Travel around queentown, milford sound, wanaka, haast pass and franz josef, then fly back out of queenstown. From amazing hikes both short and long to stunning viewpoints thatll take your breath away, no road trip itinerary on new zealands south island would be. Ive included road trip itineraries for both the south and north islands varying by the number of days and places visited. To be honest, new zealand south island is best explored using your own vehicle, whether its bought or rented. Oneweek new zealand south island road trip itinerary. Where to start, where to go, what to do the south island is unbelievable for its natural beauty, such as milford sound, queenstown, and the otago peninsula, to name a few. Epic 16 day self drive new zealand south island itinerary. The epic new zealand road trip itinerary 2020 edition. The ultimate 3 week south island new zealand itinerary. We get it, milford sound is on almost everybodys new zealand bucket list, so this is a way to squeeze in the experience in a one week in the south island itinerary. New zealand south island itinerary 14 day road trip. New zealands south island is the perfect touring destination. For some of the best landscapes in the world, you must plan a new zealand south island road trip. Arrive in christchurch early in the morning, or better yet, the evening before to really maximise your time.
By condensing our trip through the southern west coast we were able to find an extra couple of days to head up the northern coast, as well. And i dont know why it took me so long until i finally travelled this awesome country. Its short but sweet hitting some amazing locations along the way. The first part focussed on the south island, and this part takes details our new zealand north island itinerary. These detailed new zealand road trip itineraries will help your plan your own selfdriven nz road trip.
The more i looked into all of the incredible hikes, mountains, lakes, and scenic spots, the harder it was to just pick a handful and plan a week and. Fiordland national parkmilford sound this is the day to explore fiordland national park and take a cruise along the milford sound. This blog includes a list of 10 awesome new zealand road trip itinerary ideas. We made a new zealand south island road trip by campervan and saw the best of this beautiful island. Taking a road trip around new zealand is the best way to truly experience the wilderness and natural wonders on offer at every turn. In this post ive outlined our exact new zealand 7day itinerary, and any additional information i thought you might need to. The best tips for your new zealand south island road trip. I begin my new zealand road trip in christchurch which is the countrys third most populated city behind auckland and wellington and the largest city on the south island. New zealand is a country full of natural attractions lakes, mountains, marine life, and a whole lot of sheep.
However, you can follow much of this route if youre traveling with a rental car and. The map below shows the 14 day new zealand south island itinerary starting and ending in queenstown. New zealand south island 10 day roadtrip itinerary for the. The following itinerary will help you plan the perfect new zealand whistlestop round trip around the highlights of the south island, taking in christchurch, kaikoura, abel tasman national park, hokitika, franz josef, wanaka, the doubtfulmilford sounds, queenstown and lake tekapomt cook. We will start the new zealand south island road trip itinerary exactly as we travelled, but you can easily start off at a different point and change the itinerary to suit your plans. To find a place more spectacularly diverse and beautiful than south island would be an impressive feat to say the least. Plan the perfect road trip around new zealands south island with recommendations on accommodation, activities, unmissable scenic sites. This stunning national park is an outdoor lovers paradise. If you plan on seeing the whole of the island, it can be a long and arduous trip, but its well worth it. This new zealand itinerary is set up for a campervan trip. Youll visit all the main destinations and towns like christchurch, dunedin, queenstown and wanaka, but also relax in akaroa and watch the sunrises on the east coast. If you are arriving in christchurch by air, start your trip on day two and end it on day one.
Epic 2week south island new zealand itinerary road trip. A one week road trip itinerary around new zealands south island starting in queenstown and ending in christchurch, showcasing the best photography spots, hikes and route to optimise your time in new zealand. Two week new zealand south island road trip itinerary. The ultimate new zealand south island road trip itinerary. Even though this is a road trip itinerary, i actually dont recommend picking up your rental car or campervan, or whatever it is youre going to rent until day 3 of this itinerary. Below is the summary of our oneweek new zealand south island road trip itinerary with links to more detailed posts on each part of the journey. A south island road trip is the best way to see this beautiful part of new zealand. Heres a basic run down of our travel itinerary and the highlights we found along the way.
If youre planning a visit, heres a 10 days new zealand south island itinerary for your road trip. Arrange to pick up the car straight from the airport youre flying into, then arrange to drop it off from the other airport. But fear not weve done all the trip planning for you and put together the best 2 week south island itinerary youll find. A two week road trip itinerary around new zealands south island. The best direction to travel in around the coast of the south island is clockwise. Plan your new zealand road trip of a lifetime and follow our complete day by day itinerary travel guide. No new zealand south island road trip would be complete without a visit to the milford sound area. The ideal new zealand south island itinerary 14 days. The wild coastline of taranaki is sure to call any adventure lover on a new zealand road trip, tucked away on the central west coast of the island. I find that new zealand is very similar to australia, so a lot of the tips below are going to overlap from my previous posts you must rent a car driving is pretty much a requirement in order to see the most of the south island in 10 days.
Christchurch is rising from the rubble of the devastating 2011 earthquakes and turning into one of the worlds most creative cities. See the highlights of 2 weeks in new zealand with this complete road trip itinerary. Get inspired by our 4 weeks perfect itinerary which covers both, north and south island. New zealand road trip itinerary2 weeks to 2 months. This road trip itinerary doesnt cover everything new zealands south island has to offer, that would be impossible to fit into a two week vacation. It also gives you the flexibility to change up your schedule any way you please along the way too, so if there is a place you really love, why not stay a second night.
