Last Updated on August 12, 2019 by Jon Algie
Do you want to make the most of your next trip to New Zealand but don’t have unlimited time to see everything? Spending two weeks in New Zealand will allow you to see a huge variety of landscapes, from beaches and volcanoes in the north to the snow-capped mountains and crisp lakes of the south. Check out my two week New Zealand itinerary — you might want to make some adjustments but hopefully it’ll help you plan your next trip!
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Auckland (1 night)
Most tourists to New Zealand land in Auckland, by far the country’s biggest city. There is heaps to do, including hikes, beaches and nightlife. It kind of depends what you want out of a trip to New Zealand, but if you’re anything like me you’ll want to skip through the cities and out into the world-class landscapes nearby. So, if you only have two weeks in New Zealand I’d recommend spending one night in Auckland — have a look around the city, get your New Zealand bearings and then move on. If Auckland doesn’t appeal or if you’ve already been there, you should drive straight to the Coromandel (depending what time your flight arrives of course).
Where to Stay in Auckland: Four Points by Sheraton Auckland | Scenic Hotel Auckland | BK Hostel
Coromandel Peninsula (1 – 2 nights)
From Auckland I’d next head to the Coromandel Peninsula, where you’ll find some of New Zealand’s top beaches. Cathedral Cove is the most famous, but Hot Water Beach (where you can dig a hole and bathe in hot water right on the beach) and New Chums Beach (where there’s an awesome viewpoint) are also highlights. There’s also a waterfall, some hikes and some nice small towns. If you leave Auckland early you should be able to see a lot in one day, meaning the next day you could head down to Rotorua (via Tauranga if you want to check out Mount Manganui, one of New Zealand’s top beaches / coastal viewpoints (I went there when I was a kid so no photos!).
Where to Stay in Coromandel Peninsula: La Dolce Vita | Beachside Resort Motel Whitianga | Hot Water Beach Top 10 Holiday Park
Rotorua (1-2 nights)
For surreal geothermal landscapes look no further than Rotorua. You’ll see bubbling hot pools and psychedelic lakes (some are free, some you’ll have to pay for) and there are lots of adventure activities if you’re into that kind of thing. If you’re a Lord of the Rings fan you’ll also want to visit Hobbiton, which is in the nearby town of Matamata. If not, you could head down to hike the Tongariro Crossing (also a Lord of the Rings filming location) — it’s known as one of New Zealand’s (and the world’s) best day hikes.
Where to Stay in Rotorua: Prince’s Gate Hotel | Rydges Rotorua | Rotovegas Motel of Rotorua
Waitomo (1 night)
The last spot on the North Island, Waitomo is home to caves full of glow worms. There are also some cool waterfalls in the area and it’s only a couple of hours from Auckland, meaning you can drive back the next day before your flight to the South Island.
Where to Stay in Waitomo: Waitomo Caves Hotel | Kiwipaka Waitomo| Waitomo TOP 10 Holiday Park
Christchurch (1 night)
I’ve travelled around the South Island far more than the North Island — but the consensus is that you should spend more time in the south. The best option is to fly into Christchurch and then head for the Southern Alps as soon as you can. Christchurch is a nice enough city, but one night is enough if you’re short on time. You could explore the historic city centre, take the gondola above Banks Peninsula or do a coastal hike.
Where to Stay in Christchurch: OGB Suites| Novotel Christchurch Cathedral Square | YHA Christchurch
Canterbury High Country / Mount Cook (2 nights)
From Christchurch drive inland and you’ll soon reach the stunning landscapes of the Southern Alps. The first night I’d consider sleeping in Fairlie or Lake Tekapo — on the way you can check out the Rakaia Gorge Track (3-4 hours, or you can just hike the first section which will take around an hour) and then on towards the Hakatere Conservation Park. The road through this area is beautiful and the Mount Sunday hike, another Lord of the Rings location, is easy and has some great views. When in Fairlie make sure to check out nearby Lake Opuha and try a pie from Fairlie Bakehouse — you’ll struggle to find nicer pies!
