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This blog includes a list of 10 awesome New Zealand road trip itinerary ideas. I’ve included road trip itineraries for both the South and North Islands varying by the number of days and places visited. These detailed New Zealand road trip itineraries will help your plan your own self-driven NZ road trip!
Road tripping through New Zealand’s stunning landscapes is one of the most beautiful experiences you can have in the country. It’s both the best way to see New Zealand and likely the cheapest!
Having a home on wheels that takes you wherever you want to go is convenient and easy to do in New Zealand. There are thousands of blogs, apps, and info centers that make it a stress-free experience.
However, there is one stressful part of your New Zealand road trip and that’s picking the best New Zealand self-drive itinerary that suits your timeframe and budget. It means choosing a route that hits every place you’ve dreamed of visiting and more.
For that reason, I want to list 10 different New Zealand self-drive itineraries (routes) to help plan and inspire your trip of a lifetime! Here are my New Zealand road trip itinerary ideas to help plan your New Zealand road trip.
We’ve done van life for an extended period of time so we really can share with you the truth about what it’s like living in a van. While there are some pros and cons the freedom and convenience to get around make it so worth it!
Getting Around for your NZ Road Trip
The first step to planning your New Zealand road trip is choosing your set of wheels! Most people rent a campervan or motorhome to get around but you can also just rent a normal car and stay in hotels (as opposed to camping.)
You can search for rental cars online in advance to compare car models and prices.
You can also do this with motorhomes and campervans on a website called Motorhome Republic. It shows all of the available campervans and motorhomes for your specific New Zealand road trip dates. You can compare prices and company reviews here too!
Personally, we have rented a campervan from the company called Mad Campers before and had a great experience. Mad Campers is for budget travelers and they offer 1 and 2 berth campervans that are very comfortable and perfect for a road trip in New Zealand! You can read our full Mad Campers review for more info!
We also have a discount code for our readers. Use DTRAVEL5 at checkout to get 5% off your campervan rental with Mad Campers!
The only downside to Mad Campers is that they have limited inventory and are often fully booked. JUCY is another campervan company in NZ that we love! They have a huge variety of rental vehicles including car, campervans, and even motorhomes! They also have multiple depot locations across the country that makes pick-up and drop-off a breeze! You can check out all that JUCY has to offer here.
Kiwi Motorhomes is another company we personally recommend, but for motorhomes! They offer luxury motorhomes (as opposed to budget campervans) at really reasonable rates. Check out our full review on them as well as more info specific on renting a motorhome in NZ!
Kiwi Motorhomes has actually given us a discount code for our readers too! Use the code DEST5 at checkout to get 5% off your motorhome rental!
I’m not saying these are the only two good companies out there, because there really are lots! But both of these guys are great value and come approved by us – plus you get a discount!
Now that you have your wheels, all that’s left to do is go over your road trip packing list, pack your bags, and hit the road!
New Zealand Road Trip Itineraries on the South Island
If you only want to explore the South Island of New Zealand I have created 4 different road trip itineraries below. They range in length of time and route. So, depending on what you want to do and how long you have, you can find an itinerary for you below!
1. A 1-Week South Island Itinerary: 6-8 Days
Start:Queenstown or Christchurch
Duration:Fast-paced=6 days, relaxed=8 days+
Distance:608km (378mi)/ 8 hours of driving total
The Queenstown to Christchurch 1-week South Island itinerary is the shortestroad trip itinerary on this list. It’s short but sweet, hitting some amazing locations along the way.
Some of the highlights along this route are adventure activities and tours in Queenstown, a scenic boat ride in Milford Sound, hiking in Mount Cook National Park, and taking in incredible mountain views!
The stops on this self-drive NZ road trip itinerary are:
- Queenstown
- Wanaka
- Mount Cook Village
- Lake Tekapo
- Christchurch
The great thing about this road trip is that you don’t have to loop back to your starting point and instead book your flights and campervan accordingly. It’s perfect for those who don’t have the time for a long road trip.
