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New Zealand Trip Planner

Top destinations in new zealand.

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Explore nearby places

• Abel Tasman National Park
• Westland National Park (Te Wahipounamu)
• Pauatahanui
• Paekakariki
• Raumati Beach
• Paraparaumu
• Featherston
• Maraetai Bay
• Endeavour Inlet
• Martinborough
• Kenepuru Sound

All related maps of New Zealand

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New Zealand throughout the year

• New Zealand in January
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Your Trip to New Zealand: The Complete Guide

New Zealand is a sparsely populated country in the South Pacific with an extraordinary variety of natural attractions. Beaches with white, black, and golden sands; hot spring baths, gushing geysers and bubbling mud pools; enormous snow-capped mountain chains and lonely volcanic cones rising out of plains; dense native forest with a wide variety of birds. New Zealand also often offers the best of both worlds. Enjoy subtropical temperatures in the north and alpine conditions in the south; visit fashionable cities with fine dining and great art galleries and quiet backwater towns where there's more livestock than people; experience traditional Maori culture and European colonial elements. Whatever kind of experience you're looking for, you can probably find it somewhere in New Zealand.

But, there are some important things you need to know to help a trip to New Zealand go smoothly. From how to get around, to the best airports to enter the country, to money-saving tips in this rather expensive country, this guide has all the information you need to plan your trip to New Zealand.

Planning Your Trip

• Best Time to Visit : Late spring, summer, and early autumn (October-March) for most activities; winter and early spring (June-October) for snow sports.
• Languages: English is widely spoken in New Zealand and Te Reo Maori and New Zealand Sign Language are official languages.  
• Currency: New Zealand Dollar
• Getting Around: Many travelers rent a car or RV . New Zealand has long-distance buses, and a few scenic long-distance train services, connecting the main points of interest. There's also an extensive range of domestic flights throughout the country.
• Know Before You Go: Unless you really like rain, avoid the North Island in winter (June-August).

Things To Do

New Zealand is known for its natural beauty. There are all kinds of opportunities to get outdoors and explore nature, from extreme sports like white water rafting and mountain climbing, to much more mellow activities like relaxing on a beach or wildlife spotting on a scenic cruise.

• Go hiking. New Zealanders love to hike (which they call tramping), and there are well-maintained short and long-distance hikes all over the country.
• Visit a national park. There are 13 national parks in New Zealand, three in the North Island and 10 in the South. Most are great for hiking, but there are other activities you can enjoy, like sea kayaking in the Abel Tasman National Park , lake swimming in the Nelson Lakes National Park, and scenic cruises in the Fiordland National Park. Plus, entry to national parks is free.
• Laze on a beach. New Zealand has a long coastline filled with beautiful beaches. Those in the upper North Island ( Northland , Auckland , and the Coromandel Peninsula ) usually have the warmest conditions for swimming.

Explore more attractions with our full-length articles on New Zealand's top national parks , the best beaches in the country , and the top places to go hiking .

What to Eat and Drink

New Zealand cuisine combines Pacific, European, and Asian influences, and makes good use of the produce that comes from its land and sea. Travelers from North America or Europe will be able to get a lot of things they're familiar with (like burgers, Indian curry, and sushi), but there are also some dishes that are unique to New Zealand, or that the country excels in. The seafood is especially high quality here, so don't miss your chance to try some local green-shell mussels or snapper. Dairy in New Zealand is also very high quality, so something as simple as ice-cream or cheese can be a bit of an event in New Zealand.

New Zealand wines are highly respected and enjoyed around the world, with the white Sauvignon Blanc variety a particular favorite. There are numerous wineries around the country that you can visit for a meal and a wine tasting experience, or to just to buy a bottle or two. Craft beers are also on the rise. Many of these are produced in the fashionable, slightly quirky cities of Wellington and Dunedin, but there are small microbreweries dotted in unexpected places around the country, too.

Read more about what to eat and drink in New Zealand in our articles on the best restaurants in New Zealand , 10 foods to try while in the country , and nightlife in New Zealand .

Where to Stay

A question that would-be visitors to New Zealand repeatedly ask is which island is better, the North or the South? There's no correct answer here, as each island offers different and varied experiences. If you're coming to New Zealand on a long trip, then spending time on both islands is ideal, but many travelers don't have that luxury and need to choose one or the other.

The North Island is more heavily populated than the South (with around three-quarters of New Zealand's total population living there),   which means there are more towns and settlements. Most travelers fly into Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, and spend some time here before either heading north to subtropical Northland, or south to Taupo, Rotorua, the Tongariro National Park, and Wellington (the nation's capital).

The South Island is the place to go if you're seeking snowy mountains and the wilderness experience (although New Zealand gets a lot of tourists, so "wilderness" is a relative term). Visitors usually fly into Christchurch, the largest city in the South Island (and the second-largest in the country), and visit South Island highlights like Aoraki/Mount Cook, Kaikoura, Abel Tasman National Park, the Marlborough Sounds, Dunedin, Queenstown and Wanaka, and the West Coast.

Many travelers rent a car or RV and camp throughout New Zealand. That way, there's no need to worry about being close to a hotel or motel after a long day of exploring. However, there are a wide range of accommodation options all around the country, from shared dorm rooms in backpacker hostels to luxury hotels.

Getting There

Auckland Airport is the busiest in the country, with the most flights from international destinations landing there.   It's most convenient if you're spending time in the North Island, or looking for cheaper airfares. Christchurch Airport is second-busiest, and is more convenient for travelers focusing on the South Island. From either airport you can get connecting flights to other domestic destinations. There are international airports in Wellington, Dunedin, and Queenstown too, but these generally just connect to Eastern Australia.

For more information about New Zealand's airports, read our full guide .

Culture and Customs

In general, tipping is not practiced in New Zealand, and in addition to not being expected, it's considered pretty unusual. You may see tips jars in counters at some cafes or bars, but certainly not everywhere as there are minimum wages in New Zealand.

