new zealand road trip planner

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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Related posts, the 25 best places to visit in new zealand (2024 edition), 21 epic things to do in queenstown, nz [2024 guide], 3 days kayaking in abel tasman (everything you need to know), 2 thoughts on “the best new zealand road trip itinerary in 2024”.

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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The Ultimate New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary

With its snow-capped mountains, ancient glaciers, rolling verdant hills, incredibly friendly locals, and abundant world-class wine, New Zealand is as wonderful as you’ve heard. In fact, take what you’ve heard and times it by ten. Because New Zealand will simply blow your mind when you visit.

People think because it’s a small country, you can see it all in two weeks. Unfortunately, that’s not true. There’s a lot to do here. From the north island to the south island, you need a lot of time here to see the highlights. You could literally fill months with activities and still only scratch the surface. New Zealand may be small but it punches above its weight with things to do.

But what if you don’t have months? What do you do then? What route do you take? What island should you start with? Where do you go?

Or what if you do have a month to spend? Then what? Where do you begin planning your New Zealand itinerary?

Below are my suggested itineraries that can help you plan your New Zealand road trip for maximum efficiency. Whether you have two weeks, one month, or even longer, these itineraries will ensure that you see the highlights and get off the beaten path.

New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary

New Zealand Itinerary Highlights

Choosing the right vehicle.

• Two-Week North Island Route
• Two-Week South Island Route
• One Month Itinerary
• Things to Remember

Note : Two weeks is the minimum recommended time for a New Zealand road trip. There’s so much to see and do here, yet you still don’t want to be rushed or spend all your time in the car. If you only have two weeks, focus on one island.  

• Hike the Franz Josef Glacier
• See the Waitomo Glowworm Caves
• Visit Hobbiton
• Experience a Maori Cultural Show
• Hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing
• Go skydiving or bungy jumping
• Explore Fiordland National Park

Want more info on these activities (and many others)? I cover them all below!  

• Travellers Autobarn
• Wicked Campers

Prices vary a lot. Your daily rate will change depending on where you pick up the vehicle, if you are dropping it off at a different place, how long you are renting it for, how far in advance you book, and when you book (in the high season, prices seem to double!).

If living out of a van for a few weeks doesn’t sound like your idea of a fun time, simply rent a normal car and book accommodation along the way. To book a car, check out Discover Cars , which searches rental agencies big and small to find the best deals.

If you plan to drive New Zealand, you can use this widget to get a free quote for your car rental:

New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary: A Two-Week North Island Route

Days 1–2: auckland.

Spend some time hanging out on the Auckland Domain, go snorkelling on Goat Island , and if you love wine like I do, take a wine tour on Waiheke Island .

For a list of more things to do in Auckland, check out my guide to the city!

Where to Stay : The Albion – This historic accommodation began as a “pub hotel” in the 19th century. Today there’s still a nice old tavern in the hotel. The rooms are comfortable and the place is quiet.

Days 3-4: Bay of Islands

While you’re here you can visit the Waitangi Treaty Grounds (one of the most important historical sites in the country), explore Cape Reinga (the northernmost point of New Zealand), and see wild dolphins on a boat tour .

For a list of more things to do in Bay of Islands, check out my complete guide!

Where to Stay : Haka Lodge – Located in Paihia, Haka Lodge has a lot of common spaces, a large kitchen, and great views over the harbor. Everything is super clean and the beds are comfortable. It’s a good place to meet people.

Day 5: Hobbiton

To see Hobbiton, you’ll have to take a tour that starts with a drive through the owner’s 505-hectare (1,250-acre) sheep farm, offering epic views over the Kaimai Range. From here, you can explore Bag End, wander around the hobbit holes, and visit the Green Dragon Inn. Tours start at 89 NZD.

Where to Stay : Cosy Country Stay B&B – This is a cute bed-and-breakfast located in Matamata just a few miles from Hobbiton. The hosts are fantastic, there’s complimentary breakfast, and the property is quiet and tranquil, with roaming cats and goats for added atmosphere.

Days 6–7: Rotorua

The Maori were the original inhabitants of New Zealand, having arrived from Polynesia between 1320 and 1350. This is the best area to learn about Maori history and culture . Don’t miss seeing a Maori cultural show while you’re here (the Te Pa Tu Maori Cultural Experience is the one I attended).

The region is also known for its geothermal activity, and the dynamic landscape makes for exciting nature walks, trips to smelly sulfuric geysers, and soaks in luxury spas with water from the hot springs.

Where to Stay : Rock Solid Backpackers – This is a centrally located hostel with an expansive array of facilities, including a cinema, a bar, a communal kitchen, and even a rock-climbing wall.

Day 8: Waitomo

You can walk, abseil, or float down an underground river to see them. A 45-minute rafting trip is the standard visit, but if you want to go abseiling (also known as rappelling) there’s a five-hour option too. Prices start at 55 NZD for a boat tour and 195 NZD for extended tours with abseiling.

For a complete list of things to do in Waitomo, check out my guide on the town.

Where to Stay : Juno Hall – Close to the glowworm caves, Juno Hall has a swimming pool and tennis court on-site. There’s a large kitchen as well as an outdoor grill for barbecuing.

Days 9-10: Taupo

It’s also one of the best places to go skydiving in New Zealand thanks to the views and clear skies (though I didn’t do this while I was there).

I loved the small-town feel of Taupo, sitting by the lake, and being able to do so many hikes. I could have stayed here for weeks.

For a list of more things to do in Taupo, check out my guide!

Where to Stay : Finlay Jack’s has a huge kitchen, a big common room, a spacious patio with BBQs, fun and welcoming staff, bike rentals, and a super friendly hostel dog. Everything in the hostel is updated, with new, modern pod-style beds so you can get a great night’s sleep. In short, everything a backpacker or budget traveler would want from a hostel.

Day 11: Tongariro Alpine Crossing

As you wind your way through Tongariro National Park, you’ll walk through volcanic terrain (including where Mordor in Lord of the Rings was filmed), past high peaks and sulfur lakes, and end the day in a dense forest. It’s easy in parts (the beginning and end) and steep in others (especially the portion after “Mount Doom”), so you’ll get a good mix of difficulty levels.

Be sure to bring water, sunscreen, a hat, toilet paper, and a sweater or jacket (the weather can change rapidly). Expect to pay around 50 NZD per person for a round-trip shuttle to and from the trail or 325 NZD for a full-day guided hike .

Where to Stay : National Park Alpine Lodge – Located in National Park Village (the best place to stay if doing the trek), this lodge features budget-friendly private rooms, a communal kitchen and common area (with a cozy fireplace for cold nights!), and a helpful staff.

Otherwise, you can stay in Taupo, which is where people usually base themselves when they do this trek.

Days 12–14: Wellington

Be sure to visit Te Papa (New Zealand’s national museum), ride the cable car to the Cable Car Museum, and tour Weta Workshop (an Academy Award–winning props and special effects studio).

For a list of more things to do in Wellington, check out my detailed guide to the city.

Where to Stay : The Marion – This boutique hostel is just blocks away from everything you’ll want to see. It’s cozy, with comfy beds and large bathrooms, and the staff really go out of their way to make you feel welcome. It’s a clean, social spot to relax and meet other travelers.

If you’ve only got two weeks and are ending your 14-day New Zealand itinerary in Wellington, you can fly out of the airport here to wherever you need to go next. If you have more time, you’ll take the car ferry (around 3.5 hours) to Picton on the South Island to continue your trip (in which case, follow the following two-week South Island itinerary, but in reverse).  

New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary: A Two-Week South Island Route

If you choose the South Island for your two-week road trip, start in Queenstown. Even if your international flight lands in Auckland on the North Island, you can easily get a cheap flight to Queenstown. Queenstown also has direct flights to many major cities in Australia if your trip to New Zealand is part of a larger adventure in Oceania.

Days 1-3: Queenstown

Known as “the adventure capital of New Zealand” (it’s the launching pad for every sort of adventure activity you can think of), Queenstown lives up to the hype. Even though it has become hugely popular, I cannot express my love of Queenstown enough. I love sitting by the lake, watching the sunset with a bottle of wine, and hiking the nearby trails.

Explore nearby vineyards, enjoy the waters of Lake Wakatipu, or go bungy jumping, ziplining, rafting, or skydiving . There’s a lot to do here.

For a list of more things to do in Queenstown, check out my detailed city guide.

Where to Stay : Nomads Queenstown – Most rooms have balconies, the showers have excellent water pressure, and the pillows are thick. There are activities every night and a free dinner and quiz night on Sunday. Overall, this is a great place to stay.

Days 4-6: Fiordland

Milford Sound is an amazing fjord that’s best known for the towering Mitre Peak and its surrounding rainforest. You can walk the wooded trail along the sandy shore for perfect views of the peak, or take the Chasm Walk on the Cleddau River to get close to powerful waterfalls.

The fjord itself is home to seal and penguin colonies. You can often see pods of dolphins frolicking in the waters too. Explore by boat and check out the Milford Discovery Centre and Underwater Observatory to see rare black coral and other underwater life. Southern Discoveries is the only company doing cruises that include the Underwater Observatory. Cruises start from 165 NZD .

While less well-known than Milford, Doubtful Sound is the deepest and second-largest fjord in the country. You can only get to Doubtful via boat. A wilderness cruise of Doubtful Sound costs 299 NZD.

Where to Stay : Milford Sound Lodge – This is quite literally the only place to stay within about 50 kilometers (31 miles). It’s not cheap, but the views are unmatched, the complimentary breakfast is delicious, and the contemporary rooms are cozy yet modern. Otherwise, if you have a car, you can stay in the closest town, Te Anau where you’ll find cheaper accommodation.

Days 7-8: Wanaka

For a list of more things to do in Wanaka, check out my detailed city guide.

Where to Stay : Mountain View Backpackers – This hostel has a huge outdoor space with a grill, space to lie in the sun, and a big table to congregate around (there were many enjoyable nights spent drinking wine outdoors).

Day 9: Franz Josef Glacier

Hiking the glaciers here is an unforgettable experience. Sadly, because they have receded and are melting quickly due to climate change, the caves and walks have been shut down. Now, the only way to trek on the glaciers is via heli-hike ( an epic half-day or full-day helicopter/hiking experience ). These are expensive (500 NZD), but the helicopter ride, trekking, and experience as a whole are worth the price in my opinion.

Conversely, you can just hike to the glacier face and take photos from a distance. There are tons of viewing points (and you’ll see photos of just how far the glaciers have receded over the years).

Where to Stay : Chateau Backpacker & Motels – Just a ten-minute drive from the glacier, this lodging offers free homemade soup every night, free breakfast (homemade waffles and pancakes!), two communal kitchens, and a hot tub.

Days 10–11: Abel Tasman National Park

The best way to see the park is by kayak, so you can explore the little coves and beaches that really make the area special. Full-day rentals start at around 110 NZD, or you can join a guided kayaking tour starting at 190 NZD. You can also take a scenic cruise around the park for 95 NZD.

Where to Stay : Marahau Beach Camp – Offers both dormitories and small private cottages, a communal kitchen, and a seasonal restaurant. There are also tent and campervan sites if you want to save money.

From here, pick your last stop: either drive onwards to Christchurch and end there or take the ferry over to Wellington (an adventure in and of itself!) and end there. Either way, you’ll be able to catch a cheap and quick flight back to Auckland for your international flight home.

If you’re heading to Christchurch, keep reading. If you’d like to visit Wellington, scroll back up and follow the tips in the North Island itinerary section.

Days 12-14: Christchurch

While there’s not a lot “to do” per se, the vibe here is really relaxed, and it’s worth not rushing through if you aren’t short on time. Be sure to ride the gondola , visit the Canterbury Museum, and tour Quake City (a unique and interactive museum that recounts personal stories from the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes).

For a list of more things to do in Christchurch, check out my city guide.

Where to Stay : Urbanz – This is an awesome hostel located in downtown Christchurch with friendly staff and a huge kitchen. There’s also a hostel bar, a pool table, fast Wi-Fi, laundry, movies, and comfy couches, as well as a parking lot.

If you need to get back to Queenstown, it’s a 6 hour drive from here. Alternatively, you can fly to Auckland. The flight is just over an hour and tickets can be found for as low as 65 NZD if you book in advance.  

New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary: One Month

Again, these are just recommended itineraries — I encourage you to adapt as needed!  

Things to Remember When Road-Tripping New Zealand

To help you make the most of your road trip, please remember the following rules:

• Traffic flows on the left here (not the right, like in the US or Canada).
• You must always park your car in the direction that traffic is going (or risk a fine).
• There are plenty of pull-off points for taking photos — use them instead of stopping at a random spot along the side of the road, which can be quite dangerous given how tight the roads are here.
• Roads here are winding, so remember that it might take longer than you expect to cover a particular distance.
• As long as your current and valid driver’s license is in English, you don’t need an International Driver’s Permit.
• If you’re traveling by campervan, use the CamperMate app to find nearby campsites, gas stations, and dump stations.

New Zealand is an unforgettable country, loaded with epic landscapes, friendly Kiwis, and a rich culture. Due to its remote location, visiting is usually a once-in-a-lifetime trip for most travelers. Taking a road trip is the best way to make the most of your time here, tailoring your itinerary to your own preferences and New Zealand bucket list.

Book Your Trip to New Zealand: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Use Skyscanner to find a cheap flight. They are my favorite search engine because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned!

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.

If you’re looking for specific places to stay, here is a complete list of my favorite hostels in New Zealand .

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• Safety Wing (best for everyone)
• Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.

Want More Information on New Zealand? Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on New Zealand for even more planning tips!

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

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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!!

amazing thanks for sharing this amazing blog like to read your blogs keep sharing.

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Thanks for sharing this interesting and informative information

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Amazing content. Love your writing. Thanks for sharing this amazing article.

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.

Your article was very good, and you have given very good information in this article. I regularly read all the articles on your website

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.

Great content. Very detailed.

I have bookmarked your blog, Great content on your New Zealand road trip.

This is a good website, I have been reading its articles for a long time.

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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It wans a graet terip, thakn you sommudhch, If a lide no ispem aasae demnur?

thanks…for…the…valuable…information….

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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?

Your writing style effortlessly draws readers in and makes complex ideas easy to understand I appreciated such clarity.

Wonderful & very informative article. I think these tips and advice are much helpful. Great Sharing, Thank you for such detailed description of the destination. All the pictures are gorgeous. Excellent Explanation.

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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How to Plan the Perfect New Zealand Itinerary

Home » Blog » New Zealand » How to Plan the Perfect New Zealand Itinerary

With miles of jaw-dropping landscapes and experiences, it can be hard to decide how to plan for a trip to New Zealand. We’re walking you through how to put together the perfect New Zealand itinerary based on our travels.

New Zealand is truly one of our favorite countries to explore. And if you know me, you know how hard it is for me to choose favorites.

The relatively small island nation is home to an astounding variety of scenery: lush forests, snow-capped mountains, volcanoes, ancient glaciers, stunning coastlines, rugged fjords, and rolling farmland.

There are tons of activities to get your adrenaline pumping in the “Adventure Capital of the World”. You can go caving, hiking, skydiving, skiing, climbing, bungee jumping, jet boating, swimming with dolphins, camping… just to name a few.

But there are also plenty of opportunities to slow down. On our trip, we soaked in hot springs, sipped wine, sampled the local cuisine , slept in mountain huts, and relaxed on the beach.

We spent 5 weeks traveling around New Zealand in a campervan, and we’ve been lucky enough to explore a lot of what this country has to offer!

In this article, we’ll walk you through exactly how to plan the perfect New Zealand itinerary, from how much time you’ll need to where to go and how to spend your days.

New Zealand itinerary contents

• Where to go
• Type of travel
• Where to start/end 
• How many days
• Typical Budget
• Accommodation
• Perfect New Zealand itinerary
• Booking your trip
• Itinerary planning resources

Want to save time and energy on planning?

If you want to save yourself the hours of research and planning, we’ve got you covered with our  ultimate done-for-you New Zealand Itinerary . This itinerary includes a lot of what you’ll find in this article,  plus so much more!

We took our 5-week travels and condensed it down to 30 days (because so many people wanted a 1-month route) that hits the top destinations on both the North and South Islands in one epic road trip. 

We’ll send you our complete 1 month itinerary, filled with tips and advice. Just click below to get your 30-day New Zealand road trip itinerary today!

Where to go on your New Zealand itinerary

From the vibrant cities and geothermal wonders of the North Island to the wild fjords and towering mountains of the South Island, below is a list of places to consider visiting on your New Zealand itinerary. We’ve included the country’s main highlights as well as some underrated gems not to be missed.

(Are you skipping the North Island all together? Jump down to the South Island .)

North Island

With thermal hot springs, white sand beaches and enough volcanoes to make your head spin, New Zealand’s North Island is not to be overlooked. Though it is often outshined by its more mountainous neighbor to the south, we found the North Island to be quite enjoyable.

If you’re looking for a shortcut, we created a perfect New Zealand North Island itinerary that brings you to all the major highlights, as well as hidden gems off the typical tourist path.

We’re even sharing where to stay and what to eat in the North Island, so you have all the information you need right at your fingertips!

Below we’ve listed all of the top places to consider visiting on the North Island of New Zealand.

Due to its large international airport, Auckland is the entry point for most visitors to New Zealand. It’s also the country’s largest city, with more than a third of the national population residing here.

This “City of Sails” is a dynamic, multicultural metropolis with a buzzing waterfront, lots of green space, and a diverse dining scene. In addition to all the fun things to do in Auckland , it also makes a great base for some of the North Island’s best day trips.

Waiheke Island

Just a short ferry ride from Auckland, Waiheke Island is a captivating gem known for its world-class wines, which visitors can sip while taking in the picturesque vineyards and olive groves that dot the landscape.

Nature lovers can explore pristine beaches, lush forests, and rugged coastal cliffs , while cultural connoisseurs browse art galleries, boutique shops, and fine dining establishments.

This geothermal wonderland of Rotorua boasts bubbling mud pools, steaming geysers, and colorful mineral-rich hot springs alongside lush forests and serene lakes. It is also home to the Whakarewarewa Living Maori Village and offers cultural experiences, including traditional Maori performances and cuisine.

Coromandel Peninsula

A coastal region with a laid-back vibe , the Coromandel Peninsula is home to some seriously bucket list-worthy experiences. Trek or kayak to the marine reserve at Cathedral Cove, dig your own personal hot tub at Hot Water Beach, or kick back in the charming seaside towns of Whitianga and Coromandel Town.

Mount Maunganui

Located in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty, Mount Maunganui is a dreamy destination for hikers, surfers, and beach bums alike. Summit the iconic Mauao, an extinct volcanic cone , for panoramic views of the surrounding land and seascapes.

Bay of Islands

The 144 islands that make up this subtropical region are full of cute seaside towns and marine wildlife . The Bay of Islands is also historically significant, as this is where the Treaty of Waitangi (New Zealand’s founding document) was signed in 1840.

Cape Reinga

The Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean at the northern tip of the North Island. The mesmerizing collision of currents makes it easy to see why Cape Reinga is a site of deep spiritual significance in the Maori tradition. 

If you haven’t heard of Hobbiton, you may be living under a rock (or a hill!)… The Lord of the Rings film set is one of New Zealand’s most popular tourist attractions, complete with life-sized hobbit holes , magical gardens, and the iconic Green Dragon Inn.

Nestled in the heart of the North Island’s volcanic plateau, the deep blue waters of New Zealand’s largest lake provide a scenic backdrop for swimming and boating. On the north shore of the lake, the town of Taupo serves as a gateway for Tongariro National Park, home to New Zealand’s best day hike .

Hawke’s Bay

Hugging the North Island’s east coast, the region of Hawke’s Bay is known as “New Zealand’s Food and Wine Country” for good reason. With 200+ vineyards and 70+ wineries, Hawke’s Bay is one of the Great Wine Capitals of the World.

Not a fan of vino? You won’t be left wanting for other choices – craft beer, distilleries, fresh juices, cafes, and some of the country’s best restaurants – you’ll find it all in Hawke’s Bay.

New Zealand’s capital is a compact but thriving harbor city at the southern tip of the North Island. Caffeine fiends (like us!) will enjoy the city’s famous coffee culture , while foodies (also us!) can indulge in an eclectic dining scene . 

There are plenty of opportunities for cultural immersion in the urban hub with museums, galleries, theaters, and live music venues, as well as chances to explore the city’s natural surroundings.

Read more in our Wellington Travel Guide .

South Island

With picturesque fjords, snow-capped mountains, temperate rainforests, and black sand beaches, New Zealand’s South Island is a nature-lover’s paradise.

We’ve created an action-packed 2-week South Island New Zealand itinerary that hits the major highlights and gets off the beaten path. 

We even included tips for altering it to fit a shorter trip, and recommendations for what to see if you have more than two weeks to explore!

Below are some of the places we’d recommend including in your travels on New Zealand’s South Island.

Christchurch

Known as the “Garden City” for its parks, green spaces, and famous Botanic Gardens , Christchurch is a lively city with a buzzy vibe.

Rebuilding efforts following the devastating earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 focused heavily on environmental initiatives and Christchurch has since become a shining example of innovative urban planning and sustainability . 

Lake Tekapo

Situated in a UNESCO Dark Sky Reserve and surrounded by the rugged Southern Alps, Lake Tekapo offers a tranquil escape on the South Island. With turquoise glacial waters by day and dazzling star-filled skies by night, the scenery at Lake Tekapo is nothing short of breathtaking.

Lake Pukaki

Another stunning alpine lake, the vivid turquoise color of Lake Pukaki is caused by “rock flour” suspended in the meltwater from the Tasman and Hooker glaciers. Its postcard-worthy surroundings and proximity to Aoraki Mount Cook National Park make Lake Pukaki a must-visit destination for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts.

At 3,724 meters (12,218 feet), Mount Cook is New Zealand’s highest peak and the crown jewel of Aoraki Mount Cook National Park. It’s a haven for hiking and mountaineering; in fact, the majestic peak famously aided Sir Edmund Hillary in preparing to summit Everest. But don’t worry, you don’t have to be a legendary mountain climber (or even a hiker) to enjoy the park’s breathtaking glacial vistas and alpine scenery.

