ULTIMATE New Zealand South Island Road Trip Itinerary (Part 1)
I know what you're thinking. "Aren't road trips just for teenagers?" And my answer would be absolutely not. While grabbing a crate of beer, too many friends to fit in the back seat and heading off on an unknown adventure was a great way to spend a summer in college, whether you're 18, or 80, a road trip, and more specifically, a New Zealand South Island road trip is the ULTIMATE way to spend a few weeks. Today we’ll be talking you through an incredible road trip itinerary of the South Island which allows you to explore all of the best parts of New Zealand in one trip.
What To Expect In New Zealand
New Zealand is made up of two islands, the North Island and South Island. New Zealand has had three capital cities, which seems a little greedy if you ask me, but Wellington is now the proud capital of the country and is located on the North Island.
New Zealand's seasons are opposite to most of the world, and its summer months are December-March. Unlike neighboring Australia, you won't find any poisonous spiders, snakes, or other creepy crawlies on either island.
In New Zealand, cars drive on the left-hand side of the road which is great news for travelers from the UK, but not for the rest of the world.
English is the main spoken language, although Maori is still an official language of New Zealand. Maori is the name of the original indigenous population of the country.
New Zealand isn't the best destination for tech-obsessed travelers as the internet is renowned for being pretty terrible.
When Is The Best Time To Visit New Zealand?
New Zealand has four seasons and can see a variety of different conditions throughout the year. It does have quite high rainfall, so if you want to avoid this, head during the summer months, between December and March. The temperatures you can expect at this time of year range from around 16-24°C, which, although mild, are the best temperatures for adventures, and especially for spending a long time in a car. There’s nothing worse than sticking to the seat because your legs are so sweaty!
How To Get To The South Island
If you're flying into New Zealand internationally, you'll want to fly to Christchurch International Airport. Queenstown also has an international airport, however, you'll find more flights into Christchurch. That's why we'll be starting this road trip itinerary in Christchurch too. Traveling from the airport into the city is easy, and you have several options.
The first is to use the public metro bus service which departs from the northern end of the airport. You can take the purple line, the number 29, or the number 125 into the city.
There is also a taxi rank which you'll find outside of exit door 7 in the arrivals hall. Remember to ask for the price of this taxi service BEFORE getting in the car. There are several taxi companies that operate airport services.
Lastly, there are direct shuttle bus services from the airport to whichever hotel you're staying at. Check with your hotel before arriving whether it operates a free airport pick-up service. If not, Super Shuttle is an easy service to get you to your hotel.
Who Is This Road Trip For?
This South Island road trip is for anyone who wants to make the most of their time on the South Island. This itinerary was written for those who don't mind a fair amount of driving every day. The payoff is being able to see so many stunning New Zealand sights. We don't want you to go home wishing you'd visited this place, or wondering why you never made it to that place, so this itinerary is packed full of fun and adventure. This itinerary has a bit of everything in it, from city life to whale watching, to waterfalls, so, whatever your travel style, you'll be sure to love your New Zealand South Island road trip.
When it comes to who to travel with, although you can do a solo road trip, and I’m sure it would be awesome, road trips are a great experience to share with friends. Set yourself up a Spotify playlist (it’ll need to be a long one for this road trip!), and grab a couple of your besties to share the sights with. None of your friends are able to go with you? No problem! Consider joining our community, a hub for female travelers, which connects women around the globe to share stories, photos, and experiences. You may even meet your next travel partner! See what our community offers here.
How Long Should My South Island Road Trip Be?
How long is a piece of string? But really, you could spend months on this glorious island in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean, and still not see everything there is to see, but if you're limited on time, two weeks is a good place to start. If you can stretch to three, you'll be glad you did, but we've written this itinerary for a two-week trip (broken up into 2 parts), as this tends to be the easiest length of time for travelers to navigate around work commitments, etc. However, if you only have a week, the itinerary in this post will allow you to see a lot of the wonders that the south island has to offer.
Where Should I Start My South Island Road Trip?
Christchurch is the best place to start your road trip if you’re flying into the country. It’s close to the airport, there are plenty of car/van rental companies, and it’s a central hub where you can get any last-minute bits that you might need for your trip.
Driving In New Zealand
Seeing as you'll be spending a lot of time behind the wheel, there are a couple of things to note about driving in New Zealand. As previously mentioned, cars drive on the left-hand side of the road.
There's also a law in place that you must pull over when safe to do so if you have more than 4 cars tailing you. We mention this because, on a road trip, you won't want to rush the drive and miss out on the sights. Also, if you're in a camper van, you'll likely be slower than other forms of road transport. Don't worry about angry drivers and getting angrily beeped though, as New Zealand is a notoriously laid-back country.