From Fairlie you’ll soon reach Lake Tekapo — there’s an old stone church by the lake as well as a nice hike (Tekapo Peninsula Walkway). If you spend the night in Lake Tekapo consider doing the star gazing tour at Mount John Observatory — it’s one of the best places in the world to do it. You can also drive up to Mount John during the day for some great views (and a coffee).
From there you’ll want to head to Mount Cook National Park. The road to Mount Cook Village is one of the best mountain roads in New Zealand and there are some awesome short hikes in the area. If you’re fit you could do 3-4 of them — I’d try and do the Hooker Valley (3 hours), Kea Point (45 minutes), Tasman Glacier (1-2 hours) and the Red Tarns (2 hours). That’d be a tiring day, so maybe skip Kea Point and the Red Tarns if you have to. There are some accommodation options in Mount Cook Village (which are quite expensive) or you can camp at the Whitehorse Hill DOC (Department of Conservation) camp. Otherwise drive back the way you came and then take the detour to Twizel, Omarama or Otematata.
Where to Stay in Mount Cook / Lake Tekapo : Aoraki Mount Cook Alpine Lodge| Mackenzie Apartments| Lakefront Lodge Backpackers
Waitaki Valley / Oamaru
Most people recommend driving from Mount Cook straight to Queenstown, but then you’d miss out on Dunedin, New Zealand’s coolest city. The drive from Mount Cook (or Twizel etc) to Dunedin takes you through the Waitaki Valley. It’s a scenic drive and there are some nice places to stop, including the easy Benmore Peninsula Track and the Elephant Rocks.
Soon enough you’ll be back on the East Coast. Oamaru, with its unrivalled (in New Zealand at least) Victorian architecture is must-see spot, as are the Moeraki Boulders just down the road. From there it’s a short drive to Dunedin.
Where to Stay in Oamaru / Moeraki : Quarterdeck| Brydone Hotel Oamaru | Noah’s Boutique Accommodation Moeraki
Dunedin (2 nights)
I’m assuming you’ll get into Dunedin in the late afternoon, so you could explore the centre city (have a drink at the Octagon and check out the train station etc) on the first day and then explore the city’s stunning surrounds on the second day.
The Otago Peninsula is a real highlight in Dunedin — there are heaps of viewpoints, beaches and hikes to explore. If you’re lucky you might spot some wildlife, including sea lions, albatross and penguins. The other side of the harbour is also nice (Heyward Point is one of my favourite “hidden” spots) and the suburban beaches of Saint Clair and Brighton are also cool to see. Dunedin also features a couple of waterfalls, interesting rock formations, the world’s steepest street and lots of cool cafes and bars to relax in if you’re feeling a bit lazy. If you want to get out of town and don’t feel like driving also consider the Taieri Gorge Railway.
Where to Stay in Dunedin: Wains Hotel | The Terminus | Central Backpackers Dunedin
The Catlins (1 night or stay in Te Anau instead)
The Catlins, a beautiful stretch of coastline featuring waterfalls, beaches and viewpoints, is a short drive south of Dunedin. You could easily spend a few days in the Catlins, but you could see the highlights in a day. Check out a couple of waterfalls (Matai and Purakaunui are probably the best), Nugget Point Lighthouse, Cannibal / Surat Bay, Curio Bay and the amazing viewpoint above Tautuku Bay and then either spend the night in the Catlins (there are a few camping grounds and small hotels) or head to Te Anau, the gateway to Milford Sound.
Where to Stay in The Catlins / Te Anau: The Whistling Frog Resort | Lakefront Lodge | Getaway Te Anau
Milford Sound (1 night or head to Queenstown at the end of the day)
A day trip to Milford Sound should be on everyone’s two week New Zealand itinerary. There is heaps to see along the way, including the Mirror Lakes, waterfalls, Lake Marian and lots of other little scenic spots. Once you get to Milford Sound you can admire the scenery from the shore or take a cruise out to the edge of the ocean. If you want to do some of the hikes in the area (Key Summit, Lake Marian) it’s worth spending a night somewhere along the way. There are some camping grounds close to Milford Sound or you can stay in the lodge there.
Alternatively, you can spend longer at Milford Sound and splash out on a Milford Sound Overnight Cruise.
