A Great New Zealand Road Trip
‘What it takes to realize everything is fine around you? A road trip to the mountains where your soul dwells in the echoes of the winds that carry fragments of clouds with them.’ – Anjit Sharma.
In my opinion, the best way to explore New Zealand is by car or camper van, road trip style. I was lucky enough to take three road trips around the South Island whilst I lived in the country and travel extensively in the North Island too. Although there are great bus services available, public transport isn’t fantastic in New Zealand and it can be tough being tied down to schedules and plans when really, you just want the freedom to explore the open road at your own pace. So I’d always recommend travelling by car or camper if you can.
Car or Camper?
If you can afford it, opt for a camper van. You can get some really compact campers now, little more than very large cars really, and they’re super convenient for traversing New Zealand’s mountainous road network. You’ll basically drive your home around with you everywhere you go and there are loads of great camp sites pretty much everywhere in NZ.
If you can’t afford a camper, then hire a car. I rented a car to road trip around the South Island twice and both times I got an absolute bargain. They are out there if you spend a bit of time looking and don’t go for the first deal you spot. If you’re driving a car, I’d recommend a mixture of camping and hostels. Like campsites, there is an extensive hostel network throughout the country so you’ll be sure to find a place to rest your head pretty much wherever you go.
The Route
For the purpose of this post, I’m going to stick with providing a South Island itinerary. This is because I have a lot more experience road tripping around the South Island, and much less experience of good road trip routes and destinations on the North Island. I will assume that you’ve flown into the country via Christchurch Airport and that you can pick up your hire car or camper van at the airport, grab supplies from a Pac’n’Save / Warehouse and be on your way in under a couple of hours. I’m also assuming that you’ll have approximately 25 days on the South Island. You can amend this itinerary depending on your timescale and preferences – I’ve highlighted sections that can be reasonably left out to help with this and there are add-ons if you have a bit more time. So, let’s go!
******
Day by Day Itinerary – South Island
Day 1 – Arrive in Christchurch and head north to Kaikoura on State Highway 1.* The drive is approximately 3 hours and takes in some awesome ocean views.
Add-on – stop off at Hanmer Springs for a night if you have it spare. It’s a small spa town, with lots of geothermal springs. Definitely worth a stop if you like your spa treatments amidst beautiful scenery!
Day 2 – Spend a day in Kaikoura. You can swim with dolphins, go whale watching by boat or plane, hike, check out the seal colonies… And finish the day with a feast of local whitebait and some NZ beer.
Day 3 – Travel north from Kaikoura to Havelock. The drive takes roughly 3.5 hours, but allow some time to stop off a winery if you’re that way inclined and sample the Marlborough region’s famous Sauvignon Blancs. Just don’t drink and drive! Havelock is a small town at the heart of the Marlborough Sounds, where you can enjoy the scenery and explore the local art scene.
Day 4 – Drive from Havelock to Marahau. The drive takes approximately 2.5 hours. I’d recommend staying at The Barn, where you can stay in cabins or choose to camp. Marahau is a fantastic gateway to Abel Tasman National Park and the perfect base to explore the area.
Day 5 – Spend some time in Marahau exploring the Abel Tasman National Park. Hike part of the Great Walk, spend the day kayaking or try out horse-riding.
Day 6 – Travel from Marahau back to Nelson, a drive that takes roughly an hour. Relax after your adventures in Abel Tasman and indulge in more wine from around Marlborough.
Add-on – an extra night in Nelson if you have time, so that you can properly explore the town and coastal area.
Day 7 – Go from Nelson to Punakaiki, which will take roughly 4 hours. Check out the Pancake Rocks and, obviously, eat some pancakes!
Subtract – the night in Punakaiki if you’re short on time. Head straight to Hokitika instead and gain an extra day.
Day 8 – Travel down the West Coast to Hokitika, approximately 1 hour south. Hokitika has a fantastic long beach, with some excellent beachside campsites and the opportunity to carve your own jade.
Add-on – stop off in Greymouth and hop on the TranzAlpine train that traverses Arthur’s Pass and goes east all the way to Christchurch. You can do the train in one day (out and back without stopping) or add on a night at Arthur’s Pass, where there are a lot of excellent hiking opportunities.
Day 9 – Spend a day in Hokitika, checking out the tourist shops, carving some jade stone or drive out and visit Hokitika Gorge to experience some of the bluest water you’ll ever lay eyes on!
Day 10 – Drive from Hokitika to Franz Josef / Fox Glacier. Both are townships that thrive on glacier tourism – from either town you can hike or hitch a helicopter up to see a glacier. Franz Josef has retreated a lot and it is a tough hike to see it, but you can go up onto the ice (weather permitting) by helicopter. Fox Glacier is easier to reach by walking and suits those on a tighter budget who don’t want to hike too far.
