New Zealand’s South Island is the most epic road trip destination! We recommend at least 3 weeks for this route, as distances are longer than they look, and trust us, you’ll want time to stop at all the turquoise lakes, wild beaches, and icy glaciers. We did this New Zealand South Island itinerary in a campervan, but it works just as well by car; just adapt your accommodation to hotels and motels.
3-Week South Island Itinerary
Our itinerary takes you around the entire South Island (apart from the southeast). We arrived in Queenstown by plane (the flight itself was already so stunning!), but you can also do this itinerary when arriving at Christchurch, or by ferry from the North Island.
Day 1–2: Queenstown
We started and ended our trip in Queenstown, this town is all about the lakes, mountains, good food, and it is the perfect base for visiting the surroundings. Pick up your campervan or rental car from the airport, and stock up on groceries before leaving town.
Where to stay
Stay near Lake Wakatipu or just outside town for better prices. We stayed at Driftaway Queenstown (beautiful lakeside cabins), and before we collected our campervan at the Holiday Inn Express (city center).
Glenorchy itself is a small and quaint town, with cute houses, the Glenorchy Wharf & Viewpoint, the lagoon’s scenic walkway, and the steamship depot (Famous Red Shed).
- Eat: Casa Jaguar (Mexican) and great coffee at Akin
- Nearby: High Country Horses tour and Routeburn Track
- You can find all our New Zealand Google Maps pins here!
Where to stay
Glenorchy is a small place, so there are limited options. We recommend booking ahead. You have multiple options, like these small countryside lodges and stays around Glenorchy.
Day 4–5: Te Anau + Milford or Doubtful Sound
Driving straight from Glenorchy to Milford takes about 5 hours, so we broke up the trip with a stay in Te Anau: a relaxed lakeside town with a beautiful lake walk and good food. This was also our jumping-off point for the Doubtful Sound Cruise (best part of the trip!).
Driving time: Glenorchy → Te Anau: 3 hours. Te Anau → Milford: 2 hours (one way)
Milford or Doubtful Sound
On day 5, drive to either Milford or Doubtful Sound for a cruise among towering cliffs, countless waterfalls, and fjords. Totally unreal scenery!
- Milford Sound: Dramatic and famous.
- Doubtful Sound: Quieter and more remote. We did an overnight cruise here, and it was the highlight of our New Zealand travel itinerary. Book your tour well in advance.
Where to stay
Book a hotel in Te Anau for easy access to the fjords or sleep on board the Doubtful Sound overnight cruise.
Day 6–8: Wānaka (via Arrowtown)
We drove first to the historic goldmine village of Arrowtown for lunch, then back into alpine scenery around Wānaka. You’ll pass Queenstown again, so make sure to stock up on groceries here. Driving time: Te Anau → Arrowtown: 2 hours. Arrowtown → Wānaka: 1 hour.
Read our guide to Arrowtown here.
In Wanaka, you will find stunning mountain hikes, glacier views, lakeside swims, and saunas. Two things you have to do are:
- Rob Roy Glacier Hike
- The famous Roy’s Peak (sadly closed for us when we visited in early November so we did Rocky Mountain instead).
Where to stay: Lakeside apartments, boutique lodges, or hotels just outside town for better value. We stayed overnight at Glendhu Bay Campsite (Hampshire Holiday Parks), which also had lovely cabins right by the lake.
Day 9: Franz Josef (via Haast & Fox Glacier)
This drive (Wānaka → Haast Pass → Haast → Fox Glacier → Franz Josef) follows mountain rivers and several waterfalls, like Blue Pools, Fantail Falls, and Thunder Creek Falls. As we reached the West Coast, the scenery became noticeably more tropical, as it rains a lot more on this side of the South Island.
Driving time: Wānaka → Franz Josef: 3.5–4 hours (without stops).
Haast
During our time in Haast, we had quite a bit of rain and couldn’t do much here so this was just a place we spend the night. We visited:
- Ship Creek (walk at the beach)
- Knights Point Lookout
Fox Glacier & Frans Jozef
Fox Glacier is a tiny town with only a handful of cafes, and a couple of accommodations. Here you can walk around stunning Lake Matheson and lunch at Matheson Café.
Frans Jozef is famous for being close to one of the most accessible glaciers in the world! It is accessible by helicopter and needs to be pre-booked. We didn’t do this, as we were too late booking it, and to be honest, it didn’t feel right to us in such a natural place. You can also view it from Robert’s Point Track or book this hike to view the glacier.
You can either stay in Fox Glacier or Franz Josef. We stayed in a beautiful campsite named Orange Sheep Campervan Park.
Day 10: West Coast (Punakaiki + Westport)
The drive from Franz Josef to Westport (4.5 hours) is the wildest and most untouched on the South Island. Here you see the rugged West Coast and incredible views! If you have more days to spend, we’d recommend spending an extra night in this area, as there’s much to see, like:
- Hokitika Gorge
- Robin’s Lookout
- Irimahuwhero Lookout
- Pancake Rocks & Blowholes Track
- Cape Foulwind Lighthouse and the seal colony
At the end of your day, spend the night in Westport or near Carters Beach.
Day 11–12: Abel Tasman
Abel Tasman was easily our favorite bit of our New Zealand South Island itinerary since the scenery is completely different here with golden beaches and turquiose waters. Abel Tasman is famous for its coastal hikes.
- We booked with Aqua Taxi from Marahau to Anchorage inside the park
- Follow our one-day hiking route (see our full Abel Tasman guide)
Driving time: Westport → Mārahau: 3.3 hours with quite a bit of up and down. We recommend stocking up on fuel before leaving, as mountain driving can drain the tank, and gas stations can be sparse. On the way, we stopped at Zen’s Kitchen in Murchison.