In 6 days, you could completethis road trip. However, the pace would be quite fast. In 9 days, you could move at a much slower pace leaving time to both relax and see some pretty amazing sites. Once you reach your final destination, don’t forget to plan extra time to take some day trips from Christchurch and explore the city itself!
Tip: Be sure to do our favorite tour from Queenstown to Milford Sound,as you won’t want to miss this beautiful spot. This tour is on a smaller boat, meaning a more personal experience. On top of that, you’ll stop at all the best places to see on the way to Milford Sound.
However, if you’re short on time, consider doing our favorite fly, cruise, fly tour. This tour has you skipping the 3.5-hour drive each way to and from Milford Sound and soaring above Fiordland National Park on a small passenger plane. You’ll get amazing views, still get to enjoy a cruise in Milford Sound and be back in Queenstown for lunch!
There are tons of amazing things to do and see in Milford!
Why We Book Tours with Viator
Viator is a trusted online booking system for tours around the world! We almost always book our tours using Viator for a couple of reasons:
- Free cancellation on most tours – Most of the tours on Viator allow you to cancel and get a full refund up to 24 hours in advance. This is handy in case plans change, or if booking an outdoor activity, the weather forecast is looking grim.
- Reserve now and pay later – You can secure your spot on some of the most popular tours well in advance and not pay until closer to the day of the tour.
- Lowest price guarantee – If you happen to find the same tour at a lower price elsewhere, Viator will refund you the price difference.
- Pay in your chosen currency – Avoid costly international transaction fees by choosing to pay in your home currency.
- Peace of mind – When booking with tour operators you find in person on the street or in small booking offices, you are often promised one thing and given another. This online platform holds tour operators accountable with a written description of inclusions as well as the opportunity for customers to leave reviews.
Check out the Viator website here!Or, for more info, read our detailed review about Viator here.
2. A 2-Week Southern Alps Itinerary: 10-14 Days
Start:Can be started from any location on the map but Queenstown or Christchurch are most ideal.
Duration:Fast-paced=10 days, relaxed=2 weeks+
Distance:1,454km (903mi)/ 19 hours of driving total
The Southern Alps explorer is a great road trip idea for those who love the mountains. It’s likely the most popular route and each destination on the road trip is a tourist hot spot.
The stops are:
- Christchurch
- Punakaiki
- Franz Joseph
- Wanaka
- Queenstown
- Mount Cook village
- Lake Tekapo
On this New Zealand road trip itinerary, you will get to travel the famous Arthur’s Pass, drive the stunningly green West Coast, relax in Queenstown and Wanaka, and explore stunning mountain peaks walking the Hooker Valley Track in Mount Cook National Park.
This trip does a complete loop so you can book return flights from one airport and the same with your car rental. This means you can likely save some money on campervan relocation fees and spend it where it counts…on the road!
HOT TIP: While in Queenstown, don’t miss either the Walter Peak TSS Earnslaw Lunch or the dinner option. This is one of my favorite tours in Queenstown and invoices two cruises on Lake Wakatipu, a farm demonstration, and a delicious meal.
This New Zealand road trip can be completed in 10 days but that would make for a very rushed trip. I recommend 12 to 14 days to be able to truly see all the sights and enjoy some downtime. Once again, this tour requires you to do a tour from Queenstown to Milford Sound so you’ll need to allow a day for that.
However, if you have a few extra days then skip the Milford Sound day tour and drive to Milford yourself spending a night at the Milford Sound Lodge or my second option in Te Anau.
You can then book a cruise that leaves directly from Milford Sound, such as my favorite cruise-only option, the Milford Nature Cruise. This cruise not only takes in the views but also searches for wildlife, including penguins, seals, and dolphins.
If you’d prefer to let a professional take the wheel on the windy road to Milford, you can also book this tour from Te Anau.
Related Read: The best photo locations in Mount Cook National Park you have to check out while in the area!
3. Northern South Island Road Trip Itinerary: 10-14 Days
Start: Christchurch
Duration: Fast-paced=10 days, relaxed=2 weeks.