Queenstown and Wanaka (2-3 nights)
The last stop on this two week New Zealand itinerary is Queenstown, probably the most popular destination in the country. There are countless ways to fill your days in Queenstown, including hikes, scenic drives, adventure activities or just chilling out in town. The drive to Glenorchy and Paradise is a personal highlight — do the Glenorchy Walkway as well as it’s a great short walk.
Where to Stay in Queenstown: Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa | Copthorne Hotel & Resort Lakefront Queenstown | Jucy Snooze Queenstown
Wanaka is close to Queenstown — you can visit as a day trip from Queenstown or stay the night there. The obvious drawcard in Wanaka is Roys Peak, one of New Zealand’s most renowned day hikes. Time your hike so you get to the top when the sun is rising — it’s a special experience! From Queenstown you can fly back to Auckland and catch your flight home. Depending on what time your flight is it might be best to be back in Auckland the day before your flight.
Where to Stay in Wanaka: Wanaka Homestead Lodge & Cottages | Clearbrook Motel & Serviced Apartments | Wanaka View Motel
Getting Around New Zealand
I highly recommend renting or buying a car in New Zealand — it means you’ll have the freedom to see exactly what you want. You can go for a campervan (which means you’ll save money on accommodation) or a car which are a lot cheaper. You can also take a tour or travel by bus.
Two Weeks in New Zealand
This two weeks in New Zealand itinerary hits some of the country’s top tourist spots, but there are so many other places to see. Explore my New Zealand posts and pencil in the places you’d like to visit — you can always skip other places or pass through them quickly. Most two week itineraries include the West Coast (South Island) and skip Dunedin and the Catlins — everyone has an opinion I guess and there is no right or wrong way to do it. If you want some help crafting your own New Zealand travel itinerary send me an email — you can also hire me as a private tour guide / driver from April next year!
Are you planning on spending two weeks in New Zealand? Which places are you most excited to visit? Let me know in the comments below!
Jon Algie
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Hi ,
Your itinerary is very inspiring and helpful because I am planning a trip to Nz and have only two weeks to do it before a fly to travel Australia for little more than 2 weeks.
Need little help, I will have to depend on Intercity and budget travel because I do not drive. We are 3 people and traveling in June, coming from India.
Should I start in south island and travel to Auckland and then fly onto Australia or would it be better to do top to bottom. my places of travel in Australia are Frazer island, Sydney and Melbourne.
Places that I have shortlisted to travel in NZ are Ackl and Rotorua in NI and Queenstown, CHCH, Franz Jose , Abel Tasman, Mt.Cook-anything that is easy to do via bus travel.
Please help me draft an itinerary that would be best without backtracking . My tarvel dates for NZ are from June first week for 2 weeks.
Many thanks in advance.
Hi Kay, I’d advise you to fly to Queenstown (you should be able to get a flight from Australia) and from there you can explore Queenstown / Wanaka / Milford Sound easily with buses. From Queenstown you could head to Mount Cook then over to the West Coast or Christchurch and then fly to Auckland from Christchurch. Due to you not driving you won’t be able to fit nearly as much in so that would probably be a good itinerary. It also depends what you want to do — if you really love hiking spend longer in Queenstown / Wanaka / Mount Cook as there are heaps of great trails around those places. Hope that helped — let me know if you need any help finding an affordable driver etc. Thanks!
Hi Jon !
Nice blog !
I wonder how to organize my trip (17 days, end of March-mid April) as I would like to see more wild life, like Bay of Islands, Hauraki Gulf, Waitomo caves, Abel Tasman, Milford sound.
Car/flights/car could be an option.
Many thanks in advance !
Hey Alex, 17 days should be plenty of time to see quite a bit of the country, I guess it depends on what you want to see though. Bay of Islands / a few other places in Northland are great (I just got back from there), Waitomo is cool as well and the Queenstown / Wanaka / Milford Sound area shouldn’t be missed. I’d probably spend the 1st week in the North Island (head straight for Northland / Coromandal and then see Waitomo / Rotorua after) then fly down to Queenstown and spend the rest of your time in that area / some of the West Coast / Dunedin and the Catlins. So many options! Let me know how the trip planning goes. Cheers!
