upkeep this blog and continue doing what you guys are doing, then so be it. 🙂 I will just cancel out the ads to see the full picture. Keep travelling and passing on those detailed information and amazing pictures. That is why we all love reading your blog 🙂 Oh and Im originally from Malaysia but have called Australia home for the last 12 years; if you do get the chance to go back to Malaysia, go to Penang ! Its got an amazing food scene, georgetown especially but check out the whole island 🙂

Thanks a ton for your note Rosh – we’ve taken care of the intrusive ads now. Would love to be able to visit Penang soon 🙂

Hi guys am planning a self drive trip nz trip with my kids aged 7 n 3 ..need your help in planning my trip..i have gone through your itenery n liked it a lot..

Hey Bhavik – we wrote all our tips and suggestions in the 4 articles. Do read all 4 while planning your road trip in New Zealand

First of all congratulations on such an amazing job with the blog! We were planning our trip to New Zealand when we started following your blog. The blog was extremely helpful and it helped us plan our trip perfectly. Thanks to you we got a lot of information on what to do and what not to do.

New Zealand was amazing and I loved it! Thanks a lot for everything!

Hey Gargi – we’re SO happy to hear that our Guide to a roadtrip in New Zealand was helpful for you. Do send us photos from your roadtrip – we’d love to share them with our readers on Facebook and tag you 🙂

Thanks for such a detailed itenary. THis really helped us in planning our New Zealand trip. We just returned from our two week road trip in NZ. We had a really packed itenary as we could take only 2 weeks off, but it was totally worth it. I couldn’t find the ozone coffee roasters that you guys mentioned in your post :(. I am a coffee lover and I was in love with New Zealand coffee.

I love your blogs and bruised passport has become quite a household word between me and my husvand. Thank you once again for being such a great inspiration.

Hey Athira,

So happy to hear that you had a great time in NZ – it’s a gorgeous place, isn’t it? 🙂

Do share your photos with us – we’d like to share them with the Bruised Passports family!

I live in New Zealand and have missed a couple of things. Gosh you guys are incredible. Can never get enough. Following your instinct and taking the leap of faith is not everyone’s cup of tea and doing it like this is another deal altogether. More success and adventure to you both <3

Its Disha… Damn autocorrect lol

Thanks a million for all the love Disha 🙂 So happy you spotted a couple of new places in our itinerary of New Zealand

Hi Guys…lovely pics and kudos to the passion tht you are living up everyday…This year we are planning for a road trip with our 20 mth old daughter for apprx 10 days somewhere in april or may.

We are not able to finalize the location though..sometime I think about going to Italy or Austria-Croatia or to discover New Zealand. What will you suggest to us given the time, season, baby and a fair budget allocation? We both love nature over man made creations..I need to refine my location so tht I can build my itinerary..many thanks and take care

Hey Arti – thanks a ton. We would definitely suggest Croatia if you have just 10 days and prefer nature over man-made creations 🙂 It’s family-friendly and you’ll have no trouble driving there.

Thank you for the information,

What an excellent and comprehensive itinerary! Road tripping through New Zealand is one of the most incredible experiences! To explore the country at your leisure, and to stop off at the seemingly endless beautiful sights around the country really gives you a sense of freedom. I’ve written a couple itineraries for New Zealand’s North and South Islands as well! If you plan your trip well beforehand, you’re almost guaranteed to have an excellent time, and I think looking at itineraries is an excellent way to prepare yourself for your tour of this beautiful country!

We do love New Zealand too. Glad you enjoyed our write-up Mark 🙂

Thanks for the itinerary. I will be going over your blog again and again since I am planning ‘ my trip. And yours is very helpful!! We are doing a 15 days trip and we have thought to cover most of the places that you have shared.

Hey Priyanka, we are happy to know that you found the information worth while.And also that it has helped you in planning your trip to New Zealand.Hope you have an awesome trip there…Happy travels:)

Hey Guys, This article is so beautiful and so well written. Makes me want to pack my bag already. Kudos to the two of you!

Also guys If I were to go and add Abel Tasman to the itinerary how would i be able to do so? Please give your suggestion.

Thanks a lot Pallav. If you want to go to Abel Tasman, you could drive from Blenheim to the park and then drive all the way down to Fox/Franz Joseph. You might have to miss Arthur’s Pass in that case 🙂

Wats ur take on hobbiton …. hobbiton or or cormandel. ..wat should one prefer … also ferry or domestic flight from north to south island….wats ur take ???

We’d recommend Coromandel but that’s our personal choice. We know a lot of people who’d try to fit both into their itinerary for New Zealand 🙂

As for flight or ferry, well we chose the latter and didn’t feel like we made a bad choice. If you take the ferry, than you can drive from the North tip of the South Island and perhaps fit in Arthur National park too ::)

Hello guys? We are planning to go newzeland !!! Which month is best to visit newzeland? N even want to buy new camera can u suggesr the best camera for beginners n which we can easily carry!! Just love ur all pictures awsome pics!!! N i love ur blogs very helpful ?

Thanks a lot Pooja.

New Zealand is great between November and March however December can get very busy. We went in Jan/Feb and got great weather and fewer tourists. In so far as cameras go, you could look into Nikon D3400 or D5500.

Have a great trip 🙂

Hi Guys, we are planning a trip to Newzealand in October(mid october to end). We are planning to be there for 16 days. Will October be a good time to Visit? Also, since we have only 16 days we can either do Auckland-Bay Of Islands-Auckland-Coromandel-Rotorua-Auckland-Queenstown-Te anau-Wanaka-Franz Joseph-Chirstchurch- Auckland OR Auckland -Waitomo-Taupo-Rotorua-Christchurch-Kaikoura-Tekapo,Pukai,Aoraki-Wanaka-Franz Joseph-Queenstown-Auckland

Net Net what I am trying to ask is should we do Bay of Islands or should we go for Waitomo,Taupo?

Even though we did not go to Bay of Islands (and went to Taupo), I’d pick Bay of Islands over Taupo especially since you will go to Rotorua in either case. Bay of Islands will give your trip an added variety 🙂

I’d go for the former 🙂

Have a great trip

Amazingly well written and beautiful Pictures. I am also planning to go in mid November and I am sure to follow details given by you. Can you suggest a 15-16 days itinerary based on your 20 days trip. And yes I will be on a budget 🙂

Hey Ankit – just stick to the itinerary and cut out a couple of days in North Island. Unfortunately it’s hard to do NZ on a strict budget as it’s quite expensive to drink, eat, and stay in NZ but check out our post on accommodation for your New Zealand roadtrip for recommendations of a few B&Bs and hostels that we liked: https://www.bruisedpassports.com/new-zealand/new-zealand-road-trip-accommodation

I couldnt see any date of the blogpost But going by the first comment in Apr, I assume you guys travelled sometime in March-April ?

That would expect to be time for autumn in NZ Yet your piotures are very sunny, suggesting summer

So when did you guys exactly do this trip ?

Hi we travelled in Feb and got great, warm weather most days. Cheers

Hi guys, love your blog! I’m Thinking about NZ road trip after seeing your post. Just wondering how difficult is it to drive in New Zealand? I never drive on the left side of the road before ?

You should definitely go to NZ and drive there. It’s not difficult as long as you follow the rules and general precautions that you would take anywhere you drive 🙂

Hi Savi and Vid! Both me and my husband(Age 60 and 66) are planning to do our 1st ever road trip in a foreign land (read Newzealand) in Feb.

When I Googled for info on the same the first blog that showed up was yours and my search began and ended there! You have gone through a great deal of trouble to put together such minute and all the important details of your roadtrip.This has made it all so super easy for travellers like us that I am left with no questions to ask!

Hats off to both of you and may God bless you with a lifetime of such wonderful holidays where you not only enjoy to the fullest but ensure through your blog that others do too.

If you have any further tips to give for first timers who shall be driving in New zealand please do let us know.

Dear Deepali – your comment put a huge smile on my face. We put all our tips here, so we don’t have more to offer but so happy we could help you out. Hope you have an amazing time in New Zealand 🙂

Heading there in Jan!

Thank you so much for an amazing itinerary! Made my job of planning so much easier 🙂

So happy to hear that Anum 🙂 Have fun in New Zealand and send us photos

Hey Savi and Vid, Your itinerary has helped me just like so many other people to plan my travel as well. Looking forward to see more in future. Thank you 🙂

So happy to hear that our itineraryf or a road trip in New Zealand helped you out so much Yashvi 🙂

Your itinerary has helped me a lot. Thanks a lot for that. I had a couple of questions

1. Do you know about the tongariro alpine crossing trek. Is it worth the effort to trek 19 kms 2. How was the weather in feb, should we carry a few winter clothes

Thanks, Rahul

Hey Rahul – yes you should definitely try to do the Tongariro alpine crossing trek – we didn’t go but it’s supposed to be amazing. It’s quite warm in February but would still suggest carrying at least 1 warm jacket and 1 jumper as the weather can turn very quickly in New Zealand

Hi Savi/Vid,

You have rightly stated ‘a road trip through NZ shouldn’t be the first one..’ we did this road trip many moons ago and no other road trip gave us that wow factor! our itinerary was very similar to yours expect that we flew from wellington to Queenstown, as much as we wanted to drive, we were short of time :(. This year we are planning on a road trip through the Canadian rockies and going to follow your itinerary..

So happy to hear that. Do send us photos from the Canadian Rockies when you visit 🙂

Your pictures are beautiful! Do you mind sharing what camera you use?

I have a Canon EOS R, Nikon D610, and a Canon EOS M50 (and also a gopro and drone) 🙂

Amazing post. The photos are unbelievable. Especially envious of the one of the night sky. We were captivated by it but never got a picture anywhere near good enough to do it justice!

Sounds like you guys did a very similar route to us. I think the only thing extra we managed to sneak in was the Tongariro crossing!