Where to stay
We stayed at The Barn Cabins & Camp in Mārahau, just 4 minutes from the trailhead. It was one of our favorite places we stayed in New Zealand! They even had a mini outdoor cinema.
Day 13–14: Golden Bay
On day 13 of our New Zealand travel itinerary, we drove to Tākaka to explore: a sunny, laid-back town and gateway to the north of Abel Tasman. Driving time: Mārahau → Tākaka: 1.5 hours.
After that, we continued north to Golden Bay and Wharariki Beach. This is where we made a big mistake; we should have spent more time exploring the area near Wharariki Beach, which is absolutely gorgeous.
Where to stay: Stay in Golden Bay (or near Wharariki Beach for better positioning).
Day 15–16: Kaikōura
Getting to Kaikōura was definitely one of our biggest driving days in the South Island, taking about 6 hours. Kaikōura is known to have whales year-round and a seal colony!
On the way to from Takaka to Kaikōura, we stopped at:
- Cloudy Bay Vineyards
- Wither Hills
- Ohau Point Lookout (seals)
- This incredible surf spot
- You’ll also pass through Richmond if you need supplies.
Btw, you can find all our New Zealand Google Maps pins here!
Where to stay: Stay near the coast or in the peninsula area (see all hotels). We stayed at Kaikōura TOP 10, which has great cabins and villas and a stunning mountain backdrop.
Day 17: Christchurch
We found Christchurch to be a nice city reset, after the days of non-stop adventure and nature. It was also just a 2.5 hour drive from Kaikoura. We stayed for the night and visited:
- Christchurch Botanic Gardens
- Antigua Boat Sheds
- Riverside Market
- Street art
- The Christchurch Tram (this tram tour around the city looked really fun)
- Fika (great coffee + fresh bagels!)
Where to stay: Stay central for walkability (see all hotels). If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, we stayed at North South Holiday Park, about 20 minutes outside the city center, with great facilities and reasonable prices.
While you’re in this area, make sure to walk the Hooker Valley Track (closed for maintenance when we visited) and Tasman Glacier. Detailed to-dos are in our Mount Cook guide.
Driving time: Christchurch → Lake Tekapo: 3 hours
Where to stay: Stay in Tekapo, Mount Cook Village, or the Lake Pukaki area. Book early, as this region fills up fast. We forgot to book and didn’t had a spot, only at the wildcamp site. If you can’t find anything, head to Omarama early, and stay at a Omarama TOP 10 apartment or campsite.
Day 21: Omarama → Return to Queenstown
On the final day of our New Zealand South Island itinerary, we headed back to Queenstown, with a stop at the Clay Cliffs in Omarama. Here you suddenly in a desert-like landscape with incredible layers of rock, sharp spires and jagged walls.
- 10 NZD cash donation required (box at the entrance)
- We did see a sign that says bank transfer is also possible
Before we arrived back in Queenstown, we drove through the stunning Lindis Pass, with its rolling hills and classic South Island scenery. Tip: Stop at Tarras Country Cafe for some food along the way.
Driving time: Omarama → Queenstown: 3 hours
Where to stay: Overnight in Queenstown if flying out the next day. (See all hotels)
How to Travel around New Zealand
While we could have rushed this itinerary in 2 weeks, we really wanted to enjoy the journey properly. Distances are longer than they look, roads are winding, and we wanted plenty of time to stop, which is why 3 weeks was perfect.
You can do this route with:
- A campervan (we booked ours with JUCY)
- A rental car
Important things we learned:
- Distances are further than they look due to winding mountain and coastal roads.
- Fuel up before long drives.
- There are overtaking lanes, you are required to let traffic pass if you’re slower.
- Parking is almost always free outside cities. In cities, use ParkMate.
- Drones are forbidden in lots of places.
- Book tours about 6 weeks ahead.
- Cafe kitchens often close at 3 PM, and open much earlier.
- Bring insect repellent, the sandflies are no joke.
- One thing we loved: how little trash we saw. Please take all your rubbish with you.
Budget for 3 Weeks in New Zealand
New Zealand isn’t cheap; it’s similar to Western Europe, so make sure to budget accordingly. We found that traveling by campervan was more economical. However, if you don’t want to rent a camper but are looking for a cheaper option, rent a car and stay in motels or the cabins in Top 10 Holiday Parks. Expect to spend about 5.000 EUR on 3 weeks of traveling excluding flights.
- Hotels: NZD 240/night (120 EUR)
- Motels: NZD 150/night (75 EUR)
- Campervan + insurance: NZD 5,500 (2800 EUR)
- Campsites: NZD 45/night (23 EUR)
- Fuel: NZD 120/full tank (60 EUR)
- Groceries: For 2 days (4 x meals for 2 people) about 80-100 NZD.
- Restaurant: 60-80 NZD for 2 people
Best Time to Visit New Zealand
November was perfect for our New Zealand itinerary: spring weather, fewer crowds, and loads of flexibility.
Weather changes quickly, but we found forecasts to be reliable.
- The West Coast gets much more rain (clouds get stuck there).
- Summer (Dec–Feb) = best weather, busiest.
- Shoulder season (Oct–Nov & March–April) = fewer crowds.
- Lupins bloom from mid November to early December.
- Seal pups in Kaikoura: April to September.
Visas for New Zealand
Most travelers don’t need a visa, but you do need an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) before arrival.
- Costs around 17 NZD (9 EUR) via their app, or 23 NZD (12 EUR) via the website.
- Apply at least 72 hours before your departure
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