Not only is Queenstown credited as the birthplace of bungee jumping , it also offers a plethora of other heart-pumping activities, earning itself a reputation as the “Adventure Capital of the World”. Not an adrenaline junkie? No problem! From cultural activities to culinary adventures, there are plenty of things to do in Queenstown for all ages and interests.

Nestled on the shore of its namesake lake, Wanaka is a charming resort town with a proud craft beer culture. In the evenings, you can find outdoor enthusiasts enjoying a pint in one of the local breweries after a day of hiking, mountain biking, skiing (winter), or water sports (summer).

This idyllic lakeside town is the perfect base for exploring some of New Zealand’s most iconic natural attractions, such as Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound, and 3 of the country’s 10 Great Walks. Meanwhile, Te Anau itself offers both relaxing and adventurous activities, including l ake cruises, glowworm caves, and a bird sanctuary .

Milford Sound & Fiordland National Park

Fiordland National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Area known for its untamed wilderness and biodiversity , and Milford Sound is the star of the show. With towering cliffs, cascading waterfalls, and verdant rainforests, Milford Sound is one of the most breathtaking natural attractions in the world.

Read more in our Milford Sound series:

• Milford Sound Cruise Guide
• Milford Sound Travel Guide
• Queenstown to Milford Sound Road Trip Guide

First thing’s first: “West Coast New Zealand” is a specific region, stretching from Haast to Kahurangi National Park on the South Island’s – well – west coast.

Okay, now that that’s cleared up… 

The West Coast was one of our favorite regions in the country, a wild and untamed wilderness ranging from glaciers and snow-capped alps in the south to palm trees and white sand beaches in the north.

Read more in our West Coast Travel Guide .

Lake Rotoroa

Enveloped by soaring mountain peaks and thick beech forests , Lake Rotoroa offers a remote escape 40 minutes from the nearest village of St. Arnaud. The surrounding Nelson Lakes National Park is threaded with trails ranging from leisurely walks to strenuous hikes. Bring your binoculars for birdwatching!

Abel Tasman

New Zealand’s smallest national park packs a big punch with golden sandy beaches, clear turquoise waters, and lush native forests. This coastal paradise holds secluded coves and hiking trails that are perfect for kayaking and spotting wildlife, such as dolphins and fur seals .

Situated on the shores of the South Island’s Tasman Bay, New Zealand’s sunniest city is a hub for artists and craftspeople of traditional, Maori, and contemporary persuasion. Visit the weekend markets for a chance to taste artisanal products and find a handcrafted souvenir to take home.

Marlborough

As New Zealand’s largest wine region, Marlborough is best known for its Sauvignon Blanc and fresh seafood (a match made in heaven!), as well as its diverse and stunning scenery. Rolling vineyards give way to the Marlborough Sounds, an intricate network of sheltered waterways and island sanctuaries that are home to dolphins, whales, seals, and the iconic kiwi bird.

The coastal town of Kaikoura is renowned as one of the best places in the world for marine wildlife encounters, including whale watching and swimming with dolphins (ethically!). The abundant marine life coupled with its striking position between the dramatic Kaikoura Ranges and the Pacific Ocean make this a truly one-of-a-kind destination.

Dunedin and Otago Peninsula

Dunedin rests at the head of a sheltered harbor, cradled by the Otago Peninsula on the South Island’s eastern shore. The city is steeped in Scottish heritage and historic architecture, including New Zealand’s only castle.

On the Otago Peninsula, scenic drives and hikes offer opportunities to view penguins, seals, sea lions, and albatross in their natural habitats. 

Stewart Island

Located 30 kilometers south of New Zealand’s South Island, Stewart Island is a perfect place to get away from civilization. This remote island is known for excellent bird spotting, hiking, stargazing , and the peace that comes with being on an island with just 400 permanent residents.

Great Barrier Island

For picture-perfect beaches, untouched forests, and secluded bays, Great Barrier Island is a place to get away from it all. This tropical-feeling island is completely off-grid and has a population of 1,000 people. Getting here requires a 4.5-hour ferry ride from Auckland or a 30-minute flight.

When to go to New Zealand

Spring (December – February) in New Zealand means temperatures are warming up and the days are getting longer. This is also lupin season, which is a big draw for photographers.  

Summer (January – March) brings long and sunny days with warmer temperatures — great for hiking and long days at the beach. 

Fall (March – May) is a great time to avoid high season crowds (and prices!) while still having enough daylight and comfortable temps to enjoy an array of outdoor activities.

Winter (June – August) in New Zealand is great for winter sports like skiing and snowboarding. Or if you are on a tight budget, this season brings the most discounted rates and the fewest crowds of the year. 

Our personal pick would be to plan your New Zealand itinerary during the shoulder season between spring and summer (November/December).  

For an in-depth guide on the regional seasons, weather patterns, and other factors, check out our complete guide to the best time to visit New Zealand . 

Car vs. Campervan: How to get around on your New Zealand itinerary

Though public transportation in New Zealand is pretty good, having your own set of wheels is hands-down the best way to explore the country for a few reasons:

• You can see hidden gems and get off the beaten path.
• You’ll be able to travel on your own schedule, and getting from point A to point B is faster.
• Driving in New Zealand is easy and parking is plentiful.

Now that we’ve established you’re renting a vehicle, you might be wondering, car or campervan?

Renting a car in New Zealand is fairly straightforward, but it has a few little quirks that might surprise you, even if you’re a pro at car rentals. We put together a huge guide to New Zealand car rentals to share all our insider information with you, including things we wish we’d known before our trip.

The main advantage of renting a car (as opposed to a campervan) is that a smaller vehicle is generally easier to drive and park. And unless you’re really into campervans (like us!), you’re probably more used to driving a car and might be more comfortable with this option.

Be sure to book your rental car and any rental gear before your trip begins. And don’t forget travel insurance ! Picking a policy that covers your rental car is often cheaper than buying a separate policy through the rental company.

We personally traveled by campervan for 5 weeks in New Zealand and loved every minute of it! We think it’s the best way to explore this glorious country. Here are a few reasons why we love it:

• It’s easy. There are few countries in the world as well set up to accommodate campervans as New Zealand, and there are tons of places to camp (some of which are free!).
• You can save money. When you see the price tag attached to a campervan rental, you’ll probably think “Whaaat?! That ain’t cheap!” But what you have to remember is that this is your rental vehicle and your accommodations all in one!
• You can save money (again). Is there an echo in here? You can also save money in a campervan by cooking your own meals , so I think it’s worth repeating!
• It’s the adventure of a lifetime! Campervan travel adds a level of freedom even beyond driving a car, as well as experiences you won’t get at a hotel. It’s magic. Trust me.

If this got your attention, we have a guide to the best campervan rentals in New Zealand that walks you through your rental options and what to look out for. We’ve even included an exclusive discount for our readers! 

We also put together a HUGE guide to planning your New Zealand campervan trip with tons of insider tips and advice. Make sure to give it a read before booking your trip!

Where to start and end your New Zealand itinerary

Deciding where to start and end your travels is another factor you’ll want to consider when planning the perfect New Zealand itinerary.

New Zealand has quite a few international airports – there’s one in just about every major city. So you’ll have a lot of options to choose from.

We’ve done the research, and we personally recommend starting your itinerary in Auckland .

For starters, you’ll likely fly into Auckland, since it has the biggest international airport. And as New Zealand’s largest city, you’ll find a wide selection of rental cars and campervans you can pick up in Auckland.

However, if you want to start your road trip somewhere else, Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown also have plenty of options for campervan pickups.

We’ve designed our 1-month New Zealand itinerary to begin in Auckland and end in Christchurch. Some rental companies will allow you to pick up and return your vehicle in different locations (sometimes for a fee). If not, you can always hightail it back to Auckland to return your rental.

Cook Strait Ferry

The Cook Strait Ferry operates between the North and South Islands in New Zealand, connecting the cities of Wellington and Picton. The ferry service provides both passenger and vehicle transportation, making it a vital link for travelers exploring both islands.

Not only is it an efficient way to get from one island to the other (especially if you are traveling by campervan or car), the ferry is an iconic journey across the Cook Strait with incredible views. Many people believe it’s the most scenic ferry crossing in the world! 

How many days is enough for New Zealand?

This is a tough one to answer because even a lifetime wouldn’t be enough. Seriously.

We spent 5 weeks traveling around New Zealand in a campervan, and we’ve been lucky enough to experience a lot of what this country has to offer. Even so, we still left with a loooong list of things to do “ next time ”. 

That said, we do have some suggestions based on the amount of time you have to explore New Zealand:

1 Week New Zealand

If you have just one week, we recommend focusing on a specific area. Base yourself in a city like Queenstown or Auckland and plan for a couple of day trips.

2 Weeks New Zealand

Choose one island to explore. We have perfect 2-week itineraries ready-to-go for both the North Island and South Island . All the hard work is done for you!

1 Month New Zealand

We think a month is ideal for your first trip to New Zealand . With our 30-day New Zealand road trip itinerary , you’ll experience a good chunk of the country’s must-sees and hidden gems (we have lots!).

5+ Weeks New Zealand

Extra time? Even better! Our 1-month New Zealand itinerary is packed with insider tips to customize your trip , including what to add if you have more time.

What is a typical travel budget for New Zealand?

I’ll give it to you straight: New Zealand ain’t cheap. But don’t let that stop you – it is still totally possible to explore New Zealand on a budget . 

If you are on a tight budget and watch your spending closely, you could get by with a daily budget of $60 – $90 per person.

If you want a few splurges and to stay in nicer accommodation, plan to budget $100 – $150.

On the other hand, you could easily blow through upwards of $200 per person per day if you book luxury hotels, eat out, and pack your itinerary with tours like bungee jumping and scenic helicopter flights.

For a more detailed breakdown, see our New Zealand travel guide .

Where to stay around New Zealand

New Zealand is a developed country with lots of accommodation options. As with any destination, lodging will be more plentiful (but generally more expensive) in the city centers, and prices will be higher during peak tourist season (December to February in NZ).

Our New Zealand itinerary has options for hotel/Airbnb stays as well as campsites, so you can tailor it for your personal travel style.

From chains like Holiday Inn to boutique hotels and resorts, you can find it all in New Zealand. Hotels are usually concentrated around metropolitan centers and may not be available in some remote areas. We recommend using Booking.com to search for hotels and compare prices.

Insider Tip: Traveling on a tight budget? Use Booking.com to search and compare prices for hostels. With the exception of certain campsites, hostel dorms are usually the cheapest accommodations out there.

Renting an Airbnb is one of our favorite ways to get to know a place. Plus, they offer experiences you won’t get in a hotel:

• Get off the typical tourist track and experience the country from a local’s point of view.
• Stay in the suburbs or the countryside, outside of the major hotel areas.
• Enjoy perks like having your own kitchen and laundry – especially for a long-term stay.
• Psst! Read about why we prefer Airbnbs over hotels when traveling with a baby.
• Save money!
• Find unique stays, like this rainforest retreat near Auckland .

Never booked an Airbnb before, or worried about getting a dud? No sweat – we have Airbnb basically down to a science. We even created a whole guide to booking Airbnbs where we share all our tried and true secrets to ensure a great experience.

There are all types of campgrounds in New Zealand, from totally free to pretty pricey (like $70 NZD per night), from unmaintained sites to holiday parks with hot showers, BBQs, and all the frills. And then there’s everything in between.

New Zealand campsites are also quite different from those in North America. Most of the camping in New Zealand is more or less a field where campervans have space to park.

We know how overwhelming it can be to sift through tons of campsites while trying to decipher unfamiliar jargon (what exactly is a “holiday park?!”). So we created a New Zealand camping guide , complete with a rundown of the rules and a map of the best campsites in the country.

Our perfect New Zealand itinerary

Countless hours were spent researching our route for New Zealand. We pored over article after article. We talked to Kiwis and asked for their local advice. And we finally came up with a plan.

All our research paid off: We had an incredible road trip! So, we’ve taken our road trip route and made it even better for you. 

We took our 5-week travels and condensed it down to 30 days (because so many people wanted a 1-month route) that hits the top destinations on both the North and South Islands . We added some things we wish we would have made it to and we altered a couple things here and there that we wish we would’ve done differently.

This New Zealand itinerary is set up to be done as a campervan road trip . However, you can also follow this route if you’re traveling with a rental car and staying at hotels or Airbnbs along the way. 

Important Note: One thing to know about traveling in New Zealand is you’ll need to be flexible. The weather in this country can be highly unpredictable (especially on the South Island), and a day of heavy rain or a surprise snowfall might derail your plans of hiking or bungy jumping. We would highly recommend having some “flex days” so you can alter your plans if you encounter weather that is not ideal. Trust us on this one.

Highlights of our New Zealand itinerary

Below are some of the can’t-miss things to do in New Zealand that we’ve included in our epic one month itinerary. 

• Discover Auckland and Waiheke Island
• Hike to Pinnacles Hut and witness the sunrise over the Pinnacles
• Explore the beaches on the Coromandel Peninsula
• Sea kayaking to Donut Island and camping on the beach
• Take the Hobbiton movie set tour
• Hiking in and around Rotorua and Lake Taupo
• Trek the Tongariro Alpine Crossing
• Eat and drink your way through Wellington
• Swim with dolphins (ethically!) in Kaikoura
• Wine tasting in Marlborough
• Explore Abel Tasman National Park
• Go rafting through a glowworm cave
• See Pancake Rocks
• Get up close and personal with Franz Josef Glacier
• Drive the beautiful Haast Pass
• Hiking around Wanaka
• Adventure activities in Queenstown
• Cruise Milford Sound
• Enjoy the laid back but incredibly scenic Key Summit hike

We’ve spent hours of research putting this all together, just for you!

In full transparency, this is a paid itinerary since it has taken an incredible amount of time for us to create. 

However, we keep all of our paid itineraries affordable – just $15 for an entire 1-month itinerary. We think this is an extraordinary value considering almost all your planning will be done for you!

If you don’t have enough time to do both islands, we broke down our full itinerary into separate itineraries in the following articles:

• North Island Itinerary
• South Island Itinerary

Booking your New Zealand trip

We have a handful of go-to resources that we use when planning nearly all our trips. Here are the platforms we use to book our most basic travel needs:

• Flights: Skyscanner
• Campervan rentals: Motorhome Republic
• Rental cars: Discover Cars
• Hotels: Booking
• Unique accommodations: Airbnb

Don’t forget about travel insurance!

Hold up – don’t even think about getting on a plane without this! Travel insurance is just as important as your passport and, contrary to popular belief, it is not expensive.

We know a lot of people will forego this step simply because they get too overwhelmed by all the options. 

Please don’t do that!  

We made a comprehensive guide to travel insurance to help you out. We share which companies we use and what policy details to look for when you go over your travel insurance comparison.

Our recommendation: 

Our personal pick for travel insurance is SafetyWing . Their policies are geared toward frequent travelers and digital nomads, and they’re one of the few providers who have coverage for Covid-19.

What sets SafetyWing apart is their emphasis on flexibility and adaptability . Unlike traditional insurance policies with fixed durations, SafetyWing’s coverage is designed to be subscription-based, allowing travelers to pay on a monthly basis and enjoy continuous protection while on the move.

New Zealand itinerary planning resources

We have TONS of resources for planning your trip in our New Zealand travel guide . Below are some of our top recommended articles for New Zealand itinerary planning…

• Things to Know Before Traveling in New Zealand
• Exciting Things to Do in New Zealand on Your First Visit
• New Zealand Travel on a Budget + Money-Saving Tips
• Best Time to Visit New Zealand: When to Go & When to Avoid!
• Ultimate Guide to Planning Your New Zealand Campervan Trip
• Best Campervan Rentals in New Zealand
• Best New Zealand Campsites: Ultimate Guide + Map
• Car Rental in New Zealand: Essential Guide + Tips
• Incredible New Zealand Hikes + Local Tips
• Best New Zealand Foods to Try (& what to skip!)

Be sure to download our  complete packing list for New Zealand !  It’s full of good suggestions and  insider tips  to help plan your campervan trip in New Zealand. And it’s completely  FREE , so why not!?

Want your itinerary planned for you?

• Perfect 1 Month New Zealand Itinerary
• South Island New Zealand Itinerary: Epic 2-Week Road Trip
• North Island New Zealand: 2-Week Road Trip Itinerary

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We want to hear from you!

Are you planning your own perfect New Zealand itinerary and still have questions? Let us know in the comments below and we’ll do our best to get back to you!

Comments (1) on “ How to Plan the Perfect New Zealand Itinerary ”

Great article! I am thinking of a two month New Zealand trip next year, in October, November, and December. Will probably fly into Auckland and spend about three weeks to a month road tripping the North Island. Then will go down to the South Island and spend about a month to five weeks road tripping before going back up to Auckland and flying home. How is the weather in the North island during mid October to mid November? Will I be able to hit up beaches? Also, is mid November to mid December a good time to see lupins on the South Island? What would be the ideal (female) packing list during this time? Thanks in advance!

P.S Hope you enjoyed your Arizona hike! Can’t wait to hear about it!

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6 incredible road trips you should do in New Zealand

Oct 13, 2023 • 6 min read

Stopping to take in the views, and check the map, while road tripping on New Zealand's South island © swissmediavision /Getty Images

New Zealand is one of those destinations best explored by car or campervan. Public transport is limited outside cities, and so much of what you'll want to see and do is off-the-beaten-track, immersed in New Zealand 's incredible natural environments . Road tripping means touring at your own pace, stopping for stunning walks, cycle rides, wild swimming or wildlife spotting.

1. Northland loop

Best road trip in "the Winterless North" Auckland–Auckland (roundtrip); 650 miles (1,050km); a week or more

Kiwis call the regions north of Auckland (Northland & the Bay of Islands) the "Winterless North" because of its year-round subtropical climate. First, to the Bay of Islands , via the surf beaches of Mangawhai and the artsy city of Whangārei, which requires a good day or two of exploring. 

Next, drive north and ferry over to the former whaling port of Russell, which matches heritage charm with on-water adventures like sailing, diving, fishing and kayaking. All of these are also accessed from the thriving mainland town of Paihia – where you’ll also want to spend a day at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds learning about the colonial history of New Zealand. 

Further north, the attractions are more remote and even more spectacular, leading all the way to the very top of the North Island at spiritual Cape Reinga , where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet. On your way, stop at foodie Kerikeri ; chill out in laidback Mangōnui (which will please seafood lovers); and spend another day at Ahipara with its surf breaks and nearby sand dunes. 

Heading south again, you’ll drive through the incredible Waipoua Forest, where the last giants of the once extensive kauri forests here will take your breath away, stopping at quiet coastal towns peppered with stories of colonization, migration and hard labor.

2. Coromandel Peninsula

Best beach-coming road trip Thames–Waihi Beach; 190 miles (305km); 1-3 days

Coastal roads weave a magical path on this journey around the compact but colorful Coromandel Peninsula , a favorite holiday spot for residents of nearby Auckland and Hamilton. As well as a gorgeous beach-fringed coastline , the Coromandel also holds the legacy of its gold-mining past in the heritage streets of Thames, Coromandel Town and Waihi. 

Start in Thames, then head north to the thriving community of Coromandel Town via the beautiful 64-acre estate Rapaura Water Gardens . Next, detour from Colvile to the rugged northernmost tip of the Coromandel Peninsula – ideally in summer (December to February) when roads are dry and the pōhutukawa trees are in their crimson glory.

Heading down the other side of the peninsula, you’ll visit Whitianga and the nearby beaches of Mercury Bay. Diving, boating, game fishing and kayaking are the big draws at Te Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve. Further south are natural attractions like the stone arch at  Cathedral Cove  near Hahei and Hot Water Beach (which lives up to its name). Dig a pool in the sand and relax in the hot waters that rise up from beneath the surface. 

3. Wellington to Rotorua

Best road trip for vineyards and Art Deco architecture Wellington–Rotorua; 520 miles (840km); 4-7 days

After a few days exploring the excellent museums, galleries and bars of New Zealand’s compact, boho capital, Wellington , it's time to hit the road. First, you'll head north along the Hutt River valley, detouring into the Martinborough wine region to taste world-famous pinot noirs. Next, continue on to the Pacific coast: a languid arc combining sandy beaches and spectacular scenery with Māori cultural experiences. 

The stretch from Havelock North to Hastings is surrounded by bountiful orchards and much-loved wineries, which can be explored on an organized cycling tour, or you can continue by car. At the southern tip of Hawke’s Bay, Cape Kidnappers (Te Kauwae-a-Māui) lures golfers (with a spectacular course ) and birdwatchers as there's a 3,000-strong gannet colony on the headland here. 

Next, head to the gorgeous seaside city of  Napier  with its impressive Art Deco architecture. It's also another great spot for foodies. The remote East Cape is next. Stop at sun-soaked Whakatāne and the beaches of Ōhope before turning inland to round off this epic circuit at the geothermal hotspot of Rotorua , with its incredible Māori cultural immersion experiences and host of outdoor activities like mountain biking and luging.

4. An epic road trip fully exploring New Zealand's Southern Alps 

Best alpine road trip Christchurch–Christchurch (roundtrip); 850 miles (1,380km); a week or more

Trip through varied landscapes including scenic mountains, wild coasts, lush lakelands, and rural highways dotted with tiny hamlets on this grand South Island tour. Starting from Christchurch  with its mix of old England and future-facing Kiwi ingenuity, head to the alpine reaches of Arthur’s Pass National Park , which rises to 2,408m at Mt Murchison. 

Next, you’re meandering along the west coast through historic towns and artistic communities at Hokitika and Ross. The adventure rises again at the Franz Josef and Fox Glacier townships, where you have multiple options for glacier viewing (helicopter ride or sky diving, anyone?).

Heading south, the Haast region in Te Wāhipounamu–South West New Zealand World Heritage Area is the place for seabird-spotting and perhaps some tree-hugging in the ancient kahikatea swamp forest at Ship Creek. Finally, wend your way to Queenstown via the incredible Lake Wānaka , where paddling, hiking , skiing and climbing are among the outdoor pursuits that have made this region famous.  

