A two week South Island road trip itinerary

Jan 13

If you plan on spending 14 daysin the South Island, you can cover a lot — but you’ll have to be okay with skipping some things too. There are obviously many ways you can spend your time, so this two week itinerary is just a suggestion. I’ve tried to give alternatives where I can.

a scenic flight looking down at milford sound in the south island of new zealand

There are limitless ways to spend two weeks in the South Island.

If you want to get off the beaten track, head to the Catlins. For hiking, Mount Aspiring National Park. If you prefer to get away from crowds, you could give Aoraki/Mount Cook and Milford Sound a miss (both are very popular) and spend more time on the West Coast, which is a treasure trove of a region.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with where to start, though, this two week South Island itinerary connects the main highlights of Te Waipounamu — whales, golden beaches, glaciers, and high mountains.

It starts in Christchurch and ends in Queenstown, covering some of the main attractions along the way.

How to spend 14 days in the South Island

Day 1: Start in Christchurch
Day 2-3: Kaikoura
Day 4: Marlborough
Day 5-6: Marahau and Abel Tasman National Park
Day 7: Punakaiki
Day 6: Hokitika
Day 7-8: Franz Josef
Day 9: Wanaka
Day 10: Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
Day 11-12: Queenstown
Day 13: Milford Sound day trip
Day 14: Queenstown

A heads up that this itinerary contains affiliate links to products I trust. I may make a small commission if you book through these links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support.

The two week itinerary

Here’s a day by day breakdown of this 14 day itinerary, including my recommendations for where to eat, sleep, and get outside.

Day 1: Start in Christchurch

WHY GO: Christchurch is the biggest city in the South Island, and makes a logical place to start your trip (although you could equally do this in reverse, starting in Queenstown!).

HOW MUCH TIME TO SPEND IN CHRISTCHURCH: Honestly, you could skip straight through and make your way to Kaikoura without spending a night in Christchurch.

But, it is a nice town — one night here is enough to explore a little. And if you want to take the TranzAlpine train as a day trip, you would need two nights.

Christchurch is a lovely little city with plenty to explore, but don’t expect a lot of nightlife here.

Take the tram around the central city
Explore pretty little New Regent Street and eat at Rollickin Gelato
Stroll along the Avon River, maybe go for a punt ride
Visit the historic Cuningham House glasshouse in the Botanic Gardens
Enjoy a very scenic sauna at the New Brighton Hot Pools
Visit Quake City Museum
Go to Lyttleton for coffee and walks in the Port Hills

WHERE TO EAT IN CHRISTCHURCH

Twenty Seven Steps — an awesome restaurant
Rollickin’ Gelato — make a late night dessert stop here
Grizzly Baked Goods — pick up road trip snacks, or just coffee and pastries for your morning stroll

WHERE TO STAY IN CHRISTCHURCH

Novotel Christchurch Cathedral Square is right in the middle of town, on the edge of Cathedral Square. I’ve stayed here before and loved being so central.

The only thing to note is parking is a nightmare in the middle of the city. I picked up my rental car after leaving this hotel, so I didn’t have to manage parking, but it did mean going back out to the airport.

Last time I was in Christchurch, I stayed at The Bealey Quarter which was perfectly fine — nothing fancy but everything I needed. I also really liked that I could park for free here and walk into the centre, which was around 15 minutes.

FEATURED HOTEL

The Observatory Hotel
A uniquely designed boutique stay in the Christchurch Arts Centre.

See more

Day 2-3: Kaikoura

WHY GO: Kaikoura is a stunning seaside town caught between the mountains and the sea, visually beautiful and famous for the abundant sealife here — you can spot dolphins from the side of the road.

If you want to see marine life on your South Island road trip, this is one of the most reliable places to do that.

HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED IN KAIKOURA: Two nights at a minimum is ideal if you’re planning on doing a whale watching trip. Otherwise, you could stop for one night and just do the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway.