The speed limit on highways is normally 100 km per hour, and 50 km per hour in towns and cities.
New Zealand South Island Road Trip Itinerary
This itinerary forms a loop from Christchurch, so feel free to hop on it at any point. If you do have extra time, we'll mention some extra spots you should check out at the end. In this New Zealand South Island road trip (part 1), we will talk you through the first week of your trip, starting in Christchurch, and finishing the week in Franz Josef. You can check out the second part of this itinerary here. If you are heading back out via Christchurch, it is around a 5-hour drive back from Franz Josef.
Throughout this itinerary, we'll recommend hotels to stay at depending on your budget. We'll class budget hotels as those under $100, those under $250 as mid-range, and those above as luxury.
Day 1- Christchurch
You can't start your road trip in Christchurch without exploring this beautiful city. Christchurch is the oldest city in New Zealand and was declared a city in 1856. For a main city, you'll be surprised at how laid back it feels, with only 380,000 people living here. By comparison, London has 8.9 million residents.
The Christchurch hop-on hop-off tram is the perfect way to spend a day, as it stops at 17 points of interest including the stunning Botanic Gardens, made up of 21 hectares of gorgeous greenery.
Another great way to spend your time in the city is on the Christchurch Gondola. If you want to get a view of what New Zealand is really like, the view from the top is a must-see. You can see the whole city, and far beyond, into the Canterbury Plains. Touring the city is thirsty work, but don't worry, there's a cafe for cake and a cuppa at the top. You can book your Gondola tickets here.
Where to stay
Budget - Canmore Hotel Christchurch
Mid-range - Lilac Rose Boutique
Luxury - Sherwood Lodge
Day 2- Kaikoura
Drive time: 2.5 hours/181km
Are we missing something here? Before you head off to your first destination, you're going to want to pick up your car! This road trip will have you driving A LOT, so be sure to hire something roomy and comfortable. Being squished into a convertible probably isn't going to work for this one. Make sure your vehicle also has a bit of oomph as New Zealand is known for its mountainous regions. Alternatively, if you want to spend more time in the destinations, and a bit less time worrying about where you’re going to sleep, you could opt for a camper van.
Now, let's talk about Kaikoura. First of all, the drive from Christchurch is completely coastal, which has got to be the most EPIC way to start your road trip, and it will have you wishing you rented the convertible after all!
Kaikoura itself is known for its sperm whale population, and most tourists come here to go on a whale watching tour. No matter what time of the year you visit, you won't be disappointed, as unlike other areas of the world, the whales live here year-round and don't migrate. There is also a 95% success rate of seeing whales on the tour, which is pretty good odds in our opinion, and if you’re unlucky enough not to spot one of these giant mammals, you’ll be refunded 80% of your ticket price. Throughout the year, 14 other species of whales and dolphins come and go. On this whale-watching tour, you can also see dolphins, seals, and many different sea birds.
Where to stay
Budget - Admiral Court Motel Kaikoura
Mid-range - The Hamptons
Luxury - Glenburn Coastal Retreat
Day 3/4 - Nelson/ Abel Tasman National Park
Drive time: 3.5 hours/251km
Abel Tasman National Park is the star of the show in the Nelson region, however, you can't drive to it. The national park is only accessible by foot, or water. There are car parks at both Marahau, and Kaiteriteri where the water taxis depart from. The park has no shops, so make sure you stock up on food and drink in Nelson before visiting.
A water taxi is an easy (and relaxing) way to learn more about the park, and it also makes a nice change after being in the car for 3.5 hours. The skippers on the boats are very knowledgeable about the area, and you'll be able to see many beautiful spots along the way.
While you're in the national park, make sure you go sea kayaking. Kayaking is easy here, even if you're a complete beginner, and if you're interested in wildlife, kayaking across to nearby Adele island is a must, as the birdsong is quite incredible.
Another activity that is a must on this New Zealand South Island road trip is the natural rock waterslide at Cleopatra's pool which is a freshwater, natural swimming pool. Lastly, a little less natural but still just as fun, is the Swingbridge between Bark Bay and Torrent Bay, which you can walk across and capture the incredible view down the river.
Depending on how much of a nature nerd you are, you might want to spend both days 3 and 4 in the national park, and we can promise you wouldn’t be bored, there’s plenty to do in the park, including several incredible hikes, and sky diving.
If you want to explore Nelson instead, this city is where all of New Zealand’s hops originate from, so it’s not hard to spend a day sampling different ciders around the city.