5. Otago Heritage Trail

Best road trip for gold mining heritage Dunedin–Dunedin (roundtrip); 280 miles (450kms); 2-3 days

The discovery of gold in the 1860s led Europeans to migrate to this South Island region, now Otago , and much of that heritage remains today. Old miners’ trails and abandoned railway lines have been repurposed for leisurely cycle rides and long strolls. Agricultural towns still house historic stone buildings and Gold Rush stories, while colorful deciduous trees, winding roads and romantic old railway bridges demand to be photographed. 

This driving tour starts in the vibrant city of Dunedin , where warehouses have been converted into hotels and art galleries, and university students pack international restaurants and pubs all week. After exploring for a few days, head south towards Lawrence – the scene of NZ’s first Gold Rush in 1861 – to the historically significant Horseshoe Bend Bridge over Clutha River/ Mata-au, NZ’s second longest river. Next, you’ll visit the sweet-smelling fruit orchards and vineyards of Central Otago before arriving in Alexander, Clyde or Middlemarch to tackle the Otago Central Rail Trail by bicycle or foot.

For more heritage streetscapes, schedule a stop in Naseby, staying overnight to enjoy a night tour under its brilliant starry skies. Detours from this route will take you into snow-capped mountains, across to the dramatic fiords in the west or to the rugged beauty of the southern coast.   

6. Queenstown to mighty Milford Sound

Best road trip for dramatic views Queenstown–Milford Sound/Piopiotahi; 180 miles (290kms); 2 days

Fiordland is arguably New Zealand’s finest outdoor treasure. A landscape hewn in rock and ice, its grandeur can make you feel like a tiny speck in the face of nature (in the best possible way). 

Panoramic alpine views characterize this drive as you make your way from Queenstown past Kelvin Peninsula at the foot of The Remarkables , along the eastern shore of Lake Wakatipu and past the Devil's Staircase and onto Te Anau . Stay overnight and take a tour of the 200m-long glow worm caves filled with strange rock forms, whirlpools and waterfalls before cruising north past Lake Mistletoe, Mackay Creek, Mirror Lakes and Lake Gunn–Cascade Creek, all stunning spots to stretch your legs and admire the wilderness here. 

The final stretch to the majestic Fiordland National Park takes you through Homer Tunnel, a road laboriously cut through the mountains during the Great Depression.

This article was first published March 2021 and updated October 2023

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New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary—2 Weeks to 2 Months + Costs and Tips

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I’ve been abroad since 2011 and hands down hiking and road-tripping New Zealand has been one of my best experiences!

I spent around five months in the country, living in a van, doing a ton of hikes, and having an epic time. I’m hoping my New Zealand road trip itinerary helps you travel the country better and give you an idea of how to organize your time here (AKA what you can cram in).

While New Zealand isn’t all that big, there’s an incredible amount of adventure to have here.

Don’t lose this! Click to pin it now.

Table of Contents

North Island Road Trip – 2 Weeks or More

South island road trip – 3 weeks or more, add on new zealand itinerary options, budgeting and costs for road tripping new zealand, campervan purchasing, camping in new zealand, quick tips for your new zealand road trip, campervanning new zealand: buying, selling, renovating, and tips, work & travel new zealand: get a working holiday visa for new zealand, campervan sites in new zealand + camping and food tips, new zealand travel tips + a budget breakdown.

50+ of the Best Hikes in New Zealand & Hiking Tips

New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary

The itinerary below is a pretty short and sweet rundown on what a month or two (or more) would be like road tripping New Zealand. I won’t go into much detail but instead will give you a rundown with links for more options. I have two other more in-depth itinerary posts for each island plus a plethora (yes, I said plethora) of other guides around the country.

Seriously, I COVERED New Zealand the best I could for you. So—read this post and then come back to click the more in-depth posts that pique your interest for further info!

As the capital of New Zealand, you are bound to visit Wellington at least once during your New Zealand itinerary. Relax on the beautiful Oriental Bay, a stunning, innercity beach, and learn a little more about the area at the Papa Tongarewa Museum. Take a hike up the Makara Peak Track, or for something a little more relaxing, Owhero Bay is picturesque and out of the city.

The wild coastline of Taranaki is sure to call any adventure lover on a New Zealand road trip, tucked away on the central west coast of the island. The picture-perfect symmetrical volcano of Mt Taranaki has to be seen to be believed, and there are many other beautiful trails in the area, such as the Pouakai Circuit , where you can witness the rugged beauty of the Egmont National Park and visit that oh-so-famous reflective tarn.

Visit Rotorua  on your New Zealand trip to witness some serious geothermal activity, such as shooting geysers and bubbling mud. The best place to witness this is in the landscape of the Wai-o-tapu thermal valley, filled with steaming fumaroles and bright silica terraces.

In Rotorua, you can also find out more about the traditional Maori culture at the Mitai Maori village or raft the highest commercially raftable waterfall in the world. It certainly shouldn’t be missed off a New Zealand itinerary.

The Coromandel region is all about the beauty of nature (OK fine, so is all of New Zealand). Picture cascading waterfalls, thick rainforest, and white sand beaches. The Hauraki Rail Trail will take you through the Karangahake Gorge to the Owharoa Falls. Cathedral Cove is an incredible natural rock formation with sea caves, cliffs, and blowholes all nearby, which can be seen by both hiking or boat.

When exploring Piha , you must take the Mercer Bay Track, a cliffside trail that provides some stunning scenic overlooks of the crashing waves below. Watch the surfers tackle the waves, or even have a go yourself. Also on your New Zealand road trip, make sure you also take a few of the hikes around the stunning Lion Rock, such as the Tasman Lookout Trail.

Here’s My Complete Guide to Road Tripping North Island

The sprawling, urban city of Christchurch is the largest on the island, so after checking out the street art, architecture and places to eat and drink, its time to head out into the great outdoors for the next part of your New Zealand itinerary.

Part of a UNESCO Dark Sky Reserve, Tekapo is just as stunning at night as it is during the day when the skies come alive with twinkling lights. Silver River offers stargazing tours in the area if you are eager to learn more about the night’s sky.

The Lake Tekapo walkway is an easy hike around the lake, or the Mount John Summit Track offers a little more of a challenge, but you’ll be rewarded with some incredible views. Be sure to end the hike with a dip in Tekapo Springs before carrying on your New Zealand trip.

For an awe-inspiring mountain landscape, head to  Aoraki Mount Cook National Park area. The area is home to some of the highest mountains and longest glaciers on the island, with the Tasman Glacier Lookout Trail, Hooker Valley Track , and Kea Point offering some of the best views of this landscape.

Get an alpine buzz at the town and lake of Wanaka , where there are plenty of recreational opportunities to keep you entertained. From kayaking and jet boating to canyoning and mountaineering, the options are endless. There are hundreds of miles or tracks with stunning views of the landscape, or if skiing is more your thing, there are also 4 ski areas just a short drive away.

Sitting on the banks of Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown has a lot to offer, including the world’s first bungee jump. The area really is a place to tick things off the adventure bucket list, and the town itself is a fun place to explore as well.

The trail to the McLean Falls is a great way to start your New Zealand itinerary in The Catlins , a beautiful, remote coastal forest. There are some incredible viewpoints along the coast, such as the windy Slope Point, and some lovely beaches for relaxing, such as Long Beach.

Despite being the country’s smallest national park, Abel Tasman is beautiful. See some of the best views from the coastal track , where, from a 47m suspension bridge, you have a good chance of spotting some fur seals. If you want to experience the area in a different way, kayaking will allow you to access some of the hidden coves around the shore, the ideal way to finish off a New Zealand road trip.

Here’s My Complete Guide to Road Tripping South Island

The ice age created some incredible natural landscapes in the Milford Sound area, with dramatic cliffs rising dramatically up from the waters. Take a boat cruise to witness some of these natural wonders up close.

Lord of the Rings fans need to head to the Glenorchy area to get a closer look at some of the prime filming locations used in the movies. It is just a beautiful part of the country to explore, with the Routeburn Track being one of my favorite ways to see the landscape.

The Fox and Franz Glaciers are incredible and are some of the most accessible glaciers in the country. There are many easy walks near the island, or professional guides often lead journeys onto the ice.

Stewart Island is home to the Rakiura National Park, accessible by boat. Nature lovers flock here in hope of spotting some of the varied wildlife that calls the area their home.

Everyone travels differently, so the cost of going on a New Zealand road trip will vary from person to person.

Food: If you are looking to save a little money, groceries are not that expensive (if you choose carefully), and if you have the facilities then cooking for yourself is the cheapest option.

Transport: One of the cheapest ways to complete a New Zealand itinerary is via campervan, as your van will act as your transport and your accommodation. Other travel costs vary. If you book a bus journey far in advance, it could cost as little as $1, however, if booked last minute you could be looking at between $20 and $60.

Also, if you buy a van, you can often recoup most of the investment when you sell it.

Campsites and accommodation: Again, the costs of campsites vary depending on amenities and location, plus there are a few free places to camp or passes that get you free camp spot (read the post below!). On average, hostel dorms cost around $30, and private rooms up to $100.

Tours: Like most places in the world, organized tours are pretty expensive, especially the more extreme such as helicopter and whale watching tours. Taking a hike yourself though, that is completely free of charge, which is why I hiked A LOT during my time here.

Read More About Budgeting for New Zealand

How Will You Road Trip New Zealand?

There are a few different ways you can tour New Zealand, the most common being buying a campervan, renting a campervan or hiring a car and using hotels. There are pros and cons to each option, so you’ll have to see what suits your needs.

If you are staying for a long period of time, buying a camper is your best option, as when you have finished your journey you can sell it on, making back a good chunk of your money. There is always the risk, however, that you won’t be able to sell it, or it breaks down halfway around your trip.

If you are only staying for a short time, hiring a campervan will give you the most freedom, and although using a car and hotels is likely to be the pricer option, it certainly will be the most luxurious.

Buying a campervan in New Zealand is actually pretty easy, as travelers are coming and going all the time. The best place to find a van is likely to be Facebook, and there are tons of groups that you can join, with specific groups for big cities. Once you have found the van that you like the look of, you can simply meet up with the seller and buy it!

Cash is the easiest way to buy, as things can get a little sketchy if you do bank transfers. When you have the keys, go to a post office and tell them you are looking to update the registration.

There’s a lot to talk about if you’re looking to purchase a campervan in New Zealand for your road trip. Is it self-contained? Does it have a WOF? Do you need insurance? Etc…

Read more on Campervanning New Zealand, Buying, Selling, and More

The types of campsites in New Zealand vary dramatically, from just the basics to having large kitchens and modern facilities. Depending on what you want, there are three different options. Freedom camping means you park up (almost) anywhere for the night for free in designated areas, although these are very basic and sometimes don’t even have a toilet.

DOC campsites are also pretty basic, although they tend to have more facilities than a freedom site, however, if you buy the DOC pass, you pay just a one time fee and are able to use most of the sites for free. If you are looking for a bit of luxury, head to a holiday park. Although this is the most expensive option, you get what you pay for, with much more amenities.

Read More on Camping in New Zealand (and What to Eat!)

• Hiking in New Zealand is AMAZING but if you go on any of the more strenuous ones, make sure to double-check with DOC before tackling it. Also, definitely read my guide for hiking in New Zealand which includes 50+ legendary trails and tips.
• You always drive on the left side of the road in New Zealand.
• Be aware of gravel and unsealed roads, as some of the roads that are ‘off the beaten track’, are not very well maintained.
• Always watch out for animals on the road, especially keep an eye out for sheep! And when you’re parked, be aware there are some cheeky birds that call this place home, like the Kea. They will literally steal things out of your car. No kidding.
• Most of the bridges in New Zealand are single lane, so make sure you know how to read the one-way signs.
• If driving in winter, hire or buy some snow chains, as the roads can be pretty slippery.
• Expect your journeys to take longer than the GPS says as most of the roads are one lane, so the going can be slow.

More New Zealand Travel Tips

>>> EVEN MORE ABOUT TRAVELING NEW ZEALAND <<<

Your Guide To the Tongariro Alpine Crossing Hike in New Zealand

A 5-Day Queenstown Itinerary For the Intrepid (New Zealand)

20+ Day New Zealand South Island Road Trip Itinerary

2-Week North Island, New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary

Piha & Waitakere Ranges Walks, Waterfalls, and Beaches—New Zealand

A Guide to The Pouakai Circuit & Hut at Mount Taranaki (New Zealand)

11 Fab Things to Do in The Coromandel, New Zealand

Epic Things to Do in Rotorua—Hot Pools & Adventures

7 Tips For The Cathedral Cove Walk in The Coromandel, New Zealand

A Guide to Hiking The Kepler Track in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand

5 Epic Hikes in Mount Cook National Park That Are TOTALLY Worth It (New Zealand)

A Guide to Hiking French Ridge Hut in Aspiring National Park (New Zealand)

A Guide to Hiking the Mueller Hut Track & What to Pack (New Zealand)

Hooker Valley Track: The Easiest & Most Beautiful Hike in Mount Cook NP (New Zealand)

Guide to the Routeburn Track: Should You Do It as a Day Hike? (New Zealand)

5 Things to Know about Milford Sound, How to See It and Is It Worth It? (New Zealand)

Hiking Roy’s Peak & How to NOT to Wait in Line For A Pic (New Zealand)

An Adventurer’s Guide to Exploring Lake Tekapo, New Zealand

4 Easy But Beautiful Walks Around Dunedin, New Zealand

11 Things to Do in The Catlins in 2 Days (New Zealand)

A Guide to Exploring The Cave Stream Scenic Reserve (New Zealand)

I hope this quick guide to road tripping New Zealand was helpful, don’t forget to go back up and click around for more in-depth guides and tips for the places mentioned. 

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Nina Ragusa is an adventurer, messy bun master, breakfast fan, and full-time travel blogger. She's been abroad since 2011 and blogging on Where in the World is Nina? for nearly as long. Nina helps people like you move around the world while making money. She loves talking about how to work abroad and online to travel longer! Read more about Nina

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Plan unforgettable road trips!

How to plan your New Zealand Road trip (North and/or South)

Last updated on December 14, 2023 by Claire Robinson - this article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I get a small commission ( more )

Time to plan your New Zealand Road trip! There is so much to do that planning can be overwhelming. Below is my guide to help you go step by step and decide where to go, define your itinerary and prepare for you trip to New Zealand.

STEP 0 – Essentials to know before planning a New Zealand Road Trip

Let’s start with a few essential facts to keep in mind before planning your road trip around New Zealand:

Be reasonable in your planning because:

• There are lots and lots and lots of places to see in New Zealand (see my best-of list )
• It is bigger that one imagines (because we always compare it to its huge neighbour Australia) 
• Most roads are winding – especially in North Island – so plan extra time to get from point A to point B
• You will want to stop everywhere for the amazing scenery!
• Always  check the road status  – sometimes they are working on one-lane bridges which blocks the whole road and you would have to do a huge detour to get to your destination ( see the NZTA website )

Other essentials:

• There are one lane bridges, some of them are long – but generally it is easy to drive in New Zealand
• January gets really crowded when New Zealanders take their holidays, and the week of the Chinese New Year is also crowded. However crowds in New Zealand way way smaller than crowds in Paris 🙂
• Pack layers . With the mountains the weather can change, with storms and fog. Be ready for all types of weather.

STEP 1 – Decide your best time to visit New Zealand

When to visit new zealand – the weather.

New Zealand has 4 seasons :

• Spring – September to November – average temperatures 16 to 19°C (61 to 66°F)
• Summe r – December to February – average temperatures 20 to 25°C (68 to 77°F)
• Autumn – March to May – average temperatures 17 to 21°C (62 to 70°F)
• Winter – June to August – average temperatures 12 to 16°C (53 to 61°F)

Good to know:

• Rainfall – The North of North Island gets more rain in Winter. However rainfall is evenly spread throughout the year on the South Island.
• Snow – Mountains are covered in snow in South Island in Winter.
• Changing weather – In South Island you have tall mountains, so weather can change rapidly and from one valley to the next. Once Lake Pukaki was totally clouded, but just 30min away at the beautiful Omarama Clay Cliffs I had a beautiful blue sky.

Best time to visit New Zealand – Other criteria

The other points to consider when deciding when to travel in New Zealand are:

• Crowds – we are not talking about huge crowds like in major cities in Europe, but the Summer months are the busiest with the New-Zealanders’ holidays in January and the Chinese New Year
• Prices – Of course, during the Summer months, prices are up because of demand. And you should book early in big hubs like Queenstown because it fills up.
• Driving conditions – In Winter some of the mountain passes and the roads between Queenstown and Wanaka can be covered in snow, or worse black ice.
• Daylight – You will have longer days to drive around in Summer.

New Zealand Seasons – Summary

Spring (sept/oct/nov).

• Still some snow on the summits
• Spring flowers blooming
• Less tourists
• Can be quite cold in the South Island

Autumn (Mar/Apr/May)

• Autumn foliage
• Some snow appear on the summits

Summer (Dec/Jan/Feb)

• Touristic season
• Warm and long days
• January is the school holiday – very busy

Winter (June/July/Aug)

So when to travel to new zealand.

There is no right and wrong answer. Summer is often there preferred season for longer days and warmer temperatures. Shoulder months (November and April) would be enjoyable with still comfortable temperatures but less tourists around. And if you like snow sports then Winter is for you.

You can read  my complete guide about the best times to travel to New Zealand including wildlife, activities, prices…

STEP 2 – Where to go in New Zealand – Regions and Map

Overview new zealand road trip map.

Let’s start with New Zealand map to help you locate the various regions listed below:

North vs South island circuit

If you are limited in time for you road trip in New Zealand, you should select only one of the islands. But which one is better? It is difficult to say. You can check my complete article comparing both islands , but here is a summary:

• Less time driving – Tie
• Driving Ease – South Island
• Variety and beauty of Views – South Island
• Best Drives – South Island
• Most amazing Natural wonders – North island
• Most stunning Beaches – Tie
• Variety of Wildlife – South Island
• Interests of Towns – North Island
• Quality of Cultural attractions – North Island
• Better Climate – North Island
• Lesser Crowds – South Island
• Better Food and wine offering – Tie
• OVERALL = SOUTH ISLAND, but not by much

NZ road trip destinations – North Island

Below, I am not listing every corners of New Zealand, but I am showing you the most famous regions to consider for your circuit:

North of Auckland, the narrow area is famous for its beaches and forest. Highlights include:

• Cape Reinga and Te Paki sand dunes
• The Bay of Islands
• Tane Mahuta and the old Kauri tree forest

Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand. It is located towards the North where the land narrows. Often referred to as the City of Sails. Highlights include:

• Cruising to the islands
• Climbing to the top of the Mt Eden volcano for great views

Coromandel peninsula

The Coromandel peninsula is located South East of Auckland. It is famous for its coastal cliffs and beaches. Highlights include:

• Cathedral cove, a giant archway and seastacks
• Hot water beach, where you can dig in the sand to soak in burning water

Rotorua – Taupo

The region of Rotorua-Taupo is in the heart of North Island. It is a geothermal wonderland combined with lots of Maori cultural experiences. Highlights include:

• All the geothermal valleys : Wai-o-tapu, Whaka, Waimangu, Orakei, Te Puia…
• Maori villages
• Lakes, springs and forests

South of Lake Taupo lies the Tongariro National Park, around active volcanoes. Highlights include:

• Many hikes for different degrees of fitness
• The Tongariro Alpine Crossing, the most famous day hike in NZ

Another volcanic region on the West Coast, near New Plymouth. It centers on Mt Taranaki. Highlights include:

• The perfect volcanic cone of Mt Taranaki, with hikes on its slopes
• The black sand beaches 

Capital city of New Zealand at the South end of North Island. Highlights include:

• Te Papa museum
• The cable car with great views over the city
• This is where the ferry to South Island departs

NZ roadtripping destinations – South Island

And now for the most famous regions on South Island:

Abel Tasman National Park

On the North Coast of South Island, the Abel Tasman National Park is a favorite for Nature lovers. Highlights include:

• Coastal forest and long sandy beaches
• Dolphins and seals

Located of the North East Coast, Kaikoura has a special situation tucked between a high mountain range and a deep sea canyon. Highlights include:

• Whale Watching
• Swimming with wild dolphins
• Walking around the peninsula where the land moved up over 1m after the last earthquake

Lake Pukaki

​In the center of South Island, ​the Lake Pukaki region has beautiful glacial lakes and high mountain peaks. Highlights include:

• Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki
• Hiking opportunities around Mt Cook
• Dark Sky Reserve to see the stars at night

Dunedin – The Catlins

Located on the South East Coast, the Catlins are often overlooked for shorter trip, but if you have the time it is worth driving all the way down. Highlights include:

• Victorian buildings in Dunedin and Oamaru
• Wildlife experiences with Albatrosses, penguins, dolphins…
• Moeraki boulders
• Giant Cathedral caves
• Waterfalls…

Probably the most famous town in South Island, known as the adventure capital of the world. Highlights include:

• The beautiful Lake Wakatipu
• Glenorchy and the view towards Mt Aspiring National Park
• Adrenaline activities: jet boats, bungee jumping …

​Fiordland is often a favorite for travelers. The towering cliffs and deep waters are fascinating. Highlights include:

• Milford Sound and the road to get there
• Doubtful Sound and its absolute silence

West Coast Glaciers

On the Central West Coast the high mountains end into the sea. It is a favorite spot to access glaciers.Highlights include:

• Fox Glacier and Franz Josef glaciers
• Lake Matheson and its reflective views

Stewart Island

Third largest island in New Zealand, located South of South Island. Highlights include:

• Slower lifestyle
• Beaches 
• Nature bush walks
• Bird watching

You can find all the highlights listed above and more in my Digital guides to help you easily plan your road trip:

Plan your dream trip to New Zealand with my guides!

• 12 easy-to-plan maps
• 200+ pre-selected locations
• GPS coordinates 
• Useful planning tips
• 285+ large photos 

• 6 easy-to-plan maps
• 90+ pre-selected locations
• 150+ large photos 

• 110+ pre-selected locations
• 190+ large photos 

STEP 3 – How long to road trip around New Zealand

Well that is a difficult question…

Minimum time to visit New Zealand

Considering how far away New Zealand is, I recommend a minimum of 2 weeks unless you are flying from Australia. However with 2 weeks , trying to do both islands is very intense. You have to really pick where you want to go. If you want to check out both islands and not feel rushed, then 3 weeks is better.