I love Kaikoura, and I’m always trying to steer people here.

Walk the Kaikoura Coastal Walkway and spot seals and seabirds
Go whale watching — either on a boat or from the air
Hike to the summit of Mt Fyffe for epic views of the coastline

WHERE TO EAT IN KAIKOURA

Enjoy classic crayfish — an essential New Zealand food — from the roadside stall Nin’s Bin.

Day 4: Explore the Marlborough region

It takes around two hours to drive from Kaikoura up the coast to Picton. On the way, I recommend stopping at The Store, which is a beautiful seaside cafe and campground (I also recommend spending a night here if you’re in a campervan).

For me, the Marlborough region is one of New Zealand’s more underrated regions.

Marlborough is famous for two things — sauvignon blanc wine, and the gorgeous Marlborough Sounds.

If you’re more interested in wine, base yourself in Blenheim to explore the vineyards.

If you would prefer to discover the drowned river valleys of the sounds, continue on to Picton. From here, you can catch a watertaxi deeper into the Marlborough Sounds, and hike sections of the stunning Queen Charlotte Track (if you have more time, it takes 3-4 days to walk the whole thing).

I personally love the scenery in the sounds. It can take a long time to explore the whole area, as the roads are particularly winding and narrow, but you can still get some great views from Picton.

WHERE TO STAY IN THE MARLBOROUGH REGION

Blenheim | The main town in the Marlborough region is Blenheim, which is a fairly boring town but a convenient base for exploring the surrounding vineyards.

Campervan | If you’re camping, I highly recommend the Pelorus Bridge campground. Even if you’re not camping, you should stop here for the short walks and a swim in the glorious river.

Picton | Picton is another option for staying overnight.

Day 5-6: Marahau and Abel Tasman National Park

Abel Tasman National Park is a truly stunning spot at the top of the South Island.

It’s ideal for kayaking, hiking, and swimming, with golden beaches strung out along the coastline. You can walk sections of the Abel Tasman Coast Track as day walks, or rent kayaks to explore parts of the coast, with water taxis helping you link up these different adventures.

On a Thursday night, the Park Cafe hosts an open mic night. It’s wholesome local fun.
If you drive past Riwaka and have a spare 30 minutes, head in to see the Riwaka Resurgence. It’s a magical spring welling up straight from the earth. The water is ice cold, so you can go for a cold plunge — I did this with friends after a 3 day kayaking and hiking trip in Abel Tasman and it felt amazing for our tired muscles.

WHERE TO STAY NEAR ABEL TASMAN NATIONAL PARK

Kaiteriteri is a resort-like town right on a stunning golden sand beach. It truly is a beautiful location, but it’s pretty busy and quite developed by the waterfront, so doesn’t have the remote nature feel I often look for.

Marahau is much smaller but right at the start of the park. I prefer the laid back vibe of Marahau.

Campervan or dorm room | I really enjoyed staying at The Barn Cabins and Camping in Marahau. It’s a cool spot with good facilities, even if it is on the pricier side for camping. I stayed in a dorm room as it cost about the same amount and I had a bed.

Day 7: Head down to the West Coast and Punakaiki

The West Coast of the South Island is one of my favourite parts of the whole country.

It’s wild and beautiful, and Punakaiki is a perfect little microcosm of what makes the region special.

Right on the edge of Paparoa National Park, there are short walks in the area which give you a taste of the dense rainforest that lines the coast. Then there’s the beach itself.

The section of road just north and south of Punakaiki is possibly the most scenic bit of highway in New Zealand.

One night in Punakaiki is enough to explore the walks in the area. As well as the blowholes walk, I love the Porari River Trail, and a little further north the Ballroom Overhang track by Fox River.

Day 6: Hokitika

Hokitika Gorge is a stunning stop about 30 minutes driving from Hokitika town.