If you get time, I would love to have your opinion on the blog we wrote about our trip. http://kiwicampervanchronicles.blogspot.co.uk/

Keep up the great work! 🙂

Thank you Alex 🙂

Thank you for your amazing itinerary!! It is already making my planning easier…

I am going on a 20-day (inclusive of flying) honeymoon with my husband in June & we are intending to follow this itinerary..

We are flying into Auckland (ETA 10-ish AM) & flying out of Christchurch (ETA 10-ish AM).

Is there a way to slot in both Coromandel Peninsula & Hobbiton?

Transport-wise, is it possible/ advisable to do both a car & campervan? We are thinking of using campervan for a couple of days or so just for the experience..

Hey that’s so cool 🙂 Yes you can always do campervan in North Island and self-drive car in South Island 🙂

You can definitely do both Coromandel and Hobbiton although the days will be shorter in June so fewer hours to drive 🙂

In any case, hope you had an amazing time driving around New Zealand

Your pictures are so stunning! New Zealand looks like a great adventure, that everybody should try! Love it! 🙂

It sure is 🙂

Could u advise on the license for car rentals, are international driver permit/ idl really required?

No international driver permit is not required 🙂

Just as magical as I remember, Nice itinerary and fabulous nature scenes captured!

Hi, Your blog is very helpful and give all the guidance we wanted and thanks for that! Myself and my friend is planning on a roadtrip and we booked our flight to and from Auckland. We have 15 days and would like to spend 3 days in sydney as well. So if you can advise on what is the best way to travel (Auckland->syney->Auckland, Auckland->Sydney->Queenstown/wellington??) that would be great! Thanks in advance:)

I’d say Auckland, spend a couple of days, fly to Sydney, Sydney to Christchurch, rent a car and drive South Island and then back to Auckland, return car and fly out.

Your pictures are amazing. Can you please share the app you use to edit it and what filter you use (if any). How do you get that dreamy glaze to some of your pictures?

Hey Priyanka – I don’t use filters or apps. I just use Lightroom on my laptop to edit photos. But I spend a lot of time manually composing shots and playing around with the camera 🙂

Pictures are breathtaking !!!!! So want to visit New Zealand now. And every picture is worth being a wallaper!! beautifully captured!!

Guys, thanks so much for your blog. We recently visited New Zealand from U.K. and your blog justifies the beauty of this amazing country.

Hi, I am planning my honeymoon trip in the month of March, 2019. As per my current itinerary, I am travelling my Queenstown to Franz Joseph and staying there for 2 nights. However, I am equally tempted to do Mt. Cook and Lake Tekapo and spend a night there. If I had to choose one, which one would you suggest?

We’d choose Mt. Cook and Lake Tekapo 🙂

These photos are incredible! I offer a free trip planning service for NZ and would love to work with you. I’ve sent an email – if you haven’t received this, let me know!

Hey Savi n Vid, Is it safe for just 2 people to go on a road trip in South Island? Loved your itinerary and would like to go on a 10-day South Island road trip. Can i drive in NZ with a USA license? Please suggest.

Thanks a ton Regards Chetana

Hey yes it’s absolutelysafe for just 2 people to go on a road trip in South Island. That’s what we did and thousands of other couples drive around in New Zealand each year. The last we knew, you could drive in NZ with a USA license – however it is still better to confirm with your car rental agency before booking as these things keep changing 🙂

Wow what a great blog and amazing pics, really enjoyed it. We were planning a 10N NZ road self drive in April. Initial plan was to cover both islands after landing in Auckland. After reading your wonderful tour I realise it would be woefully short. Is it possible to cover north island highlights like geothermal rotorua in 2 or 3N and head to south island for east 8N, if so what are the highlights one can cover in SI? Thanks again!

Yes you can spend 2 or 3 nights in Taupo/Rotorua and then head to South Island – all highlights for South Island New Zealand are in this blog – you can see which ones you like and prioritise those 🙂

Absolutely loved your photos and details shared in the blog. My husband and I are travelling this March for 3 weeks and following your itinerary almost to the T! Just looking for a few suggestions though: 1) Is the drive from Taupo to Wellington a must – or should we save driving time and take a flight instead? 2) Is Kaikoura and Coromandel Cove similar in terms of vistas? Should we skip Kaikoura? 3)Arthur’s Pass surely sounds a must do, but the photos seem a bit arid and Leh Ladakh sorts..Would you recommend Abel Tasman NP over Arthur’s Pass NP? 4) You have not made Te Anau your base, is it better to stay in Te Anau/ Milford Sound? 5) We are from Mumbai, do we need to get an International Driving License or will our Indian driving cards suffice? 6) Did you consider visiting Punakaiki when planning?

Looking to hear back! Thanks a ton, Regards, AC

Hey Alisha,

So sorry we couldn’t get back to you. Hope you had a great time in New Zealand. Answering your questions as they might help others:

1) It’s nothing spectacular (compared to South Island) but logistically easier to keep the car 2) Yes you can skip Kaikoura – it’s good if you want to go whale watching! 3) There’s all k inds of landscapes in and around Arthur’s Pass NP. Even Abel Tasman is amazing (so we hear) so i’m sure you won’t go wrong in picking either 4) We preferred to make one place a base for 4 days than move around every second day. It’s a personal choice – you can definitely make Te Anau your base for Milford Sound 5) We didn’t need it 6) No we didn’t 🙂

Hope this helps. If you read this, do share photos from your trip with us 🙂

Hi there, been referencing to your article several times to plan for ours. Great stuff! Question – do you inform Hertz on the date and time you’re crossing over to the other island? Or do you just appear at the ferry station, drop off the car, and then pick up another one on the other island?

The Hertz website doesn’t seem to ask for the details during booking. Thanks in advance!

Yes we had to inform Hertz about the tentative crossing time 🙂

Lovely pictures and great idea. Thank you for the information. What month did you visit?

We did this road trip in New Zealand in February

Gone through your post . It’s really useful and your pics are really gorgeous. I am also planning a road trip to New Zealand in November.

What about the driving permit in New Zealand if you have Indian Driven license?

Thanks Shweta!

We were able to drive in New Zealand on our Indian Driving License !

This is amazing way to explore this beautiful city, It’s awesome to surround with great mountains with greenery and a lot of water. This is really great experience that one can have. Thanks mate for your great post, I love your pictures and appreciate your writing efforts.

Thank you for an amazing post. Planning a trip in November. Couple of quick questions :

1) Is it worth going from India for a week’s trip? 2) What do you recommend we must cover in a week? 3) Is there a reason you missed glow worm caves and hobbiton ?

1) Better if you go for 2 2) South Island 3) No particular reason

Hi Savi and Vid , Lots of appreciation to u guys cuz u really help millions a lot . Q: Guys I am planning my honeymoon trip for NZ and Fiji for 15 days including traveling in November .Are they enough ? Should I extend it for 3-4 days also ? And What do u prefer first , NZ and Fiji or vice versa .

Will be helpful if you guys could take out time and reply here . Anyways Great Work . God Bless Bruised Passports

Thank you so much Radhika 🙂 And congratulations.

If you can add 3-4 days, then definitely do that so that you spend 2 weeks in New Zealand and then 5-6 days in a beautiful resort in Fiji. We’d say do the New Zealand road trip first and then Fiji. You can read about our Fiji adventures here: https://www.bruisedpassports.com/category/fiji

Thank you for this blog post. It’s a great starting point for planning a trip to NZ. We are travelling to NZ for a 13 day trip. After reading your travelogue, we have crunched down the itinerary as follows. Would be grateful for your advice if this seems fine or should we make some changes.

Nov 24 – Land in Auckland at noon

Nov 25 – Rotorua or Waiheke island?

Nov 26 – Rotorua

Nov 27 – Rotorua (Hobbiton tour)

Nov 28 – Rotorua to Christchurch flight. Pick up car from Christchurch airport and head straight to Arthur’s Pass.

Nov 29 – Arthur’s Pass

Nov 30 – Fox Glacier (Fraz Joseph)

Dec 1 – Wanaka

Dec 2 – Queenstown (via Crown Range route)

Dec 3 – Queenstown (Milford Sound)

Dec 4 – Queenstown (adventure activity)

Dec 5 – Lake Tekapo/ Pukaki (Mt Cook)

Dec 6 – Fly to Auckland after dropping car at Christchurch Airport.

Dec 7 – Fly out of NZ

Looks great. Enjoy and share photos with us

Hey you guys have described the whole trip in such a amazing way..i could recollect almost everything..But why hvnt you included Bay of Island in this itinerary ?

Probably because we were short on time and had to leave something out. Given it’s New Zealand, it’s so difficult to decide what to leave out. We left Bay of Island out for our next trip (a big incentive for us to return ;))

What is the maximum time one has to drive in the whole road trip?

If you do a return drive from Queenstown to Milford sound then that will be your longest drive – around 10 hours or so in a day but totally manageable in New Zealand

Amazing blog!! Really helpful for the one who is looking to travel in NZ. Great..Keep Sharing!!

This is SO beautiful wow!! I live in New Zealand but this has opened my eyes even more to its beauty

Happy to hear that 🙂

Thanks for a detailed Itinerary. Pretty helpful in prepping up for our honeymoon trip to New Zealand. We are planning a 16 day trip from Auckland to Queenstown, Had a question – We are taking a Hertz car for our travel throughout these 16 days. Would be crossing from North to South Island with Interislander Ferry. As you guys did, we would also be dropping our vehicle at Wellington and picking up at Picton. So, While booking an Interislander ferry, did you guys mention that you would taking the vehicle?

From the booking site, we have received the following response – None of the above suppliers permit travel on the ferry between the North & South Islands, all however offer Inter island bookings where you confirm a booking as if the vehicle will be travelling on the ferry. Once the booking confirms, you then contact the supplier to advise of your cross over details & they will make a vehicle available on the other side all included in the original Total Cost.

Please share what you guys did?

Happy to hear the road trip itinerary is helpful 🙂

Well, that is exactly what we did. We dropped the car in Wellington and picked it up at Picton. Pretty much what the paragraph states. One booking with Hertz and then we informed them of our cross over details. Just inform Hertz what time you’ll be dropping the car off in Wellington and what time you’ll pick the next car in Picton. They’ll arrange everything.

