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New Zealand road trip itinerary
Our recommended itineraries, including the must-see sites, stays and activities across New Zealand's North and South Islands.
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We’ve got three hand-curated New Zealand road trip itineraries ranging from one to two weeks for the ultimate New Zealand holiday.
From mountains to the coast, skydiving to kayaking and wine tasting to movie locations, these itineraries pack it all into easy-to-navigate trips for first-timers in New Zealand.
Find your ride to take on New Zealand
Distance: 228km Approx. drive time: 2 hours and 50 minutes Distance: 82km Approx. drive time: 1 hour Distance: 371km Approx. drive time: 4 hours and 40 minutes Distance: 431km Approx. drive time: 7 hours and 50 minutes (includes 3-hour ferry from North to South Island) Distance: 503km Approx. drive time: 6.5 hours Distance: 68km Approx. drive time: 1 hour Distance: 575km Approx. drive time: 7.5 hours (if driving yourself) Finder Hotels Finder Hotels Finder Hotels Finder Hotels Finder Hotels Finder HotelsSearching for trips of just the North or South Island?
Recommended New Zealand itineraries based on length
1-week New Zealand itinerary: Auckland to Milford Sound
Itinerary overview
Day Itinerary Day 1 Auckland to Rotorua
Day 2 Rotorua to Taupo
Day 3 Taupo to Wellington
Day 4 Wellington to Punakaiki
Day 5 Punakaiki to Wanaka
Day 6 Wanaka to Queenstown
Day 7 Milford Sound
Accommodation recommendations
Rotorua: Princes Gate Hotel
Taupo: Beechtree Motel
Wellington: Travelodge Hotel Wellington
Punakaiki: Te Nikau Retreat
Wanaka: Bella Vista Motel Lake Wanaka
Queenstown: DoubleTree by Hilton Queenstown
10-day New Zealand itinerary: Auckland to Milford Sound
Itinerary overview
- Distance: 2,418km
- Highlights and attractions: Bay of Islands, Hobbiton Movie Set, Mount Cook, Franz Josef Glacier, Milford Sound
- Landscape: Islands, coastal, mountains, glaciers, lakes
- Recommended vehicle type: Economy or mid-sized/sedan (recommended for winter)
| Day | Itinerary | |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 Distance: 455km Approx. drive time: 6 hours | Auckland |  |
| Day 2 Distance: 250km Approx. drive time: 2.5 hours | Auckland to Rotorua |  |
| Day 3 Distance: 82km Approx. drive time: 1 hour | Rotorua to Taupo |  |
| Day 4 Distance: 141km Approx. drive time: 2 hours | Taupo to Napier |  |
| Day 5 Distance: 321km Approx. drive time: 4 hours | Napier to Wellington | |
| Day 6 Distance: 439km Approx. drive time: 8 hours and 15 minutes | Wellington to Christchurch |  |
| Day 7 Distance: 380km Approx. drive time: 4 hours and 50 minutes | Christchurch to Franz Josef |  |
| Day 8 Distance: 350km Approx. drive time: 4 hours and 40 minutes | Franz Josef to Queenstown |  |
| Day 9 Distance: 0km Approx. drive time: 0 | Queenstown |  |
| Day 10 Distance: 575km Approx. drive time: 7.5 hours (if driving yourself) | Queenstown to Milford Sound |  |
Accommodation recommendations
Rotorua: Princes Gate Hotel
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Taupo: Beechtree Motel
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Wellington: Travelodge Hotel Wellington
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Queenstown: DoubleTree by Hilton Queenstown
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Auckland: Skycity Hotel
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Napier: Pebble Beach Motor Inn
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Christchurch: Rendezvous Hotel Christchurch
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Franz Josef: Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier
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2-week New Zealand itinerary
Itinerary overview
- Distance: 2,814km
- Highlights and attractions: Coromandel Peninsula, Waitomo Glowworm Caves, Hobbiton Movie Set, Tongariro National Park, Abel Tasman National Park, Franz Josef Glacier, Queenstown, Milford Sound
- Landscape: Coastal, mountains, lakes, glaciers, islands
- Recommended vehicle type: Economy or mid-sized/sedan (recommended for winter)
| Day | Itinerary | |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 Distance: 168km Approx. drive time: 2 hours and 20 minutes | Auckland to Hahei |  |
| Day 2 Distance: 237km Approx. drive time: 2.5 hours | Hahei to Waitomo |  |
| Day 3 Distance: 178km Approx. drive time: 2.5 hours | Waitomo to Rotorua |  |