Day 11 – Explore Franz Josef / Fox Glacier. The weather can be dodgy so a full day here means a greater chance of getting a helicopter up onto the ice, if that’s your plan. Otherwise, there’s kayaking opportunities in Franz Josef or if you’ve chosen to stay at Fox, you could drive out to Lake Matheson and try to find the mirror reflections of Aoraki/Mt Cook…
Day 12 – It’s a 3-4 hour drive from Franz Josef / Fox Glacier to Wanaka, but leave early and allow plenty of time. You’ll be glad you did, because there’s loads of great places to stop off on this drive, including Ship Creek, the Haast township, loads of wild West Coast beaches and, as you turn inland, some short walks in Mt Aspiring National Park, including Blue Pools.
Day 13 – Spend the day exploring Wanaka. As a first timer, I’d recommend climbing Mt Iron to get your bearings, checking out the lake front and exploring the town itself.
Day 14 – Get deeper into Wanaka. Drive out to the Raspberry Creek road and hike up to the Rob Roy Glacier (much quieter and more pristine than Franz Josef or Fox), climb Roy’s Peak for those infamous views, climb Rocky Mountain and check out the Diamond Lake or if you’re a bit more of a thrill-seeker or daredevil, why not head over to the airfield and take a scenic flight or do a skydive? The possibilities are endless!
Day 15 – Drive the scenic Crown Range road from Wanaka to Queenstown. It takes roughly 2.5 hours, but allow for a couple of photo stops (there are some epic views!) and I’d recommend a stop at Arrowtown if you have time.
Day 16 – Immerse yourself in the craziness that is Queenstown, adrenaline capital of New Zealand. Jump off a bridge, jump off a cliff, jump out of a plane, jet boat down a river, kayak through pristine waters, eat a Ferg burger, climb a mountain, ride a gondola, try out luging, ski if it’s the season, go shopping, go out, get drunk.
Day 17 – Repeat Day 16 – eat, sleep, rave, repeat.
Add-on – if you’re a fan of Lord of the Rings, then you could add an extra day in Queenstown to go out and explore some of the film locations around Glenorchy. Actually, if you have a spare day and you aren’t sure where to add it onto your itinerary, it’s a safe bet that you’ll use it in Queenstown. There’s so much to do, you’ll be itching to try everything.
Day 18 – Drag your broken body and much depleted bank account away from Queenstown today and head to Te Anau. It’s a 2.5 hour drive and you’ll then be perfectly based to explore Milford Sound tomorrow.
Subtract – make up some time! Don’t go to stay in Te Anau, but instead take a day trip from Queenstown to Milford Sound with Real Journeys on Day 18. Then leave Queenstown on Day 19 and either pick up the itinerary from Day 20 and drive to Dunedin, or make up even more time by skipping Dunedin altogether and going onto Day 21 of the itinerary and heading straight to Twizel and Mt Cook.
Day 19 – Get up early and drive out to Milford Sound. It’s a 2 hour drive, but allow for photo stops. Try to get on an earlier boat trip out into the Sound, because hopefully it’ll be quieter, with fewer tourists. Make sure you fuel up before heading out, as there aren’t any petrol stations in Milford Sound and you don’t want anything to ruin your day, as this place is literally breath taking.
Add-on – if you have time, stretch out your time in Te Anau for an extra night and go to Doubtful Sound too. It’s less touristy than Milford Sound and it’s one of my greatest regrets that I didn’t make it there whilst I was in NZ. Next time…
Day 20 – Drive to Dunedin. This east coast university town is one I’ve never visited personally, but I’ve heard great things from everyone I know who have been, so include it accordingly.
Add-on – take a couple of days to explore the Catlins in the south-east. Lots of natural beauty, wildlife and small communities to be found!
Day 21 – Head up to Twizel and the Aoraki/Mt Cook region. I’d recommend camping, either in Twizel or if you’re feeling adventurous, drive right into Mt Cook National Park and camp amidst the mountains.
Day 22 – Spend the day exploring Mt Cook National Park. Make sure you hike up to the Tasman Glacier and do the Hooker Valley walk, as a bare minimum. Fingers crossed for a clear day with a good view of Aoraki/Mt Cook’s peak!
Day 23 – Drive out of the national park and past Lake Pukaki and Tekapo. Take half an hour at Tekapo for a snack/hot drink and to admire the scenery and the infamous Church of the Good Shepherd. Then continue your drive to Akaroa, approximately 4.5 hours away.
Day 24 – Chill out in Akaroa on the Banks Peninsula. It’s the perfect end to the road trip, with a great vibe in town and plenty to do, like taking a boat ride out into the natural harbour. Explore the coves and beaches on the peninsula and relax.
Day 25 – head back to Christchurch at your leisure, as it’s a reasonably short drive.
Add-on – it’s worth taking a night or two in Christchurch if you have time. You can check out the botanical gardens and wander the city, looking at the ongoing reconstruction following the devastating earthquakes in 2011. Alternatively, you could catch the free bus out to the Antarctic Centre near the airport and spend a few hours here, as it’s great fun and really interactive!
******
Remember, this itinerary is totally flexible and you shouldn’t be afraid to switch it up! Make it your road trip – use this as a guide and build your own personal itinerary up around it, to make your own adventure of a lifetime!