Hope that helps

Hello, This is very helpful article it helps so many people. Thank you for sharing

thank you bruisedpassports for giving me wonderful information

You’re welcome!

Hi, your pictures are amazing! Can i do the same itinerary but in Spring i.e. months of Sept and Oct. Also, if i only have 8-10 days, which locations would you suggest i skip? Many Thanks!

Yes you can do it in end September / October (although it can be a bit windy). If you have only 8 days we’d suggest just doing the places in South Island mentioned in the itinerary 🙂

My husband and I recently took a trip to NZ and must have referred to your blog like a 100 times. Loved the itinerary and all the places visited/recommended by you did deliver more than our expectations! I will not shy away from referring my friends to your blog. Keep writing and traveling!!! May you travel to space one day and write a blog about that :))

Hey Akanksha,

Thank you so much for leaving that note. So happy to hear our article was helpful 🙂 Do share some photos from your trip with us if you don’t mind (you can send them on our Instagram channel @bruisedpassports)

Thanks for all the love

Hello Team Bruised Passport,

I so enjoyed reading your NZ trip. Have got inspired to plan one for myself with family.

Small qs – Which month did you guys travel ? Could you guide if 20 Mar-10Apr bracket would be suitable to travel? Have a school going daughter so want to manage this trip in her spring break.

Many thanks for inspiring!

Happy to hear that. We did this New Zealand road trip in Feb. March end should be fine 🙂

Great article. New Zealand is a must see destination. Lots of good times.

Absolutely! There’s no other experience like a road trip in New Zealand 🙂

I can’t wait to get to NZ! I used to lived in Melbourne and knew a lot of Kiwis, the ones I have met have all been so chilled and down to earth. Combine that with the mountains and outdoors activities in South Island, I cannot wait to go and explore NZ! 🙂

Wow! Nice Blog And I Really Just Love It and Thanks For Sharing With us

amazing blog thanks for sharing this helpful blog.

This brought back so many happy memories for us – we travelled NZ in winter (fffffreezing but spectacularly wonderful) and so good to see that the country is still stunningly beautiful, despite the passage of time.

Rosemary, do we get to see beautiful greenery in winter as well?

Great. New Zealand is really a place which can mesmerize. There are so many things that a person can do here.

Hi guys, thanks for sharing and great pics!

Wonderful information, thanks a lot for sharing kind of content with us. Your blog gives the best and the most interesting information. I wonder if we can gather such practical information about new Zealand road trip itinerary.. Great one!!

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Camping is possibly the finest way to enjoy the serenity of nature, experience many moods of exotic India with its dramatic landscapes, rustic and unexplored rural surroundings with the company of your friends and family, it is the best mode to spend time in the lap of nature and forget the mundane affairs of an otherwise hectic life. We provide Picnic Near to delhi and also Camping Near to Delhi. It also provides an opportunity to spend quality time with the loved ones and understand them better. https://campinghub.co.in/

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In which months 9 days trip is suggested in South Island for adrenaline activities

Summer months (November- February) are best for adventure sports

Moving to New Zealand is so exciting! Have a great time! Greets.

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Amazing blog. Thank you for share.

New Zealand is in my bucket list. Thanks for the fantastic post, it’s definitely gonna help me p[lanning a perfect itinerary to this country.

Nice Article.

Great post Savi! The narration is flowing and lucide.

The picture of Muriwai Beach is stunning.

Hi Savi, I am also planning a road trip to NZ, you have shared very amazing pics of your road trips. Thank You for sharing this amazing information with us and best of luck with your future trips.

It is a great website. The design looks very good. I will bookmark this page. I enjoyed the information.

Thanks for sharing these the Best Places to Visit in Summer in India

This is amazing. I really enjoyed your content. Good job and keep it up.

On a winter trip to Jaisalmer, you can spend most of your vacation time and join a fun desert trip. With so many beautiful places and fun events, the city is without a doubt a wonderful tourist destination.

I’m generally contributing to a blog and I really like your content. The article has really helped me. I’m going to bookmark your page and keep up with checking for new Topics. I’m searching for some great blog destinations for consideration. I was looking over web indexes and discovered your blog webpage. Well, I like your top-notch blog website plan in addition to your posting capacities. Continue to do it.

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New Zealand is in my bucket list. Thanks for the fantastic post, it’s definitely gonna help me p[lanning a perfect itinerary to this country.

Great man, I am jealous how you can click so awesome images, can you make a detailed article about the gear, softwares, and methods that you use to click such awesome images?

Nice article

Just the article I needed!

Beautiful pictures. Would love to visit. Thank You for shaing!

Hey Priyanka – I don’t use filters or apps. I just use Lightroom on my laptop to edit photos. But I spend a lot of time manually composing shots and playing around with the camera ?

This is interesting

New Zealand head chef Francisco Fioriti returns to the lodge for the 2021/2022 seasons and brings his wealth of knowledge of New Zealand cuisine and techniques to craft a very unique and diverse dining experience each evening. Fancy relaxing with your friends over a delicious meal in the comfort of one of New Zealand’s leading Luxury Lodges? from September 2021 Fiordland Lodge is offering the opportunity in and around business levels for both lunch and dinner dining for non-house guests.

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You explain everything very well. I have read many of your articles as well. If I want any information related to this, then I come directly to your website by searching Google.

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This is a good website, I have been reading its articles for a long time. If I do not find a solution to any problem, then I come and search on this website. However, a lot of work has happened that day when I did not get the answer to my question.

New Zealand head chef Francisco Fioriti returns to the lodge for the 2021/2022 seasons and brings his wealth of knowledge of New Zealand cuisine and techniques to craft a very unique and diverse dining experience each evening. Fancy relaxing with your friends over a delicious meal in the comfort of one of New Zealand’s leading Luxury Lodges? from September 2021 Fiordland Lodge is offering the opportunity in and around business levels for both lunch and dinner dining for non-house guests.

The artistic style of sharing information had kept me bound throughout the blog. I would like to thank the writer for sharing such amazing and informative content with us and will share it with my friends and family members. I also request the writer to keep sharing such interesting content with us.

You have described the journey very well and have also written an in-depth article, and the pictures you have put in this post that’s are amazing

Just happened to come across your site as I googled for road trips. What a wonderful site with amazing photos, videos and text to go with it! You haven’t mentioned about the cost for this road trip or have I missed it??

I ended up coming across your site when searching for family vacations. What a superb blog, complete with beautiful photographs, videos, and content! .Keep writing like this. I also love your videos & instgaram post.

I can’t wait to get to NZ! I used to lived in Melbourne and knew a lot of Kiwis, the ones I have met have all been so chilled and down to earth. Combine that with the mountains and outdoors activities in South Island, I cannot wait to go and explore NZ! ?

Thank you !

This blog is so inspiring! It’s comprehensive and most of all, it’s the kind of travel i like!

Great write up and awesome pictures!

Keep travelling and keep seeing the world!

Hi Savi! I love this blog of yours. I will definitely go back to this blog when I am able to go to New Zealand in the future.

Beautiful photos! NZ is on the top of my travel bucket list so I’ll use your guide as reference when I do. Thank you for sharing!

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We Decided to go on a trip in the very first week of December. Probably to Japan

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New Zealand Trip Is My Life Dream , Very Natural Place. Love It.

आपके ब्लॉग की सारी पोस्ट अच्छी है।

This post bring spark to our team eyes. We’re looking forward travelling to New Zealand for short trip this 2023. This guide will help a lot. Thanks.

It’s great, the way you describe your trip is fantastic, I really enjoyed to read this article..

Hi Guys – THanks much for all the great info! Would you please tell me if I have valid Indian license do I still need driver’s permit to rent and drive car in new zealand? Do I need any other document apart from Indian driving license in new zealand?

Your valid Indian license should be enough 🙂

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Hey Savi and Vidit, Thanks for the detailed blog on the amazing road trip to NZ. I and my husband are planning to follow your itinerary and plan our honeymoon for next month. We just had a small question for you guys and hope we get some insights into it. We are thinking of starting from Christchurch and ending our trip in Auckland as we saw the prices of car rental are cheaper in the reverse way, do you guys have any recommendations on it, if so please let us know that would be really helpful to us! Thanks again!

Hey you’ll be absolutely ok doing it the other way round too – just pick the way that offers the best car rental rates and flights combo 🙂

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A very well written article. Read our blogs too.

I have visited it back in 2010. Then did North India tour, both of the trips were amazing. It was quite a blessed road trip.

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Many thanks for exploring our New Zealand trip blog article. We hope our insights inspire an amazing journey, filled with the beauty and wonder of this incredible destination

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What an exhilarating adventure! Your Epic New Zealand Road Trip has left me inspired and itching to hit the open road. ????✨

Hey! I am following your itinerary for the South Island road trip but I am curious how did you choose between driving through the west coast and the east coast? General google searches suggest that west coast is more scenic, hence the question. What were your deciding factors?

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Me and my wife dreamed of visiting New Zealand for years. She was in Australia last year, and was really close, but external circumstances prevented her from coming. Now we are planning this winter (summer in New Zealand as I write from the northern semisphere..). The article is great and it is really inspiring.

Hey so happy to hear that – hope you had an amazing road trip

Hey, lovely pictures and detailed itinerary. We are visiting NZ this year in April. Hope it’s a good time to visit. One question is whether to take the ferry out to fly to the South Island?

Yes April will be nice 🙂 if you’re renting a car in the North, then better to take the ferry. Otherwise you can fly. Both options are convenient and comfortable

First things first, I love your work and have been following since years. You have given some crazy travel goals to us, specially because we relate with your style of travelling. We as a couple enjoy adventure, offbeat and experiential travelling.