Time to tour all of New Zealand

For a circuit that cover all regions of both islands, visiting all the major highlights in each, I think you need:

• 2 months with an intensive itinerary, 1 month for each island
• or 3 months for a more relaxed paced, 1 month and a half for each island
• And, of course, if you want to go more in-depth in each region, then you need longer… 

Driving times

To give you a little bit of an idea, below is a map with the driving times (when not stopping). Remember that New Zealand is full of volcanoes and mountains, so sometimes, even if it looks close-by, it can take a long time to reach a place.

Flight times in New Zealand

You can also road trip in the North and then take a plane and road trip in the South. Flight times are:

• Auckland to Wellington = 1h05
• Auckland to Christchurch = 1h25
• Auckland to Queenstown = 1h55

Your required NZ budget really depends on how long you are traveling, where you are staying, how far you are driving and the activities you choose. Backpacking can help you save on your budget. 

With mid-level accommodations, a rental car (with full insurance), quite a lot of driving, not much eating out and some activities, I spent (without the flights) 190 euros a day.

I don’t drink coffee

But I also like other drinks and sweets! Do you like the free content you find on my blog? All my tips and practical information, without intrusive advertising…

STEP 4 – How to get to New Zealand 

Airports in new zealand.

The easiest way to arrive in New Zealand is by plane.

International airports are:

• Auckland (AKL) – largest airport, most international flights arrive here (unless you come from Australia)
• Wellington (WLG)
• Christchurch (CHC)
• Queenstown (ZQN)
• Dunedin (DUD)

Visa to visit New Zealand

• Travelers from many countries are allowed a 3 month tourist visa – they just need to fill a form online for an eVisa – Check out here
• enter your country HERE to find out if you need more

Ferry between North and South islands on an NZ road trip

If you want to keep the same car during your complete NZ road trip, you can take the ferry between North and South Islands. It carries cars and trucks. During summer period, it is advised to book as soon as you get your rental car and have your plate number. Check out ferry options

STEP 5 – Rent your car for a road trip in New Zealand

If you fly in, it is now time to rent your car. You can find all the international brands and some local brands at the big airports and terminal ferries.Here are a few tips:

• Most cars are automatic – I don’t have specific recommendations for size or motor. Driving is quite easy in New Zealand.
• You don’t really need a 4WD, especially as most companies do not allow you to drive offroad even with a 4WD for insurance reasons
• Pick a company that has offices on both island, so that it is easier in case of issues
• Make sure you have a trunk big enough so that all your stuff can go inside and be hidden, so as not to tempt thieves
• Our favorite platform is Discover Cars

Need to rent a car in New Zealand ?

• Compare prices on my favorite platform:   Discovercars.com – one of the best rated comparison sites!
• Prefer a car with enough power for the mountain areas
• Consider their full coverage option – it for peace of mind! 
• Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!

See all my tips

Or you can rent a van or a motorhome, if you want to have more freedom and combine housing with vehicle.  I don’t have any company to recommend at this time.

STEP 6 – Create your New Zealand Itinerary

Now that you have dates and transportation, you “just” have to decide on your New Zealand road trip itinerary.

For some inspiration you can check my articles about: 

• the  best things to do in North island  
• and the best things to do in South Island .

And you can use the maps and planning info in my eBooks that help you easily plan you ideal road trip.

Be overwhelmed by the beauty not the planning !

New Zealand road trip itinerary planning – essentials

When planning your itinerary don’t forget to consider the following essentials:

• DRIVING TIMES  – Always plan more time to go from point A to point B than what Google says. You will want to stop all the time to admire the scenery and the roads might have animals or traffic
• DAYLIGHT HOURS – Check out the daylight time you have available when you are traveling – how long you have to see all the sites during the days 
• CHECK OUT ROAD DIFFICULTY –  In my eBook, I indicate the roads that are a little more difficult. If you are not purchasing one, read forums to make sure you feel comfortable driving there
• PLAN FLEXIBILITY – the weather can change quite fast. So plan to be flexible. 
• CHECK TIDE TIMES   – several attractions require a visit at low or high tide to be able to access to see specific events (eg. Cathedral cove , Cathedral caves, Tunnel beach, Moeraki boulders , Wharariki beach …) – So if those are very high on your bucket list, plan first to be there at the right tide and organize around it.

You can also check my

• 4+ suggestions for North island itinerary
• 4+ suggestions for South Island itinerary
• Suggestions for 2 to 3 week itinerary covering North and South Island

STEP 7 – Book your NZ Accommodations

Nz hotels and more.

There is a very large choice of accommodations in New Zealand – You can find something for everyone’s taste:

• Motels, 

I personally like the practicality of motels. They are mostly quite good, with a minimum kitchen, easy parking, easy access.

You can find a lot of choice on  Booking.com . This is where I booked almost all my stays.

Check out my article about the best places to stay in New Zealand.

Camping in New Zealand

Camping is also a popular option in New Zealand with tents, in a van or in a motorhome. It does have the advantage that you are closer to nature. And it gives you more flexibility in your planning. Plus in some regions of New Zealand, freedom camping is allowed. Just note, that it can get cold during the night. Pack accordingly.

• Campsites and Holiday parks – you can find some great options near all the touristic attractions. They provide safe and well-equipped stays with powered and unpowered sites – You have to check in
• Camping areas managed by the Department of Conservation – Those 250+ campsites with very basic amenities and managed on a trust basis. There is a box to check in and pay.
• Freedom Camping – yes you can freedom camp in NZ but no you can’t do it everywhere. There are ‘no camping’ zones and private land where you can’t. Plus some areas allow freedom camping but only with an approved vehicle. Check out the website Freedomcamping.org

STEP 8 – Pack for a NZ road trip

Classic clothes. Nothing special to think about. Check my overall  preparation and packing checklists  to help you.

And don’t forget: 

• Layers for rain and for colder nights in the evening and in the mountains
• Sunscreen – you can burn quickly in NZ!
• Hiking shoes

And regarding electronics and other equipments, I recommend

• Photography equipment
• GoPro for swimming with dolphins
• An extra battery to recharge your phone – you will want to take many photos and videos!
• I also recommend binoculars to see the whales, penguins and albatrosses, as well as the glacier tongues – see my guide to help you choose your binoculars

Binoculars to be able to admire all the details in the scenery and monuments ( see my guide )

Thermal Blanket. They don’t take a lot of space and it is safer to have one when driving in Winter or hiking

Power strip + adapter to be able to charge all my equipment at one

And bring a notebook to write don all the emotions triggered by the wonderful landscapes of New Zealand!

Get your Travel Notebook for your New Zealand Road Trip

STEP 9 – Get ready to drive in New Zealand

You just have to be aware that:

• Roads are almost never straight (except a few in the South island valleys)
• Animals can appear in the middle of the road, mostly sheep (although not as much as in other countries I have done road trips)
• Most bridges are just one lane. Make sure you check the sign to see who has priority.
• A few landmarks are accessible via gravel roads. They are mostly in good shape. Just plan some time in your itinerary to wash your car (e.g. after the Catlins). And know that your insurance may not cover breakdowns on gravel roads.
• The only driving difficulties I experienced were around Auckland. It is jammed all the time…

Check out the video and tips in my article about driving in New Zealand .

STEP 10 – Get ready for your New Zealand trip

Knowing a few words in the local language is always appreciated. The official languages are English, Maori and the Sign language.

When meeting Maori people, it is always nice to know a few words

• Kia ora = Greetings / Hello / Good luck
• Haere rā = Goodbye / Farewell
• Kai = to eat
• Haka = to dance or perform

Lots of fish, lamb, barbecue, burgers and avocado and english style recipes (meat pies, fish and chips…)

Other tips for your New Zealand Trip

• Emergency number is 111
• Plug is 230V, Type I (angled 2 or 3 pins)
• Tap water is safe and good
• Tax is normally included
• Wifi can be found free of charge in many cafés and in public libraries
• Tipping is not mandatory – if the service was really good, you can add to the included service charge – taxi fares can be rounded up

Plan your dream trip in New Zealand thanks to my guide

• 12 maps to easily plan your itinerary
• GPS coordinates direct to the carparks
• Winter tips to make the most of your time
• 285+ original photos to help you choose

Want to see more of NEW ZEALAND?

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12 wonders off the beaten track in New Zealand

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NEW ZEALAND NORTH ISLAND ITINERARY – 4 OPTIONS

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Reader Interactions

January 22, 2020 at 6:21 PM

Very easy to consume the content in this article…you are clearly talented We are on our way to NZ for 25 days to see family and sights, you guide has been very useful.

January 22, 2020 at 7:50 PM

Thanks so much for taking the time to write this 🙂 I am glad you are finding it useful. I wish you a wonderful trip! Claire

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Ultimate 10 Day South Island New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary [2024]

The South Island is truly the most beautiful part of New Zealand , as a kiwi it’s where I tell all visitors to go! This 10 day South Island itinerary hits all the highlights from mountains to beaches to glaciers.

The itinerary is designed as a loop so you could start from Nelson if you are continuing from the North Island or alternatively if you are coming from overseas, the cheapest way to do it would be to fly into Christchurch, either direct (it’s an international airport) or via a domestic connection from Auckland.

This itinerary works perfectly with my 10 day North Island itinerary to make a 3 week New Zealand holiday.

If you’re combining the two, either take the ferry from Wellington to Picton and drive to Nelson or fly direct from Wellington to Nelson. The ferry/flight should be booked at least 3 months in advance as the ferry fills up and flight prices ramp up.

How to get around the South Island on this itinerary

To be honest, this really only works well as a South Island road trip itinerary. 

If you don’t have your own vehicle, you could travel by bus (see my full  guide to New Zealand by bus ) but you will need to allow a few more days as there are limited intercity bus services each day.

You can check out rental car prices and book on  RentalCars.com

Where to stay on your 10 day South Island road trip

This itinerary works equally well for campervanning or driving and booking nightly accommodation. I have included both campground and hotel/motel accommodation options for each location. 

It’s worth noting that big hotels are only really available in Christchurch and Queenstown. Outside of there, it’s mostly small motels. If you usually use points to book chain hotels, you won’t have any luck.

10 Day South Island Itinerary

Days 1-2: nelson/abel tasman.

Nelson is the sunniest beachiest part of the South Island and a great place to start your South Island road trip, especially if it’s summer. 

It’s the gateway to the Abel Tasman National Park and one of the best adventure tourism destinations in New Zealand .

I’d recommend checking out the Abel Tasman Track which is one of New Zealand’s Great Walks on Day 1, assuming you arrive early in the day. You can hike sections of the track in a day by taking the water taxis into one of the bays or hike the whole thing as a long weekend (3-5 days depending on fitness).

Alternatively, leave the hiking boots at home and  hire some kayaks  to explore the Abel Tasman National Park from the water. You can pull up the kayaks at any of the golden sand beaches and have a picnic or swim.

If you’ve worked up a sweat on Day 1 then spend Day 2 either relaxing at the beach or hitting up some wineries. 

Tahunanui is the main beach right in Nelson, if you want a less crowded and more remote beach, make the drive out to Kaiteriteri.

The Marlborough region near Nelson is famous for its white wines. I love Neudorf wines where you can put together your own platters from their local produce store. Blackenbrook Vineyard is also very good. There are plenty of wine tour options if you need someone to drive.

• Pics Peanut Butter World  – I’m obsessed with peanut butter and my second favourite brand has a whole factory in Nelson, go try it
• Melrose Café  – high tea or coffee and cake on the porch of a historic mansion
• Jester House  – quirky Alice in Wonderland-esque venue with good food
• YHA Nelson  – for a cheap and cheerful hostel option where you can dorm together
• Trailways Hotel  – one of the bigger hotels in town with river views

Day 3: Kaikoura

It’s time to hit the road and head south down the east coast of the South Island. As there’s the southern alps in the middle of the island, this trip has you going don one coast and up the other. 

The first stop on your way is Kaikoura, the whale watching capital of New Zealand. So, book yourself onto a cruise and head out onto the water in search for some fins and flippers (there’s seals and dolphins too).

Make sure to get some seafood from Nin’s Bin when you get back, you can eat it on the beach and watch out for more wildlife.

• The White Morph – beachfront units with views for days
• The Pier Hotel – pretty basic but one of the more affordable options in town

Days 4-5: Christchurch via Hanmer Springs and Akaroa

Drive time: 2 hours 30 minutes Distance: 180km

After a few days chilling on the coast, it’s time to head to the South Island’s biggest city and New Zealand’s third largest. Christchurch is awesome because there’s always a new café opening or market or artwork.

On your way, stop off for a soak at Hanmer Springs. This place does an awesome job of having something for everyone whether that’s hydroslides for the kids or romantic rock pools to enjoy with a special someone. Entry isn’t cheap at $35 for adults but you get great value.

While Christchurch was devastated by earthquakes over 10 years ago, it has well and truly bounced back. There is still a lot of empty space in the central city but the walls have been covered in murals and shipping containers turned into bars and cafes.

Make sure to visit the Quake City Museum, it’ll help you understand what happened here and how far the city has come. The Antartic Centre is great too, especially for kids. Other than that, a stroll in Hagley Park and through the Botanic Gardens is a must, it’s beautiful and peaceful.

On your second day in Christchurch, consider a day trip out to Akaroa. It’s a bit over an hour’s drive and pretty windy but with gorgeous scenery.

Akaroa is where the French landed when they first came to New Zealand and it still retains some of that heritage, so if you’re looking for a croissant in New Zealand this is the place! 

• Little High Street – it’s like an indoor street food alley with options for everyone
• Riverside Market – somewhere between a market and a food hall, great for trying local artisan producers
• Rollickin Gelato – awesome dessert, gelato and mug cakes and more
• Sudima Christchurch – a brand new luxury hotel just north of the CBD
• Breakfree – one of the cheapest hotels in the city but actually decent and in a great location (slightly funky mood lighting under the beds though)

Day 6: Mt Cook via Lake Tekapo

Drive time: 4 hours + stops Distance: 330kms

The road into Mount Cook is one of the most beautiful drives in the world, its definitely one of the most Instagram-able places in New Zealand so make sure to take it slow and get your camera out.

It’s not a short drive from Christchurch but there are plenty of places to stop along the way from small towns to sapphire lakes.

I’d recommend timing your lunch break for Geraldine so you can check out the tastings and grab a sweet treat at Barkers of Geraldine. 

After that, head to Lake Tekapo to see the most insanely blue waters, every photo I have from here looks photoshopped! The tiny stone Church of the Good Shepherd creates the most romantic setting with the backdrop of the mountains.

If your visit is from November to January, you might also see masses of purple lupins booming around the lake and the roadside.

If you have time when you get to Mount Cook, it’s worth making the effort to hike the Hooker Valley Track. It’s only 10km (5km each way) and a fairly easy walk (we saw people doing it in jandals). At the end you’re rewarded with the beautiful glacier lake and views of the mountain.

• The Hermitage – one of New Zealand’s most well-know hotels, it’s luxurious and has the absolute best views form the dining room and some of the rooms too, quite touristy though with buses in peak season
• Aoraki Mount Cook Alpine Lodge – a good mid-range option in the village

Days 7-8: Queenstown via Wanaka

Drive time: 3 hours 15 minutes Distance: 260km

For many people Queenstown is the South Island and the South Island is Queenstown. The town is the adventure capital, and tourist capital, of New Zealand. Yet despite the throngs of visitors, it remains incredibly beautiful and peaceful.

The drive from Mount Cook Village to Queenstown is a beautiful one, through the alpine passes and over the Crown Ranges.

Make sure to stop at Wanaka for brunch and to visit the iconic Wanaka tree which somehow grows out of the lake at an impossible angle or the Wanaka Lavender Farm for photo ops and lavender ice-cream.

Then head for an after lunch drink at Cardrona Distillery where you can taste their incredible locally made spirits. It’s the only gin I could drink straight, and the elderflower liqueur is a must-try.

There’s also the Cardrona Hotel perched on top of the mountains if you’re more of a pint of beer kind of person.

Once in Queenstown you have SO many options for things to do. Get out on the lake with a steamship cruise or a jetboat ride , depending on your speed. For the real thrillseekers, there’s the world’s first bungee jump.

Take a hike or a gondola up Ben Lomond and then race down in a luge . Then top it off with a fancy dinner at Rata or some winery visits in the Gibbston Valley. After that, relax in one of the Onsen private pools .

Find more ideas in my summer in Queenstown guide.

• QT Queenstown – a luxe lakefront hotel with quirky décor and DIY negroni kits in the rooms
• Novotel Lakeside – semi-affordable hotel in a premium location
• Jucy Snooze – a cheap capsule hostel with a rooftop bar

Day 9: Fox Glacier

Drive time: 4 hours 15 minutes Distance: 330km

The glaciers are absolute must see on any South Island itinerary and one of the top natural attractions of New Zealand. 

There are lots of ways to see the glacier, you can climb, fly or hike. Hiking up to the base of the glacier is free, otherwise you can pay (a lot more) to be helicoptered onto the glacier and heli-hike there.

While you’re there visit the nearby glow worm caves. You can see them on the Minnehaha Loop walk which gets you up a lot closer than you would in the North Island glow worm caves.

• Bella Vista Motel – it’s mostly motel options out on the West Coast and this is one of the best ones

Day 10: Return to Nelson via Hokitika, Greymouth and Westport

Drive time: 6 hours 15 minutes Distance: 480km

The last day calls for a big drive to get back to Nelson, while it’s a lot of time in the car you’ll get to see most of the Wild West Coast along the way which has some absolutely spectacular scenery.

Try and stop at:

• Hokitika Gorge, the swing bridge over the river is not for the faint-hearted but awesome for photos
• The famous Hokitika stick sign on the beach
• The coal and gold mining towns of Westport and Reefton
• The Shantytown historic replica village

If you want to cut down the drive time you could take the train from Greymouth (2.5 hours from Fox Glacier) to Christchurch and fly back from there.

Alternative :  1 week South Island itinerary

While I absolutely don’t recommend trying to drive this same distance in a week. You could condense this to a 7 day South Island itinerary by staying only one day in Christchurch (skipping Akaroa) and finishing your trip in Queenstown. You would then need to fly out of Queenstown. If you’re coming from overseas, you might want to get a domestic connection via Auckland. 

Alternative: 2 weeks South Island itinerary

This extended itinerary fits even more in but is very action-packed. It works because many of these places are more about natural attractions than activities, so you don’t need as much time there.

For a more slow-paced option, you could take the 10 day itinerary and add extra days in Queenstown and Christchurch.

• Arrive Nelson, wineries, tasting
• Abel Tasman hike/kayak
• Drive Kaikoura
• Christchurch via Hanmer springs
• Christchurch/Akaroa
• Lake Tekapo
• Queenstown (Milford sound walk)
• Fox glacier
• Nelson via Greymouth and Westport

As a kiwi, it’s hard to narrow down my favourite parts of my home country to a short itinerary. There’s so much to see and do and there’s no wrong way to see New Zealand.

In Short: 10 Days in the South Island of New Zealand

The South Island is well known as the most beautiful island of New Zealand and there’s no better way to see it than on a road trip. You can take your time and explore all the landmarks and small towns off the bus and flight routes.

This 10 Day South Island Road Trip Itinerary is a great place to start with planning your trip but don’t let it limit you, stay as long as you want in the destinations that vibe with you and skip on ahead if you run out of things to do.

More South Island Travel Guides

If you’re planning a trip to the South Island of New Zealand, be sure to check out these other guides:

• Best Beaches in the South Island
• Most Instagrammable Photo Locations in New Zealand
• Top Weekend trips from Christchurch

Happy travelling!

New Zealand Travel Resources

• Find the best prices on hotels with flexible cancellation at Booking.com
• Pre-book your tickets to attractions on Klook
• Find awesome day tours on Viator
• Compare prices on cars and campervans for your NZ road trip at RentalCars.com
• Sort your New Zealand dollars with a Wise currency card

Kate is the founder of Kate Abroad. She has travelled to nearly 40 countries from Austria to Vanuatu, and lived in 3. She's on a mission to empower other Gen Zs and Millenials travel affordably by sharing helpful travel guides, stories and tips to over 200,000 readers.

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Home » Oceania » New Zealand » South Island

South Island New Zealand Road Trip Planner • EPIC 2024 ITINERARIES

Just skip North Island and go to South Island.

That’s the advice that I received before arriving in New Zealand. Now, after round-tripping the country twice, I understand why:  South Island is next-level New Zealand.

South Island’s must-go destinations are some of the finest examples of New Zealand’s prehistoric landscapes that you will see. South Island is harsher and more uncut: it’s a wilder New Zealand. However, it’s hard to truly explore the magnificence of this place unless you’re touring New Zealand by car.

South Island is way more spread out than North Island, and the choices for transport are extremely limited. Driving around the South Island of New Zealand with your own vehicle is an absolute must to experience even a fraction of it properly, but the cost of travel is so high that every tank of gas feels like a sucker punch to your budget!

That’s why today we’re planning a road trip in the South Island of New Zealand before your arrival! We’re talking about the best South Island road trip itineraries and everything you need to do get those wheels on the road.

It’s the ultimate New Zealand road trip—one that doesn’t leave any hidden gems hidden beneath the muck.

Oh, who am I kidding? It’s New Zealand; there is no muck.

Why Road Trip in New Zealand’s South Island

Driving in the south island of new zealand, south island road trip route #1: the golden north, south island road trip route #2: the deep south, the last few tips of the south island road trip planner.

Once you board the ferry in Wellington and cross the strait into the sounds of South Island’s north, it all makes sense. Oh, that’s why skip North Island… It’s New Zealand Level 2.

South Island’s reverent beauty is hard to put into words, but it’s a land made for road trip travels.