Hi, great blog and fab ideas! Am thinking of doing 3 weeks in December. Do you think I have enough time to get down to Wellington and back up again and still do South Island? I understand Christmas day can be quite quiet if you are not at home with the family. Is there anywhere you would recommend that would be 1 open, and 2, have a bit of a lively Christmasy feel to it?
Any suggestions very gratefully received.
Hey Sarah, yeah you should be able to fit that into 3 weeks, might be a couple of long driving days in that though but it’s not so bad. For Christmas, I’m guessing hostels etc will probably put something on, or you could stay at a camping ground and there’ll be heaps of people around. Enjoy the trip and let me know how it goes!
Hi Jon,
You blog is inspiring! Get so much info about NZ trip. Just got my tickets to NZ! Will land Auckland in the morning of 29 Jul and departing from Auckland again 11 Aug Night. Would like to cover from North to South..Can I ask for your recommended route?
Thanks alot!
Cheers,
Miffy!
Thanks! For that amount of time I’d probably try and fly straight down to Queenstown and spend 5-7 days in that area (+ Milford Sound and Mount Cook) then maybe head over to Dunedin (via the Catlins if coming from Milford Sound) then up to Christchurch (or skip Dunedin and head to Christchurch after Mount Cook). Fly Christchurch to Auckland then spend whatever time you have left around Rotorua, Tongiriro Crossing, Hobbiton etc. It depends on what you want to do though (hiking vs looking around cities etc) and how much time you’re willing to spend driving. Also, it’s winter and it gets dark at like 5 pm so you won’t be able to cover as much as you would in summer. Winter is a great time around Queenstown etc though but be careful on the roads as it snows a bit down there and can get quite icy. Enjoy the trip and let me know if you need any more tips!
Hey, I love your blog. It is very concise and full of necessary information! I’m an exchange student coming to study in Wellington for a few months. I want to ask about details for renting a car as I’m 20 years old, which apparently has a very different insurance policy in New Zealand compared to 21 years of age. I was wondering if you had any suggestions for rental cars that have good pricing and an insurance policy. Also, is a car necessary for a week’s trip to different cities? Lastly, what are normal prices to hire drivers?
Hey Kiara, thanks for reading! It seems like it’s a bit different if you’re under 25 (the excess is more) but it shouldn’t really change the price too much. It just means if you crash and it’s your fault you’ll have to pay quite a lot (so try not to crash I guess). For rental cars, if you go low season it should be pretty cheap. I hired one (through Jucy) in October last year and it was only around $20 per day. It kinda depends what you want to see — personally I’d fly down to Queenstown and rent a car for a week down there — you could see that whole area + places like Milford Sound and Mount Cook in a week. As for hiring drivers, I have no idea but it seems expensive. If you do the South Island you can maybe hire me (I’d be cheaper haha, been thinking of getting into this kinda thing so it’d be a good test-drive) but renting a car yourself (as long as you’re a confident driver) is definitely the best and cheapest option. Hope that helps — let me know how it goes!
Hi
my friend and I are planning a two week trip to New Zealand. We are quite fit and could do some of the hikes, but not the long, tough ones.
we are both in our mid seventies, don’t let that scare you as we work out 3 times a week (I am the teacher) lol
we really do not want to drive and would love to hire you as our guide for the south island? We have no idea and I am the one choosing to plan our itinerary.
the obvious question is what do you charge for your service? I loved your blog and this feels like it would be a good fit. (I am a retired physical education teacher).
would we be required to pay for your accomodation while travelling south island (or north for that matter)?
just imagine taking your grandmas around the island. lol
look forward to hearing from you.
our dates of travel are end of January into february and we are very flexible for our departure dates etc.
look forward to hearing from you
Marilyn and Irene (two grandmas from Kingston, Ontario, Canada)
Hi Marilyn, thanks for getting in touch! It sounds like it will be a fun trip and I’d be keen to drive you guys — I haven’t done this kind of thing yet but I am thinking of getting into it and those dates would be perfect. Can you give me an email (jonistravelling@gmail.com) and we can discuss it further (sometimes comments slip through the cracks). Thanks!