Needed some help, planning a trip to NZ in January for about 15 days. Had a couple of questions:

1. Driving through coromandel peninsula – would it be worth it to skip this and do waitomo glow worm caves alongwith hobbiton movie set? Did you consider these options? 2. Rotorua vs taupo – since we are short on time, which one would you suggest to spend more time in? 3. Flight vs ferry – flight from rotorua or ferry from wellington – what were your deciding factors? In case we are not doing taupo, would it make sense to take the flight and save time or the interislander is worth every bit of extra time here? 4. Arthurs pass to Franz josef – how did you manage to do the franz josef heli hike (which is about 4 hours? or not?) while travelling all the way to wanaka? Can you share the website you booked the tour through? I 5. Is Wanaka worth trading off something else from the itinerary since we have only 15 days? 6. Bookings and arrangements – is it safe to explore and book everything on our own (specially things like whale watching tours/ heli hikes etc) or would you recommend going via a travel agent to help get the best guides? How do you manage everything without support of any local agent?

I know this is a long list, but would be really helpful for us. Been waiting for NZ since about an year now

Hi Kanishka,

HAppy to hear that. Trying to answer your questions below:

a) Yes we did consider those options but chose Coromandel peninsula as it’s beautiful. You can easily do the other 2 instead b) Rotorua c) yes you can fly from Rotorua. we just wanted to make it a full road trip, so decided to skip the flight 🙂 d) Super early start and late finish 🙂 e) We’d suggest spending a couple of days in Wanaka for sure. Maybe you can skip Christchurch f) yes it’s safe to book everything on your own through reliable booking providers. we just do a lot of research and then when we are at the destination, we leave some flexibility to change things on suggestions of locals

hope you had an amazing trip. sorry for the delay in responding

The glowworm caves in Waitomo look enchanting! Did you take any guided tours, and if so, do you have any recommendations? I’d love to experience that magical sight myself. Overall, thanks for sharing your New Zealand road trip—it’s truly inspiring!

HEy we didn’t go to Waitomo 🙂 hope you have an amazing road trip in NEw Zealand

Thanks for this informative article

Is it possible for you guys to give a slightly consolidated intenrary like 8-9 day trip. Flying in to Auckland and Flying out of Christchurch.

That’ll be a difficult task as 8 days is quite short, especially if you’re flying into Auckland and flying out of Christchurch. I’d say skip the southern part of south island (which would be a shame), and do Auckland, Rotorua, Maybe Fox glacier when you move to south, and the area around Christchurch.

Thanks for sharing this road trip tips !!!

Excellent & informative blog with such good tips and superb photographs. We (4 of us) are planning a visit in April as we wish to enjoy the Autumn colors and foliage. We are looking for a leisurely road trip as we have a couple seniors with us who won’t be able to do too much walking/hiking. If you have any tips to offer I would be grateful. Thanks in advance.

Embarking on an epic road trip through New Zealand is an adventure like no other! From the rugged mountains to the pristine coastlines, there’s something awe-inspiring at every turn.

Lage raho bhai good job

What a fantastic schedule for a road vacation around New Zealand! I adore how you included well-known locations like Milford Sound together with lesser-known finds like Punakaiki Pancake Rocks. Also, your recommendations for places to stay and eat are also beneficial. So eager to go on the road and discover these breathtaking vistas for myself.

hope you have a great road trip in New Zealand

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New Zealand by Van Road Trip Guide: Best Itineraries, Tips and Planning

New Zealand is one of the best countries in the world to road trip by van. It’s small, beautiful, and filled with amazing attractions everywhere you look. From north to south you can drive along windy roads exploring small towns, panoramic viewpoints, and get lost in nature like never before. 

I love exploring New Zealand so much I actually moved here! Yep, that’s right I’m not just remembering a trip from the past, in fact, you’ll often find me road tripping around New Zealand in my trusty van I call Bertha! 

During all of the road trips I’ve done both as a local and when I rented a campervan on my first holiday here, I’ve learned a lot. From where to go, how long to stay, tips and tricks on getting around, and even where to stay (often completely free!) 

The best part is, I’ll share it with you in this blog!

Buying a Second-hand Van vs Renting vs Scoring a Relocation Deal

Rent, buy, or relocate? Those are the three options visitors to New Zealand have when choosing how they’ll travel the country. I’ve personally done two of them, rent and buy. 

When it comes to deciding, you’ll need to think of three key factors. Your budget, length of stay, and how comfortable you want to be. 

If you’re on a really tight budget then buying a van or attempting to score relocation deals around New Zealand is your best bet. Although buying a van has the most upfront cost, when you sell your van you’ll likely get almost all your money back. You can buy campervans through Facebook groups and websites such as Trade Me. 

With relocations, well, they’re almost always free, and sometimes they even pay you. You can find lots of relocation deals on a website called Transfer Car. On their website, you can put your start and end location and find relocation rental vehicles. Not all are campervans, in fact, most are cars. Look for the deals with the most extra days over the shortest distance, this is when you’ll get to explore the most.

Length of stay

Length of stay is a huge deciding factor when choosing how to road trip New Zealand. If you’re traveling for a really long time, say 3 months plus, renting a campervan in New Zealand will cost you $10,000 to $20,000 dollars. Seriously, you could buy an awesome van for that price and you’ll have the time to buy and sell it on either side of your trip.

On the other hand, if you’re only coming to New Zeeland for a few weeks then buying a van and selling it will be too much hassle and eats into your precious road tripping time! Even finding relocations will be difficult (you have to work to the company’s strict timeline) and should only be done if your budget simply won’t allow anything else! 

Comfort 

Comfort is one of the most important things to consider when planning a road trip around New Zealand. For a young backpacker, roughing it out in a homemade campervan they bought for under $7,000 might be no issue. However, not everyone can handle that for weeks/months. The cost of buying a large, comfortable campervan is huge ($20,000+.) 

If being comfortable is important, then renting a campervan or opting for a relocation is your best option. However, if you don’t mind roughing it a little, you can pick up some cheap campervans that come with a bed, kitchen, and portable cooking equipment.  

All in all, if you’re planning a road trip and are in search of quality camper rentals in New Zealand , consider exploring all the options available before your trip. Renting a camper provides the freedom to discover the country at your own pace, without the hassle of buying or selling a van or adhering to strict relocation timelines. Well-maintained campervans equipped with essential amenities ensure a comfortable and enjoyable experience on the road.

Best Road Trip Destinations in NZ for Nature Lovers

Now that you have your wheels, it’s time to pick some of those must-visit places you want to see. To be honest, there are so many in New Zealand and I’ve been lucky to see most! 

Below are 14 awesome destinations in New Zealand if you’re going on a road trip. The first seven are the South Island followed by my seven favorites on the North Island! 

1. Queenstown

Queenstown is one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of New Zealand. For those on a road trip around New Zealand, it’s a great place to either begin or end your journey and there’s plenty of amazing things to do in Queenstown . In your van take a road trip to Glenorchy, camp under the stars at Moke Lake or Twelve Mile Delta, and even explore New Zealand’s highest main highway Crown Range Road! 

Only a short drive from Queenstown is the scenic town of Wanaka. As far as beautiful places to visit on the South Island go, Wanaka just about takes the cake. Nearby in the surrounding mountains, you can hike to the famous viewpoint called Roy’s Peak or even take a scenic drive up the West Coast and visit the Blue Pools. Regardless, there’s no shortage of things to do in Wanaka .

3. Mount Cook National Park

By far the most spectacular national park in New Zealand is Mount Cook. From the moment you enter the boundary of the park, you’ll be blown away by the views. Within the park, you can hike the Hooker Valley Track, Mueller Hut Route, watch the sunrise at Tasman River, and more. The best part is, you can camp at Whitehorse Hill Campground for only $15 NZD per person in your campervan or motorhome! 

4. Marlborough Sounds

To the very north of the South Island sits the Marlborough Sounds. These river-carved valleys are home to lots of unique and interesting wildlife including dolphins, whales, seals, and lots of rare birds. You can join a cruise of the sounds or just take your campervan and road trip around the coastline, it’s stunning! 

5. Franz Josef 

You can’t explore the South Island on a road trip without visiting glacier country. Franz Josef town is in the middle of it all and from a holiday park or freedom camping spot you can explore the entire area. Hike the Franz Josef Glacier viewpoint trail, watch the sunrise and Lake Matheson, or relax in the Franz Josef Hot Pools for a much-needed soak. Regardless, you’ll be amazed at the region’s beauty! 

6. The Catlins

One of my favorite road trips of all time was through the Catlin’s on the very south of the South Island. On this road trip, you’ll explore hidden waterfalls, view rare wildlife at Curio Bay, visit the Cathedral Caves, and freedom camp at some of the most amazing campsites in NZ (such as the one in Fortrose.)

7. Arthurs Pass

Few road trips in New Zealand are as spectacular as the one over Arthurs Pass. Aside from the breathtaking views in every direction you look, you’ll be able to do things that include hiking Avalanche Peak and the short walk to the Devils Punchbowl – a huge 131-meter-tall waterfall. Be sure to spend a night in a nearby town such as Hokitika or Springfield before setting off, that way you’ll have time to properly explore. 

8. Coromandel Peninsula

A place everyone visiting the North Island needs to visit is the Coromandel Peninsula. Home to many famous attractions such as Hot Water Beach and Cathedral Cove, the Coromandel Peninsula is an adventure lover’s paradise. If you have a self-contained campervan you can even camp for free at Waihi Beach parking lot right on the beach. Talk about a place to stay with an epic view! 

9. Northland

Northland is a huge region at the very north of the North Island. It’s a local’s playground, and unfortunately for most visitors, it doesn’t make their NZ road trip itinerary . However, for those who do explore this amazing region, you’ll get to enjoy some of the best coastal towns and beaches in New Zealand . 

From Whangarei all the way to Ninety Mile Beach you’ll love this road trip. What’s even better is the huge number of freedom camping spots around including my favorite one at Sandy Bay Beach. 

10. New Plymouth 

The city of New Plymouth isn’t much to look at, however, it’s not New Plymouth you’ve come to see. Instead, head out to one of the many freedom camping spots along the coast and take off to explore Mt Taranaki. This huge volcano is right next to New Plymouth and is home to lots of hiking trails and viewpoints. 