• Majestic Drives – Long winding roads—built for manual transmission and cheeky smokes—through some of the most awe-inspiring yet gently soothing landscapes you will ever see.
• Easy Drives – Traffic, cops, and excessive road rules are few and far between making driving holidays in the South Island a very relaxed affair.
• Much, Much More Freedom – The intercity public transport on South Island is like a poltergeist (haunting yet non-existent), and reaching off-beat and rural locations is nigh on impossible unless you’re travelling by hitchhiking . A vehicle is a strong necessity.
• Much More Camping Potential – While New Zealand is pushing to crack down on freedom camping, there are still plenty of sites available (free and paid) for everyone from car campers up to self-contained RVers. And there are still plenty of secret places to pitch away from the probing eyes of the law too…
• Endless Stopping Potential – The supreme lookouts, day hikes, and unreal attractions of New Zealand’s South Island—often easily accessible from the road—means that there are endless worthwhile rest stops and picnic places!

I really would proudly stand on my soapbox in Auckland and declare South Island to host the best road trips in New Zealand until the Northerners came for my blood. While North Island does have its sights—and some truly special ones at that—South Island is where things truly feel New Zealand.

That wonderful special mix of Kiwi, Aotearoa, and Middle-earth.

Other than majestic and mind-blowing, what else can be said of a driving tour of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s mega-chill: it’s all relaxed roads, little traffic, and mostly considerate drivers too (there’s always the odd jerk). As long as you know the ins-and-outs— your road rules, rentals, and insurance —she’ll most certainly be alright, mate.

She’ll be better than alright.

Get an International Drivers Licence

One aspect that many travellers often overlook when taking a road trip, is the importance of getting an International Drivers licence. While it is not always 100% strictly necessary to hold an international driving permit, some countries and states DO insist that foreign road users have them – ignorance of this is not a valid defence and the penalties for not having one can prove expensive.

Even if you are visiting a region where an International driving license is not mandatory, they can still make your experience a lot better by speeding up the vehicle rental process and making traffic police roadside shakedowns that bit smoother.

Finally, in some countries officials may charge informal fines (aka levy baksheesh) if you can’t produce an IDL. All in all, we think the $50 application fee is a sound investment.

You can apply for an international drivers licence quickly and easily by hitting the button below.

Renting a Vehicle in South Island

Honestly, I’m gonna skip the humdrum and straight-up tell you to travel New Zealand by campervan . It’s bloody New Zealand: God made this land for the vanlifers.

There are plenty of choices for hiring a van in New Zealand including some big-name rental companies. Britz , and Maui Rentals are a few players you’ll see everywhere on the road, however, get yourself a JUCY . They’re a long-time rental company in New Zealand AND Australia who have been serving backpackers their Batmobiles for two decades strong.

Now, if the vanlife ain’t calling, all the above-mentioned rental companies—and a whole bunch more ( Hertz jumps to mind)—still have lots of options. Cars, 4x4s, larger RVs, and even camping trailers.

Hiring a car is pretty easy in any of New Zealand’s arrival hubs (Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch) as well as any major town or city. You just need to be aware of the hidden fees:

• Age Surcharge – There are variations amongst companies but  most  rental companies have a minimum renter’s age of 21, and there are additional surcharges (usually in the range of $10-$30 NZ per day ) for drivers younger than 25.
• Bond/Deposit – This is a much more complicated subject. Generally, rental companies are going to want a credit card pre-authorisation  in place of a bond  (i.e. you can skip the fee). Other methods—such as debit cards, cash, or external rental agencies—are likely to incur a deposit. The variation in the deposit is huge: I’ve seen it as low as $400 NZ and go as high as $2500 NZ (or posibly even higher).
• Additional Drivers – Charges vary greatly with additional drivers but generally you’re looking at anywhere between $5-$25 NZ per day (dependent on age and other factors). A lot of companies will include spouses as an additional driver at no additional charge, howver.

Rental Insurance in New Zealand

Urrgh, insurance. The deal with rental insurance in New Zealand is the same as anywhere in the world: it’s all hogwash.

The good news is that rental companies already offer a basic coverage free (or more aptly, built into your base rental cost). It’s a legal requirement. You could technically just take off galivanting with that albeit with a much higher excess.

That’s where the good news stops though. The rest is all just organised crime, particularly in a country like New Zealand where the car insurance and registration laws are already so wack.

What’s actually covered in your insurance is up to you to decipher from the hieroglyphic Terms and Conditions they provide. They’ll then also offer you their special packages: the ‘Bronze’ , ‘Silver’ , ‘Blood Diamond’ , and ‘Salty Tears of Broke Backpackers’ tiers. Although it varies, this could run you anywhere form an extra $15-$30 NZ per day (and that’s not even taking the insurance on your own person into account).

Instead, just skip the rental mafiosos. Organise insurance before you go with a reputable and dedicated rental insurance company. At The Broke Backpacker, we’re a fan of RentalCover.Com ; their coverage is excellent, up-front without the ugly behaviours, and their rates are better than most anything else you’ll find in New Zealand!

Road Rules in South Island

Honestly, commonsense leads the way. New Zealand does have plenty of road rules, but, unlike its sister state Australia, there aren’t so many asinine ones that you need a codex just to keep track. Also (and also much unlike Australia), cops in New Zealand aren’t so much just glorified tax collectors with revenue quotas to meet, so you really should be fine.

All the same, here are some basics to driving in New Zealand you shouldn’t overlook:

• New Zeland is a left side country! You drive on the left and give way on the right—simple.
• Similarly, overtaking on the left is illegal. It’s also illegal to speed up when someone overtakes you; that could get you booked.
• You can legally drive for up to 12 months in New Zealand as long as you have a current driver’s licence from your home country or an international driver’s licence. Licences not in English will require a translation though.
• Whether you’re living and travelling in a van , car, RV, or motorised pumpkin, always check the relevant overnight parking/camping laws. The rules change in every area, and they vary quite substantially depending on whether you’re driving a self-contained vehicle or not.
• Beware yellow lines. A yellow line in the centre of the road means you can’t overtake and one on the side of the road means you can’t pull over/park.
• Pay attention to the signage on one-way bridges (which are super common). They denote who has right of way.
• Lastly, be prepared to slow down, stop, and wait for livestock.  New Zealanders have a lot of sheep and they’re just as precious about them as Indians are about their cows. Who else are they going to marry? (Hurhurhur.)

Oh, and I know I said that the roads are chill, however, they may be narrower and more winding then what you’re used to. Just go slow and easy. You should be paying attention to the scenery anyway!

We’ve tested countless backpacks over the years, but there’s one that has always been the best and remains the best buy for adventurers: the broke backpacker-approved Osprey Aether and Ariel series.

Want more deetz on why these packs are so  damn perfect? Then read our comprehensive review for the inside scoop!

• South Island road trip from Picton
• Finishing at the Farewell Spit, Golden Bay
• Distance: 915 km

This is the first driving route for the South Island of New Zealand and one that assumes you’re starting a road trip from Picton (most likely after crossing on the ferry from Wellington ). This almost-circuit (shaped more like a horseshoe) tracks down and up through some of the northern highlights of South Island before finishing in the Tasman/Golden Bay area —my personal favourite area of New Zealand to stay in —lapping up the sunshine for whatever time is left in your itinerary. 

It’s worth noting that the most famous points of interest in South Island—eg. Queenstown and Milford Sound—aren’t featured here. Instead, I’ve given you a few drives around South Island that are much more underappreciated. Both the south drive to Kaikoura and northern drive along the West Coast and then up to Tasman Bay (skirting the Kahurangi National Park) before lapping up the sticky and sunny north are personal favourites of mine.

At the end of this self-drive around the South Island of New Zealand, the return to Picton is a fairly simple trek. Nelson (an even closer drive from Takaka) is also close by with a domestic airport, or you can instead drive this entire South Island road trip itinerary in reverse and opt to travel to Christchurch after Hanmer Springs instead of Kaikoura. The international airport is there. You’ll also find plenty of yoga retreats in this area.

Road Trip Highlights:

• Sunrise from the east coast.
• Melting in the hot springs at Hanmer Springs.
• Driving the West Coast.
• The beaches of the Tasman.
• Slowing down in Golden Bay.

Day 1: Picton to Kaikoura (156 km | 2-2.5 hours)

Ahh, Picton, the gateway to South Island… the semi-boring gateway to South Island. The township itself is admittedly a bit dull, but the beauty of the surrounding area of the Malborough Sounds act as a very suitable introduction to the island.

The southbound drive to Kaikoura along State Highway 1 and following the east coast of South Island is just a taster of things to come. First, it’ll be a gentle coast through New Zealand’s premier wine country (the New Zealand vineyard tours here are EPIC!) before reaching one of South Island’s (marginally) less dramatic coastlines—mountain ranges on the west sloping into rolling hills to the ocean.

Once you arrive in Kaikoura—the windswept coastal town—there’s no better way to celebrate a successful first day of the South Island road trip than with a proper seafood feast. New Zealand style of course…

The good ol’ takeaway shop!

• Check out Crow Tavern for a proper pub feed in Picton.
• Nin’s Bin (in Halfmoon Bay) or the Kaikoura Seafood BBQ Kiosk have the seaside greasy delights that New Zealand is renowned for.

I strongly recommend camping to wake up to that bombshell east coast sunrise. The Paparoa Point Campsite 30 km north of Kaikoura is an option while Kiwa Road Beach USED to have a free campsite which is reportedly now gone (whereas the beach remains).

Otherwise, book a dope Airbnb out on the Kaikoura peninsula for that early-morning seal-watching goodness.

• Ward Beach Boulders – A beautiful isolated beach stop-off with some absolutely spectacular boulder formations to check out (but only during low tide).
• Ohau Point Lookout – Yay for seals! A lookout over the majestic yet slippery fur seal colony that call the area home.
• Blenheim and Malborough Wine Country – New Zealand’s wine exports are world-renowned, so why not book a winery tour to sample the delectable delights? Wine country equals wine and wine equals fun… Therefore you’re in fun country! (…Unless you’re the designated driver.)

Day 2: Kaikoura to Hanmer Springs (131 km | 2-2.5 hours)

There’s plenty to do in Kaikoura but nothing is better than catching the dawn on the coast (potentially with a stop-off to say hi to the aquatic furry locals at the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway ). When you’re ready to depart, drive to Hanmer Springs, another gem of a destination in South Island.

The faster route is via the Inland Kaikoura Route (70) , however, adding a scenic extra leg to the trip by continuing on Highway 1 south is definitely a recommendation. Although having been repaired quite substantially, remnants of Kaikoura’s 2016 earthquake still litter this section of coastline. Somehow, all the fractured and fragmented stretches of the landscape just make the scenery even more beautiful.

And then you get to finish day 2 of your South Island road trip melting away your problems in the springs! Queenstown’s introverted and more chill little bro, Hanmer Springs is the perfect place for an adventure holiday in New Zealand without the rampant backpacker-fuelled binge alcoholism. You’ll find some of the classic South Island adventure activities here like rapid rafting, quad biking, ski fields, bungee jumps, and, of course, the show-stealer: the hot springs!

PJ’s Chalet does tasty burgers, fish, and chips at tasty burgers, fish, and chips prices. Can’t really go wrong with that!

Check out the YHA Kakapo Lodge for a cheaper place to stay in Hanmer Springs with the lodge feels.

• Hike Up Mt Fyffe – This is only really an option for those with the extra time in their road trip itinerary for South Island, however, if you got it, flaunt it! Stop off to climb the 1602-metre beauty for a proper panorama of the Kaikoura coastline.
• Bungee Jumping – Jump from the 135-year-old Ferry Bridge with nothing but a thin elastic rope tied around your ankles—genius!
• The Springs of Hanmer Springs – Thermal pools are a no-brainer anywhere in the world (I may have a not-so-secret love affair with hot springs). Buy your entry ticket , skip the line, and don’t waste a single second not sitting in naturally heated bubbly alpine bliss.

Day 3: Hanmer Springs to Westport – the West Coast (313 km | 4-4.5 hours)

Ok, so you’re actually going to drive from Hanmer Springs to Westport via Greymouth . That’s because the goal is not Westport but purely to drive the West Coast itself. And that’s because the West Coast is one of the best drives in New Zealand full stop. If it feels right, you can stay the night in an Airbnb in Westport then hit the road again.

Untamed, wilderness, and wild are just some of the words people use to describe the West Coast of South Island. Personally, though, I prefer ‘prehistoric’ . The place just feels so ancient and is so sparsely populated that you truly feel like your catching a glimpse of the proper Aotearoa.

Also, the weather sucks farts. Like, you may think that’s a crude and ineloquent way to put it but trust me—once you get to the West Coast, your first thought will also be ‘the weather sucks farts’ . It’s cold and windy (even in summer), it’s the wettest area of New Zealand (even in summer), and the sandflies are always lurking about. Truthfully, the West Coast  is best experienced from inside a car…

But that’s part of the charm! They don’t call it the Wild West Coast for nothing. Travel into the wilderness and experience it! You go for the untouched landscape; if you want joints and sun, you go to Golden Bay (spoiler warning).

It’s a little bit pricey but Denniston Dog in Westport is popular with the locals for a good reason. Stone-grilled carnivorous delights and also stone-grilled herbivorous delights – something for everyone!

In the northern half of the West Coast, I wouldn’t really suggest staying anywhere other than Westport. In fact, if you’re willing to drive another 100 kilometres up the coast to Karamea , that area is majestic with some killer campsites.

• Punakaiki’s Pancake Rocks – An uber-popular series of coastal rock formations that double as natural blowholes. It’s mega-touristic but fun as a stopover.
• Exploring Karamea –  Conversely, Karamea (north of Westport) is criminally underexplored and well worth the detour while touring the South Island of New Zealand. Go find the Oparara Basin Arches to see what I mean.
• Drive It – Seriously, pick your most bangin’ backpacking playlist, pre-roll a few cigs (if that’s your style), and enjoy the drive. The West Coast really feels like one of those old-school IMAX dinosaur films with one nice long road through the middle (minus the dinosaurs, unfortunately).

Day 4: Westport to Nelson (214 km | 2.5-3 hours)

Ohhh , this is a pretty South Island drive too! Through the lush forests, trailing the rivers, all the way to twinkling Nelson.

I’d say Nelson is the most East Coast Australia feeling place on South Island. East Coast Australia vibes is going be the reoccurring theme for the last few stops of our first driving itinerary for New Zealand’s South Island… Well, it’s like the east coast of Australia… except better!

Perched right on Tasman Bay, the city is no stranger to blue skies and ridiculously blue water. Like, I’m talking twinkling ‘oh sorry, I got lost in your eyes’ blue. It’s the coastal life.

Swimming, restaurants, cafes, shopping, festivals, markets… you get the idea. It’s like a busy slow-life; alternative living at a premium price. Nelson is no stranger to tourists, budget backpacker hostels , and the weekend rush.

Honestly, it doesn’t attract me as much as the rest of South Island’s points of interest further up the bay (and the next bay over) but it’s still well worth checking out. Especially for anyone that enjoys that small beachside-city style of living.

There are also some sweet places to stay in Richmond just a short 15-minute drive from Nelson. Perfect to crash without breaking the bank!

Check out The Indian Cafe for a little more ‘Asia’ in your ‘Australasian Adventure’ . Or the frozen yoghurt place; it’s a totally conventional frozen yoghurt place but when has frozen yoghurt ever not been the tits?

Nelson has lots of choices for budget backpacker accommodation, however, I’d head to Tasman Bay Backpackers because they have free off-street parking. Nelson also has a more lenient system set up for freedom camping than many other places in New Zealand but only for those doing a South Island road trip in a self-contained vehicle. Failing all of that, I just did the sneaky in the Botanical Reserve.

• Art Galleries – The Nelson area is something of an art hub; Nelson itself, nearby towns, and even places further up the bay are loaded with groovy exhibitions. The Suter Art Gallery in Nelson is a perfect starting place! For something a little different, the Hoglund Glass Gallery in Appleby features live glassblowing demonstrations or for something  really different check out the National WOW Museum (World of WearableArt) .
• Markets! – Ahh, the weekend markets: the hive of all things activity in a sleepy coastal life. This is more timing-based, but if you happen to be swinging through Nelson on a Saturday between 8 A.M. and 1 P.M., coast by Montgomery Square .
• Ride the Skywire – As well as kooky art and kookier frozen yoghurt, Nelson has the world’s longest Skywire! And, honestly, if you were going to blast through the air at 100km/h on a thin wire, Nelson is a pretty good place to book a ride .

Day 5: Nelson to Motueka (42 km | 30-45 minutes)

Blimey, that’s a short drive! Truthfully, I hitched it in about an hour, and what a nap that was!

The drive may be short, but you’re going to be grateful for the extra time to explore these next two stops. Tasman Bay (and Motueka) is a pretty standard visit on most people’s itineraries for the South Island of New Zealand. It’s home to the magnanimous Abel Tasman National Park .

Even outside of the national park, Tasman Bay is home to heaps of stellar beaches. It’s a hippy-haven, a major point of interest on South Island for lovers of permaculture, and an area that just carries a real feeling of openness to travellers, drifters, and backpackers alike.

Good vibes, good bud, and good boogies are what define Mot and the surrounding villages. Even on a quick drive through town, chances are you’ll make a friend!

Arcadia Organics Shop and Cafe is a must. It’s Hare Krishna-owned and run, and that means ridiculously good food in ridiculously good portions at ridiculously good prices. Eating with the Krishnas is a top tip for any and all New Zealand road trips.

There are heaps of cheap (and free) options for camping around the Motueka area. Kina Beach has an excellent campsite: $5 a night and all the best dirtbags stay there. There’s also a free site by Motueka River on the way to Ngatimoti.

• Beaches, Baby! – With fewer sandflies than the West Coast and fewer people than Nelson, pack for a beach day because Motueka is a prime spot! Kaiteriteri Beach  is both super famous and super popular, Kina Beach is super underrated, or alternatively, you can try and hunt down something more secluded in the Abel Tasman.
• Cheap Fruit and Veg – Being South Island’s epicentre for sustainable living and agriculture, roadside honour system produce stalls are everywhere, especially if you head into the hinterland. The absolute best stall in the region is at the end of  Greenhill Road in Ngatimoti .
• Exploring the Abel Tasman –  A massively famous national park AND Great Walk in New Zealand, the Abel Tasman is super popular (so expect crowds and a need to book campsites). If you’re not feeling the multi-day tramp, then booking a sailing tour and getting out in those crystal blue waters is a fine alternative.

Day 6: Motueka to Takaka (57 km | 1-1.5 hours)

Oh, snap—we’re here! If I get a bit gushy and start talking about joints way too much, I apologise, but we’re here! There’s no feeling quite the same as the drive into Golden Bay, summitting Takaka Hill and seeing the spread of the intoxicating landscape beneath you.

Takaka—weird and wonderful Stuckaka—is a bubble of a town in every sense of the word. A snowglobe without the snow.

Weirdos, ferals, travellers, drifters, normies, (honourable) thieves, and honest folk all float into Takaka and many never leave. It’s pure hippy-shenanigans through and through: scrumptious spliffs, bangin’ tunes, and a friend is only ever a stroll through town away. That’s why I reckon any road trip in New Zealand’s South Island should finish in Takaka: because you may just want to get stuck for a while.

If the slow and easy budget backpacker lifestyle isn’t your cup of tea, then there’s still lots to draw you in: surfing, rock climbing, and the immense Kahurangi National Park to disappear in for at weeks at a time. Whether you’re there for the mountains, the beaches, or the forests, Golden Bay has it all.

Y’know… if you actually leave Takaka.

There’s a little internet cafe/laundromat/video store/library (the owner is quite resourceful) called FrontSeat and it’s a meeting place of sorts for travellers in town. The Curry Leaf across the road does the best chips in town and up the other end of town is an ice-cream shop that I’ve forgotten the name of but it’ll blow your mind into the realms of the dairy gods.

There’s a spot in town all the ferals rough it at which I’m not gonna spoil, but I’m sure you can find it. Hangdog Camp is the climber camp just outta town and it’s cheap! Failing that, Gazebo Backpackers in town is a good balance of comfort to price.

• Rock Climbing – There’s a healthy chunk of climbing in the area and  Hangdog Camp has cheap gear for hire. The best part is that it’s next to a river so you can finish the day’s climb with a dip!
• Boogie Down – Finding hippies, ferals, and psy-kids always means finding good boogies. Festival season goes  off , the  Roots Bar in Takaka has d-floor tunes every night, and the  Mussel Inn (in Onekaka) has the pub feel with an alternative twist.
• Te Waikoropupu Springs – Close to town is this sacred Maori site with some of the clearest crystal-like water you will ever see anywhere. It’s a chill walk to a truly special place.

Day 7: Takaka to Puponga/The Farewell Spit (47 km | 45-60 minutes)

And this is your last trek north. While I’d always recommend doing the sticky Takaka life for as long as feels right, taking your South Island road trip this far north and not finishing the job would just be plain silly!

When you look at a map of South Island, you’ll see a strip of land jutting out the top like a talon: that’s the Farewell Spit —one of the longest natural sandspits in the world. While driving this far north on South Island is a pretty spectacular thing to do in New Zealand , it’s not always so popular on the tourist trail given its remoteness.

But to reiterate, Golden Bay is so yummy . Girt by clean, Kiwi ocean waters, secluded beaches, and the overlooking mountains (yet avoiding the harsher weather of further south), it’s one of the most tranquil places in New Zealand to finish a South Island road trip itinerary.

Getting stuck purely in Takaka for two weeks would be a mistake (*cough* me *cough*).

Allll  the way at the top of South Island near a place called Wharariki Beach is a darling little place called Archway Cafe .

There are a few holiday parks up that way both at Wharariki  and  Puponga , but if you’re not feeling it, I’d recommend just doing the sneaky. It’s pretty remote out that way.

• Whanganui Inlet – The inlet that separates Golden Bay and the West Coast. It’s perfect for a swim and equally perfect for a scenic seaside drive.
• Wharariki Beach – The beach at the very top of South Island. You’re definitely off New Zealand’s beaten path here; not many people come up this far. It’s a secluded beach with beautiful dunes, heaps of wildlife, and unique rock formations to soak up.
• The Farewell Spit – The spit runs about 35km to a scenic lighthouse at its terminus. The downside is that there’s restricted access for both walking and vehicles! If you want to reach the very end (and you definitely do to finish this South Island driving tour right), you’ll need to book an eco-tour .

