If you have ever scrolled through a travel feed and stopped at a picture of a winding road framed by turquoise lakes and snow-capped peaks, the odds are good that you were looking at New Zealand’s South Island. Driving the South Island is one of the most rewarding road trips on the planet. The distances are manageable, the scenery changes every hour, and the locals are happy to point you toward a viewpoint that never made it onto the postcards.
This itinerary covers a relaxed two-week loop starting and ending in Christchurch. You can compress it into ten days if you are short on time, or stretch it to three weeks if you want to hike, kayak, or simply sit by a lake for a while.
Before You Hit the Road
Hire a small camper or a regular car with good fuel economy. The South Island has long stretches between towns, and petrol is noticeably cheaper in larger centres than in remote areas. Download offline maps before you leave the city, because cellular coverage drops out on the Lewis Pass, the Haast Pass, and several stretches along the West Coast. Pack layers regardless of the season. A morning that starts at 8 degrees in Wanaka can climb past 25 by lunchtime.
If you are still deciding when to come, take a look at our simple guide to vacations in New Zealand for season-by-season notes.
Days 1 to 2: Christchurch and the Banks Peninsula
Start gently. Spend a day in Christchurch wandering the rebuilt central city, the Botanic Gardens, and the riverside Avon walking trail. On day two, drive an hour east to the volcanic Banks Peninsula and the French-flavoured village of Akaroa. The harbour is one of the few places in the world where you can swim with the tiny Hector’s dolphin.
Days 3 to 4: Aoraki / Mount Cook and Lake Tekapo
From Christchurch, head inland through the Mackenzie Basin. Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki sit at the foot of the Southern Alps, and the colour of the water has to be seen to be believed. Stay overnight in Tekapo so you can visit the Church of the Good Shepherd at sunrise and the Mount John Observatory after dark. The next morning, drive to Aoraki / Mount Cook Village and walk the Hooker Valley Track, an easy three-hour return route across swing bridges with the country’s tallest mountain looming ahead.
Days 5 to 7: Wanaka and Queenstown
Cross the Lindis Pass to reach Wanaka, the quieter cousin of Queenstown. Hire a kayak, walk up Roy’s Peak at dawn, or take the kids to the bizarre and brilliant Puzzling World. After two nights, drive the Crown Range Road to Queenstown.
Queenstown is the adventure capital of the country, but it also rewards a slower pace. Ride the Skyline Gondola at dusk, take a steamship cruise on Lake Wakatipu, and treat yourself to dinner in nearby Arrowtown.
Days 8 to 9: Milford Sound and Te Anau
Set off early for Te Anau and on to Milford Sound. The road in is part of the journey, with the Mirror Lakes, the Eglinton Valley, and the dripping Homer Tunnel along the way. A late afternoon cruise out to the Tasman Sea is often quieter than the busy morning departures. Stay the night in Te Anau and try to catch a glow-worm cave tour before bed.
Days 10 to 11: The West Coast and Franz Josef
Drive north through the Haast Pass and along the wild Tasman coastline. The Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers descend almost to sea level here, the only temperate-zone glaciers in the southern hemisphere that do so. Book a helicopter and guided ice walk if your budget allows – it is the kind of experience that sticks with you for years.
Days 12 to 14: Punakaiki, Hanmer Springs and Back to Christchurch
Continue up the coast to the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki, then cut inland over the Lewis Pass to the alpine spa town of Hanmer Springs. Spend an afternoon soaking in the thermal pools before the easy two-hour drive back to Christchurch the next morning.
A Few Practical Tips
- Book accommodation in Queenstown, Wanaka and Te Anau well in advance during summer and ski season.
- Stop for petrol whenever you see a station on the West Coast, even if your tank is half full.
- Keep a stash of cash for small-town cafés that still treat eftpos as an optional extra.
- Drive on the left, keep to the speed limits on gravel roads, and pull over to let locals pass on single-lane bridges.
By the time you roll back into Christchurch, you will have ticked off glaciers, fiords, vineyards, alpine lakes, and at least one beach where you were the only person for miles. There is a reason that drivers who come once tend to come back. For more inspiration on where to base yourself between drives, our list of 5 exciting places you should visit in New Zealand is a good place to start.