You can summit Mt Taranaki and enjoy unmatched views from the top, but I will warn you, it’s hard! For an easier trail hike and spend the night at the Pouakai Hut. Near the hut is the Pouakai Tarn and from there you’ll get that famous reflection shot of the volcano! 

11. Auckland and surrounds 

The most common place to start a road trip on the North Island is Auckland, so it’s likely you’ll visit at some stage. Don’t worry though, Auckland is a cool city to explore and the surrounding beaches and attractions are some of the best in NZ. 

For a beach day drive to the west coast and explore Piha Beach, Bethells Beach, and Muriwai Beach. All are volcanic sand beaches and the greenery and steep landscapes are breathtaking. For something a little different, take a day trip to Matakana Village where you can check out vineyards and more!

In the city itself, take a drive up to Mt Eden crater for an epic view or enjoy a day trip out to one of the nearby islands such as Waiheke.

12. Taupo 

On a visit to Taupo, you’ll begin to understand New Zealand’s volcanic landscape. Not only is Taupo on the Thermal Explorer Highway, but the most popular part of the highway begins in Taupo and ends nearby in Rotorua. 

Along this stretch of road, you’ll enjoy rotten eggs smells (from the sulfur), wander the Crater of the Moon geothermal area, swim at the warm Kerosene Creek, and even freedom camp along Lake Taupo (which is actually a volcano crater!) Also, don’t forget to visit Haka Falls!

13. Raglan 

Raglan is New Zealand’s hippy surf town that’s become a backpacker haven. When visiting the town, you can expect beach days, warm weather, cute cafes, and plenty of surfing. Of course, for those that don’t surf you can still explore the area and take a trip out the Bridal Veil Falls. On top of that, just enjoy this bustling town and head out for dinner and drinks. You can also freedom camp in Raglan in most areas just outside of the town limits. 

14. Wellington 

Wellington is New Zealand’s capital. Built on steep mountains along the coast, getting around Wellington can be tiring. Although a large city there’s just so much to see and do both in and around the city.

One of the most famous nearby attractions is the Putangirua Pinnacles which were used when filming the Lord of the Rings. Another is Red Rocks where you can spot New Zealand fur seals. Within the city you can take the cable car up to the botanical gardens or even take a hike up Mount Victoria for an epic view of the city. 

Wellington is also where the ferry to the South Island leaves from, so it’s a common stop for those on a road trip in New Zealand of both islands! 

Best Road Trip Itineraries in New Zealand

Depending on how much time you have, here are the top road trip itineraries for an epic New Zealand road trip:

Road trip itinerary for 1 week in NZ

With one week in New Zealand, you’d be best sticking to just one island. Traveling from the North Island to the South Island involves a lot of driving and wasting a day catching the ferry. 

On the North Island I recommend beginning in Auckland and making a loop to the Coromandel, down to Taupo via Rotorua, and then up to Raglan visiting Hobbiton and the Waitomo Caves along the way. This will still be somewhat rushed as one week is not a long time, but you’ll get to see some great highlights!

On the South Island, begin in Queenstown and be sure to take a tour to Milford Sound. Then, start making your way up the West Coast via Wanaka to Franz Josef. From there, continue north and take Arthurs Pass before finishing in Christchurch.

New Zealand road trip route if you have 2 weeks

With two weeks to road trip New Zeeland you could either explore one island really well or get a taste for both.

If you plan on traveling both then a great itinerary is to start in Auckland and drive to the Coromandel. Then head down to Taupo and after to New Plymouth. From there, finally arrive in Wellington to take the ferry to the South Island. This should take a week.

Once you reach the South Island, explore the Marlborough Sounds and choose one of two routes south. The first heads along the West Coast (Franz Josef) all the way to Wanaka, and the other via Kaikoura and Christchurch to Mount Cook and Lake Tekapo and finally to Queenstown. Unfortunately, you won’t have time to do both as you’ll want ample time to explore each town.

If you stick to one island then you’ll be able to explore the one you choose in depth. You could visit every spot mentioned above (on the island you choose) spending two days in each town and enjoying lots of beautiful landscapes!

Best self-drive route for 3 weeks in NZ

In my opinion, 3 weeks is the minimum time you should allow to road trip New Zealand. More time is better but 3 weeks is the sweet spot to see lots and not get sick of living in a van! In three weeks you can tour both islands and visit many of the places I mentioned above. 

My ideal 3-week itinerary would involve starting in Queenstown and driving up the West Coast via Wanaka to Franz Josef. From there, head over Arthurs Pass to Christchurch and down to Mount Cook National Park. You’ll then need to back track (there’s no other way to see both the West Coast and Mount Cook) back up north via Kaikoura to Picton where the Marlborough Sounds are. 

From there, take the ferry to Wellington and head north to New Plymouth. From New Plymouth, drive to Taupo and then onto the Coromandel Peninsula via Rotorua. After, drive to Raglan making a detour to Hobbiton and Waitomo Caves before finishing in Auckland. You’ll get to see a lot of New Zealand and at a good pace!

Itinerary for one month New Zealand road trip

If you have one month then you’re going to have plenty of time to explore both islands. For this itinerary start by doing a full loop of the South Island visiting every destination I mentioned above. This will take around 16 days but it’ll be one amazing adventure. Remember, wherever you finish you’ll need to backtrack up to Picton to take the ferry, but you can pretty much get anywhere on the South Island in one full day of driving.

Once on the North Island, you’ll be at around day 17 with 11 days to explore. You can pretty much follow the above North Island itinerary section and add on a few days in Northland. That will bring you to the end of your trip – and what a month it will be!

New Zealand Road Trip Tips

In addition to general New Zealand travel tips , these road trip tips will help ensure you have a great time cruising around NZ!

Sort your documents in time – Don’t leave the important stuff until the last-minute and arrange your international driver’s license, health examinations, travel insurance, etc. well before departure. You can start by applying for your eTA New Zealand tourist visa here .

Don’t try to see too much – One mistake a lot of people make is trying to see too much in a short amount of time. Whatever Google maps says for driving time, add a little more time in between destinations as the roads in New Zealand are windy and single lane. For reference, this guide on road trip itineraries gives a great outline of the time it takes to explore. 

Visiting in winter – If you plan on visiting in winter allow even more time. Road closures are common due to the weather, so be prepared. 

Leave room in your schedule – It’s likely you’ll come across places I myself have not even visited or meet people you want to travel with. So, leave some flexibility in your plans for a more spontaneous trip. 

Spending more on your campervan might save you money – The more comfortable you are the more likely you are to take advantage of free or cheap campsites. This will save you lots of money in the long run, so spending a little extra on your van or motorhome isn’t always more expensive. 

Read up on the road rules before you go – New Zealand has some funny road rules. For example, they have pull over bays along the highways that are single lane and you’re supposed to let cars pass by using them.  They also drive on the left-hand side of the road! Be sure to read up on them before you go! 

Download the apps Camper Mate and Rankers – Both of these apps are great road trip companions. They have loads of freedom camping spots on them with reviews from other travelers. 

Road tripping around New Zealand is the best way to explore this beautiful country. You’ll have the freedom to go where you want at your own pace and be able to camp in some of the most beautiful locations in the country. Seriously, the free and cheap campsites are the most breathtaking so enjoy!

Bailey is a travel blogger from Canada who moved to New Zealand in 2018. Since then, she has been exploring the country while living in Queenstown. Bailey documents everything she does in her blog, My Queenstown Diary, in hopes to help other travelers explore her new backyard!

Exploring New Zealand by Car: 5 Tips and Tricks You Should Know

 New Zealand is one of those countries that has been under a complete lockdown throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and that’s why it has seen almost no rise in new cases. While traveling to New Zealand might not be possible right now, it is definitely one of the top destinations you should have your eye on for your post-COVID-19 travel plans. If you find a way to travel there during the pandemic , however, then make sure to adhere to the COVID prevention rules at all times to keep your family and others safe.

When you do get there, you want to explore New Zealand from top to bottom and experience everything that it has to offer. Now, there are many ways you can do this, from taking the railway system, going around by bus, all the way to exploring the waters on a ferry. That’s all great, but the best way to explore New Zealand is on your own terms, and that means by car. 

Here are the tips and tricks for New Zealand car travel you need to know. 

DECIDE ON THE TYPE OF VEHICLE YOU NEED

New Zealand is an expansive country, and no matter if you’re an urban explorer or a nature lover, there’s no denying that grand adventures wait for you across the map. Traversing the NZ map is, of course, easy enough because of the intricate road system and the quality of the roads themselves, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t encounter some harsh terrain.

Some of the best road trips will take you across cities and natural landscapes, so you need to decide on the type of car you’re going to rent out while there. Typically, families would benefit the most from a nice SUV that can traverse various terrains, but you can also make do with a hatchback or a sedan. You can also rent a van if you’re going on extended trips and need the extra space.

KNOW WHERE YOU CAN AND CANNOT FREEDOM CAMP

There are so many camping spots scattered across the map, it would probably take you years to visit and stay at each one. However, there are rules to be followed when it comes to camping, and you need to keep in mind that you might not be able to park your car anywhere.

If you’re thinking of freedom camping around New Zealand, you need to be careful, because NZ has strict rules where you can and cannot pull over for the night. Some destinations are under government protection, others are private properties, and some simply aren’t meant for campers. Be sure to research the campsite network around NZ to stay on the right side of the law and make your travel enjoyable .

PLAN YOUR RENTAL CAR PICKUPS AND DROP-OFFS

You can’t localize your trip to New Zealand to just the North or South Island, you need to explore both to get the most out of your NZ experience. So, you need to rent a car, but you also need to be mindful of where it’s best to rent one and where you should drop it off. Some car rental companies are spread across the country and will allow you to do this seamlessly.

If you land in the capital, for example, you can start by finding an affordable car rental in Wellington , but the more important thing is that you’ll be able to take your car anywhere in the North and South Islands. Renting a car in Wellington is a good way to open the entire NZ map for exploration, and you’re most likely to find the best rental services and deals in the capital.