Hi Jon,
Your blog is really interesting and has some great ideas. We are planning to go for 2 weeks next year at the end of March / beginning of April. One of our friends is getting married in Nelson half way through the holiday. I’m just wondering how much of the north island would be realistic in 5 days, on the 5th day (Friday) we would need to fly from somewhere to Nelson as well? I’m also thinking we will probably need some time to get over the jet lag at the beginning as well?
Hey Kim, 5 days isn’t much but you could see a bit around Auckland (Hobbiton, Waitomo, Coromandel etc) but it depends on how fast you want to move / what places you want to see. Those places are all a few hours or less from Auckland so maybe pick one or two (or you could also head up to Northland if you want to see lots of beaches). You should be able to get a flight from Auckland to Nelson on the Friday. As for jet lag, I’m not too sure but you probably don’t want to plan too much for the first day (or second, depending on what time you arrive). So many options haha, sorry if I wasn’t much help!
Hi Jon!
Thank you for your blog! So many valuable information that is so helpful!
My mum is coming to visit me in Australia and I will meet her in Auckland so we can travel around NZ for 17 days in the end of November. I am planning to visit hobbiton and then fly from Auckland to the south island and concentrate our trip over there but I am worried to leave the best for the last days and ended up not having time for all. So where should I start? My mother is 67yo so not much walking at all.. foccus on nature, culture, maybe some winery, beaches, waterfalls. Which itinerary you advise?
Hi Ludmila, thanks for reading! I’d recommend flying to Queenstown and spending a bit of time around there, Wanaka and Central Otago. There is lots of nature (and you often don’t have to walk far to see it). You could also drive (or bus) over to Milford Sound from Queenstown. I’d also check out the Catlins, Dunedin and Oamaru — lots of waterfalls, beaches and historic sights which don’t require too much walking either. From Oamaru you could head inland to Mount Cook / Lake Tekapo and then to Christchurch, where you could fly back to Auckland. Or you could keep driving north to Nelson etc if you have time. The West Coast is also nice but it’s a bit of a journey over there. So many options I guess so it depends on how fast you want to travel and how busy you want your trip to be. Good luck, let me know if you need any more help!
Hi Jon,
I am flying to NZ first for 2 weeks then to Australia for two. I am doing a home exchange in Queenstown and was wondering how many days to stay there before seeing more of the South Island. Can I do day trip to Milford sound from there? Also is Stewart Island worth a visit? I’d like to see as much of the South Island as possible. Recommendations?
Thanks Terry
Hey Terry, it depends on whether you have your own transport or not and what you’re into. You could see quite a lot in two weeks! You can do a day trip to Milford Sound from Queenstown — it’s a common bus tour or you can drive yourself. You won’t be able to see that much in a day but it’ll give you a good overview of the area. If you have a few days spare and are into hiking I’d recommend doing some of the walks around Milford Sound. As for Stewart Island, it depends again. I went there a couple of times as a kid and it was fun — seems like it might be difficult / expensive to do on your own though. Enjoy the trip — let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi there,
We are coming to new Zealand in November and wonder if you can recommend a driver to take 2 people around the south island. We are interested in hiking and walking, wildlife for about 10 days.
Your comments on NZ were terrific and contains numerous places we would like to visit while there. Thanks
Roslyn and Alison
Hi Roslyn, thanks for the kind words. I can ask around for you or I might even be able to do it myself — can you give me an email @ jonistravelling@gmail.com. Thanks!
Hi! This is all super helpful for my research! My family is going to New Zealand in December for 2 weeks. We will have toddlers in tow (ages 4 and 2!) and 4 adults (my parents, husband and me). Would love your guidance on a manageable itinerary that is kid friendly. We are thinking of focusing on the southern island and then going up to Waiheke Island for Christmas (2-3 nights) and 1 final night in Auckland before returning to the U.S. We are struggling with where to spend time in the South Island aside from Mt Cook/Queenstown – do you prefer the east coast (north of Christchurch- Kaikoura to Picton) or west coast drive (north of Queenstown)? Is Wellington or Christchurch a must-see? Any guidance would be much appreciated! Thank you
Hey Lauren, firstly I don’t think Wellington or Christchurch are must sees, so you’re all good skipping those. An option would be to explore around Queenstown, Mount Cook and then drive to Dunedin and spend a couple of days there before flying back to Auckland. It depends on how long you think you’ll spend in each place though. If you want to cram a few things in you could go from Queenstown over to Fiordland (Milford Sound or Doubtful Sound — I’d go Doubtful Sound) and then drive from Te Anau (biggest town in the Fiordland area) to Dunedin via the Catlins. The West Coast is a great option too. So many options I guess — let me know what you end up deciding and how it all goes!