Money-Saving Tips

New Zealand is quite an expensive destination, although when the US dollar is strong, it can be more accessible for American visitors.

• Compared to the U.S., New Zealand meals are expensive for the amount of food you recieve. To save money, self-cater if and when possible. Food in grocery stores and supermarkets is still expensive, but buying the ingredients to prepare a sandwich for lunch costs less than buying several sandwiches in cafes. Similarly, you should expect to pay at least NZ$5 for a coffee in a cafe, whereas you can buy a bag of ground coffee at the supermarket for NZ$6, which will last you several days.
• Accommodation costs are also high, although cheaper options are available if you want to stay in a shared room at a backpacker's hostel. One way that many travelers get around this is to rent a car and camp in a tent, or rent an RV. Neither option is cheap, but you'll be combining your transportation and accommodation costs, which could save you quite a lot of money.
• National parks and beaches are completely free to visit, making them a great option for budget travelers.

New Zealand Human Rights Commission. "New Zealand's Official Languages."

New Zealand Government. "Three in Four New Zealanders Live in the North Island." October 25, 2017

Ministry of Transport. "Transport Outlook Overview 2016." Page 7. June 30, 2017.

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New Zealand

Nestled in the Pacific Ocean, New Zealand is famous for its biodiverse wildlife, dramatic landscape, and fascinating Maori culture.

New Zealand- simply put, an awesome, diverse, and stunning island country – is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. Composed of two main landmasses, the North Island and the South Island, and over 700 smaller islands, New Zealand is a unique country of adventure and serenity, biodiverse wildlife and vivid landscape, dazzling fjords and golden beaches, rich culture and laid-back charm. The culture of the Maori people, the indigenous population that migrated from Polynesia in the 14th century, is still an integral part of life in contemporary New Zealand – known as Aotearoa in Maori. And the locals? Nicknamed “kiwis,” they are known for their warm welcome and quick smiles.

Waitomo Caves

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The climate in New Zealand varies greatly from north to south, but, with much of the country lying close to the coast, there are mild temperatures year-round in many parts. Located in the southern hemisphere, December through February are summer months – perfect for beach, nature, and hiking- and June through August are winter- turning the south into a winter wonderland for snow sports enthusiasts.

New Zealand’s North Island is home to most of the country’s population as well as its largest and most cosmopolitan metropolis – Auckland - known as “the City of Sails, as it’s surrounded by islands and bays.

Auckland’s needle-like Sky Tower offers dazzling views from its exterior platform – and, for those seeking a thrill, a sky jump off the platform. Waitemata Harbour, dividing Auckland in two, is a beautiful area for entertainment, dining, and shopping. The Auckland Harbour Bridge offers opportunities not only for panoramic views but adventure, such as bungee jumping. The beautiful Hauraki Gulf islands, a ferry ride away, are popular destinations, especially Waiheke Island with villages boasting art galleries, cafes, and pristine beaches. One Tree Hill, the volcanic cone located in the lush Cornwall Park , is an Auckland icon.

Auckland is also home to several outstanding museums, including the Auckland Art Gallery , the New Zealand Maritime Museum , and the Auckland War Memorial Museum . For families, SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium is a must-see with close underwater views, huge aquariums filled with unusual sea life, and a snow-filled penguin area. Auckland’s zoo is renowned.

Wellington , the small capital city of New Zealand, is also known as the country’s culinary capital with its award-winning restaurants and a café and bar culture. Its iconic red cable cars offer panoramic views, and its botanic gardens are breathtaking. Wellington is also home to the outstanding Museum of New Zealand – the Te Papa .

The city of Tauranga and its environs feature many natural attractions – such as Rainbow Springs Kiwi Wildlife Park and Okere Falls – as well as cultural highlights such as art galleries and the Classic Flyer’s Museum . Rotorua , with its surrounding lakes, hot springs, mud pools, and geysers, is famous for its geothermal activity. The city of Hamilton mixes culture and entertainment with stunning nature such as gardens, lakes, and parks.

New Zealand’s oldest heritage trail, the Forgotten World Highway, is both scenic and mysterious, snaking through many natural and historical points of interest, and the Waitomo Caves are an extensive system of caves with unusual limestone formations and stunning waterfalls.

While New Zealand’s South Island offers untainted natural landscapes – an extraordinary mix of rare wildlife, untamed wilderness, deserted coastlines, magnificent fiords, and delicious seafood – it is also home to several large cities. Christchurch boasts an array of architectural styles, museums, wildlife preserves, treks, and gardens. It is a vibrant urban center known also for its street art and foodie scene.

Queenstown is a resort area with stunning landscape, galleries, eateries, and abundant adventure activities – including great skiing in the winter months. The city of Dunedin is known for its fascinating history, cultural highlights, architectural heritage, as well as its natural beauty.

Don’t miss these other outstanding destinations in the south! Milford Sound – a dramatic fiord located in the spectacular Fiordland National Park , Mount Cook National Park, Lake Tekapo , and the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers.

Need guidance?

Whether you’re looking for kiwi-style adventure or serenity – or some of both - start planning, organizing, and booking your customized dream trip to New Zealand using RoutePerfect’s unique set of planning tools. Unlike any other company, Routeperfect offers its exclusive Popular Itineraries written by tourism professionals and experienced travelers to jumpstart your planning, helping you to personalize your travel and book your accommodations so that you can experience the country YOUR way.

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How To Plan A Trip To New Zealand – The Ultimate Guide

Categories New Zealand , North Island , South Island

If you’re looking for a good introduction on how to plan a trip to New Zealand, I’ve got you covered! My home country of New Zealand is absolutely spectacular. I’ve explored New Zealand both as a local and as a tour guide for my husband when we first visited New Zealand together. I’ve combined my years of experience working as a travel agent, travelling the world, and living and exploring New Zealand to put this guide together to help you plan the perfect trip to New Zealand.