Distance: 1,298km (807mi)/ 19 hours of driving
Not everybody comes to New Zealand for the mountains. If that’s you then this stunning New Zealand road trip through the northern part of the South Island is perfect! Some of the highlights include relaxing at the beach, one of my favorite experiences I’ve had in NZ – swimming with wild dolphins, touring vineyards and wine tasting, as well as day walks in Abel Tasman National Park.
The stops on this New Zealand road trip itinerary are:
- Christchurch
- Kaikoura
- Picton
- Nelson
- Abel Tasman
- West Port
- Punakaiki
- Hokitika
- Christchurch
In these regions, you will find stunning beaches, an array of wildlife including dolphins, lush forests, wineries, and more. This trip also does a complete loop back to Christchurch, or if you are coming from the North Island, you could alternatively take the Picton, Nelson, Abel Tasman route to the West Coast back to Christchurch.
This road trip itinerary could be done in 10 days, but allowing 2 weeks is recommended for a more relaxed trip.
You’ll also want to allow time to do this whale-watching tour in Kaikoura. Whale watching season in Kaikoura runs all year, however, peak season is from December to March. You can also regularly see orca in June and July when they visit the area.
Related Read: One of the best things to do in Marlborough Sounds is take a wildlife cruise that explores the fjord and Moruara Island.
4. Complete South Island Adventure: 21-30 Days
Start: You can start anywhere along this route. Queenstown or Christchurch are great options.
Duration: Fast-paced=3 weeks, relaxed=30 days+
Distance:2,824km (1,755mi)/38 hours of driving
If you’ve come to New Zealand to do some serious exploring on the South Island then this New Zealand road trip itinerary is perfect for you! This long road trip hits so many amazing spots and covers all of the best places to go in the South Island! This road trip itinerary combines the two above trip itineraries plus more for one epic NZ road trip!
Highlights include exploring waterfalls in the Catlins, wildlife watching, skydiving, wine tasting in the Gibbston Valley, a Milford Sound cruise, various hiking opportunities, exploring the rugged coastline, and hanging out at the beach!
One tour I absolutely love on this road trip is the Mount Cook ski plane and helicopter combo tour. There is no other way as unique as a ski plane to explore the Southern Alps! It’s easily one of the best scenic flights in New Zealand in my favorite National Park!
The stops on this New Zealand road trip itinerary are:
- Christchurch
- Kaikoura
- Picton
- Nelson
- Punakaiki
- Franz Josef
- Wanaka
- Queenstown
- Te Anau
- Milford Sound
- Back to Te Anau
- Invercargill
- Curio Bay
- Dunedin
- Oamaru
- Mount Cook Village
- Lake Tekapo
You need at least three weeks for this road trip, but 4 weeks or longer would be ideal and more relaxed. However, if you find yourself ahead of schedule make the extra trip to Abel Tasman National Park. The only reason I didn’t include it originally is that it adds much more driving to a road trip that’s already huge!
For more information on many of the stops mentioned above including things to do, check out our guide to planning the best South Island, New Zealand Road trip.
Related Read: Here is how we were able to freedom camp in New Zealand inside out self-cointained van!
New Zealand Road Trip Itineraries on the North Island
Below are 4 different road trip itineraries for exploring New Zealand’s North Island. They all vary in length and highlights included. You can connect these itineraries with the “connecting itineraries” in the next section of this blog to make an epic North and South Island road trip in New Zealand!
5. A Taste of the North Island: 7-10 Days
Start:Auckland
Duration: Fast-paced=7 days, relaxed=10 days+
Distance: 722km (449mi)/ 10 hours of driving
Our first New Zealand North Island road trip itinerary is short and sweet. This trip is tailored to those on a short holiday who want to visit some classic sites. Highlights on this journey are Hobbiton (Waitomo area), the famous Waitomo Glow Worm Caves, Hot Water Beach, Cathedral Cove, Piha Beach, and much more.