• South Island road trip from Christchurch
• Finishing at Mount Cook, Southern Alps
• Distance: 1661 km

Ok, we’re heading further south; it’s the South Island of New Zealand road trip itinerary numero dos! If you know much about New Zealand at all, then you know that there are some glaring omissions on our first driving itinerary. It’s time to go visit the other famous attractions of South Island!

This time we’re planning our South Island road trip from Christchurch . It’s where the only sizable (though not very sizable) international airport is on South Island. It’s also a major thoroughfare for flights coming from North Island.

South Island is about to get really South Island. We’ll be driving through a huge host of terrains from devastating mountain passes to (more) primordial coastlines and sweeping fjords.

Things are really starting to get otherworldy. You’re about to experience the real Aotearoa .

• Arthur’s Pass, rain, hail, or shine.
• More West Coast magic!
• My sweet, darling Wanaka.
• The haunting majesty of Milford Sound.
• The approach to New Zealand’s highest mountain—Aoraki (Mount Cook).

Day 1: Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass (148 km | 2-2.5 hours)

Honestly, fuck Christchurch. You can stay in Christchurch if you want; it’s not a bad city (it’s certainly no Auckland), but my God is it boring. Just get your car and get out: that’s the recommendation.

Instead, you’re going out to experience some of that devastating, primordial nature I told you about—Arthur’s Pass! Arthur’s Pass is a trip.

The first time I passed through Arthur’s pass, the road-weary entourage of misfit travellers I’d banded with didn’t stop. We drove through the Jurrasic valley: the weather was misty and the rains spewed in cascading falls from the cliff faces streaming down enormous ferns and into the surging river below.

I made a not-so-silent promise to my friend that we would return with more time. So we did.

You won’t find much in the way of inhabitants in Arthur’s Pass. There’s a small settlement at Castle Hill and then a tourist centre in the middle of the pass and that’s about it. This is a place to visit in South Island to shush your face, shush the ambient noise of the world, and sit in stoned silence by the sheer magnitude of nature.

The hiking is hella mean too.

I mean, there’s a cafe in town. I feel a bit insincere recommending though considering it’s, like, one of two options. This is the kinda place you should really come with packed with your own camping gear and supplies.

You’ll find the odd beautiful New Zealand lodge or homestay in the area, however, a place this special deserves to be camped. There are heaps of DOC campsites throughout, but I stayed at Hawdon Shelter Campsite which had a firepit. Klondyke Corner Campsite is also really popular with road trippers.

• Castle Hill’s Bouldering Basin – A must-stop on the drive into the Pass for climbers and a probably-should-stop for everyone else. Castle Hill presents a proverbial playground of magnificent limestones boulders and formations that are equally fun for monkeying on or just wandering blissfully amongst.
• Bealey Spur Track – Arthur’s Pass is a tramper’s paradise with some real hardcore offerings for the hikers and general avalanche enthusiasts. The Bealey Spur Track, however, is done-in-a-day medium-ish difficulty alpine hike good for a meaty challenge on the way through.
• Devil’s Punchbowl Falls – Conversely, the Devil’s Punchbowl Falls (props to whoever coined that name) is a done-in-an-hourish easy difficulty hike to full-power waterfall madness .

Day 2: Arthur’s Pass to Franz Josef Glacier (233 km | 3-3.5 hours)

The southern stretch of the West Coast—no less gorgeous and no less wild (and still with all your sandfly homies). It’s much the same vibes as the northern side of the West Coast, however, the drive down through Haast into the Otago region and Wanaka is mesmerising. That’s tomorrow though; first, Franz Josef Glacier.

Personally, I don’t get Franz Josef—it feels like a tourist trap through and through. An expensive town coupled with a short and exceedingly popular walk to a glacier that’s receded so far it looks like it left skidmarks in its undies.

Still, Franz Josef Glacier is a massive tourist attraction on South Island—it’s in all the brochures—and it’s a good stopover to break up the drive to Wanaka. It’s worth a squizz at the very least. Particularly if you’re actually going on the glacier.

In Franz Josef? I dunno; I had free soup at the hostel and an UP&GO from the convenience store. The Hokitika Sandwich Company (in Hokitika on the drive through) makes killer sandwiches though!

I stayed at  Chateau Backpackers and Motels which was so forgettable I forgot if that was where I actually stayed (though the complimentary fresh soup was a nice touch). Alternatively, you could just forget Franz Josef and stay back up the road a spell in Hokitika.

• Pounamu Fossicking – Pounamu, jade, greenstone… you know it. You see it hanging around the neck of every Maori, Kiwi, and backpacker in Kiwiland. But why would you want to buy some dinky souvenir pounamu as a trinket rather than find your own? The West Coast region is famous for its abundant stores of pounamu and you can hunt it down for yourself. Along the rocky beaches from Greymouth and the river mouth at Hokitika are great places to search. Just be sure to stay out of the Arahura River (it’s an off-limits sacred Maori location), and once you find one pounamu, stop. These are highly sacred stones to the Maori—New Zealand’s indigenous people. One is enough. You don’t choose your pounamu; your pounamu chooses you.
• Franz Josef Walk – The short and popular walk up to the viewing platform for the glacier is admittedly super gorgeous—with some perfect spots for stone fossicking along the way—but then you get to the end of the track and it’s kind of like ‘Oh… is that it?’ . You’re not supposed to walk up further onto the glacier either, but also, there’s nothing really stopping you.
• Heli-Hike on the Glaciers – Alternatively, the best way to see the glaciers (there’s another one thirty minutes up the road called  Fox Glacier ) is by booking a helicopter tour that takes you over and on top of them. But that’s only if you’ve left enough aside in your road trip budget for New Zealand.

Day 3: Franz Josef Glacier to Wanaka (284 km | 3.5-4 hours)

Sweet, darling Wanaka; my busking paradise. It’s hard to recommend backpacking Queenstown to people when Wanaka is only an hour’s drive away. It’s still touristy and busy but it also feels like a town where you can escape all of that. The lake always feels tranquil.

Perched on the shore of the absolutely drop-dead spectacularly sexy Wanaka lake, it’s a tourist town in the warmer months and a ski town in the colder months. Much like Queenstown, Wanaka is an all-year-round destination—with plenty of activities, nightlife, and cool places to stay —however, without the messy backpacker-and-booze execution.

And the drive there? A magical mystery tour, man.

The wild sights of the West Coast quickly turn into dense, moss-laden rainforests before becoming the rocky (and very Colorado-esque) hills of the Otago Lakes District). All in the space of a 4-hour drive. Magnificent, muckless New Zealand.

The Doughbin (opposite the lake) has got some smashing pies. Red Star Burger up the road from there does well-priced feeds too… and kumara chips!

I got three choices for ya:

• For a good hostel in Wanaka, Wanaka Bakpaka may just have the best view in town—what a panorama!
• Otherwise, Albert Town Campground outside Wanaka is a little bit pricey but worth the cost for the location and amenities.
• Or , if you’re willing to make the half-an-hour drive, there’s a free campsite near Cromwell .
• Skipping Stones at Blue Pools – Down in Haast Pass is the Blue Pools and the name is no misnomer! The walk through the native beech forest is gorgeous (with some insanely fluffy moss if you like your forest strolls barefooted) and the eponymous Blue Pools are spectacular and, yes, extremely blue (with pounamu-green tinting too).
• Puzzling World – Here’s something to do if you’re sick of New Zealand’s life-changing scenery and the adrenaline-soaked thrills—puzzles!  A whole museum and playground of optical illusions, puzzles, mazes, and WTF moments. That’s not to say there aren’t heaps of adventure activities in Wanaka, but this is just something a little different from the usual New Zealand contenders.
• Get Out on the Lake – It’s a damn big lake so get out there and explore! Book a kayak tour and explore the scenery at your own pace (it’s a very still lake too—easy paddling). Alternatively, just sit on the shore, smoke Js, and play tunes until a tribe of travellers flock around you: that’s what I did.

Day 4: Wanaka to Queenstown (69 km | 1-1.5 hours)

So, I may not have been subtle about my displeasure for Queenstown. It’s the rum and raisin to my blessed hokey pokey Wanaka, HOWEVER, it is still mighty gorgeous (because it’s New Zealand).

There’s no shortage of cool things to do in Queenstown for adventure fiends, boozehound backpackers, and second-hand shoppers alike. Just about everyone on a driving tour of South Island or New Zealand as a whole will end up staying in Queenstown at some point.

It has everything you’d pretty much expect from South Islands’s premier holiday destination and adventure capital: there’s shopping in droves, adventure activities, budget to luxury accommodation, and more food, booze, and drugs then you’ll ever need to consume! The downside is that there’s never a chill time of year to plan a trip to Queenstown . There’s really no off or shoulder season.

In the summer, the lake sparkles just as much as Lake Wanaka and the waterfront markets crowd with tourists. And then, come snow season, the town floods with snowbums and it becomes a proper ski town with everything that entails: powder snow, banger parties, and a lot of shitfaced Aussies.

Slice Pizza over on Shotover Street does $2 slices all day long. There are definitely some good reasons to visit Queenstown.

I would not recommend trying to rough it: freedom camping of any description is hardcore cracked down on. The free campsite at Cromwell is a good spot because it’s pretty much halfway between Wanaka and Queenstown. Otherwise, The Flaming Kiwi is a solid hostel in Queenstown itself.

• Bonus Stops – Although I missed out on going, some chill places outside of Queenstown’s madness to visit are Arrowtown (a super quaint old mining town en route from Wanaka to Queenstown) or Glenorchy further north up the lake.
• The Quintessential Queenstown Bungy Jump – Home of the world’s first commercial bungy jump, bungy jumping is a pretty classic Queenstown thing to do. It’s kinda the titular Queenstown experience. Kawarau Bridge is the OG spot for the jump and now there are a few other locations around the Queenstown area including some sky swings!
• Or Skydiving – It’s like bungy jumping except you have no rope and the death rate statistics are higher! Skydiving is another classic hit in the Queenstown adventure activities LP (with the follow-up secret hidden track of ‘Oh god, my parachute isn’t working’ ). You can book a tandem skydive from 15,000 feet … You can also go from lower but if you’re committing to jumping out of an aeroplane in flight, I don’t think you should half-ass it.

Day 5: Queenstown to Te Anau and Milford Sound (171 km | 2-2.5 hours)

The Te Anau township is the gateway to Fiordland, which still remains one of the most unexplored places in New Zealand. Fiordland is marked by incredibly wet weather and often inaccessible terrain. It’s true to say that this landscape of Fiordland still remains untouched and authentic to New Zealand’s ancient heritage.

The town itself doesn’t have much to offer, but it is the entry point to both Fiordland as well as the Milford Sound. What’s Milford Sound? Oh boy, you’re in for a treat. 

Rudyard Kipling’s own personal “Eighth Wonder of the World” . TripAdvisor’s 2008 winner of the Traveler’s Choice Destination Awards . And just an all-round marvel to behold.

From it’s inky black waters to sprawling fiord setting harkening back to Scandinavia (on steroids), the sheer cliff faces of lush vegetation and rolling cascades of water are unfathomable in any weather conditions. It sparkles under the sun, overwhelms the sense in the rain, and if there’s a lighting storm?

Well… that’s the holy grail.

The Habit Foods Truck is cheap and they do bao buns… with chips! It’s the best of both worlds!

You’re not exactly inundated with accommodation options this far south but the Te Anau Lakefront Backpackers will put you up nicely for your Fiordland adventures. You could camp but it rains a lot in Fiordland.

• Cruise the Sound – While there are a few ways to see Milford Sound, hopping on a cruise tour is the standard activity that 80%-90% of Milford Sound’s annual visitors enjoy every year. It’s definitely one of those things that you just have to splurge on.
• Hike the Sound – Stuff the cruise; if the Maori could walk it, so can you! You can walk the Milford Track or Kepler Track (both are stellar examples New Zealand’s Great Walks), and it’s easily one of the best and most authentic ways to experience the majesty of the sounds. There are plenty of day hikes in the area too if your South Island itinerary is getting kinda smushed. But you gotta do at least do one walk! Milford Sound is somewhere you may have to devote a few extra days too.
• Dive the Sound – Beneath the sound is as dripping in every aspect of reverent majesty as above the sound. Reaching sprawls of black coral trees and a defiance of physics between the layers of salt and freshwater make this one of the most interesting spots to dive in New Zealand . Above, below, or around the sound, prepared to be astound…ed.

Day 6: Te Anau to Bluff (179 km | 2-2.5 hours)

Now, you could skip Bluff entirely. Bluff is the southernmost town on South Island (however, it’s not the southernmost point), and I’d be lying if I said there was much going on down there. It’s a bit of a dead-end seaport town (the humongous seaweed growing on the rocks is pretty damn special though).

So why come to Bluff? Simple—it’s where you catch the ferry to Stewart Island .

Stewart Island is about as far from the conventional backpacking trail in New Zealand as you can possibly get. It’s like New Zealand’s third smaller and more desolate island. It consists of one small settlement and then it’s just nothing: nothing but trees and animals. No roads, no people, no fish and chips; only nature.

Now, you may not have enough time on your road trip through South Island to cross the ferry and properly explore Rakiura (Stewart Island’s Maori name). However, if you’re in the throes of planning a road trip in New Zealand’s South Island, I’d strongly suggest putting some days aside for it (and particularly if you’re a lover of off-the-beaten-path travel).

You can’t get much more far out and much more into the “real New Zealand” than Stewart Island. Tell a Kiwi you tramped Stewart Island’s Great Walk, and they’ll be impressed. Tell them you saw an actual kiwi there, and you’ll definitely have their respect.

Desolate or not, there’s still some fish and chips on Stewart Island (it is still New Zealand after all). Kai Kart has you covered for a cheap and choice feed before you head out into the wilderness and then again when you’re craving it on your return.

If you’re not camping or walking, your only option is to stay in Oban , Stewart Island’s only settlement. There’s a hostel and a bunch of lodges and bed and breakfasts and that’s about it. I wouldn’t even bother staying in Bluff.

• Hiking, Of Course! – The local Great Walk—the Rakiura Track —clocks in at only a measly 32km— bah! However, the North West Circuit takes 9 to 11 days, so if your goal is to eject from known civilisation for a spell, Stewart Island is the place to go! There’s also plenty of day tramps for beginner hikers and just those who aren’t too keen on that whole masochism thing.
• Stargazing – Remember when the stars weren’t hidden behind a wall of ambient lighting from sports fields and street lamps? Stewart Island does. Stargazing from Stewart Island means long pensive moments of silence, deeply brooding thoughts about life elsewhere in the universe, and, if you’re lucky, the Southern Lights.
• Find a Damn Kiwi – No, not of the two-legged ‘churr, bro’ variety! The actual kiwi in all of its elusive, rotund, flightless glory. The kiwis are actually so phenomenally rare in Kiwiland that most kiwis haven’t actually seen a wild kiwi. Stewart Island remains the best place in New Zealand to see kiwis (of the feathered variety). Nighttime or the early hours of the morning are the best times to go. There are a few good places to look but Ulva Island is undoubtedly your best shot. Alternatively, you could take a tour, but we all know that doesn’t count.

Day 7: Bluff to Dunedin via the Southern Scenic Route (259 km | 3.5-4 hours)

Ahh, the Southern Scenic Route—it’s so good I hitched it twice! I hitchhiked solo from the Bluff end to meet my friend in a hostel in Dunedin ; he then promptly told me we were going to hitchhike to Bluff via the Southern Scenic Route. The second time around, we even got to hitch it in the rain!

But it is really pretty, to be fair. Is it worth ‘4 hours waiting in the rain for a ride’ pretty? Yeah—defs.

The Southern Scenic Route is (as the name would suggest) a very scenic drive in South Island and one that doesn’t make most people’s campervan itinerary for New Zealand. It should though. It’s a slower trundling drive along the windswept cliffs and through the ancient coastal forests of New Zealand’s Deep South.

And to top it off, you’ll be terminating the day’s drive in Dunedin, another overlooked highlight of South Island. Dunedin is a beautiful architectural disaster birthed by the genius idea of copying Edinburgh’s construction plan verbatim and plopping it down on New Zealand’s hilly southeastern coastline. The result is a charming and often oddly-designed Edwardian-style city that mixes off-beat student life with a more conservative feeling.

Which is kinda New Zealand’s Deep South in a nutshell: an eclectic mix of straight oddballs and more traditional rural life. There are way fewer people this far down, and of the ones that are here? The accent is even funnier!

• On the way through Owaka, there are a couple of cafes. Lumber Jack is a chill spot for a coffee.
• In Dunedin itself, opposite the university is the OUSA building (Otago University Student Association). Every weekday, between 12-2 P.M., you’ll find the Hare Krishnas serving up a $3 lunch.  Haribol,  indeed.

There are a couple of free campsites out of town for tenters and non-self-contained vehicles, plus Dunedin is actually relatively chill with self-contained overnight parking laws . Your second-best bet is to just stay at a backpackers in town:  On Top Backpackers serves up a free brekky. There are also a few affordable motels in Dunedin for a cheap night’s sleep.

• Curio Bay – You could honestly camp here a night. It’s a pretty fantastic opportunity for wildlife spotting—fur seals, penguins, and kiwi-exclusive miniature dolphins—plus a  ‘petrified forest’  which is admittedly nowhere near as impressive as it sounds.
• Caitlins Forest Park – More essential NZ mossy elven forest vibes with some cool waterfalls to boot! Check out McLean Falls or  Matai Falls for a splash.
• Cathedral Caves – Two massive sea-formed caves well-worth testing the acoustics in BUT you can only access them at low tide.
• Bomb Baldwin Street – The world’s steepest street is in Dunedin: I told you the city planning was weird! Now, the mayor has asked that people don’t bomb it on a rental Lime scooters, however, I’m asking people that they do.
• Dunedin’s Beaches – There are some good beaches scattered around the Dunedin area. On a warm sunny day (which is, admittedly, a rarity in the city), they’re magnificent. When Dunedin is having one of its classic Dunedin days—dreary grey skies and drearier winds—the beaches are a bit more like the harsh, misty maidens of the south. All that said, you  have to see  Long Beach regardless of the weather. I’m not even spoiling it; just trust me.

Day 8: Dunedin to Aoraki / Mount Cook (317 km | 4-4.5 hours)

The last stop of your South Island road trip and there’s nowhere more appropriate to finish than Aoraki (Mount Cook): the highest mountain in New Zealand. The road approaching Mount Cook and the Aoraki National Park still remains one of the best drives in the South Island of New Zealand purely for the truly humbling spectacle of it.

Mount Cook is the defining pinnacle of the Southern Alps mountain range—the 500 kilometre stretch of snowcapped peaks that run nearly the whole length of South Island. You get a whole host of ridiculously sexy mountains, a metric shittonne of glaciers (that blow Franz Joesf and Fox Glacier out of the water), and endless opportunities for hiking and mountaineering.

So while the Southern Alps may be a mountain-lovers paradise, the question is…

Can you climb Mount Cook?

Sure, if you’re an experienced mountaineer with the right outdoor adventure gear suited for the job. For everyone else, simply hiking around the behemoth and the surrounding alps will have to suffice.

You could stop in Oamaru on the drive through for a bite. There are a couple of cafes in Mount Cook Village too, however, there’s nothing overly special. Definitely bring some snackos.

There’s YHA in Aoraki Mount Cook Village or a few more options for backpackers in Lake Tekapo about an hour’s drive away, but I’d just go get booked into the Aoraki Court Motel . It’s popular, super comfortable, and just a little bit of a splurge for you last stop—job well done!

• Hiking Galore – Damn, where to even begin! The Hooker Valley Track is one of the most popular; it’s an easy walk with the backdrop of the Mount Cook range terminating at the stunning Hooker Glacial Lake. The Tasman Glacier View Track is another goodie with views of glaciers that really are worth the effort.
• Land on the Tasman Glacier – New Zealand’s longest glacier despite considerable shrinkage over the last three decades. You can definitely just look at it and be wowed by its unapolegetically raw beauty OR you can book a ski plane/helicopter flight combo deal and land on the bombshell beauty!
• Lake Tekapo – I considered making this a stop all of its own, however, it’s also a perfect stopover on the return to Christchurch from Aoraki. It’s another alpine New Zealand lake to die for with hot springs, an ice-skating rink, and some angles that are simply  too postcard-perfect.

Tip number one!

Make your own damn plans!

The (admittedly fucking awesome) road trip itineraries for South Island that I’ve done up are totally legit and can be completed in the time alotted. Still, slow travel is and unequivocally always will be the best type of travel.

A lot of these destinations deserve to be slowed down for. Golden Bay is a place for the slow-tempoed, Milford Sound really does deserve at least one multi-day tramp, and if it’s winter, you may really want to get into some snowboarding in Queenstown (or Wanaka because it’s better).

Don’t get locked in! New Zealand is pretty goddamn magnificent. She deserves to be enjoyed in her own time.

Tip 2: Staying Safe in New Zealand

New Zealand is fine. Totally and absolutely fine. Things can happen the same as anywhere else, but they don’t happen much in New Zealand.

Normal safety rules for travellers still apply: be smart and trust your gut. Do take care of your stuff though, especially in touristy areas like Queenstown. I had my phone in Raglan (on North Island) nicked letting my guard down like a dope.

The thing to really look out for is New Zealand itself: mother nature is a fickle bitch.

Talk to locals to get the lay of the land. Don’t go hiking unprepared. Don’t climb a mountain without knowing the weather forecast, and don’t dive headfirst into a river or lake.

It’s standard staying safe in nature stuff. Even the nature is lowkey though. There’s, like, one poisonous spider in the whole of New Zealand and no snakes. The earthquakes might get ya though.

Stash your cash safely with this money belt. It will keep your valuables safely concealed, no matter where you go.

It looks exactly like a normal belt  except for a SECRET interior pocket perfectly designed to hide a wad of cash, a passport photocopy or anything else you may wish to hide. Never get caught with your pants down again! (Unless you want to…)

Tip 3: Insurance! (Again)

Yeah, we covered insurance, but this is one more firm reminder not to let the rental companies take you for a ride (so to speak).

Don’t be a dope—get yourself covered with RentalCover.com BEFORE you pick up your rental. And consider insuring yourself too!