Table of Contents

In my ultimate guide to planning a trip to New Zealand, I’m spilling the beans on how I personally plan my trips. I cover the best times to visit New Zealand, the bucket list items you have to tick off, the regions you can visit, how to book flights, accommodation and activities and what to pack.

I hope this guide gives you a great introduction to planning a trip to New Zealand!

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How to plan a trip to New Zealand

When is the best time to visit New Zealand?

The best time to visit New Zealand is anytime from October to April .

My favourite months for exploring New Zealand are November, and mid-January to February. The temperature in November is pleasant, and the daylight hours are decent.

I am also a fan of November because this is when the A&P shows are on throughout New Zealand.

There also aren’t as many tourists around at this time. December to mid-January is often a busy period in New Zealand, with locals being off work and making their way to the beach to enjoy the summer sun, that’s why I recommend visiting from mid-January onwards.

The weather is superb at this time of year, being the peak of summer!

Many people also plan a trip to New Zealand in the winter to try our epic ski hills. The best time to visit for snow is in July and August.

Times to avoid visiting New Zealand

If you don’t like crowds, avoid visiting New Zealand from Christmas until mid-January. You should also try and avoid visiting during New Zealand school holidays and public holidays. You can view a list of public holidays in New Zealand here .

Average temperature guide

• Spring [ September, October, November ]: 16°C (61°F) to 19 °C (66°F)
• Summer [ December, January, February ]: 20°C (68°F) to 30°C (86°F)
• Autumn/Fall [ March, April, May ]: 17°C (63°F) to 21°C (70°F)
• Winter [ June, July, August ]: 12°C (54°F) to 16 °C (61°F)

Note: The above temperature guide is based on the temperature during the day. The temperature can get as low as -5 degrees in populated areas during the winter- for example, when I lived in Christchurch we would often have overnight lows of -2°C.

As a general rule, the climate is warmer the further north you go, and cooler in the South Island.

Where should you visit in New Zealand?

Though it looks small on a map, New Zealand is actually quite a large country. Two weeks in New Zealand is barely scratching the surface; you could easily spend years here and there will still be plenty more to see.

Don’t let this put you off- no matter how much or how little of New Zealand you see, you will have the best time!

Here’s a brief overview of each region to help you decide where you should spend your time.

North Island

• Auckland – Home to the largest city in New Zealand, Auckland has a diverse culture and is a great place for nightlife and shopping.
• Bay of Plenty – This region is known for its beautiful beaches and warm, sunny weather and has the most hours of sun in all of New Zealand. Also home to Rotorua, a popular tourist destination known for its geothermal activity and Maori culture.
• Waikato – Known for being an agricultural area and the dairy industry hub of New Zealand. Also home to beautiful beaches and fishing in the Coromandel. Taupō is a popular holiday destination for locals, and home to New Zealand’s largest lake. A great place for kayaking, mountain biking, skydiving, sightseeing and also home to the highest water-touch bungy jump in the country.
• Hawke’s Bay – Known for its warm sunny weather, food and vineyards. Also home to Splash Planet, a popular water park and the National Aquarium of New Zealand.
• Gisbourne – Located on the east coast, Gisbourne is the first city to see the sun in the world. Known for its forests, surfing, fishing and wineries. An off-beat place to visit in New Zealand.
• Manawatu & Whanganui – A region known for its agriculture and also the region I grew up in! Palmerston North is the largest city and is home to the New Zealand Rugby Museum. An off-beat place to visit in New Zealand.
• Northland & Bay of Islands – Known as ‘the winterless north’ thanks to its climate. Home to white sandy beaches and known for its great fishing spots and beautiful scenery.
• Taranaki – A popular farming area and known for Mount Taranaki, its namesake volcano. This region is located on the west-coast of the North Island. An off-beat place to visit in New Zealand.
• Wellington & Wairarapa – Home to New Zealand’s capital ‘Windy Wellington’, the city is vibrant, artsy and known for its cute cafes, thriving pubs and nightlife, and the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Castlepoint, a small beachside town, is also a popular place for swimming and fishing.

>> Read more: How to spend one day in Auckland

South Island

• Otago – Home to the resort town and adventure capital of New Zeland, Queenstown. Otago has arguably the most beautiful scenery in New Zealand with its turquoise coloured lakes and dramatic mountain scenery. It is the true Lord of the Rings country. Wanaka is also a spectacular place to visit; it’s Instagram famous for that Wanaka tree .
• Canterbury – Home to the South Island’s largest city, Christchurch, the region of Canterbury offers a little bit of everything: city life, beaches, lush rainforest, farmland, ski-hills [in the winter], hiking and jaw-dropping scenery. I lived in Christchurch for several years and loved it there.
• Marlborough – Known for its fjord-like Marlborough Sounds and vineyards. A lot of New Zealand’s best wine comes from this region.
• Nelson / Tasman – Known for its golden beaches, wine and fishing. A popular region in summer.
• Southland – Located at the southern end of mainland, New Zealand and home to Fiordland National Park, which has some of New Zealand’s most notoriously difficult hiking but amazing scenery.
• West Coast – The ‘Wild West Coast’ is known for its untamed natural environment and was once a popular gold-mining region. Franz Josef is a popular town for many tourists, who flock to see the glacier named after the town. The West Coast is one of the rainiest regions in New Zealand.
• Chatham Islands – Located south-east of New Zealand, the Chatham Islands are known for their fresh seafood, marine and wildlife. Only 660 people live in the islands, and it’s a 2-hour flight from Auckland or Wellington to reach the islands.
• Stewart Island / Rakiura – Located south of New Zealand, Stewart Island is one of the best places to see wild kiwis. You can catch a ferry to the island from Bluff or a fly from Invercargill.
• Subantarctic Islands – Wild, isolated and beautiful, these islands are home to many birds, plants and invertebrates found nowhere else in the world. The islands are well known for their penguin colonies. Sprinkled south of New Zealand, they are a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Things to do in New Zealand

There are SO many things to do in New Zealand, but I won’t overwhelm you. Here are the top 10 must-see and do attractions in New Zealand.