Hey Jon,
I’ve been studying your blog like a mad man the past few days and planning a 2 week trip for my wife and me. Thanks for writing this! I think it is just what we needed. First trip to NZ. We love to hike and we’re in good shape.
I crafted an itenerary based on your recommendations but I wonder if it looks doable? Would you mind taking a look to see if it seems I allowed enough time/ too much time at certain places? Or if you’d suggest staying elsewhere. Specifically, staying in lake Tekapo 3 nights and driving to and from mt cook from there. And hitting those hikes the next day on the way to Dunedin? Being able to do Milford sound from Queenstown?
What would you add/subtract/ do differently? Thanks so much!
Stephen and Kait
2/2 Sunday- Auckland (arrive at 9:30am)
* Straight to Waitomo
* Glow worm caves
* Waterfall
* Drive to Taupo- stay (2 nights)
2/3 Monday
* Tongariro Alpine Crossing hike
2/4 Tuesday
* Drive to Rotorua
* Rotorua
* Waiotapu geothermal park
* Hells gate geothermal park
* Hells gate Spa
* (1 night) in Rotorua
2/5 Wednesday
* Matamata Hobbiton tour
* Fly to Christchurch from ROT or AKL
* Check out Christchurch
* Stay (1 night) in Christchurch
2/6 Thursday
* Rakaia Gorge hike
* Mount Sunday hike
* Stay (3 nights) Lake Tekapo
* Eat pie at Farlie bakehouse
2/7 Friday
* Lake Tekapo
* Church of the Good Shepard
* Mt John observatory
* Tekapo springs spa
2/8 Saturday
* Mount Cook national Park hiking
* Hooker valley (3 hrs)
* Tasman glacier (1-2 hrs)
2/9 Sunday
* Drive to Dunedin
* Benmore peninsula hike
* Elephant rocks
* Moeraki Boulders
* Stay in Dunedin (2 nights)
2/10 Monday
* Check out Dunedin, hikes, wildlife
2/11 Tuesday
* Drive to Queenstown (Stay 4 nights)
2/12 Wednesday
* Mirror lakes
* Milford sound
* Do Milford sound cruise maybe
* Kayaking maybe
2/13 Thursday
* Queenstown
2/14 Friday
* Wanaka
2/15 Saturday
* Fly to Auckland
* Fly home at 3:20
Hey Stephen, that all looks pretty solid and you’ll get a great feel for New Zealand if you can see all that. You could change that third night in Lake Tekapo to Twizel — it’s closer to Mount Cook / the road to Dunedin so it’ll save you a bit of backtracking. Also, if you’re flying back from Queenstown to Auckland you might want to go to Wanaka first from Dunedin and stay there a night, then move on to Queenstown for the last three. That’ll save you a little bit of driving, but I do see the appeal of just staying four nights in Queenstown and doing a day trip to Wanaka. I’d also consider Doubtful Sound (I did it recently and am just about to add it to this post). It could be a good idea if you’d rather get off the road for a while, as it leaves from close to Te Anau (much closer than Queenstown and the boat ride is better in my opinion). Let me know if you need any more tips, and how the trip goes if you remember. Cheers!
Hi Jon. Fantastic post (most inspiring one I’ve found on 2-week itineraries in New Zealand), and amazing photos – thank you!
My wife, 2-year old daughter, and I will be spending two weeks in New Zealand next May (our first time), and your suggestions have provided so many good ideas.