Members of The Broke Backpacker team have been using World Nomads for some time now and made a few claims over the years. They’re an easy to use and professional provider that the team swears by.

ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing .

They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!

Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.

If you’re still not sure what the right coverage for you is, then we’ve put together a comprehensive comparison of the market’s best travel insurance companies . Just make sure you cover yourself!

Tip 4: My Favourite Second-Hand Shops – Bonus Section! 🙂

This is a bonus section because I wasn’t really sure where else to fit it in, but I just desperately wanted to talk about it. The second-hand shops in New Zealand are killer! Nothin’ but absolutely, splendiferously mean bargains left, right, and centre.

I made it a ritual of mine to check out the second-hand shops in any new place I rocked up in. Like, fair, I’m a bit of a nerd for op-shops, but even in regards to getting your hands on pre-loved budget backpacking tents , camping goods, or trekking gear, the second-hand shops have got what you need:

• Nelson – There’s nowhere unique in Nelson that I know of; it’s just the usual contenders (Salvos, Vinnies, etc.) All the usual contenders are there, however, and they’re all close together with a sizable stock too!
• Motueka – It’s the same deal as Nelson but definitely worth the browse.
• Takaka – There’s a couple in Takaka and you’re looking for Trash Palace because it’s next-level! Imagine all the cool apparel and oddities that ferals, hippies, and weirdos leave behind.
• Wanaka – The second-hand shops and cosy motels in Wanaka may be the other reason for my not-so-secret love affair with this gorgeous town. There’s a few in the town itself, and then, just outside of town a little bit (at the waste management plant), is WasteBusters which still remains as one of the best second-hand shops I’ve ever been too.
• Queenstown – Queenstown has a bunch of good ones and the other added bonus is—given that it’s the adventure capital of New Zealand—you’ll get heaps of cheap outdoors gear. Especially clothes: there’s a lot of woollens, merinos, and trekking stuff.

Tip 5: Have a Blast on Your South Island Road Trip!

There’s so much to see. And it’s all so goddamn pretty! That’s why I say slow down.

South Island is a New Zealand road trip on steroids, opiates, and every other drug under the sun. South Island is a drug.

From some of the most legitamately tear-inducing sunsets I’ve ever witnessed to some of the kindest souls I have ever met, South Island has it all. While the island may be more than 150,000 km² in size, it never loses that small village feeling.

The more you slow down, the more friends you will make and the more of South Island’s hidden gems you will discover. I’ve met people from North Island that have never even set foot on South Island, much less ventured all the way down to Southland. 

There really is the potential to still find the untouched Aotearoa. Despite the ease of travelling and closeness of everything, it still feels like somehow you’ve accidentally ended up far from where any human has ventured before. Like if you just pulled right over here, got out of the car, and crossed that hill over yonder, you’d find some glorious secret that hadn’t been seen since the days of the Maori.

So pack your car with the essentials and get yourself out on one of the best road trips in South Island you can! Whether it’s one of these driving routes or one of your own inception, you really can’t go wrong. There’s so much to discover and so much beauty: there really is a spark of the Divine in New Zealand’s landscape. And before you ask, can I afford it? Yes, of course you can, you dope, just make sure to budget well.

Plus, it’s still the most no-shoes-friendly country I’ve ever been in.

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

Ziggy Samuels

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New Zealand Itinerary: An Epic 18-Day Road Trip

If you are looking for inspiration, inspired to travel, or actually planning a New Zealand road trip, you’re in the right place. This blog post gives an extremely detailed account of our New Zealand itinerary, including drive times, stunning landscapes, beautiful places to stay, must-try restaurants and foods, activities, and suggestions on what you can do.

The New Zealand Road Trip Begins

New Zealand is comprised of two islands: North Island and South Island (we were amazed at the lack of creativity at first, but why not! It is intuitive and, therefore, easy to remember). We did a road trip spanning 18 days across both islands. Trust me, this small country has so much to offer that even 18 days were insufficient. You should plan your trip for three to four weeks, at least, starting in the North Island and ending in the South Island.

The North Island is a land of cosmopolitan cities, rolling green meadows, a plethora of stunning beaches, active volcanoes, and geothermal wonders! Home to 76% of New Zealand’s population, it comprises New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, and harbour-side capital, Wellington.

Click on the interactive map below to explore the New Zealand-North Island road trip route.

North Island Route

Day 1: auckland.

We landed in Auckland in the morning after completing a 24-hour journey. You will also probably get there after a long and tiring journey (unless you are travelling from Australia), as New Zealand is quite remote. So, check out these superb things to do in Auckland and prepare for your road trip.

Mentioned below are things to get sorted out on day one, along with some helpful tips.

First, purchase a SIM card. We bought a Spark Sim at the airport before customs. We had read extensively about the not-so-fast and expensive Wi-Fi in the country, so decided to get a plan with 25 GB. In retrospect, I think a plan with 10 GB is good enough. You have options of Skinny, Vodafone and 2 Degrees as well. The price difference between operators isn’t that much for travel sims. You can check their websites beforehand.

New Zealand is very protective of its beautiful natural environment and rightly so. Bringing in certain products like seeds, fruits, vegetables, bugs, dairy, anything carrying soil, etc. pose a biosecurity risk and attract a fine of $400. We did not carry any food whatsoever to be on the safe side and cleaned our soiled shoes beforehand. Be careful of what you carry, read the guidelines  here .

Rental Car Pick Up

We had pre-booked our car through  Omega Car Rentals . On exiting the airport, the Omega Shuttle took us to their office where we finally laid eyes on our spacious ride for North Island. We made sure to book a car with enough boot space to fit two medium-size suitcases so that we could leave our luggage there and not fret over possible theft.We picked up our car first thing on day one for convenience. However, some people choose to pick theirs up on day two, just before they start their trip from the city, thereby saving on the rental cost. The choice is yours!

Note: We opted to travel by car and stay in hotels/B&Bs as we were on our honeymoon. You have an option to rent a camper car/campervan and take advantage of holiday parks and camping sites at picture-perfect locations.

You cannot camp/park wherever you wish in New Zealand. Freedom camping is prohibited unless your van is certified self-contained (has a toilet and can hold freshwater and wastewater for 3 days).

Accommodation

Stay in the heart of Auckland so that everything is accessible on foot. Finding free parking will only cause you distress. We stayed at  Four Points by Sheraton  at Queen Street and were walking distance from the hustle-bustle. You could also find a place near Victoria street in case you want to be really close to a Countdown grocery store and avoid the walk.

Groceries/Snacks

You are going to be on the move constantly. Therefore, we recommend that you have enough food by your side to keep hunger at bay. Carry ready-to-eat meals because eating every meal at a restaurant will only create a crater-sized hole in your pocket. Also, you will have plenty of picturesque locations to stop along the way, so you can enjoy meals on pre-installed picnic tables and benches. 

We bought juice, fruits, cheese, wine, chips, cookies, muesli bars, croissants, bread, bread spread, and some ready to eat meals.

Things that took us by surprise:

1. New Zealand has long days in summer. The sun sets around 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm. I know this seems evident to most but for us Indians it is bizarre. 2. Most restaurants close between 8 pm – 9 pm. We went to a restaurant in Auckland that was open after 9 pm where we had to choose from a night menu with very limited options. So either have early dinners or call the restaurant beforehand to confirm timings and menu options.

Day 2: Muriwai Beach and Coromandel Peninsula

Auckland to muriwai- 42 km (40 minutes).

It had been raining in Auckland which made us quite sad. However, as we drove out of Auckland, the rain faded to gloomy weather (Yay! at least no rains!) with small picturesque villages and farms dotting the way. Not even a few minutes into the road trip, all we wanted to do was stop and take it all in – the peace and quiet coupled with beauty in every direction but we kept going.

We got out of our car at the Muriwai parking and bam! the wind hit hard, pushing us back in our car. Seems like not all summers are still and sunny. We had to put on our  windbreaker jackets , our saviour on this trip. Do not go without one!

Muriwai had extremely strong winds and loud crashing waves on this cloudy day. The beach had people running toward the ocean in their surf suits carrying large crescent-shaped colourful kites. Some were already blowing in the wind while kite-surfing.

We didn’t stay for long due to the weather and couldn’t see the Gannet bird colony, but if you do decide to visit, don’t miss them on the cliff tops.

Muriwai to Hahei- 213 km (3 hours 10 minutes)

Roads to the pretty village of Hahei are super twisty. The road signs just couldn’t make up their mind on how many kilometres would be curvy- next 5 km, next 5 km, next 5 km- it just went on. We chose Hahei for our stay at the Coromandel Peninsula as it gives easy access to Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach.

We ate at  Pour House , one of Hahei’s few places to eat. It was the place I tried fish and chips, a Kiwi staple, and I was blown away. Do try their crunchy but light-weight fish that just melts in the mouth! In the evening, we decided to go to Hot Water Beach where you can dig your own spa pool.

Plan to go here two hours either side of low tide. Check out  low tide timings  beforehand.

Shovel in hand, we set out to dig our hot pool (we got the shovel from our Airbnb, however, you can even rent them from cafes near the beach). The beach already had about 50 people, some struggling with the shovel and some who had succeeded with the shovel. Finding the perfect combination of hot and cold is a long yet worthwhile process. If you are lucky enough like us then you might find an abandoned pool that is just perfect.

Alternative: Auckland to Hahei- 175 km (2 hours 20 minutes)

Muriwai Beach can be skipped as it is not an out of the world experience and is in the opposite direction of the Coromandel Peninsula. Instead, spend a little extra time in Auckland strolling around Brito Street and also try  Giapo’s  innovative ice-creams. If you’re an ardent wine-lover you can extend your time in Auckland by a day and take a day trip to the Waiheke Island Wineries .

You can also head straight to the Coromandel area- chill at Hahei Beach, walk or do a boat tour to Cathedral Cove, go snorkelling, hire a bicycle. There is just so much to do here.

Accommodation : Hahei Getaway  is walking distance from Hahei Beach, has all possible amenities, and the most beautiful reading spot – a hammock between two perfectly round-shaped trees.

Day 3: Hobbiton and Rotorua

Woke up early for a tour with  Cathedral Cove Kayak Tours . We kayaked to Cathedral Cove from Hahei Beach in a small group of 5 kayaks while juggling between lending an ear to our guide about the fascinating history of the area and being in awe of the coastline. Spent half an hour at the cove clicking pictures and enjoying hot chocolate and cookies provided by the kayak company, before kayaking back to our starting point.

We chose to kayak but you can also choose the free option- walk to Cathedral Cove from Hahei Beach. It takes about 30 mins to an hour depending on how many stops you make to enjoy the view. Also, note that Cathedral Cove does not have any eateries so carry your own water and food.

If you want to do a kayak tour but not the Cathedral Cove one, they also have other options like the Remote Coast Tour  and Full Day Tour .

Hahei to Hobbiton- 163 km (2 hours 15 minutes)

Kiwi film director Peter Jackson found the perfect farm to build ‘The Shire’ for ‘The Lord of the Rings’ movies more than 20 years back. After the filming of the LOTR movies, the set was brought down and the farm was returned to its original state. Later, the set was built to last for ‘The Hobbit’ movies and guided tours hence began in 2012 in the place popularly known as ‘Hobbiton’.

The tour takes you through the 12-acre property with a guide telling you interesting facts and stories about the set and movies all along. There are plenty of pretty picture opportunities in this immensely green hobbit land. The 2-hour tour ends at the Green Dragon with a free drink.

Note: Tours leave every 10-15 minutes though booking timings online are limited. Do pre-book this experience  here  as it sells out.

Matamata to Rotorua- 71 km (1 hour)

Rotorua is mainly known for its geothermal activity and Maori culture. Everyone says you’ll be able to smell Sulphur in the air throughout the city but we were happy that our nostrils failed us.

It was a long and tiring day, and we got to Rotorua around dinner time. We ended up at  Eat Street  for dinner as suggested by our Airbnb Host. It is a short street lined with restaurants serving different cuisines. We ate at  Atticus Finch  (Yes! Like the character from you know which book) and the food was brilliant.

The vibe of the street is so lively, we went here the next day as well. Do dine here at least once!

Alternative: Hahei to Rotorua- 217 km (3 hours)

You should visit the Hobbiton if you want to step into another world or if you’re a LOTR fan. However, if guided tours are not your thing, skip this and head directly to Rotorua where abundant activities await.

You can visit one of the many geothermal parks, head to  Polynesian Spa  for a relaxing soak in natural spring water, or visit a Maori village and try Hangi (traditional Maori food). After sunset, do the  Redwoods Nightlights Treewalk . Go through the various activities available in Rotorua and book them  here .

  Accommodation : We stayed in a private room at the Airbnb  Lake Views Paradise and Tranquility . We absolutely loved our stay as our hosts were super kind and friendly. This was definitely our most memorable stay during our road trip in New Zealand.

Day 4: Geothermal Exploration in Rotorua

There is so much to do in Rotorua it is hard to decide and fit it all in one day. Unfortunately, we were there on a rainy day so we didn’t end up doing as much as we would have liked. 

We started with  Wai-o-Tapu Thermal Wonderland  which is a 30-minute (31 km) drive from Rotorua. The occasional touch of the wind, the heat of the steam rising from the hot pools, the various colours of the pools and the smell of sulphur tantalise all your senses while you walk through the 18 sq. km. active geothermal park. The park also has mud pools and a geyser, Lady Knox, with an eruption height of 10-20 meters. With a little manual intervention, the geyser erupts at 10:15 am every day. Visit the park accordingly! You also have the option of coming back the next day to watch the geyser erupt.

After lunch, we went to  Polynesian Spa  which has several natural geothermal spring water pools with different temperatures. It has public, private pools and packages that provide a combination of both. We took a package which gave us 30 minutes in a sky-view private pool and unlimited time at the public pools. The pools can get very crowded in the evening so plan for a morning visit. We were lucky to find it relatively empty as it was drizzling, but as soon as the drizzle stopped, the place filled up.

We spent only one day in Rotorua, but I think one should set aside two days to be able to enjoy the city fully.

Day 5: Waitomo and Taupo

Since we were unable to do the  Redwoods Treewalk  by night, we decided to do it by day, before we set off towards Waitomo. We headed towards Redwoods at about 10 a.m. and took a nice 40-minute stroll on bridges suspended high above the forest floor on humongous 118-year old redwood trees.

Rotorua to Waitomo- 140 km (2 hours)

The  Waitomo Glowworm Caves  are famous for worms that emit light, illuminating the dark caves like the night sky. They are unique to this part of the world, hence this activity is a must-do if nature fascinates you.

We thoroughly enjoyed this 30-45 minute tour, although it was a guided one. There was such an authentic feel to it because the guide showing us the cave was a descendent of the Maori Chief who originally explored the cave. We were fascinated by the way the guide navigated the boat in darkness using ropes that were pre-installed in the cave, thereby making no noise whatsoever.

Note: This is a commercialised experience with tours running every 30 minutes. You are not allowed to use your cameras when inside the cave as this may damage the ecology of the cave. In case you don’t want to make the detour to Waitomo, or you’re more of the ‘I don’t want to do touristy things kind’ but still want to see the worms, there are caves you could visit in other parts of the country. However, they may be less accessible.

Waitomo to Taupo- 150 km (2 hours)

We drove to Taupo and took a walk around Huka Falls which is famous for the incredible volume of water gushing through a 15-metre wide gorge. It is just a 10-minute walk from the car park to the lookout point on turning left from the bridge.

Alternative: Rotorua to Taupo- 82 km (1 hour)

A good way to avoid taking the detour to Waitomo would be to see the  glowworm cave in Te Anau  (South Island) instead if you’re planning to spend a night there. There isn’t much to do in Te Anau, therefore, it will be a worthwhile use of your time. Other schedules for this day could be:

• Spend more time in Rotorua to do the plethora of activities available there-  Maori shows ,  zorbing , more geothermal parks and pools,  gondola and luge ride , etc. Head to Taupo in the evening.
• Drive toward Taupo in the morning and make a midway stop at  Waimangu Volcanic Valley .
• Head straight to Taupo and spend some time by Lake Taupo. Check out the  Mine Bay Maori Carvings  and visit  Orakei Korako Geothermal Park .
• Divide your time between both cities- Spend 1 st  half of your day in Rotorua and 2 nd  half in Taupo.

Accommodation: We stayed outside of Taupo in Kinloch since we had a car and we were really taken to the  Kinloch Farmstay Retreat Airbnb  (read chance to meet cute sheep). Kinloch has a restaurant or two, so if you want more options then you can drive to Taupo which will take 20 minutes.

Day 6: Tongariro Alpine Crossing Hike

Kinloch to ketetahi car park- 88 km (1 hour 10 minutes).

The most awaited part of the trip had finally arrived- the Tongariro Alpine Crossing Day Hike, known to be one of the best day hikes in the world. It also has dual status as a World Heritage Site for its natural and cultural significance.

This 19.4 km hike takes you through volcanic terrain with solidified lava flats, red craters, emerald lakes, steam vents, and not to mention, the famous Mount Doom (aka Mount Ngauruhoe) featured in ‘The Lord of the Rings’ movies.

We woke up at 4 am to board our pre-booked Tongariro Shuttle at the Ketetahi car park at 6:30 am which took us to the start of the Tongariro hike. A shuttle is required as it is a point to point hike starting at the Mangatepopo car park and ending at Ketetahi Car Park.

It takes about 6-8 hours to complete the hike. However, it took us 10 hours as we took a ton of breaks for pictures and rest. Also, we decided to hike in regular sports shoes as we had underestimated the difficulty level. Do not do this hike without a sturdy pair of  hiking shoes  as it is a strenuous trek with high chances of getting injured without proper gear.

Despite the early start, hike difficulty level, fear for our lives and subsequent body aches, it was the highlight of our New Zealand road trip. Walking inside and on the edges of craters and around an active volcano which last erupted in 2012 was an experience we will recall time and again. The views were stunning, unlike anything we had ever seen before.

Day 7: Wellington

Taupo to wellington- 371 km (5 hours).

We woke up late with just enough time to pack and leave by checkout time, which is 10 am everywhere in New Zealand. So grateful for this as we were compelled to start our days early! We reached Wellington after a long drive only to find road closures around our hotel. Due to this, we ended up spending lots of time trying to find the hotel designated parking and our way to the hotel. As a result of this delay, we could not visit  Weta Cave , a creative design and physical effects facility that made movies like ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit’ come to life. The Weta Cave houses props, creatures, costumes, vehicles etc. created for the movies.

Friends had told us Wellington’s vibe is amazing. Unfortunately, we were here during the week before Christmas so most shops and restaurants were closed till Boxing Day.

If you aren’t visiting during said time, take a stroll through Cuba street. It is a walking street known for its world-class cafés, bars and restaurants, quirky stores and a somewhat bohemian feel. Also, visit the  Te Papa Museum , an interactive national museum that immerses you in New Zealand’s unique history. If you’re considering staying for longer, read this list of  15 Things to Do in Wellington , so you don’t miss anything this city has to offer.

 Accommodation :  Astelia Apartment Hotel , has a great location and really spacious rooms. Would love to stay here again.

If you’re planning to add South Island as well to your New Zealand itinerary (which you most definitely should), then continue reading  11 Days in Spectacular South Island .

• All distances and drive times mentioned are as per Google Maps. They may differ depending on road conditions, traffic etc.
• All images are clicked on the  iPhone 11  or  Pixel 3A . We our in the process of getting our first full-frame camera, the  Sony Alpha 7MIII
• All accommodations mentioned have parking available either on or off street.
• This blog post has affiliate links that enable us to earn a small commission when you make a purchase, with no extra cost to you. We only recommend products and activities we like and those that might interest you.

2 thoughts on “New Zealand Itinerary: An Epic 18-Day Road Trip”

Beautifully described and great choice of words💕💕🥂

You’re very kind, thank you.

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New Zealand in 10 Days: Road Trip Itinerary 🚗🏔️ [2024]

Nz pocket guide is 10 years old. thank you for trusting us with your trip for over a decade, the ultimate 10-day new zealand road trip itinerary.

You know how it is, you only have 10 days holiday from work but a burning desire to explore New Zealand ! What if we told you it can be done? You can see a great deal of Aotearoa (the Maori name for New Zealand) in just 10 days! Let’s see how you can travel New Zealand in 10 days.

This itinerary is definitely for those who want to tick the boxes. Do you want a variety of scenery, from beaches to snowy mountains, that New Zealand is famous for? Check! Do you want to experience adrenaline-pumping thrills with world-leading operators? Check! Do you want a taste of Kiwi city life, from the quaint towns to the artistic big cities? Check! Do you want to walk on glaciers and cruise into majestic fiords? Check and check!

So throw on your backpack and get ready for an action-packed trip in New Zealand that you’ll never forget with this New Zealand road trip itinerary, including both islands, for 10 days! What’s more, we show you how to plan this itinerary the EASY way with First Light Travel – more on that at the bottom of the itinerary.

New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary for 10 Days: Overview

• Day 1 – Auckland Airport to Hahei (Coromandel)
• Day 2 – Hahei to Rotorua (via Hobbiton)
• Day 3 – Explore Rotorua
• Day 4 – Rotorua to Christchurch
• Day 5 – Christchurch to Mt Cook
• Day 6 – Explore Mt Cook
• Day 7 – Mt Cook to Wanaka
• Day 8 – Wanaka to Queenstown
• Day 9 – Explore Queenstown or Milford Sound Day Trip
• Day 10 – Departure Day

How to Get Around New Zealand in 10 Days (Both Islands)

We’re not going to beat around the bush there is going to be a lot of driving – A LOT. If you can handle it, then get yourself a rental vehicle and continue down to the itinerary below. Otherwise, if driving almost every day for an entire month does not quite sound like the trip you were imagining, then consider travelling New Zealand by bus.

Whatever you choose, note that you’ll need to take a flight between the North Island and the South Island in order to have the time to hit both islands within 10 days.

Car or Campervan Rental

The North Island portion of this itinerary begins in Auckland and ends in Rotorua meaning that you will have to choose a rental company that has depots in both cities – there are more options for car rentals than campervan, which is why we recommend car rental over campervan rental at least for this route.