10 must-do activities in New Zealand

• Waitomo Glow Worm Caves
• Visit the Hobbiton movie set
• Cruise Milford Sound
• Go on a winery tour
• Experience Maori Culture
• Franz Josef Glacier Heli Flight
• Hike the Tongariro Crossing
• Go whale watching in Kaikoura
• Visit a kiwi sanctuary
• Explore Cathedral Cove

When you plan a trip to New Zealand, make sure you add these to your bucket list:

• Visit 1 city
• Go to the beach
• See glow worms
• Go on 1-2 hikes
• Try an outdoor adventure activity such as caving, kayaking or bungy jumping
• Visit a kiwi sanctuary (such as Pukaha National Wildlife Centre )
• Go for a walk through one of our native forests

If you need inspiration or ideas on things to do in New Zealand, read all my New Zealand blog posts .

>> Read more: Things to do in Hokitika

Food in New Zealand to try

New Zealand has amazing food- it’s one of the things I miss most about living in New Zealand! Every time I come home for a visit I always write a list of my favourite foods to sample on my travels [and stuff as many sweet tweets in my suitcase as possible].

Here are some of my favourite Kiwi foods you should try:

• Fish and chips [bonus points if you eat them on the beach]
• Chocolate Fish
• New Zealand Lamb
• Steak and Cheese Pie or a Mince Pie from a petrol station
• Twisties or Cheezels
• Lollie Cake
• Māori hāngī
• L&P [drink]
• New Zealand wine
• Pineapple Lumps
• Hokey Pokey ice cream
• A Hāngī [a traditional Māori method of cooking food in a pit in the ground using heated rocks]

Booking flights to New Zealand

For finding the cheapest flights, I use Skyscanner to get an idea of what flight prices are and what airlines appear to be the most affordable, and which offer the most direct flights.

Flights usually come out 9-10 months in advance, and as a rule they’ll release cheaper seats first [unless you hang out for a sale]. Once I figure out which airlines fly the route I’m looking for, I’ll sign up to their email list to be notified of when they have a sale on.

It’s a good thing to note that most airlines have blackout dates that never go on sale- for example, Christmas and New Year holidays. If you’re flying during this time, I recommend booking as far in advance as possible.

I recommend booking with the following airlines, ranked in order of preference:

• Qatar Airways – has one of the quickest routes, excellent service and great food! My favourite long-haul airline
• Singapore Airlines – slightly more expensive flights but one of the best airlines to fly long-haul with
• Air New Zealand – has regular flights from the USA, excellent service and high-quality airline
• Emirates – has well-priced flights, high-quality airline

There are three main cities with international airports you can fly to in New Zealand. They are Auckland [AKL] , Wellington [WLG] and Christchurch [CHC] . I recommend searching for flights into all three cities to see which is going to be the cheapest/best route for you. As a general rule, Auckland Airport is usually the cheapest airport to fly into.

For example, if you were flying to New Zealand from the West Coast of the USA, I would recommend searching the following flights:

• Los Angeles to Auckland
• Los Angeles to Wellington
• Los Angeles to Christchurch
• San Francisco to Auckland
• San Francisco to Wellington
• San Francisco to Christchurch

Pro tip: Always search in Incognito mode. Most commercial websites use Cookies to keep track of what you are searching on their website. Let’s say you’re flying from San Francisco to Edinburgh and you search for these flights in Google Flights or Skyscanner; now that website knows you are planning a trip there. Do you think they’re going to show you the cheapest prices anymore? Nope! If you search while in Incognito however, you are able to browse the web without these Cookies tracking what flights you’re searching for, so you’ll always see the cheapest flights!

More helpful tips for booking flights

• Flights come out 9-10 months in advance. Flights are usually cheaper at this time too!
• Sign up for airlines email lists that fly to your destination so you are aware when they are having a sale.
• As soon as you book your flights, you should book your travel insurance
• There are two airlines in New Zealand you can use for local travel- Air New Zealand and Jetstar. Jetstar is a budget airline and you can find some good deals, however I prefer flying with Air New Zealand.

Do you need a visa?

Most visitors to New Zealand now need to apply for an NZeTA visa. It costs NZD12 online or NZD9 if you apply for it through the app, and it lasts for 2 years.

You must have your NZeTA visa before you arrive in New Zealand. Organise it no later than 2 weeks before your trip!

You can check if you require an NZeTA visa and apply for it here .

Finding the best accommodation in New Zealand

When looking for accommodation in New Zealand I use Booking.com as they have the largest selection of hotels online, plus they have a 24-hour cancellation policy! Once I find a place I’m happy with, I’ll also compare prices booking directly and also on Expedia to see which has the cheapest price.

There are so many third party booking platforms to choose from, but in my experience, the cheapest and most reliable third party platforms are Booking.com and Expedia .

Booking short tours and attractions

I try and book most of my tours and attractions with Get Your Guide .

Get Your Guide is great because once you’ve purchased your tickets and booked your tours you can download their app, and all your tickets are in one place. They have a QR code system in the app so when you arrive the tour operators just scan your phone. It’s also super easy to make bookings on your mobile phone via the app or on their website.

They also have free cancellation up to 24 hours before your activity in case your plans change, and 24/7 customer service. I had to cancel a tour once and getting a refund was super quick and easy!

I also like Get Your Guide because ticket prices are the same as purchasing direct but you can keep all your tours and activities in one place on the app.

One day & multi-day tours

Seeing New Zealand via a group or private tour is also a fantastic, and sometimes a more affordable way to travel.

Sometimes it’s a whole lot easier to sit back and relax while the experts take you to all the must-see locations and hidden gems in New Zealand !