FIND THE BEST EXPERIENCE IN THE CITIES

The cities of New Zealand all have a special aura, culture, and a unique urban vibe to them, and you really should visit all major hotspots. Be sure to wait for the risk of the COVID-19 virus to die down a bit, though. You can start from Wellington and explore the North Island cities and towns, making sure to spend a few days in Auckland, a day in Hamilton, and at least one comfy afternoon in the charming town of Tauranga.

Drive safely around town to avoid getting in an accident , and stick to the left side of the road! In the South Island, Christchurch should be your main destination, because this is the cultural hub of the country. The city is beautiful and full of life and excitement, and it has something for everyone. That said, make sure to take the road south to explore the towns of Dunedin and Invercargill.

EXPLORE THE EXPANSIVE COUNTRYSIDE

Of course, an NZ escapade would not be complete without a tour of the countryside, and boy, do you have a lot to discover. While you should be able to reach every spot by car, keep an open mind to switching to other great ways to get around New Zealand , like hopping on a ferry or leaving your car in a nearby town to take a romantic train ride through a breathtaking landscape. It’s all about being flexible and open to new experiences, so make sure to map out your countryside adventures so that you don’t miss a single natural gem along the way.

In Conclusion

New Zealand is one of the most charming destinations you can visit, and now’s the time to start thinking about your grand NZ escapade. Use these tips to tour New Zealand on your own terms and create lifelong memories with your loved ones.

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10 Important New Zealand Travel Tips to Know Before You Go

N ew Zealand is epic, it’s beautiful, it’s exciting… and it’s a heck of a trip to plan on your own. You’re probably coming from the other side of the world and heading to a country that most people you know have never visited. That was certainly our experience.

We spent hours and hours researching everything we needed to know for our six week New Zealand trip (part of our family gap year) and mostly things went off without a hitch. But we certainly learned a lot along the way so I’ve put together these important New Zealand travel tips for you to read before you go to the Land of the Long White Cloud ( Aotearoa in Maori).

We’ll cover important topics like how to visit New Zealand on a budget, nuances of renting a car in New Zealand and driving in New Zealand, how to find the best places to stay in New Zealand and more. Ready to start planning?

First: some basic facts about New Zealand

• New Zealand is an island nation surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea, which separates it from Australia.
• It’s roughly the size of Colorado but with 15% fewer people.
• The local currency is the New Zealand Dollar, abbreviated NZD – check the current exchange rate .
• New Zealand uses the same three-prong outlet as Australia and China. For typical digital electronics, this dedicated New Zealand power adapter will work or you can buy a universal international power adapter . Leave the hair dryers at home though! They require a voltage step down so you might just want to borrow or buy one locally.
• Driving is on the left side of the road. The traffic in Auckland is horrendous and you’ll be jet lagged when you arrive, so take it slow!
• The Maori people have lived in New Zealand for about 700 years, while Captain James Cook arrived 250 years ago.
• Though the ratio isn’t as out-of-balance as it used to be, there are still roughly 6 sheep for every human resident of New Zealand.

No matter how much time you visit, it won’t be enough

Road to Mount Cook, New Zealand

We spent six weeks traveling around the North and South Islands of New Zealand and still feel like we missed so many amazing places!

One of the best things about visiting New Zealand is that there’s a huge range of activities to pursue – hiking to glaciers, relaxing on beaches, snorkeling with the world’s tiniest dolphins, visiting Hobbiton and so much more. But the reality is that unless you move to New Zealand or visit for many months, there’s no way you’ll be able to see it all… or even close.

How long should you stay in New Zealand? I’d say that two weeks is enough to explore one of the two main islands if you’re planning a New Zealand road trip. For visitors who are short on time, the one place I’d recommend shorting is Auckland – it’s a sprawling metropolis but not nearly as unique as basically everything else in New Zealand. It’s a good place to recover from your jet lag and spend one or two days.

Since the drive time from Auckland to Wellington is around 9 hours (in ideal conditions), you could probably get by with spending 10 days on the North Island if you blazed through… but where’s the fun in that? The South Island takes an absolute minimum of 12-13 hours to drive and has so many nooks and crannies that you won’t want to miss, which add to that drive time.

Check out some of these books to help you prioritize the best things to do in New Zealand:

• Lonely Planet New Zealand – a good general overview guidebook to help you plan your route and most important stops
• NZ Frenzy North Island and NZ Frenzy South Island – these are specialized New Zealand outdoor guides written by a local expert
• New Zealand: Travel for kids – if you’re visiting New Zealand with kids, this book provides a great introduction to the history, geography, culture and wildlife

Everything is farther apart than you think

Ok, so those drive times above? Those are the estimates from Google Maps. They assume that you aren’t traveling in New Zealand winter (northern hemisphere summer break), that you don’t need to stop for a herd of sheep, that no one is car sick going over the hill between Tasman and Nelson and that you don’t want to stop for the seventy third photo break.

Yes, there are even your garden variety slow traffic pockets if you’re visiting during peak season.

More importantly, once you get off the main highways there are plenty of spots where the roads are just slow. In some places they’re not as modern and kept up as you might hope. In other places, they’re narrow and windy and you’re just hoping not to drive off the side of a mountain.

Watch for one lane bridges, especially on the South Island! A sign with a blue outline means you have the right of way, a sign with a red outline means that oncoming cars have the right of way. No matter which sign you see, STOP and observe before you try to cross!

You may want to bring this durable map with you to help with navigation in case you end up in an area with spotty cell service – and there are many.

New Zealand and Australia are not that close to each other

How long is the flight from New Zealand to Australia? It’s about 4 hours from Auckland to Sydney. Compared to the 13 hour haul from the west coast of the US, that’s not too bad.

But when you account for arriving to the airport several hours early since it’s an international flight, dealing with traffic in Auckland or high winds in Queenstown and then the lengthy arrivals process in Sydney… it’s easy to see how you can lose an entire day of your trip.

And even more so than New Zealand, it’s extremely hard to do Australia justice in an abbreviated visit. We were there for almost two months and still had more to explore! If you think you’ll never make it back to the region and want to combine the two countries, start planning your Australia itinerary here .

We hear people say all the time that they’re planning a 10 day visit split between the two countries and all we can say is to please reconsider.

You need proof of onward travel

This was a new one for us. New Zealand requires proof of onward travel. That means you can’t enter the country as a tourist without demonstrating that you plan to leave within 90 days. If you’re a typical traveler on a round-trip ticket, you probably only need to complete an Electronic Travel Authority , which is done online and can be ready in a few minutes or a few days. (This only started in August 2019 so we haven’t done it ourselves.)

If you plan to leave New Zealand by way of another country, make sure you purchase that outbound ticket before you try to board your flight to New Zealand. Yay, we did that right!

Except that we kind of didn’t. If you’re going to Australia next, read this . Australia requires many visitors to apply for their Electronic Travel Authority in the Australian ETA app before they arrive – including Americans. I know, we’re spoiled and don’t usually have to worry about this stuff! Your onward ticket to Australia doesn’t count unless you have already applied for your ETA.

Lucky the ETA is fast – our approvals only took about 5 minutes. They cost $20 AUD per person as of this writing. But wow was it a stressful experience to deal with at the Internet cafe in the Buenos Aires airport when we arrived for our flight to Auckland. We didn’t plan to visit Australia until six weeks later so we hadn’t thought to get our ETA so early, but it is required.

If you’re going elsewhere on a one-way ticket after New Zealand, be sure to check that country’s visa requirements before you go to the airport heading for New Zealand.

They’re really serious about not bringing in certain foods

When you arrive at airports in New Zealand, there are numerous signs on the way to customs alerting you to which foods you can’t bring in with you . Agriculture is such an important part of the local economy that there’s genuine concern about pests or diseases from other countries sneaking in.

You can’t bring any produce, meat, fish or honey. It was the last one that nearly got us in major trouble. We’d had an amazing visit to the bee farm in Boquete, Panama and picked up some lovely (expensive) creamed honey while there. What we didn’t realize was that there was still one more neatly wrapped jar hanging out in the bottom of one of our huge travel backpacks underneath a bunch of other stuff.

Not remembering that we had it, we had not declared the honey on our entry card. As we went through one set of signs after another, we discarded anything we thought might be problematic. But at the last station before exiting the airport, the backpack was scanned and a serious agent asked what was in the jar. What jar???

Sadly, our delicious honey ended up in the bin. Fortunately, she took pity on us and didn’t fine us! But many visitors are fined every year for bringing illicit foods into New Zealand! The fines can be hundreds of dollars and that’s a really crummy way to start your vacation. Consider yourself warned.

It’s really expensive

New Zealand was the first place we ever felt “expensive fatigue”, and that’s saying a lot from people who lived in LA for decades. Food is expensive, gas is expensive, Airbnbs are expensive.

The ways we managed to save money during our time in New Zealand probably deserve an entire article of their own. For now, here are a few helpful ways to visit New Zealand on a budget:

• Buy your groceries at PAKn’SAVE. It’s more basic than some of the other options, but much cheaper. The produce in New Zealand is gorgeous , even at the least expensive grocery stores. The best thing we bought during our time in New Zealand was a hard-sided cooler and a set of ice packs. When you’re packing up and moving every 3-4 days, you don’t want to be throwing away those super expensive groceries you just bought!
• For non-grocery items, you can find reasonable prices at K-Mart and The Warehouse. Neither will be as cheap as buying things in the US, as Kiwis earn a higher minimum wage than Americans.
• Definitely take advantage of the best free things to do in New Zealand: beaches, hikes, scenic drives. Honestly these were many of our favorite experiences and they didn’t cost a penny. We always made sure to pack the cooler with a picnic lunch, snacks and plenty of extra water so that we didn’t have to eat out unexpectedly.
• Book your rental car early, and then check back to see if the price has gone down as your trip gets closer. I think I must have checked nearly every month! I did end up re-booking once when the price dropped. I love booking with RentalCars.com since they make it so easy to compare rental car companies – and to cancel when you find a better rate. Make sure to check if there’s a one-way fee on your car rental. It’s also worth checking Apex if you’re on a really tight budget, but know that the cars may be very old and have high mileage – we didn’t feel comfortable with those conditions for as much driving as we planned to do out in the countryside and over big mountains.
• If you plan to do a New Zealand road trip on both islands and then fly the return leg domestically, consider flipping the order and starting in Queenstown. You may find the rental car to be cheaper and staying flexible might give you better availability for accommodations in the busiest season.