The stops on this road trip are:
- Auckland
- Hahei
- Tauranga
- Waitomo
- Raglan
In seven days you could complete this trip fine. It would be slightly rushed but if you stick to visiting one or two places in each area it can be done. For a very relaxed journey, 10+ days will do it.
Another option on this trip would be to skip Tauranga and go to Rotorua instead. Rotorua is a thermal wonderland with tons of things to see and do. One of my favorites is the Kaituna River White Water Rafting. This famous rafting adventure includes the highest commercially rafted waterfall, Tutea Falls.
If that sounds too extreme for you, join the Te Pā Tū Maori Experience. Learn about the Maori culture, see traditional dances, and enjoy a delicious hungi – a traditional underground oven used to cook food.
6. North Island Highlights New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary: 14-18 Days
Start: Auckland
Duration: Fast-pace=14 days, relaxed=18 days
Distance: 1,314km (816mi)/ 19 hours of driving
This North Island highlights road trip itinerary hits many of the most popular spots on the North Island. It travels a full circle to stop backtracking and maximize your time seeing the places you’ve always wanted to.
Some of the best things to do on this itinerary include visiting some of the best beaches in the North Island (the West Coast as well as the Coromandel), having a Maori experience in Rotorua, seeing glow worms, exploring Tongariro National Park, and hiking around Mt Taranaki or staying in the Pouakai Hut!
The stops on this road trip are:
- Auckland
- Piha (for the day or stay the night)
- Hahei
- Tauranga
- Rotorua
- Taupo
- Whakapapa
- New Plymouth
- Waitomo
- Auckland
You could cover this road trip in as little as 14 days however that won’t leave much time to spend more than one in most places place. Instead, 18 days will give you plenty of rest days lounging on the beach or hiking in the mountains!
While in Taupo, be sure to book this cruise to the Maori Rock Carvings. It’s a super affordable tour and a great way to get out on the lake and learn about the area.
Related Read: If you have a couple nights before or after your road trip here are some additonal day trips you can take from Auckland!
Need wheels?For rental cars, I alwaysbook with Discover Carssince the website is so easy to use with great prices. For motorhomes and campervans, I really likeJUCYbecause of their huge selection and multiple depot locations that make pick-up and drop-off a breeze. You canbrowse JUCY’s availability here. Alternatively, you can see all of the different rental companies available in NZ onMotorhome Republic.
7. Journey to the South Road Trip: 8-12 Days
Start: Auckland or Wellington depending on your direction of travel.
Duration: Fast-paced=8 – 9 days, relaxed=12 days
Distance:950km (590mi)/ 13 hours of driving
Our first New Zealand itinerary to get you to the South Island includes many highlights and is centered around not missing Hobbiton. Other highlights on the trip are the Tongariro Crossing, Hot Water Beach, Waitomo Caves, Muriwai Beach, other West Coast beaches (from Auckland), the Whanganui Journey, Bridal Veil Falls (Raglan), and more.
The stops on the road trip itinerary are:
- Auckland
- Hahei
- Raglan
- Waitomo
- Whakapapa
- Whanganui
- Wellington
This road trip itinerary could be done in as little as 8 days but would be very rushed. If that’s all the time you have, consider skipping Hahei. In 12 days you could really see most of the sights and have a relaxing trip.
While in Wellington, be sure to do my favorite sightseeing tour, the Cave to Coast Wellington Highlights Tour. It visits so many highlights, including WETA Cave, Mount Victoria, and the Wellington Cable Car.
Of course, if you’re a Lord of the Rings fan, don’t miss this LOTR guided tour. The tour visits famous locations such as Rivendell, Hobbit’s Hideaway, Helm’s Deep, and more. And as if that wasn’t enough, there are also many great day trips from Wellington!
Related Read: While the Bay of Islands in New Zealand is bit out of the way for most road trips, consider adding it somwhere into your itinerary before you leave.
8. Ultimate Journey to the South Island: 15-20 Days
Start:Auckland
Duration: Fast-paced =15 days, relaxed =20 days
Distance: 1,466km (911mi)/ 21 hours of driving
Our last New Zealand North Island road trip itinerary is a full-on adventure. This trip visits so many amazing places all while getting you to your next adventure on the South Island.