If you’d like to go on a tour in New Zealand, here are a few different tour companies I recommend:

• Haka Tours – Cleaning up some of New Zealand’s most prestigious tourism awards, Haka Tours are NZ owned and operated, and offer a vast range of multi-day tours throughout New Zealand. Best for adventure tours.
• MoaTrek – Owned and run by a mother and son team, MoaTrek offers small group tours throughout New Zealand. Suitable for mature travellers aged 40+
• Flying Kiwi – Top rated by National Geographic, Flying Kiwi offer multi-day tours for students and all ages. They focus on outdoor and active adventures.
• Stray Travel – One of the most popular Hop-On, Hop-Off tour companies that offer tours in New Zealand, Stray have multiple options for multi-day tours throughout the country. Suitable for age group 18-35.
• Kiwi Experience – Provides Hop-On, Hop-Off tours and a variety of small group multi-day tours throughout New Zealand
• Cheeky Kiwi Travel – Award-winning day tours departing Auckland, Queenstown and Christchurch

Hiring a car in New Zealand

It’s definitely worth hiring a car if you’re visiting New Zealand- you’ll get to see so much more! There are plenty of rivers, beaches, and hidden gems worth exploring.

There are also some great scenic drives in New Zealand, including Arthur’s Pass and Lewis Pass, and of course- driving through central Otago!

Here are some car hire companies I recommend:

• Apex – New Zealand owned and one of the more affordable options
• Thrifty – comes highly recommended from my friends and family
• Transfercar – if you’re wanting to do a one-way trip, for example pick up in Auckland and drop off in Wellington, Transfercar has some excellent deals. Sign up to their newsletter to be alerted when they have transfers available.

New Zealand travel tip Something else to consider is the cost of fuel. If you’re visiting New Zealand from Canada or the USA, take into account the price of fuel is more expensive in New Zealand. The reason for this is because there is a fixed-tax included in the price. It’s essentially a user-pay system, with the tax going toward road maintenance, upgrading roads and improving safety. As I write this, the cost of petrol/gas is sitting at around NZD2.65 per litre [USD1.66].

Public transport in Scotland

Travel by bus.

Bus travel is the most common public transport in New Zealand. It’s a great way to travel if you’d prefer not to drive- just sit back and enjoy the view!

InterCity is New Zealand’s number one bus company. They offer a couple of different bus pass options useful for travellers. Skip is also another bus network that operates throughout the North Island.

If you travel by bus, be sure to ask the bus driver which side of the bus you should sit on for the best views!

Travel by Train

Travel by train is not as common in New Zealand as it is in other countries, such as the United Kingdom and Europe. New Zealand has a small train network, but they are scenic train rides rather than to get from point A to point B.

Train trips are also quite expensive in New Zealand compared to other countries. If you’d like to experience New Zealand by train, here are the main routes:

• Northern Explorer – the Northern Explorer is a long-distance scenic train service running between Auckland and Wellington, stopping at Palmerston North, Ohakune, National Park and Hamilton.
• TranzAlpine – arguably the most famous railway in New Zealand, the TransAlpine begins in Christchurch and travels to Greymouth.
• Coastal Pacific – The Coastal Pacific follows the Pacific coast between Picton and Christchurch. On this trip you’ll see rugged coastlines, remote beaches, and dramatic mountains.

Travel by Ferry

Travel by ferry is a popular way to travel between the North and South Islands, and other islands surrounding New Zealand.

The two main ferries which travel between Wellington and Picton are the Interislander and Bluebridge . They both travel across the Cook Strait, and you’ll have the chance to experience the Marlborough Sounds on your way in or out of Picton.

You can also travel by ferry from Auckland to Waiheke Island, Rangitoto and Great Barrier. In the South Island, the ferry is a popular way of travelling to Stewart Island.

There are also lots of tours by ferry throughout New Zealand, which is a fantastic way to experience New Zealand’s coasts and waters.

Packing for a trip to New Zealand

The weather is changeable in New Zealand, and vary the length of the country. One of my best New Zealand packing tips is to pack layers! It’s easy to take a layer off when it’s warm or add a layer when it cools down.

Because most people plan a trip to New Zealand during the summer, here is what I recommend you pack when you visit:

• Sunscreen [or sunblock- whatever you call it where you’re from]
• Jandals/thongs/flip flops
• Light rain jacket
• A warmer jacket for evenings
• For low-level walks and hiking, trainers with good grip should be fine
• For serious hiking, I recommend these Scarpa Terra hiking boots for women. You can find the men’s version her e .

Packing for New Zealand really depends on what time of year you plan to visit. Obviously, if you’re visiting in the winter to hit the slopes, you’ll need to pack differently. I recommend checking out this post on what to pack when visiting New Zealand in winter .

A quick guide to money in New Zealand

The currency in New Zealand is the New Zealand Dollar [NZD]. It is the only currency accepted in New Zealand, and tax is included in the price of whatever it is you purchase.

Coins come in these amounts: 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, $1 and $2.

Notes come in the following amounts: $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100.

Tipping is not a thing in New Zealand, however if you receive exceptional service and want to say thank you- go ahead and pass along a tip.

There are plenty of ATM’s throughout New Zealand where you can withdraw cash. Just check with your bank what the fees are for withdrawing cash and spending in New Zealand.

I use Monzo and the Haggis has a Revolut card which both work well in New Zealand. What I love about these cards is that they use the current exchange rate and do not charge any fees.

Most credit cards are accepted throughout New Zealand. If you hear someone use the term ‘eftpos’ don’t be alarmed- eftpos cards are common in New Zealand and they are similar to a debit card, however they cannot be used online.

Recommended New Zealand itineraries

I’ve written several guides and itineraries for travel in New Zealand. My guides cover all the must-sees, and I’ve also included my favourite off the beaten track experiences too! If you’re planning on going to any of these areas, make sure you give these itineraries a try.

• How to spend one day in Auckland
• A guide to solo travel in New Zealand
• Things to do in Hokitika
• Where to see kiwis in New Zealand
• 20 fun facts about the Kiwi Bird

Want to know when I publish a new blog post about New Zealand? Sign up to my New Zealand newsletter to receive an email whenever I publish something new!