We are trying to chose between hiring a car and hiring a motor-home (decent sized) for our road trip. Putting cost differentials aside, one question we are having trouble getting clarity on is whether many of the locations and sights recommended in your post (and others) are easily accessible when driving a large motor-home? Our fear is that we end up hiring this large vehicle for two weeks, but then struggle to get access to many of the places we want to visit. Your thoughts would be most appreciated. 🙂
Hey Nick, thanks for the kind words! Most of the things mentioned here can be accessed with a motor-home so I wouldn’t worry too much about that. Of course, if you’re not experienced driving them you might not want to drive on some of the narrow, winding roads, but you’ll get a feel for it I’m sure. At the very least the roads to places like Queenstown, Wanaka, Mount Cook, Dunedin etc are easy enough and you could easily fill up two weeks just by driving to “main-road” kinda places. I hope that helped, enjoy the trip and let me know how it goes!
Hi Jon
Going to newzealnd with my parents who turned 60 this year. They can do small walks up to 1 horu per day. Can you suggest how to fill in missing spots
Arrivve Dec 24 11.30PM Aucland
Dec 25
Dec 26
Dec 27
Leave Auckland Dec 28, 9am to christchurch, drive to takepao
night at lake tekapo
Dec 29 some mt cok and ant night Quenstown
Dec 30 and 31 Te anau
Jan 1 Queenstown
Jan 2 Wanaka?
Jan 3 and Jan 4 fran joseph, with helicpoter ride to glacier on Jan 4th afternoon
Jan 5th ?
Jan 6th Chrsitchurch
Jan 7th morning 7am fly out of christchurch to hom
Hey Sandeep, you’ll be doing a lot of driving but there is a lot to see along the way! The first few days you could spend either in Northland (maybe Bay of Islands), Coromandel or around Rotorua /Hobbiton / Waitomo area. As for the 5th, you could stay in either Hokitika or Punakaiki or maybe around Arthurs Pass. You’ll pass by Castle Hill which is a cool place to see. Or you could go to Christchurch earlier and do a day trip to Akaroa. So many options. Let me know how it goes!
Hi Jon!
No advice needed- just a thank you for such a detailed, informative blog! Super helpful and inspiring. Looking forward to visiting your beautiful country soon!
Thanks Holly, hopefully you can visit NZ soon!
Hi Jon ! Your itinerary is helpful. I am planning a 2 weeks New Zealand trip late November .Is it right time to see wild flower season ? I’d like to do self drive start from Christchurch and end at Auckland . I searched on website lately to find out ferry not taking hire vehicle. So I have to do 2 rental ( one in South Island and another in North Island ) . Do you have any sugesstion ? Thank for your help and wish you well .
Hey Tien, late November is good for lupins I think (it’s around late November til early January). It’s a great time to travel around! As for the car, I haven’t heard ferries not taking rental cars, not sure why that’d be the case, but it should be easy enough to hire one on each island. Good luck with the trip, let me know how it goes!
We are a group of 8, planning to travel to NZ in December 2022. Two in our group lived the Lord of the Rings. They are not interested in any of movie sets, filming, etc. The two girls want to do some hiking and exploring of ?caves featured in the films. We want to experience the north and south islands. My husband and I are retired, but the rest of our group are in their 20s. They don’t care for museums and we’re not interested in the usual opportunities to buy goods following a stop to see local craft makers. We’re quite undecided on whether we should go with a tour group (probably too structured for us) or drive ourselves and coordinate Viator daily or two-day adventures. We welcome your input.
Hey Renee, sorry for the late reply! It’s tough to plan trips for that many people, especially if you want to do different things. You’re right about the group tour, probably too structured for a group like yours. I’d rent a van, or maybe even look into getting a driver. I guess if you had that, you could coordinatemthings a little easier as the driver would be able to drop people off / pick them up from different places etc. I might be doing these sort of tours by that point (had planned to do it in 2020!), so let me know if you want to discuss what that could look like. Good luck with the planning!
Hey Jon, love your informative and impressive itinerary blog. We have 2 of us (young couple who never go oversea for such a long period), with WHV for 12 months time, starting from next Monday, no idea what would be the best route for us to minimise the cost and maximise our time.
After reading your blog posts, I can tell that you love NZ very much.
Hope to receive some of your input or guidance! Thank you.
That’s exciting! Are you coming to New Zealand for the whole time or just part of your trip? In New Zealand definitely focus on the South Island — if you have lots of time you could stay a month or two in somewhere like Wanaka or Queenstown or Dunedin, and travel around a lot from there. So many options. Enjoy your travels!