| Day 4 Distance: 88km Approx. drive time: 1 hour | Rotorua to Taupo |  |
| Day 5 Distance: 60km (if not taking the shuttle) Approx. drive time: 50 minutes | Taupo (Tongariro National Park) |  |
| Day 6 Distance: 331km (372km from Taupo) Approx. drive time: 4 hours (4 hours and 45 minutes from Taupo) | Tongariro National Park (Taupo) to Wellington |  |
| Day 7 Distance: 210km Approx. drive time: 5 hours and 20 minutes | Wellington to Nelson |  |
| Day 8 Distance: 131km Approx. drive time: 2 hours and 10 minutes | Nelson (Abel Tasman National Park) |  |
| Day 9 Distance: 265km Approx. drive time: 3.5 hours | Nelson to Punakaiki |  |
| Day 10 Distance: 217km Approx. drive time: 2 hours and 50 minutes | Punakaiki to Franz Josef |  |
| Day 11 Distance: 286km Approx. drive time: 3 hours and 40 minutes | Franz Josef to Wanaka |  |
| Days 12 and 13 Distance: 68km Approx. drive time: 1 hour | Wanaka to Queenstown |  |
| Day 14 Distance: 575km (if not doing the tour) Approx. drive time: 7.5 hours | Milford Sound |  |
Accommodation recommendations
Rotorua: Princes Gate Hotel
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Taupo: Beechtree Motel
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Wellington: Travelodge Hotel Wellington
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Wanaka: Bella Vista Motel Lake Wanaka
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Queenstown: DoubleTree by Hilton Queenstown
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Franz Josef: Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier
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Coromandel: Coromandel Top 10 Holiday Park
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Waitomo: Waitomo Top 10 Holiday Park
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Tongariro: Chateau Tongariro Hotel
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Nelson: Trailways Hotel Nelson
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Other popular driving routes in New Zealand
North Island: Manawatu Scenic Route (Mangaweka to Ashurst)
- How long is the drive? 94 km
- How long do I need? One to two days including stops for hikes
- Must-sees along the way: Rangiwahia Hut Track, Pohangina Valley, Manawatu River
The route from Mangaweka to Ashurst on New Zealand's North Island takes you past ancient native bushland, gorges, gardens and natural swimming spots. You can be as lazy or as active as you like on this journey. Soak up the views from the car window or park up to tackle hikes like the hilly Rangiwahia Hut Track.
South Island: The Great Alpine Highway (Christchurch to Greymouth via Arthur's Pass)
- How long is the drive? 245 km
- How long do I need? Three days
- Must-sees along the way: Christchurch, Arthur's Pass National Park, Greymouth
This 245-kilometre route snakes its way from coast to coast on New Zealand's South Island, taking you through national parks, past mirror-like lakes and via extensive forests.
Take a break to go punting on the Avon River in Canterbury and don't miss Arthur's Pass National Park, a mesh of shingle-filled riverbeds and vast beech forests.
North Island: The Forgotten World Highway (Taumarunui to Stratford)
- How long is the drive? 150 km
- How long do I need? Three days
- Must-sees along the way: Taumarunui, Mount Damper Falls, Whangamomona, Stratford
On the map, the line of this road looks like it's been drawn with a shaky hand. It stretches for 150 kilometres between Taumarunui and Stratford in the heart of New Zealand's North Island.
Die-hard road trippers will love the fact that this route follows the colonial bridle paths of the 19th century. It's rugged, twisty and often described as a "natural roller-coaster" of a road.
New Zealand overview
- Weather: Weather varies across the two islands with the north of the North Island experiencing a subtropical climate and the South Island having proper winters that reach as cold as -10°C inland. Most of the population and sites are along the coasts which means that temperatures are mild (15°C average for the North Island and 9°C for the South Island). There is a lot of sunshine and moderate rainfall.
- Best time to visit: Opt to travel around New Zealand during summer. (December to February) for sightseeing as the weather is warm.
- Recommended vehicle type: Economy or mid-sized/sedan (recommended for winter)
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