Helpful Links

Skyscanner – to find cheap flights and compare prices with different airlines Google Flights – another flight comparison website Air New Zealand – My recommendation for booking local flights within New Zealand Jetstar – Budget airline for local flights within New Zealand Booking.com – for booking accommodation Expedia – for booking accommodation Get Your Guide – for tours and activities Grabaseat – Has great deals on local flights within New Zealand Interislander ferry – For travel from the North Island to the South Island and vice versa Department of Conservation – for hiking and tramping inspiration The Great Journeys of New Zealand – travel by train in New Zealand

>> Did this guide help you plan your trip to New Zealand? Drop me a comment below and let me know what you are most excited about doing when you visit New Zealand!

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Tuesday 4th of July 2023

What is your opinion of the "Lord of the Rings" tours that tour the North and South islands? I am wondering if it would be more cost effective to travel independently to the same areas that the tours visit. Is the access to those areas the same if visited independently as with a tour?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks Dhaval.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ksenia, thestylejungle.ru

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

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

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

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

Which done do you think is more scenic ?

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

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

Thanks a lot 🙂

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hi Savi & Vid,

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

Thank you? Saritha

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Love your blog and especially the photos!

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

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

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

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

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

Glad you found it helpful Krishna 🙂

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Regards, Rohit

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

Hi Savi and Vid,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hey Athira,

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

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

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

Its Disha… Damn autocorrect lol

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

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

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

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

Thank you for the information,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks a lot Pooja.

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

Have a great trip 🙂

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

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

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

I’d go for the former 🙂

Have a great trip

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

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

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

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

So when did you guys exactly do this trip ?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Heading there in Jan!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks, Rahul

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

Hi Savi/Vid,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Keep up the great work! 🙂

Thank you Alex 🙂

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It sure is 🙂

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

No international driver permit is not required 🙂

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We’d choose Mt. Cook and Lake Tekapo 🙂

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

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

Thanks a ton Regards Chetana

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

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

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

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

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

Hey Alisha,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We did this road trip in New Zealand in February

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

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

Thanks Shweta!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you so much Radhika 🙂 And congratulations.

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

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

Nov 24 – Land in Auckland at noon

Nov 25 – Rotorua or Waiheke island?

Nov 26 – Rotorua

Nov 27 – Rotorua (Hobbiton tour)

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

Nov 29 – Arthur’s Pass

Nov 30 – Fox Glacier (Fraz Joseph)

Dec 1 – Wanaka

Dec 2 – Queenstown (via Crown Range route)

Dec 3 – Queenstown (Milford Sound)

Dec 4 – Queenstown (adventure activity)

Dec 5 – Lake Tekapo/ Pukaki (Mt Cook)

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

Dec 7 – Fly out of NZ

Looks great. Enjoy and share photos with us

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy to hear that 🙂

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

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

Please share what you guys did?

Happy to hear the road trip itinerary is helpful 🙂

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

Hope that helps

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

thank you bruisedpassports for giving me wonderful information

You’re welcome!

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

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

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

Hey Akanksha,

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

Thanks for all the love

Hello Team Bruised Passport,

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

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

Many thanks for inspiring!

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

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

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

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

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

amazing blog thanks for sharing this helpful blog.

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

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

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

Hi guys, thanks for sharing and great pics!

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

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

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

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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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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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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hi Kanishka,

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for this informative article

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

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

Thanks for sharing this road trip tips !!!

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

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

Lage raho bhai good job

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

hope you have a great road trip in New Zealand

Wonderful & very informative article. Thanks for sharing the Useful and Informative Blog. Wonderful travel blog. Great Sharing, Thank you for such detailed description of the destination.

Amazing itinerary you have shared here…~

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The BEST New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary in 2024

• Last Updated: April 10, 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

Table of Contents

Where to Start Your New Zealand Road Trip

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So get the calculator out and start the number crunching. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Please don’t be one of these people. 

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

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

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

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

New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary – North Island

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

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

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

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

READ MORE: How to travel Auckland like a local !

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New Zealand South Island Road Trip

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

READ MORE: Check out more activities in Wanaka .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Richard Barnes

Hi, We’re Alesha and Jarryd!

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

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Related posts, 21 fun things to do in nelson, new zealand, 8 amazing things to do in rotorua, new zealand, 13 amazing things to do in franz josef (2024 guide), 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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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.

10 Best Things to do in Queenstown, New Zealand

New Zealand North Island Itinerary with 10 Essential Stops

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Lake Hayes in Autumn

Your guide to the 2024 queenstown ski season.

Get the most out of your 2024 Queenstown ski trip with these latest mountain updates, and après and accommodation ideas. Here’s your guide to the 2024 ski season in Queenstown.

What’s new on our ski fields

Coronet peak.

Coronet Peak  is Queenstown's closest ski field and New Zealand's first commercial ski area. Located just 20 minutes from downtown Queenstown, you can ski at Coronet Peak from sunrise to night with First Tracks from 8am daily right through to Night Ski until 9pm (select nights).

The mountain has an exciting lineup of events in 2024 including Matariki celebrations, Winter Games, Winter Pride, 50th annual Dog Derby and the 5-day Snow Machine festival as well as slopeside DJs and Night Ski parties throughout the winter season.

The Coronet Peak Ski Bus is an easy transport option departing from the centre of Queenstown. A dedicated bus service operates throughout the day and a night time service is available for Night Ski events. For 2024, all passengers will be required to reserve a departure timeslot and pickup location when purchasing a ski bus pass. Capacity is limited and may sell out over peak periods.

Don't have any ski gear? No worries. Coronet Peak has full Salomon and Head recreational and performance rental gear available. The rental fleet has received an upgrade in 2024 and now includes a helmet with each rental hire.

As the Kaitiaki (guardians) of the mountain, the team at Coronet Peak have committed to being carbon neutral by 2030 . Coronet Peak reduced their net carbon emissions by 50% in 2023 and will do it again in 2024. By skiing or boarding at Coronet Peak, you'll be helping them along on this journey. 