Its highlights include the West Coast beaches not far from Auckland, the Coromandel Penninsula (including Hot Water Beach and Cathedral Cove), Tauranga, Rotorua Maori Experience, Bridal Veil Falls (Raglan), Hobbiton, Waitomo Caves, Lake Taupo, Tongariro Crossing, Mt Taranaki (New Plymouth), Whanganui, and Wellington.
Tip: Please note that in summer Hobbiton must be booked in advance! You can book your Hobbiton ticket here!
The stops on this New Zealand road trip itinerary are:
- Auckland
- Hahei
- Tauranga
- Rotorua
- Raglan
- Waitomo
- Taupo
- Whakapapa
- New Plymouth
- Wellington
This road trip will take much more time than the above road trips. 15 days would be rushed and involve lots of driving days. To take it easy, allow 20 days.
Related Read: If you’re flying into Auckland here are some great things to do in Auckland within a 48 hour itinerary before or after your epic New Zealand road trip.
South Island AND North Island Connecting Itineraries
The below road trip itineraries connect a trip ending in Wellington to a trip on the South Island. You can use these itineraries to create an epic New Zealand road trip itinerary that includes BOTH islands!
9. South to North Island East Coast Road Trip: 10-14 Days
Start: Queenstown or Picton depending on the direction
Duration:Fast-paced=10 days, Relaxed=14 days
Distance: 945km (587mi) (without the ferry) / 13 hours of driving
Many travelers choose to road trip both the South and the North Islands of New Zealand. So I thought I would include a few New Zealand road trip itineraries to suit this. This first one is the most popular as it visits the Mount Cook area on your way from Queenstown to Picton before continuing to the North Island.
Tip: If you need a ferry to the North Island book it in advance online to secure your departure date!
The stops are:
- Queenstown
- Wanaka
- Mount Cook Village
- Lake Tekapo
- Christchurch
- Kaikoura
- Picton
- Wellington
This would be my recommendedroute as the highlights of exploring Mount Cook National Park, relaxing on Lake Tekapo, and watching the dolphins in Kaikoura are just too amazing to miss.
This trip could be done in 10 days but that would leave little time in Queenstown and means you would have to time the ferry right with your arrival. However, allowing 14 days would be perfect!
10. South to North Island West Coast Road Trip: 11-15 Days
Start: Queenstown or Picton depending on your direction of travel
Duration:Fast-paced=11 days, relaxed=15 days
Distance:1,186km (737mi)/ 18 hours of driving without the ferry
The next route from south to north that connects both islands heads up the stunning West Coast. This journey takes a little longer to complete as it heads through the windy roads between Punakaiki and Nelson.
The stops on this New Zealand road trip itinerary are:
- Queenstown
- Wanaka
- Franz Josef
- Punakaiki
- Abel Tasman National Park
- Nelson
- Picton
Although not my first choice, this road trip is still stunning! If you still want to see the dolphins on the east coast you could always take Arthur’s Pass over to the east coast to explore Kaikoura.
To allow for the windy roads and the slightly longer distance you need to allow 10 days at a minimum to complete this road trip. This would still be very rushed so 15 days would be ideal.
Related Read: Have the perfect afternoon exploring New Zealand’s blue pools.
Renting a Car or Campervan in New Zealand
The first step to planning your New Zealand road trip is choosing your set of wheels! Most people rent a campervan or motorhome to get around, but you can also just rent a normal car and stay in hotels (as opposed to camping.)
You can search for rental cars online with Discover Cars in advance to compare car models and prices. We’ve used this website all over the world and if you want more details, read our honest review of Discover Cars for more details!
You can also do this with motorhomes and campervans on a website called Motorhome Republic. It shows all of the available campervans and motorhomes for your specific New Zealand road trip dates. You can compare prices and company reviews here too!
JUCY is our personal favorite campervan rental company in NZ. We love JUCY because they have such a range of both cars and campervans available, so you’re pretty much guaranteed to find something to suit your budget and travel style.