HI Jon,
This is Pavani.
Very interested and inspired now after reading your blog about NZ.
Want to visit from USA – Southwest – Houston, TX in December for a 2-week trip.
How difficult and/or tiring is the drive across the country?
Any approximate cost in $$ for the entire rental for 2 weeks?
Any approximate cost per person from USA for December period for me to get an idea?
Do USA citizens need visa to visit NZ?
Following one of the tourists’ itineraries below, do you recommend flying in & out of Auckland?
(Unless we get a better deal to fly-in to Auckland and fly-out of Queenstown)
12/18 – Auckland
* Straight to Waitomo
* Glow worm caves
* Waterfall
* Drive to Taupo- stay (2 nights)
12/19 – Auckland
* Tongariro Alpine Crossing hike
12/20 – Rotorua
* Drive to Rotorua
* Rotorua
* Waiotapu geothermal park
* Hells gate geothermal park
* Hells gate Spa
* (1 night) in Rotorua
12/21 – Christchurch
* Matamata Hobbiton tour
* Fly to Christchurch from ROT or AKL
* Check out Christchurch
* Stay (1 night) in Christchurch
12/22 – Tekapo
* Rakaia Gorge hike
* Mount Sunday hike
* Stay (3 nights) Lake Tekapo
* Eat pie at Farlie bakehouse
* Stay (2 nights) in Tekapo
12/23 – Tekapo
* Lake Tekapo
* Church of the Good Shepard
* Mt John observatory
* Tekapo springs spa
12/24 – Dunedin
* Mount Cook national Park hiking
* Hooker valley (3 hrs)
* Tasman glacier (1-2 hrs)
* Stay in Dunedin (2 nights)
12/25 – Dunedin
* Drive to Dunedin
* Benmore peninsula hike
* Elephant rocks
* Moeraki Boulders
12/26
* Check out Dunedin, hikes, wildlife
12/27 Wanaka — Can I skip this and head directly to Queenstown to get an additional day there?
* Wanaka
** Stay in Wanaka (1 night)
12/28 – Queenstown
* Drive to Queenstown (Stay 2 nights)
12/29 Wednesday
* Mirror lakes
* Milford sound
* Do Milford sound cruise maybe
* Kayaking maybe
12/30 Thursday – will this give me enough time to fly from Queenstown back to Auckland to catch the flight back home to USA or will it be too tiring?
* Fly to Auckland
* Fly to USA-Home
Or should we extend 1-2 days to be more comfortable to reach back home after January 1st to avoid crazy expensive flights?
I am also a vegetarian can do fish occasionally. Would it be difficult to get around the country being an vegetarian? would love to explore local cuisines though!
Thanks a Bunch
Pavani
Hey Pavani, that itinerary looks pretty good, a bit rushed for some but if that’s your style then it should be a good trip. If you can I’d add another day or two to Queenstown — there’s heaps to do there and it’s one of the best places to relax for a day or two and eat some good food etc. Wanaka is great too but you can do it as a day trip from Queenstown easily. You could also add another day to Christchurch / Mount Cook region and you might not be able to do much the days of your flights depending on the times.
For food, you’ll find vegetarian food in most places, but most of our “local” dishes include meat and seafood. Lots of good local seafood to try if you’re into that. For the visa — read this https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/preparing-a-visa-application/your-journey-to-new-zealand/before-you-travel-to-new-zealand/details-page/visa/nzeta.
Have an awesome trip, let me know if you need any more tips!
Ok I will be I New Zealand from march 15 till 30 flight home I will try to squeeze the north and Monroe time in the south can you please be advised on that very hard because the time of driving and all hiking and activities
Hey Tiki yeah it’s tough to plan, in general though if you’re into hiking and mountains etc spend a good amount of time in Queenstown, Wanaka and Fiordland. You could fly in and out of Queenstown and spend a week or so and see lots — most things are pretty close too so not much driving (except Fiordland). You could also fly into Christchurch, see Mount Cook etc then Queenstown, Wanaka and Fiordland. Enjoy the trip!
I have only 13 days and I would like to see i little of the north more on the south flight in Auckland and flying out Auckland do you have any idea