You may have to get a new rental car when you switch islands

This one was a surprise to me! We got a great deal on our rental car with Avis through RentalCars.com and booked it for our full six week journey through both the North and South Islands. We planned to pick it up at the Auckland airport and drop it off at the Queenstown airport, taking the ferry in between.

When we picked up our car, weary and bleary-eyed after an overnight flight from Argentina (which skirted the edge of Antarctica!!!!) we were told that we could only take our car as far as the ferry terminal in Wellington. The good news is that it’s not a big deal as long as you know what to expect.

The ferry terminal is structured sort of like a tiny airport. There are rental car buildings adjacent to return your car. If you have a lot of luggage (or a heavy cooler full of food), you may want to drop if off directly at the ferry building with the rest of your party. It’s not a long walk, but can be annoying if you have lots to carry – like, let’s say, an entire family’s worth of stuff for a year plus a newly purchased cooler.

Once you get inside the ferry terminal you’ll check your luggage just like on a flight! This was a little surprising but worked well. The staff even taped our cooler shut to keep our pricey groceries safe. We each just brought a carry-on backpack with us to keep our valuables safe and handle our on-board needs.

The Interislander ferry ride itself is a fantastic experience and probably deserves its own article! Suffice it to say that the ride is pleasant, pretty and generally uneventful (though seas can be rough, so bring these if you get seasick). You’ll arrive in Picton about 3.5 hours later.

As with Wellington, the Picton ferry terminal resembles a small airport terminal. But it’s small and lots of people like you had to drop off their rental cars in Wellington! And that can mean only one thing: LONG LINES.

Take my advice: send the driver from your group to the rental car desk immediately to get in line for car pick up. Getting the new car wasn’t difficult but it took close to an hour in total. Everyone else can stay inside at baggage claim to collect your luggage and hang out. Why inside? Because Picton has a huge sand fly population! In two minutes flat my feet were absolutely covered in extremely itchy bites. They won’t kill you, but they’ll sure make you miserable.

The long and short is that swapping cars when you move islands is very common and not a terrible inconvenience. It just takes time, so plan accordingly. Be sure to check your car rental company’s policy on moving cars between the islands.

Some of the smaller local car rental companies like Apex do permit you to take your rental car across the Cook Strait. What’s the catch? Depending on the length of your car rental, you may need to food the bill for your car’s ticket on the ferry. That can add more than $200 to your costs in peak season, so be prepared and factor that into your price comparison. If you’re taking a very long car rental, your company may cover the cost of the ferry.

Book your accommodations early if you plan to visit during typical vacation periods

Guys, this is one that I can’t stress enough. New Zealand does not have an adequate supply of places to stay in the most popular areas during busy season. We visited for December and most of January – it’s the best time of year in terms of weather, but also school holidays in New Zealand and Australia.

We booked most of our accommodations in New Zealand in June and July, and we still struggled in some places! We’ve never booked anything that far in advance, but I’m glad I relented and let Ronnie lock things in well in advance. We traveled much of the country with another family we met on our first day in Auckland, but at a certain point they couldn’t visit areas they wanted to see for lack of hotel rooms or apartments at any sort of reasonable price.

What are the best places to book your stays in New Zealand? We stayed in twelve different places in New Zealand and I swear we booked them all on different websites! Here are the best options we found:

• BookABach – This is now part of the HomeAway family, but distinctively Kiwi. You’ll find everything from luxury condos to really simple cottages. Since many owners expect primarily domestic tourists, confirm that they’ll offer sheets and towels… because plenty of them expect you to bring your own.
• Booking – Just like anywhere else, Booking offers a great interface for scouting hotels, apartments, hostels and more. We love booking thanks to the generous cancellation policies, easy filtering and easy access to so many real-world reviews. We absolutely love this lodge but it books up extremely early. The rooms are simple but cozy and the common room is the perfect place to meet other travelers while you cook dinner and then enjoy some stargazing on a clear night!
• VRBO – Overall we had a good experience with vacation rentals in New Zealand. These were some of the best places we booked and there were often wonderful personal touches.

Use the interactive map to find vacation rentals and hotels in New Zealand

You can experience everything from rainforests to alpine zones

Tropical forest near Hahei, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

Is New Zealand a good place to visit? I’d say so, because in many ways it’s an “everything destination”.

Many visitors choose New Zealand specifically for its stunning views. Of course the most iconic scenery is of the mountains on the west side of the South Island – Mount Cook, Fox Glacier, the shear cliffs along Milford Sound. But when you head to the country’s opposite corner you’ll find a lush subtropical rainforest!

It was a little surprising to wear both winter clothes and swimsuits on the same trip, but that’s what you get in New Zealand! Pack appropriately.

But also come prepared mentally that New Zealand is so much more than what you expect! Look beyond the mountain-filled post cards and recognize that each part of the country is special in different ways, even if they aren’t all as dramatic as what you expect.

New Zealand is getting much more diverse

In the 2001 census, 80% of New Zealand’s population was ethnically European ; by 2018, that had dropped to just 70%. That’s a staggering change in less than two decades. Most of that transition has been due to an influx of Asian immigrants.

But you might only notice that diversity in the greater Auckland area and, to a lesser degree, elsewhere on the North Island. The country’s 16% Maori population is almost entirely on the North Island (86%). The country’s Asian population is around 15% now, but almost entirely focused in greater Auckland.

What does the Auckland region look like? These days, it’s less than half European in origin. You’ll find fantastic food in Auckland as a result. Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city, is less ethnically diverse than Auckland but still about 1/4 of residents identify as non-European.

On the South Island… well, many areas are over 90% European . It’s not just an aesthetic difference, but you may notice resulting cultural differences too.

New Zealand has a lot more than two islands

One of the most interesting things to know about New Zealand, which most people don’t realize, is that it contains more than 600 islands! However, the vast majority of these are unpopulated. The North Island is home to over 75% of the country’s population.

There are numerous islands in the Hauraki Gulf including well-known Waiheke Island (population almost 10,000). Waiheke makes a wonderful day trip from Auckland and is known for its beautiful scenery and delicious wine.

New Zealand’s third largest island is Stewart Island off the southern tip of the South Island. 85% of Stewart Island is protected as a National Park, and exploring the bush is one of the main things to do on Stewart Island – after all, there are only 400 people living there!

Hopefully this guide has left you more excited and more prepared for your journey to New Zealand! Writing this has certainly made me hunger for a return visit to explore more of the amazing experiences New Zealand has to offer.

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Planning your trip to New Zealand

Are you getting ready for an epic trip to New Zealand? Don’t miss these articles to help you plan:

• 2 Weeks in New Zealand Itinerary: 14 Days of Adventure, Scenery and Culture
• A Local’s Guide to 2 Days in Queenstown
• Bike the Otago Central Rail Trail
• The best things to do in Tasman, New Zealand for outdoor lovers
• Beautiful pictures of New Zealand’s North Island beaches
• Up close with Maori culture at Tamaki Maori Village
• Glass Bottom Boat Whitianga: Exploring the beauty of the Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

The post 10 Important New Zealand Travel Tips to Know Before You Go appeared first on The Family Voyage .

Video shows multiple onlookers hit by out-of-control cars at Hamilton burnout event, Greg Murphy says he has 'no sympathy'

• Melania Watson

Confronting video shows just how close some spectators at an illegal burnout event in Hamilton came to being seriously injured. Credits: Image - Youtube / B.I.G Cars; Video - Newshub

Footage has emerged of illegal street racing at a car meet in Hamilton where several people were run over, sparking concern from road safety campaigners.

The car meets, often done late at night, see hundreds of people gathered around watching cars do burnouts, donuts and drifting.   

One clip filmed at an intersection in Hamilton earlier this month shows a woman in a grey hoodie get flipped over, as the rear of a car comes spinning past her.  

Meanwhile, other vehicles can be seen driving through the crowds and knocking people off their feet. 

Do you know more? Email [email protected]

The car meet, known as "The Hamilton Invasion", took place at the intersection of Te Rapa Road and Eagle Way on April 13.

More than 100 onlookers were standing on the road filming cars as they spun out of control.  

Road Safety Campaigner Geoff Upson said illegal street racing and burnout meet-ups has become a reckless activity where "people are just getting injured".  

"We've got racetracks. We've got drag strips," Upson said. "There are lawful ways to enjoy motor vehicles, and it's cheap enough."  

Upson said street racing is nothing new and he did it himself at a young age.

"I used to participate in these types of events, but never to the level of anybody getting hurt or crashing cars. More just from a social point of view," he told Newshub. 

"I remember we did a cruise. Me and my mates drove from Auckland to Hamilton to do a social meet-up. Police were everywhere, so we didn't really do any racing. We just met up to show each other our cars and brag about how cool they were."  

"When I was 16 it was the coolest thing ever," he said.  

He said street racing where people are getting injured shouldn't be happening.  

"If you enjoy cars, get into motor sport," he said. "Do it properly, whether that be motocross or racetracks.   

He said people in Hamilton and Auckland have access to Hampton Grounds to legally street race.  

"We just need to promote that, and make these young people understand you can do it legally and safely," he said. "We need to try and encourage that."  

"I don't know how we stop the dumbassery that's coming with the car enthusiasts."  

Upson said in some instances, street racing can "often come with violence".  

"It's often a small minority, but it shouldn't be happening. I do think that needs more police attention."  

More from Newshub

Road safety campaigner Greg Murphy said he has "no sympathy" for those hit by street racers.  