Targeted opening date 15 June 2024.

The Remarkables

The Remarkables  ski area is where you'll find your freedom. Known for being one of the best mountains for progression, the ski area offers a terrain to suit everyone from off-piste black runs and daring chutes to wide-open learner slopes and everything in between.

The iconic mountain ski area is anticipated to open 15 June, with a new buffet style breakfast menu and the barista bar open earlier than ever, starting at 7:45 AM daily. 

The biggest news for the 2024 season is the opening of the new Shadow Basin Chairlift - a speedy, padded 6-seater that opens up 47 hectares of lift-accessible terrain. Some of The Remarkables' best advanced and expert freeride runs will now be accessible directly from the lift, without the need to hike including Alta Chute, Boulder Basin, East-Face, The Nose, Front Face and Sunrise Face.

There's also a full schedule of on-mountain events for 2024 with highlights including the North Face Frontier World Tour 4* Qualifier, Snow Machine and the Burton Stash Gathering.

Catching the bus or ridesharing this season will save you hassle and fuel costs (and let you take in the spectacular views while someone else drives!). On carpool priority parking days, you'll get priority top car parking with three or more people in your vehicle. Changes to the ski bus service this year will see departures to The Remarkables leaving from central Queenstown before 9am and Frankton after 9:30am. You'll need to reserve a departure timeslot and pickup location when purchasing your ticket. Note that capacity is limited and may sell out over peak periods. 

Cardrona Alpine Resort and Treble Cone

Cardrona and Treble Cone  will be actively managing capacity to ensure a better on-mountain experience for all again this winter. This means that popular days may sell out and those purchasing day and multi-day passes will need to pre-specify a mountain and day(s) to visit. They'll be updating their daily  snow reports  and Facebook pages to indicate when they're close to sold out.

Their new online system makes it easier to collect your Cardrona and Treble Cone passes. Skip the lines at guest services and pick up your lift tickets at the new pick-up kiosks conveniently located on the mountains, or in downtown Queenstown and Wānaka.

Both mountains are offering free, convenient mountain shuttle services and dedicated hitchhiking spots at the base of each mountain.

At Cardrona, you'll have the choice of eight different cafes and restaurants including local favourite, Noodle Bar. You can enjoy a delicious meal or snack knowing all outlets are 100% free-range, and all food comes package-free. Cardrona and Treble Cone no longer supply landfill bins as part of their zero waste journey. Guests are more than welcome to bring their own lunch, but are asked to ask any landfill rubbish home - even better, back a lunch with recyclable or compostable packaging! 

Targeted opening date for Cardrona is 15 June 2024 and Treble Cone opens 29 June 2024.

For information on local conditions, snow reports and forecasts see our  snow reports and forecasts  page. Be sure to check the individual ski area's snow reports for the latest updates on conditions and opening hours.

Après-ski? Yes, please

Queenstown's vibrant après-ski scene has many cosy wine bars, locally loved pubs and world-class restaurants to relax, unwind and warm up at. Here are some of Queenstown's latest après-ski offerings to grab a hearty feed or drink after a day on the powder.

The newly opened  Ayrburn dining precinct  near Arrowtown is made up of a historic farm homestead and outbuildings that have been converted into a rustic-luxe dining hub.  The Woolshed restaurant  offers classic bistro fare.  The Manure Room  serves tapas, platters, and the chance to try Ayrburn’s own wines while  the Burr Bar  mixes garden-themed cocktails.

SODA 's enclosed balcony space overlooking downtown Queenstown and Lake Whakatipu is the perfect après-ski spot. Their modern menu is designed for sharing and inspired by Mediterranean and Latin American cuisine.

Quench your thirst with a cold one and refuel at centrally located,  Whakatipu Brewing . You can almost taste head brewer, Daniel Coxhead's passion in every beer you drink here. The house-crafted Sundown Hazy Pale Ale, Peak Pilsner and Alpine Pale Ale are all inspired by the Queenstown lifestyle and landscapes and pair perfectly with their gourmet twist on classic pub food.

Also downtown, you will find Yonder , serving up an eclectic menu, inspired by the co-owners' world travels, that caters to all tastes and dietary requirements. If platters and wine, served with enviable lake views are your vibe, then Little Blackwood , a classic yet hip cocktail bar, is the place for you. Voted 'Best Bar in New Zealand' in 2022, it's the perfect place to settle down in front of a roaring fire and watch the sun go down.

For an après experience closer to the mountains, head to Gin Garden by Broken Heart at the base of Coronet Peak. Unwind by the fire and enjoy one of the locally crafted, award-winning gins or locally brewed Oktoberfest lager alongside a tarte flambée, a cheeseboard or a hearty main meal.

After a day at The Remarkables, pop by The Crown Pub and Beer Garden to refuel with a hearty pub classic. Their family and group-friendly restaurant area features regular live music sessions and a large indoor play area to keep the kids entertained.

Where to rest between runs

Here are some great places to rest your head and tired limbs after a day hitting the slopes.

Sudima Queenstown Five Mile is a 4.5-star hotel in the bustling Frankton area within the Five Mile retail precinct, near the airport and the ski fields of The Remarkables and Coronet Peak. Its location and ample ski storage makes Sudima an ideal base for skiers and boarders seeking comfort as well as proximity to the mountains. Chase your day on the mountain with a relaxing day at Moss Spa next door.

Driftaway Queenstown is redefining the holiday park experience with its architecturally designed cabins, lake-view campsites, campervan parking, and bookable lakeside private hot pools to rest your legs after a long day skiing. Located on the Frankton lakefront, this is possibly one of the most unique and classy campgrounds in the country.