We’ve actually secured an exclusive discount code for our readers with JUCY. Just click here to browse their availability and use the code DTRAVEL24 at checkout to get 5% off! What a good deal!
You can check prices, availability and book with JUCY online here.
Star RV is another company we personally recommend but specifically for motorhomes! They offer larger motorhomes (as opposed to budget campervans) at really reasonable rates.
Star RV has actually given us a discount code for our readers too! Use the code DTRAVEL24 at checkout to get 5% off your motorhome rental! Note, this code is only valid for bookings made before June 21, 2024 with travel dates before Dec 21, 2024. Click here to browse availability, prices, and book with our discount code!
Important Tips and Info for Planning your NZ Road Trip
Now that you have chosen one of the different New Zealand road trip itineraries and have the route all planned out, there are a few other things you need to do to prepare for your road trip to New Zealand! I’d recommend checking out our blog on the best time to visit New Zealand to plan what time of year you want to go as well as other important information below to help you out!
Packing for an NZ Road Trip
Packing the right items for your New Zealand road trip is super important. Some items often forgotten are:
- Travel adaptor – Try to get one with the USB plugins as well as a standard power plug.
- Flynet – In the South Island, the sandflies are bad. Getting a fly net for your face will protect it during your road trip from nasty bites that can last weeks.
- Lifestraw drink bottle – On many of the hikes in the New Zealand the water is generally safe to drink. However, to be sure a Life Straw Water Bottle is a, well, lifesaver!
- Reef-safe sunscreen – Protecting New Zealand’s pristine waterways is super important. Reef-safe sunscreen is a great way to do your part.
- Sand-proof towel – These towels are amazing. I can’t go back to a normal beach towel anymore.
- DEET-free bug repellent – The main ingredient in New Zealand bug repellent is DEET. It’s really bad for both humans and bugs and DEET-free options are just as effective.
- Road trip food – Make sure to pack some great snacks and easy food to make for your road trip. Stop at a grocery store before you hit the road and load up!
Booking accommodation in New Zealand
Would you believe it I told you Bailey and I have made over 250 hotel bookings since we started blogging! That’s a lot of bookings!
We could literally recommend any booking site and make a commission, however, the only website we use to make bookings is Booking.com (aside from the odd booking on Hostelworld).
They are the best in our opinion and their price match guarantee (we have used this before) means you’ll always get the best deal. If you’re planning your New Zealand road trip and need a place to stay (we all need some luxury here and there!) or campground Booking.com is the best way!
Insurance
- Travel insurance – Travel insurance to cover yourself in case of injury is very important in any country and New Zealand is no different. Travel insurance can also cover your bags, tech, and gear so if you want to stress less about your valuables this is the way to go to put your mind at ease.
- Car rental insurance – Did you know you can now get insurance for your rental excess. This new insurance is especially needed for campervans or motorhomes as the excesses on these vehicles can be $8,000 +.
Booking the Inter-Island Ferry
Booking your Inter-Island Ferry in advance is a great way to save money and hassle during your New Zealand Road trip. You can book theInter-Island Ferry here.
Booking Flights
A great company to book flights to and from New Zealand and internally is Kiwi.com. We have used them many times and find them to be one of the cheapest.
Thanks for reading!
From the North Island to the South Island the places to visit are endless. These New Zealand road trip itineraries don’t cover every possibility but are a great start to planning your own unique road trip. Regardless of the road trip you choose, an adventure through New Zealand is a great idea and one you won’t regret.
Now, all that’s left to do is pack all of your road trip essentials and hit the road!
If you found this article helpful or have any questions please leave them below in the comments section and we will get back to you.
If you need help planning your NZ trip, contact us today! We can create some amazing itineraries and can even secure discounts for our readers!
If you liked this post be sure to check out all our NZ content from our New Zealand page along with some of our most popular posts below:
How to experience Hot Water Beach on the Coromandel
How to save money on a campervan rental
Best honeymoon destinations in New Zealand