"They are not victims. If they were there and participating, they knew what they were getting themselves into," he said. 

"ACC should not be paying for their medical bills either."  

He described the burnouts as "an epidemic" where "people know there are no consequences".  

"Unless police catch them in the act with their wheels spinning, there's nothing they can do."  

"We need to bolster the law, take their cars away permanently, not just for 30 days," Murphy stressed.  

"Make participation, just being there, a crime."  

A man who attended the meet spoke with Newshub said one woman was concussed after being hit by a car but she "came around just fine" and didn't need to be hospitalised.

He also said "around six or seven people were hit" at another point.

The event that took place was known as "The Hamilton Invasion" amongst car enthusiasts, the man told Newshub. Attendees included cars and people from all over the North Island.

Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate expressed her disappointment following the event.

"Unfortunately we are seeing this reckless behaviour throughout New Zealand," she told Newshub.

"This is scary to watch and I am concerned for people’s safety. Along with serious safety concerns, it is also not fair on ratepayers, who end up paying for the damage.

"We work closely with the police to deal with any issues as they come up. Skidding and burnouts are illegal behaviour and if anyone sees it happening, we advise them to contact the police in the first instance.

"One method Council can use to help deter street racing and burnouts is a Light Vehicle Ban in specific streets via the Traffic Bylaw, which helps the police with any enforcement."

The ban sees cars, utes and vans banned from the street between 9pm and 4am unless they are "legitimately accessing a business or home on that street".

Southgate said the ban has been implemented in some industrial streets following "detailed consultation with business and property owners".

"Through our partnerships with police, community groups, and funding from central government, Hamilton is working hard to improve safety in the city," she said.

"I will continue to raise this with the Government to enhance safety outcomes in our community and region."

Newshub has contacted police for comment. 

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California Governor Newsom launches abortion travel ban ad campaign in Alabama

By Dave Pehling

Updated on: April 22, 2024 / 1:41 PM PDT / CBS San Francisco

California Governor Gavin Newsom is taking aim at states considering abortion travel bans with the launch of a new ad campaign.

Newsom's Campaign for Democracy ad is set to air in Alabama starting Monday. The governor tweeted out the ad in a social media post Sunday morning.

Alabama’s abortion ban has no exceptions for rape or incest. Now, Republicans are trying to criminalize young women’s travel to receive abortion care. We cannot let them get away with this. pic.twitter.com/gHbYJYlEXk — Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) April 21, 2024

The text with the video post reads, "Alabama's abortion ban has no exceptions for rape or incest. Now, Republicans are trying to criminalize young women's travel to receive abortion care. We cannot let them get away with this."

The 30-second commercial shows two nervous young women driving in a car passing a sign that reads "State Line 1 Mile." 

"We're almost there. You're gonna make it," the passenger tells the woman behind the wheel just before they hear a siren and are pulled over by a state trooper.

"Trump Republicans want to criminalize young Alabama women who travel for reproductive care," a voiceover says as the state trooper walks up to the car.

"Miss, I'm going to need you to step out of the vehicle and take a pregnancy test," the trooper says, waving a test stick in one hand. The next shot shows the driver leaning on the hood of her car as the trooper puts her in handcuffs.

"Stop them by taking action at RightToTravel.org ," the voiceover intones as the ad ends.

Alabama is currently weighing a bill that would make it a crime to help women travel outside the state in order to receive an abortion. The ad is part of a larger effort to combat travel bans across the United States. Newsom was behind a similar ad that ran in Tennessee.

The RightToTravel.org website says that those two states and Oklahoma are considering bills that ban minors from traveling out of state to get an abortion without parental consent, even if it's a case of incest or if there is abuse in the family.

It isn't the first action the governor has taken in the political battle over abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June of 2022. Two days after the ruling, Newsom partnered with the governors of Oregon and Washington to issue a multi-state commitment promising to defend access to reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives.

In September of that year, he launched a billboard campaign in seven of the most restrictive anti-abortion states urging women seeking the procedure to come to California for treatment. He also signed more than a dozen new abortion laws  protecting women's reproductive rights and ordered the state to end its contract with Walgreens after the pharmacy giant  indicated it would not sell an abortion pill by mail in some conservative-led states . 

• Gavin Newsom
• Roe v. Wade

Dave Pehling started his journalism career doing freelance writing about music in the late 1990s, eventually working as a web writer, editor and producer for KTVU.com in 2003. He moved to CBS to work as the station website's managing editor in 2015.

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Planning to visit New Zealand? Read our guide that covers all the practical travel advice you need to know ahead of your trip.

Travelling to New Zealand

Learn about the COVID-19 requirements for travelling to New Zealand, visa and entry requirements and what sort of travel visa you might need. Find out how to get to New Zealand and how to book your trip.

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Whether you want to self-drive, fly, join a tour, or hop on a bus or train, there are plenty of options for getting around New Zealand. Find out what’s best for you with our practical advice on travel and transport in New Zealand.

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Auckland woman’s car written off after she swerves to avoid hay bale on Northwestern motorway

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An Auckland woman’s car has been written off after she swerved to avoid what she believed was a hay bale on Auckland’s Northwestern motorway.

Katie Stolpmann told the Herald she had picked up something in Albany last Tuesday and came onto State Highway 18 at the Paul Matthews Road on-ramp where she saw a sign indicating there was debris on the motorway.

“It said something like ‘DEBRIS AHEAD. DRIVE CAREFULLY’,“ she said.

Later, when approaching, Patiki Rd off-ramp, Stolpmann saw what she described as a “large hay bale” which was half the size of her Honda Fit.

“At the time, traffic was flowing as normal.”

“When I came around the bend, I tried to swerve to miss it. About 10 per cent of it was in the safety shoulder while 90 per cent of it was in the right-hand lane.”

Stolpmann then swerved across three lanes and directly into a Volkswagen station wagon filled with children, and ended up in the bus lane.

But Stolpmann said it wasn’t accurate for NZTA Waka Kotahi to have called a hay bale blocking a motorway lane “debris”.

“I was looking across the lanes for debris such as a broken headlight, not a huge big hay bale,” she said.

“If they can put an LED sign up for debris, why didn’t it say something like ‘obstruction in lane 4’?”

“There is no way to see it if you’re going 100km/h.”

Stoplmann’s car is now completely written off and she is unable to commute to her work as a cleaning supervisor across Auckland.

“I have a car full of equipment and I supervise a bunch of cleaners who clean about six houses every day, so I’m travelling all the time.”

She now has to apply for finance to buy another car.

“There is no way to get to six houses from Silverdale to Gulf Harbour each day. I can’t work at the moment so I’ve completely lost my job.”

Her insurance has also lapsed.

She wanted to know where the hay bale came from and why there was no diversion.

“It was just sitting there on the blind corner.”

A police spokesperson said: “It appears that something had fallen from a vehicle at some point that looked like a bag of garden waste and one vehicle swerved to avoid it, hitting another car”.

“No one was injured, the cars were only blocking one lane – southbound between Te Atatū on-ramp and Patiki Rd off-ramp – for a short time.”

Police said two bags of garden waste were reported at 3.15pm.

The Herald has approached NZTA Waka Kotahi for comment.

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Coming to Alabama: Newsom’s Abortion-Access Ad, Depicting an Arrest

The ad portrays a woman trying to leave the state to have an abortion. The Campaign for Democracy, a political action committee started by Mr. Newsom, the California governor, created it.

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By Neil Vigdor

• April 21, 2024

A woman nervously peers into her rearview mirror as a patrolman activates his car’s lights and sirens. She is less than a mile from leaving Alabama to seek abortion services, but it’s too late: The next thing she knows, she is being handed a pregnancy test and is handcuffed.

The encounter is depicted in an unvarnished new television ad called “Fugitive.” The Campaign for Democracy, a political action committee created by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Democrat of California, produced the ad.

It will appear on Monday in Alabama, where Republicans have called for prosecuting women who travel elsewhere for an abortion. The state’s abortion ban, one of the nation’s strictest, outlaws the procedure at all stages of pregnancy, with no exceptions for rape and incest.

“Trump Republicans want to criminalize young Alabama women who travel for reproductive care,” the ad’s narrator says.

The ad then shows the patrolman approaching the vehicle: “Miss, I’m going to need you to step out of the vehicle,” he says, tapping the kit on the driver’s side door, “take a pregnancy test.”

The ad is scheduled to run on broadcast and cable television, along with digital platforms like YouTube, for two weeks, according to the PAC. The cost of the ad buy was not immediately available.

Alabama’s attorney general, Steve Marshall, a Republican, has clashed with the Justice Department and abortion assistance providers over whether the state has the authority to prosecute individuals or groups that help women leave the state to have the procedure.

Last month, Republicans introduced a bill in the Alabama House that would make it a misdemeanor to harbor or transport a minor to seek abortion services.

Mr. Newsom has emerged as a key surrogate for President Biden while harboring future White House ambitions of his own. He has regularly skirmished with G.O.P. governors and Republican-led states over abortion access, immigration, crime and other issues.

While Republicans have seized on crossings at the southern border in their messaging, Democrats have harnessed the issue of abortion-access after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. It helped propel Democratic candidates to key victories during the midterm elections in 2022 and in races last year.

In February, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos were people with rights, casting a cloud of uncertainty over in vitro fertilization. The state later passed a law giving I.V.F. clinics criminal and civil immunity, but it did not address whether embryos have the legal status of human beings.

In another seismic ruling, the Arizona Supreme Court this month upheld an 1864 law that bans nearly all abortions. The decision could have far-reaching consequences for women’s health care and election-year politics in the state, a critical political battleground.

Mr. Newsom said in a social media post at the time that California, which borders Arizona, would provide a refuge for women affected by the decision.

“Arizona wasn’t even a state — it was a territory — when this draconian abortion ban was passed,” he said. “That’s how extreme this is. California remains ready to help Arizonans access reproductive health care.”

Neil Vigdor covers politics for The Times, focusing on voting rights issues and election disinformation. More about Neil Vigdor