Closer to central Queenstown, Sherwood is a favourite stay for locals and visitors alike. Set on the hillside overlooking Lake Whakatipu, the on-site garden supplies fresh seasonal produce to the cosy in-house restaurant - the perfect spot to relax after a big day on the slopes. Conveniently, The Remarkables ski bus stops on the main road, just a short walk down from Sherwood (pre-bookings required).

Plan your Queenstown winter adventure

This winter, stay a bit longer to experience all Queenstown has to offer, both on and off the slopes – find plenty more ideas for immersive winter adventures in our 6-day guide to savouring winter in Queenstown .

As you explore Queenstown this winter, share your adventures with us on Instagram and #QueenstownLive.

Queenstown, NZ

Top New Zealand trips

Rakaia River, Canterbury , Christchurch - Canterbury

By Matt Crawford

Tick off all the items on your New Zealand bucket list with these popular itineraries.

Refine your selection to find the perfect itinerary

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Take the State Highway 35 road trip around the East Cape to find secluded beaches and charming coastal villages.

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Auckland > Christchurch - Canterbury > Rotorua

Discover a world of beauty and adventure. Swim with dolphins, explore magical caves of glow worms, gaze on geothermal wonders, bungy jump from great heights and cross ancient glaciers with this unforgettable New Zealand Itinerary.

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July Travel - NZ and French Polynesia? - New Zealand Forum

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July Travel - NZ and French Polynesia?

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My partner and I are planning to take 1 month off to travel in July 2025. We have always wanted to visit NZ. We realize it is NZ's winter, but are used to much colder winter temperatures in the country we live in.

We are wondering if it would be better to split our time between NZ and French Polynesia, spending two weeks in each, or to spend the month in NZ. We are most looking forward to exploring NZ's beautiful scenery, exploring the glowworm caves and learning about Polynesian culture. Thanks in advance for your advice!

4 replies to this topic

Two weeks just isnt long enough to do justice to nz. i suggest you need a minimum of 3 weeks in nz (at least 2 weeks of that in the south island) and then one week in french polynesia - moorea would be my suggestion.

south island is not about skiing and snowboarding for most of us who visit and live here.

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Visit the Nordics, Canada, the Mediterranean, Fiji or Australia with these holiday deals

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Treat your loved ones to a well-deserved holiday with these deals. Photo / 123RF

There’s no perfect time for a holiday - except now!

Whether you’re planning a solo trip , a romantic getaway , a kids’ treat or a whole family excursion , we have deals that can make your next getaway cheaper and better.

Discover something new in the Nordics

Ready to embark on a new adventure to see the world’s most breathtaking landscapes? Then Adventure World’s Grand Nordics trip is the perfect deal for you. This 22-day journey begins and ends in Copenhagen , and tours the great Nordics - from Norway ’s rugged fjords to the beautiful cities of Copenhagen, Stockholm and Helsinki . You’ll also get to explore the beautiful capital of Finnish Lapland and indulge in Nordic cuisine at its finest.

As a bonus, you’ll get to tick off one of the best natural spectacles: the magical and vibrant hues of the Northern Lights.

This deal starts at $13,159 per person and includes meals, accommodation and transportation. Visit adventureworld.com/en-nz/tours/grand-nordics to book or call 0800 238 368.

Set your sights - and skis - on Canada

You’ll never run out of spots to ski at the second-largest ski resort in Canada , Sun Peaks. With 135 runs spreading over 4270 skiable acres of terrain, Sun Peaks is the ideal spot for powder hounds. At the heart of the ski resort there’s the recently renovated Sun Peaks Village , offering ski-to-door access, three slopeside hot tubs and one outdoor heated pool.

Enjoy the wide ski field and stay at the hotel for a whole week with House of Travel’s seven-night package for only $4255 per person, share twin. This includes return Air Canada economy-class airfares from Auckland, accommodation and early-bird lift tickets.

Book until May 17, 2024 through their website hot.co.nz/sun-peaks or call 0800 713 715.

READ MORE: Why Sun Peaks Resort makes for a great holiday - even if you don’t ski .

Plan your next luxury voyage

Embark on a Mediterranean luxury cruise aboard Silver Ray with Silversea Cruises. Visit Cadiz, western Europe’s oldest city, explore lively medinas at Tangier, and enjoy the romance of Casablanca.

The 11-night Silversea cruise from Lisbon to Barcelona has it all: an upgraded deluxe veranda suite, return flights, return private executive transfer from your home to the airport within 80km, shore excursions, complimentary drinks, butler service and US$1000 in Shipboard Credit per suite.

Book before May 31 via travel-associates.co.nz or call 0800 951 655.

Upgrade your staycation in Fiji

Family trips can be exhausting to plan, but this five-night escape to Fiji ’s Plantation Island Resort will make your next holiday a breeze.

For just $662 family share (two adults/two children), you’ll get to stay at Plantation Island, access its great amenities, and as a bonus, spend two nights in Nadi staying at Fiji Gateway Hotel. You’ll be welcomed with a shell lei, free kids’ access to Coconut Kids Club and Lairo Club, and a one-course dinner at Tavola Restaurant with two to three hours of babysitting.

Book your stay before May 31 at plantationisland.com/specials/ or call 0800 758 787.

Say yes to a tropical holiday in Queensland

Embrace holiday mode with a five-night stay at the lush tropical gardens of Port Douglas with your whole family . The Freestyle Resort Port Douglas offers one and two-bedroom apartments, perfect for families who want to escape the daily hustle and bustle .

Situated perfectly between the spectacular natural beauty of the Daintree Rainforest and the incredible sights of the Great Barrier Reef , this package offers a retreat for your whole family, complete with a full-day Quicksilver Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise, a wildlife habitat adventure, complimentary wine, and an exclusive My Queensland Experience pass, all for just $749 per person.

Don’t miss this tropical getaway - secure this deal before May 31. Visit myqueensland.co.nz/package/freestyle-resort-port-douglas-5-night-one-bedroom-garden-apartment-land/ or call 0800 654 175 to book.

Explore the latest Hot Deals content for more travel recommendations, trips and deals.

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