There are many great places to visit on the south island, such as milford sound and queenstown. You can grab ingredients for a picnic, then you can head to the waterfront where there are benches. Ultimate south island road trip in new zealand day 1 christchurch i hope you have already planned some time for the north island, too, as it is very pretty read my daytoday itinerary for the north island here, but now it is time to see what the south has to offer. A 7 day road trip around new zealands south island is the best. The pictureperfect symmetrical volcano of mt taranaki has to be seen to be believed, and there are many other beautiful trails in the area, such as the pouakai circuit, where you can witness the rugged beauty of the egmont national park and visit. So i am able to create the perfect itinerary that balances value for money but with a sense of pace to cover all the ground in the limited time available my 11 day south island road trip is the exact route and activities i followed myself. Road trip itinerary around the south island of new zealand aimed at hobby and professional photographers looking to capture the best landscapes of the south island, as well as hiking enthusiasts wanting to check out the top day hikes. In the first post, i also explained all the logistics of our road trip in new zealand. The queenstown to christchurch 1 week south island itinerary is the shortest road trip itinerary on this list.
Home to 10 of new zealands 14 national parks, the south island is known for its jawdropping alpine scenery, icy glaciers and fun wildlife experiences. As many already know, milford sound is perhaps new zealands most incredible attraction. We bought flights to christchurch where we rented a campervan at the airport. Planning a trip to new zealand can be overwhelming because there are so many things to do. Located on the west coast of the island, it can be woven into your trip in a few different ways. The number in the brackets indicate the year the post was published. New zealand south island an epic 14 day road trip itinerary. New zealand south island itinerary 14 days map view. As soon as we booked our tickets, i started doing a ton of research on everything to do on new zealands south island. It does not pinpoint each and every place you will be visiting along the way. Its packed full of incredible sights, heartthumping adventures and brings you to t. New zealand is one of the dream destinations that every traveler wants to visit.
The highlights of the south island one week travel itinerary in. A road trip across the land of the long white cloud, as it is fondly known, is a journey you must take at least once in your. Your perfect new zealand south island road trip itinerary. Heres our 10 day road trip itinerary along with things to do on new zealands south island to help you plan your trip. This new zealand itinerary is designed as a road trip.
Travelling for one week on the south island and looking for the perfect road trip itinerary. To cross from the north island to the south island, you will take a ferry across the cook strait. All the accommodation listings are 100% unbiased and unsponsored. Youll be spending a fair amount of time travelling most days, including the flight from auckland to christchurch on day four. See our range of road trip ideas exploring the iconic locations and attractions. During the ice age, the area was carved by glaciers, leaving behind some incredible natural landscapes that have to be seen to be believed. Please note that the driving time estimates do not include sightseeing stops, of which there will be many.
The perfect new zealand south island itinerary be my travel muse. The south island is much bigger than most people think. With its tall fjords, lush rainforests and an array of wildlife, milford sound is a must on any south island itinerary. The perfect 2week new zealand road trip itinerary day 1 arrive in auckland. This is a great option for those interested in a 7 day itinerary in the south island on a budget.
I pride myself on researching the very best places to visit in every country i visit. Most people will fly into auckland or christchurch and then from there make their way north or south to the other for this new zealand road trip itinerary, were going to start in auckland and finish up in christchurch however, this road trip can also be done in reverse. You could also bypass this altogether and go the lake tekapo route instead. Your north island itinerary can take in volcanoes, bubbling mud pools and shooting geysers, lazing on idyllic islands and exploring exciting metropolises. Detailed itinerary starting in queenstown and ending in christchurch taking you across the highlights of the south island. An option is to take an organized tour from queenstown, but we opted to selfdrive.
A one week road trip itinerary around new zealands south island showcasing the best photography spots. With stunning mountains, breathtaking national parks and jawdropping scenic drives, a road trip around the south island of new zealand is an unforgettable experience one of the best outdoor adventures in the country, in fact. If you have a different timeline in new zealand, here are our recommendations for your custom itinerary. New zealand south island 10 day roadtrip itinerary for the outdoor.
You will rent a car in auckland and drop it in queenstown. It might sound a bit exaggerating but trust me, new zealand must be in your bucket list for a thousand reasons. Epic 2week south island new zealand itinerary road trip two. This post will show you our south island itinerary on the map and photos of the amazing landscapes we were traveling through. The map only shows the overall route that you will be taking during the two week trip. I spent 7 days in the south island of new zealand and did a selfdrive road trip from christchurch to queenstown in a jucy car. Some of the highlights along this route are adventure activities and tours in queenstown, a scenic boat ride in milford sound. It starts and ends at the cook strait ferry in picton.
The itinerary is a loop and starts and finishes in christchurch, visiting the top places for hiking and photography on the south island. Renting a car or campervan is going to be the best way to squeeze. We ended up staying here for a week after our road trip, but you can easily get a feel for this place in just 34 days. I only spend two and a half weeks road tripping though new. Here is an itinerary for seeing the main sights of the south island in ten days. New zealand south island road trip in 11 days routes and. With towering mountains, untouched rainforest and unbelievable scenery, milford sound is an unforgettable journey. Home to 10 of new zealands 14 national parks, the south island is known for its jawdropping alpine scenery, icy. Mount cook is easily my alltime favorite place to visit in new zealand.
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