Looking to go a little further? Head to Golden Bay, which is around a 1 hour and 45-minute drive from Nelson and has one of the largest natural sandspits in the world, Farewell Spit. Instead, you could take a refreshing dip at Te Waikoropupū Springs, which is the largest cold water spring in the entire southern hemisphere.
Where to stay
If it's easy for you to organize, we highly recommend spending the night camping in Abel Tasman National Park. If not, here are some great recommendations in nearby Nelson.
Budget - Highview B&B
Mid-range - Ah House City B&B
Luxury - Big Sky Nelson Luxury Eco B&B
Day 5- Nelson Lakes
Drive time: 1 hour/ 82km
Just 1 hour from Nelson is the Nelson Lakes National Park. It would be a crime to drive past without making a stop in this park, and even more of a crime would be stopping without taking a picnic. In the summer months, sitting down by the waters’ edge with a bottle of wine (sorry to the designated driver) and a punnet of fresh berries is heaven.
There are 16 lakes within this national park, but the two main ones are Lake Rotoiti and Lake Rotoroa.
If Lake Rotoroa itself isn’t impressive enough for you (impossible), there is also a waterfall nearby that you can walk to. The lake provides a picturesque walk, and you can also hire a boat or a kayak. Just watch out for the sandflies around sunset!
Lake Rotoiti is only accessible by water or air, but it’s still easy to get to (if you know how) and can be easily fit into the itinerary on day 5. There is a water taxi available every afternoon which departs from the VR Rotorua Lake Resort in Okawa Bay and takes you to the famous hot springs in Manupirua bay. Whilst at Lake Rotoiti, you can take part in various water sports, or take a luxury catamaran tour of the lake.
Where to stay
Budget - Camelot On Ulster
Mid-range - Argent Motor Lodge
Luxury - BKs Premier Motel Hamilton (Although this is a fantastic hotel, you’ll save yourself some $, as all of the hotels in this region are relatively budget-friendly.)
Day 6/7- Franz Josef
Drive time: 5hours/396 km
This day requires the most amount of driving so far, which is why we’ve suggested spending both day 6 and day 7 at Franz Josef. By the time you reach your destination on day 6, it will likely be the afternoon, and rushing through this road trip itinerary just to tick points off a list is not the best way to enjoy all New Zealand has to offer.
Franz Josef is a popular destination for tourists, and as such, there is a lot to do, both in the town and around the glaciers. There are two glaciers in the area, the Franz Josef Glacier, and the Fox Glacier.
While you’re here, a popular bucket list activity is taking a helicopter flight right over the glacier. There are different options for varying budgets, and you can either do a 20-minute tour or a 30-minute tour, which flies over both glaciers and the Southern Alps. Those daring enough can enjoy an 8-hour glacier heli-ice climb tour, which even beginners can enjoy.
If a helicopter tour isn’t up your street, you can choose to do a guided glacier walking tour, or visit the glacier hot pools, which are hidden in the green and luscious rainforest and are the perfect way to warm up after a day on the glaciers, ranging between 36-40°C.
With so much to do, you’ll see why we reserved both days for Franz Josef. You can also take a quad biking tour, go sky diving, visit nearby Lake Matheson, or visit the West Coast Wildlife Center to see adorable Kiwi birds.
Where to stay
Budget - Alpine Escape
Mid-range - Aspen Court Franz Josef
Luxury - Franz Josef Oasis
More Places To Visit
If you’re planning to spend more time in New Zealand, there are several other spots you should check out on this South Island road trip itinerary.
Marlborough Sounds - There are many points of beauty in the Marlborough Sounds, and if you’re into Lord of the Rings, you’ll particularly enjoy exploring some of the filming locations, including the Pelorus River.
Picton - This tiny town is best known for its ferry port, as the crossing point between the two islands of New Zealand, but that’s not the biggest selling point of the town. Check out the dolphin swimming tour.
Punakaiki Pancake Rocks - This popular tourist spot is located at Dolomite Point, where visitors can see the sea burst through eroded limestone blowholes, next to stacks of limestone pancakes, where the area has been eroded away. Tip: Try not to eat them, they won’t taste good!
Hokitika Gorge - Enjoy walking across 1 of 2 suspension bridges directly over the bright turquoise water of the Hokitika River.
Final Thoughts
We hope you’ve found this part 1 of our New Zealand South Island road trip itinerary helpful to plan your way around this incredible island. Make sure you check out part 2, which includes Queenstown, Te Anau, and Milford Sound here.