For the South Island portion, you will need to pick up a rental vehicle from Christchurch and drop it off in Queenstown . There are more options for both car and campervan hire between these two destinations. Get started with planning your vehicle rental in New Zealand with The Guide to Renting a Car and The Guide to Renting a Campervan in New Zealand .

National Coach

By far the cheapest option for getting around New Zealand is by coach. Get one of the InterCity bus passes to hit all of the destinations listed below. For more information, see How to Travel by Bus in New Zealand .

Escorted Bus Tours

All the logistics are sorted out for you, so all you need to do is enjoy. There are limited bus tour companies offering 10-day tours around both islands of New Zealand, but you’ll have more options if you visit just one of the main islands. Escorted bus tours include all accommodations, some meals and some activities. Check them out in The 10 Best 10-12-Day Tours of New Zealand .

Domestic Flights

This 10-day New Zealand itinerary requires you to travel between Rotorua on the North Island and Christchurch on the South Island via domestic flight. Flights between these two destinations operate daily. For more details, check out   The Complete Guide to Domestic Flights in New Zealand .

For more ways to explore New Zealand, take a look at the 10 Best Ways to Travel Around New Zealand .

Day 1 – Auckland Airport to Hahei (Coromandel)

Drive time: 2 hrs 15 mins

You’ve arrived in Auckland , New Zealand! As you only have 10 days to explore both islands of New Zealand, there are much better destinations to hit than this urban jungle. Therefore, head south toward the Coromandel and start your 10-day New Zealand adventure! Coromandel is the home of beautiful beaches, most famously, Cathedral Cove .

Things to Do in Hahei

These are pretty relaxing and accessible activities/sights to see for your first day in New Zealand:

• Hike to the famous Cathedral Cove and its beach with white cliffs and a giant coastal arch
• Take a boat tour with Hahei Explorer to Cathedral Cove
• Explore beaches and islands with Cathedral Cove Kayaks
• Go to Hot Water Beach at low tide to dig yourself a hot pool in the sand.

For more ideas, head to the  22 Best Things to Do in The Coromandel .

Accommodation in Hahei

• Hot Water Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park
• Hahei Holiday Resort
• Tatahi Back Packer

See more like this in the  10 Best Budget Accommodations in the Coromandel .

• The Church Accommodation
• Tatahi Lodge Beach Resort
• Hahei Beach Apartment

For more mid-range stays, take a look at the  15 Best Hotels & Resorts in the Coromandel .

Day 2 – Hahei to Rotorua (Via Hobbiton)

Drive time: 3 hours

Your final destination today is Rotorua, famous for its geothermal activity and for being the cultural heart of New Zealand. Before you get there, don’t miss the Karangahake Gorge , halfway through the drive. There are a number of walking tracks in the area between 45 minutes to 4 hours going through a historic mining area taken back by the forest and the river. Walk through mining tunnels, through native forest, alongside mining relics and to magnificent waterfalls.

On the other hand, you may want to use that time to visit the Hobbiton Movie Set in the town of Matamata .

Things to Do in Rotorua

If you get to Rotorua with time to spare, here are a few suggestions.

• Relax in a natural geothermal hot pool. There are paid options, such as the Polynesian Spa (more info on  Klook  or  KKday ) , or go find some of the 5 Free Natural Hot Pools in Rotorua
• See an evening cultural performance at one of the Maori attractions
• Go for a bite to eat on Eat Streat and beyond
• See the forest decorated on the Redwoods Treewalk
• Have a race on the night Luge at Skyline Gondola .

For more recommendations, check out the  25 Best Things to Do in Rotorua .

Accommodation in Rotorua

• Holdens Bay Holiday Park
• BKs Rotorua
• Rock Solid Backpackers

For more options, check out the  20 Best Budget Accommodations in Rotorua .

• Kings On Peace
• Silver Fern Rotorua
• Aura Accommodation

See more stays in  The 50 Best Accommodations in Rotorua .

• Pullman Rotorua
• Regent of Rotorua
• Ngamihi Lodge

More lavish finds are available in the  20 Best Luxury Accommodations in Rotorua .

Day 3 – Explore Rotorua

There is so much to do in Rotorua that it is the perfect place to have a break from driving. There’s a huge range of activities from adrenaline fixes, wildlife, Maori cultural shows, geothermal parks and so much more!

• Geysers, steaming lakes, bubbling mud, silica terraces and so much more can be seen in one of the many geothermal parks of Rotorua
• Catch a Maori cultural performance (if you missed doing so yesterday)
• Do some adrenaline activities Zorb your way in a giant hamster ball down a hill, go luging from the top of the Skyline Gondola , hike or mountain bike in the Redwood Forest , jet boat or do a freefall experience at the Velocity Valley , and so much more!
• See native New Zealand wildlife at Wingspan or National Kiwi Hatchery (more info on Viator and Klook ) .

For more inspiration, get stuck into The Complete Guide to Rotorua .

Day 4 – Rotorua to Christchurch

Flight time: 1 h 55 mins

Make a beeline for the South Island today by taking one of the daily direct flights between Rotorua Airport and Christchurch Airport . Drop your rental vehicle off in Rotorua before you depart.

Once in Christchurch , pick up your rental car or campervan, then head into the city to explore the South Island’s biggest hub!

Things to Do in Christchurch

• Wander around the Christchurch Botanic Gardens
• Visit the Canterbury Museum
• Take to the skies in a unique way with Adventure Balloons NZ
• Take a hop-on hop-off tram tour of the city (more info on Viator and Klook )
• Feel the freeze at the International Antarctic Centre
• Try some Kiwi cuisine in Christchurch .

Get more details in the  15 Best Things to Do in Christchurch .

Accommodation in Christchurch

• The Bealey Quarter
• Southwark Hotel & Apartments
• BreakFree on Cashel

See more reasonably-priced stays in the  12 Best Budget Accommodations in Christchurch .

• Golden Hotel
• ibis Christchurch
• Quality Hotel Elms

All the top recommendations can be found in 20 Best Hotels in Christchurch .

• The Observatory Hotel Christchurch
• Sudima Christchurch City
• The Mayfair

For the cream of the crop, check out the 15 Best Luxury Accommodations in Christchurch .

Day 5 – Christchurch to Mt Cook (via Lake Tekapo)

Drive time: 4 hours

Leave the city behind today as you make your way to the majestic Aoraki Mt Cook National Park, but not without an obligatory stop by the vibrant blue waters of Lake Tekapo . Get your snaps of The Church of the Good Shepherd and take your pick of experiences from the 10 Best Things to Do in Lake Tekapo .

Things to Do in Lake Tekapo

• Hike the Mt John Summit Circuit
• Soak in soothing hot pools at Tekapo Springs
• Take a scenic flight over the Southern Alps with Air Safaris
• Get an obligatory photo with the Church of the Good Shepherd
• Explore the mesmerising backcountry of Lake Tekapo on a 4WD tour with Tekapo Adventures .

Once at Mt Cook , you have a lot of options to explore the heart of the Southern Alps with its glaciers, but we’ll get onto that more tomorrow.

Accommodation in Mt Cook

• Mt Cook Lodge & Motels
• Glentanner Park Centre

You know the drill; check out  5 Best Budget Accommodations in Mt Cook .

• Aoraki Court Motel
• Aoraki Mount Cook Alpine Lodge
• Aoraki Alpine Chalet

See the  10 Best Hotels & Places to Stay in Mt Cook for your top options.

• The Hermitage Hotel Mt Cook
• Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat
• Lakestone Lodge

Go high-end with the  5 Best Luxury Accommodations in Mt Cook .

Day 6 – Explore Mt Cook

There are many ways to enjoy the impressive landscape of the Aoraki Mt Cook National Park , from glaciers to lakes to mountains, so you’ll want to spend a whole day doing some or all of the following activities!

Things to Do in Mt Cook

• Walk the Hooker Valley Track
• Land on the Tasman Glacier in a ski plane (more details on Viator or Klook )
• Do a heli-hike on New Zealand’s longest glacier with Mt Cook Glacier Guiding
• Go boating on the Tasman Lake with Glacier Explorers
• Stargaze in the Aoraki Mt Cook International Dark Sky Reserve .

That’s right, you can learn more about these experiences, as well as many others in the  20 Best Things to Do in Aoraki Mt Cook .

Day 7 – Mt Cook to Wanaka

Drive time: 2 hrs 30 mins

The drive today is a thrill in itself as you travel through lands of snow-peaked mountains and brilliant blue lakes. As you leave Mt Cook and Lake Pukaki , pick up some road trip snacks or take the river walk in Twizel .

Just before reaching Lindis Pass, soak the road trip pains at the Omarama Hot Tubs or make a quick detour to the otherworldly landscape of the Clay Cliffs – both are outlined in the  5 Best Things to Do in Omarama .

Then, revel in the beauty of Lindis Pass ; one of the  10 Most Beautiful Roads in New Zealand .

Finally, you will have the time to relax by the beautiful Lake Wanaka .

Things to Do in Wanaka

• Hike up Roy’s Peak
• Climb a waterfall with Wild Wire Wanaka
• Visit Puzzling World and get lost in their giant maze
• Skydive over beautiful Lake Wanaka with Skydive Wanaka
• Cruise to a sanctuary island on Lake Wanka with Eco Wanaka Adventures .

Head to the 25 Best Things to Do in Wanaka for more ideas.

Accommodation in Wanaka

• Altamont Lodge
• Wanaka TOP 10 Holiday Park
• Mountain View Backpackers

More cheap stays can be found in the  10 Best Budget Accommodations in Wanaka .

• Club Wyndham Wanaka, Trademark Collection by Wyndham
• Archway Motels & Chalets
• The Moorings Motel and Apartments

Check out the  20 Best Hotels & Places to Stay in Wanaka  for more ideas.

• Wanaka Luxury Apartments
• Lime Tree Lodge
• Edgewater Hotel

More recommendations can be found in the  10 Best Luxury Accommodations in Wanaka .

Day 8 – Wanaka to Queenstown

Drive time: 1 hour

After you’re done exploring the beautiful scenery of Wanaka, it’s time to hit the “Adrenaline Capital of the World”! Take the Crown Range  to be the best views on the way to Queenstown. Once there, you have so much to do! Take a look at The Complete Guide to Queenstown or the list below.

Things to Do in Queenstown

• Do a bungy jump; you have three to choose from in Queenstown
• Do a giant swing with Nevis Swing or Shotover Canyon Swing
• Experience the thrills of a jet boat ride
• Go skiing or snowboarding at The Remarkables in winter
• Hike Ben Lomond .

The possibilities are endless, as described in the 45 Best Things to Do in Queenstown .

Accommodation in Queenstown

• Queenstown TOP 10 Holiday Park
• Adventure Queenstown Hostel
• Melbourne Lodge

Choose from more affordable stays in the  15 Best Budget Accommodations in Queenstown .

• Lomond Lodge Motel & Apartments
• The Glebe Apartments
• Alexis Motel & Apartments

Browse all of the top stays in The 50 Best Accommodations in Queenstown .

• QT Queenstown
• Queenstown Park Boutique Hotel
• Hulbert House

Find out more about each premium accommodation in our 20 Best Luxury Accommodations in Queenstown .

Day 9 – Explore Queenstown (or Milford Sound Day Trip)

With towering mountains, untouched rainforest and unbelievable scenery, Milford Sound is an unforgettable journey.

To have a break from driving, we recommend taking one of the many bus tours to Milford Sound and then boarding a cruise of the fiord. Bus trips give you plenty of opportunities to hop off the bus and do multiple short walks on the way. For more information, get your head in the 10 Best Milford Sound Tours from Queenstown & Te Anau .

If a 13-hour bus and cruise trip doesn’t appeal, see the 6 Best Scenic Flights to Milford Sound from Queenstown instead.

However, if you want a break from the road, you have plenty more options for things to do in Queenstown listed above as well as some more inspiration in the 45 Best Things to Do in Queenstown .

Day 10 – Departure Day

Wrap up any unfinished business you have with Queenstown. Then, it’s time to head to Queenstown Airport for the next step of life’s adventure. You can return your vehicle at your vehicle rental company’s Queenstown Airport depot and then the company will likely provide a free shuttle to your requested terminal.

If you’re taking an international flight, remember to arrive at the airport two hours before departure. For domestic flights, such as those to Auckland Airport, get advice from  The Guide to Domestic Flights in New Zealand .

Then it’s haere rā from New Zealand!

Plan This Itinerary with First Light Travel

If you like this New Zealand road trip itinerary for 10 days but don’t like the hassle of planning everything yourself, then there’s a way to lighten the load. First Light Travel is an online travel agent specialising in road trip itineraries in New Zealand. Plus, using their service is super simple:

• First , send First Light Travel an enquiry by completing their online form
• Then , you’ll receive your customised self-drive itinerary
• Review your itinerary and work with your First Light Travel agent on perfecting it
• Finally , First Light Travel will organise the rest including the bookings.

First Light Travel has access to more than 20,000 travel products, including almost all the tours and accommodations featured on this list (and more). With that and their local expertise here in New Zealand, they will create a well-catered itinerary to meet your needs while also suggesting some dream travel experiences that you may have never heard of. They only work with companies where their past clients have had positive experiences, so you know you’re in good hands.

What’s more, all of the bookings are arranged by First Light Travel, so instead of having to contact each individual accommodation and operator should your travel plans change, any amendments can be done through your FLT agent – easy! Did we mention the service is at no extra cost to you?!

For more information on planning your own New Zealand itinerary, see  How to Create the Perfect New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary . Or better yet, jump on firstlighttravel.com and start making your own itinerary there.

Alternative New Zealand Itineraries for 10 Days

That’s it for our New Zealand 10-day itinerary but by no means the end of our road trip advice. We thought you might like to be aware of our other itineraries for New Zealand in 10 days so that you are able to compare:

• South Island Campervan Itinerary: 10 Days
• The 10 Best 10-12-Day Tours of New Zealand
• The 6 Best 10-12-Day Tours of the North Island
• The 6 Best 10-12-Day Tours of the South Island

Finally, be sure to bookmark the  31 Tips for Travelling in New Zealand and  The Best Travel Guide to New Zealand – they’re pretty darn useful.

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:

• Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (Road and transport tips - Updated [2024])
• DriveSafe (Road safety - Updated [2024])
• Tourism New Zealand (General travel advice - Updated [2024])
• Department of Conservation (Tracks, hikes, campsites and more - Updated [2024])
• AdventureSmart (Know before you go - Update [2024])
• Tiaki Promise (Care for people place and culture - Updated [2024])
• Council websites and freedom camping maps (Local travel advice region by region - Updated [2024])
• Tourism Export Council New Zealand (Tourism trade association - Updated [2024])
• TIA (Independent tourism association - Updated [2024])
• NZ Māori Tourism (Official Māori Tourism platform - Updated [2024])
• Immigration New Zealand (Visa and immigration advice - Updated [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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Planning Your Ultimate Road Trip Adventure in New Zealand

N ew Zealand, a land where nature shows off its A-game with stunning landscapes that will make your jaw drop. Planning a road trip in this Kiwi paradise is like setting sail on a journey through a postcard-perfect wonderland. From the North Island’s vibrant cities to the South Island’s majestic fjords, New Zealand offers a road trip experience like no other. Let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of planning your ultimate Kiwi adventure.

First things first

Getting ready for a trip to New Zealand from the USA? Well, embarking on this unforgettable journey requires some thoughtful preparation, and one crucial aspect is obtaining a New Zealand visa well in advance. It’s a bit like planning ahead for a great journey and making sure everything is set for your Kiwi adventure! From navigating the application process to anticipating the diverse landscapes and rich cultural experiences that await you, taking the time to plan ahead will undoubtedly enhance the overall enjoyment of your travel experience.

Map Your Route

Kuirau Park Sunset in Rotorua

Whether it’s a good old paper map or a digital one, having a visual aid is your first step to navigating the Kiwi highways and byways. New Zealand boasts two main islands, each packed with its own set of wonders. Are you drawn to the North Island’s geothermal wonders in Rotorua, or do you fancy the South Island’s rugged beauty, including the iconic Milford Sound? Plot your must-see spots and connect the dots to create your dream route.

Exploring the North Island

As you plot your route through the North Island , consider immersing yourself in the vibrant cities that dot the landscape. Auckland , with its iconic Sky Tower, and Wellington, the cool capital with a thriving arts scene, are must-visit spots. Don’t miss Rotorua, a geothermal wonderland where bubbling mud pools and erupting geysers create a surreal, otherworldly atmosphere. The scent of sulfur in the air is your cue that you’re in the heart of geothermal activity.

Venturing into the South Island

Crossing over to the South Island, get ready to be mesmerized by landscapes that seem straight out of a fantasy novel. The Marlborough Sounds, with its intricate waterways, and the West Coast, home to untamed beaches and lush rainforests, await your exploration. And then there’s Milford Sound, the crown jewel of fjords, where towering cliffs meet serene waters, creating a scene that words can hardly capture. Consider adding these gems to your route for a well-rounded Kiwi adventure.

Foodie Stops Along the Way

Food is a crucial part of any journey, and in New Zealand, it’s a delight for your taste buds. Don’t pass up the chance to sink your teeth into a classic Kiwi pie or indulge in fresh seafood straight from the ocean. Keep an eye out for local markets and food festivals as you travel – they’re not just meal stops but delightful experiences that will add spice to your journey.

Taste the sweet juiciness of New Zealand’s famous kiwifruit or savor a sip of world-renowned Sauvignon Blanc in the Marlborough region. Your road trip isn’t just a journey; it’s a gastronomic odyssey through the flavors of Aotearoa.

Accommodation Choices

When the sun sets, and fatigue sets in, a cozy place to lay your head becomes a top priority. New Zealand offers a smorgasbord of accommodation options, catering to all tastes and budgets. From budget-friendly campsites to high-end lodges, there’s something for everyone. Consider booking in advance during peak seasons, but also be open to the spontaneity of camping under the stars in the Kiwi countryside. Embrace the Kiwi hospitality by opting for a homestay where you can share stories with the locals. These experiences not only provide a comfortable resting place but also add a personal touch to your road trip narrative.

Choosing Your Ride

Your vehicle is the heartbeat of your road trip. Whether it’s a campervan, a compact car, or a trusty motorbike, choose a ride that fits your style and budget. Campervans offer the ultimate freedom, allowing you to park up and spend the night wherever the road takes you. If you’re more of a speed demon, a nimble car might be the way to go.

If you’re a thrill-seeker, take advantage of New Zealand’s reputation as the adventure capital of the world. Swap the wheels for a bungee cord or a jet boat for an adrenaline rush that will be etched in your memory forever. Your road trip isn’t just about the destinations; it’s about the thrilling journey in between.

Safety First: Preparation and Caution

Safety should always be a priority. Familiarize yourself with New Zealand’s road rules, drive cautiously on winding roads, and keep an emergency kit handy. Ensure your vehicle is well-maintained before embarking on your journey. Let someone know your planned route in case of any unforeseen circumstances.

Packing for All Seasons

Packing your bags for a road trip adventure in New Zealand is like preparing for a journey through multiple seasons in one go. The Kiwi weather is as diverse as the landscapes you’ll encounter, so it’s wise to pack smartly. Layering is key – bring a mix of lightweight, breathable clothes for warm days and some cozy layers for cooler evenings. Don’t forget a sturdy rain jacket; New Zealand’s weather can surprise you with a sprinkle at any moment. Comfortable walking shoes are a must for exploring the picturesque trails and landscapes. If you’re planning on hitting the beach or taking a dip in hot springs, toss in your swim gear. And of course, a hat and sunglasses for those sunny days. The key is versatility – be prepared for anything, from sunny beaches to chilly mountain tops, and you’ll be all set for an unforgettable road trip in Aotearoa.

Planning a road trip with kids

Embarking on a road trip to New Zealand with kids is a fantastic family adventure filled with awe-inspiring landscapes and memorable experiences. As you plan your journey, consider kid-friendly destinations like Hobbiton or the glowworm caves, where imaginations can run wild.

Pack essentials like snacks, games, and entertainment to keep the little ones engaged during scenic drives. New Zealand’s diverse attractions cater to various interests, from wildlife encounters to thrilling outdoor activities suitable for all ages. Plan breaks at family-friendly accommodations, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable stay. Safety comes first, so have car seats and necessary travel documents for the kids. A road trip in New Zealand with kids is not just a vacation; it’s a journey of discovery and shared adventures that will be etched in family memories for years to come.

Flexibility is Key

Flexibility is the golden ticket to unlocking the full magic of your Kiwi road trip. Be prepared to take detours, make those unplanned stops – for hidden gems often lurk off the beaten path. Engage in conversations with the locals, heed the call of intriguing signposts, and boldly tread unmarked paths. It’s in these spontaneous moments that the essence of your journey truly unfolds, crafting memories that will linger in your heart for years to come.

Respect the Kiwi Way

Kiwis are rightfully proud of their stunning country, and as a traveler, it’s your duty to respect it. Join the ranks of responsible travelers by leaving no trace behind. Respect nature, stick to designated trails, and dispose of your rubbish responsibly. By treading lightly, you’re ensuring that the untouched beauty of New Zealand remains for future wanderers.

Attend a traditional Māori cultural performance, try your hand at a haka, and delve into the rich heritage that makes New Zealand unique. Engaging with the locals and understanding their way of life will enrich your road trip experience, making it not just a vacation but a cultural exploration.

Capture the Magic

A picture is worth a thousand words, they say. Don’t forget to pack a camera or ensure your phone is charged – you’ll want to capture the breathtaking vistas, the quirky roadside attractions, and the unforgettable moments. While capturing memories through your camera lens is important, remember to put the device down occasionally. Breathe in the fresh air, feel the earth beneath your feet, and savor the raw beauty of the landscapes. Let the serenity of a sunrise or the vastness of a starry night be imprinted in your mind. Sometimes, the most profound moments are those you experience with all your senses.

There you have it – a roadmap to crafting your epic road trip in New Zealand. Brace yourself for the adventure of a lifetime, where every turn reveals a new chapter and every stop leaves you in awe. So, gather your mates, fuel up your wanderlust, and hit the road – because in New Zealand, the journey is just as extraordinary as the destination.

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