It’s hard to believe how blue the water is. The walk around Hokitika Gorge is short (around 45 minutes) and easy for all abilities. (It’s not worth going after heavy rain, as the blue water will be muddy and brown).

Day 7-8: Franz Josef and the glacier country

Further down the West Coast is Franz Josef, which is a major highlight of the West Coast.

Franz Josef glacier used to stretch almost to the small town of the same name, nearly reaching the sea. These days, it’s a shadow of what it used to be, but impressive nonetheless.

You can see the glacier from several different viewpoints:

Alex Knob — this is my favourite of the walks in the area.
Roberts Point track — this walk is a bit more rugged than Alex Knob, and the viewpoint is lower down, but it’s closer to the glacier. You’re looking at it head on from the viewing platform, which is pretty special.

Stay: The Orange Sheep Campervan Park is great for campervans. Otherwise, Rainforest Retreat suits a range of budgets.

Day 9: Wanaka

Franz Josef to Wanaka is around four hours driving.

I love stopping at Ship’s Creek, where you can go on a nice walk along the dunes and climb a viewing tower to look out to sea.

Fantail Falls is another beautiful stop deep in Haast Pass, just be aware that the carpark there is tiny and often full to the brim (it can be easier to park on the side of the road before you reach the carpark).

The Blue Pools is another very scenic spot. The short walk through the beech forest here feels magical, and the pools themselves are incredibly blue and freezing cold.

In Wanaka, you can spend the afternoon strolling along the lakefront and enjoying the scenery.

Eat: Big Fig is a decent lunch spot

Day 10: Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park

Visiting Aoraki/Mount Cook does mean backtracking on yourself a little, but it’s worth the trip.

The national park is incredibly beautiful, but it is busy. Be prepared for crowds of people, many more than you will have seen in the other locations on this trip so far.

WHERE TO STAY IN/NEAR MT COOK NATIONAL PARK

Booking accommodation in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park can be challenging, especially over the peak summer season.

Day 11-12: Queenstown

It takes around 3.5 hours to drive from Aoraki Mount Cook to Queenstown.

Heading through Wanaka, you can take either the Crown Range route through the hills, or the road through the Gibbston Valley region.

WHERE TO EAT

Queenstown has an impressive array of restaurants for a relatively small town. Check out Margo’s or Blue Kanu for something more laid back, or try a tasting menu at Amisfield for the ultimate culinary experience.

Aosta in Arrowtown is also well worth checking out.

WHERE TO STAY IN QUEENSTOWN

Campervan | Driftaway Queenstown is a premium holiday park in Frankton, so it’s the closest you’ll get to the centre of town in a campervan. Cheaper alternatives are the Twelve Mile Delta or Moke Lake DOC campsites.

Day 13: Milford Sound day trip

Milford Sound is a long day trip — at least four hours of travel each way if you go by bus.

A flight can save you a lot of time travelling, and give you spectacular views from the air.

I am including Milford Sound as it is one of the top sights in New Zealand, but I would also say that you could comfortably skip it. It’s a long day, and while the fjord is beautiful, it’s also a busy attraction.

MILFORD SOUND TOURS

Take a day tour if you don’t want to drive on the long and winding road in to Milford. I recommend this small group option as they sail with Cruise Milford, which is the only family operated cruise boat in Milford Sound.
If you’re short on time, or just don’t fancy spending 8 hours on a bus, you can coach in and fly back, or vice versa. This way you can still see the stunning Fiordland scenery along Milford road, but save yourself some hours in the bus.
There is also the option of flying both ways.

ITINERARY NOTES

You could also spend a night in Milford Sound, at the Milford Sound Lodge (they have campervan options if you’re on a budget).

This would mean a long drive there and back, but staying in the sound is a pretty unique experience.

You could then use your drive back to Queenstown to tackle some of the longer hikes along the Milford Road, like Gertrude Saddle, Key Summit, or Lake Marian, instead of spending that day in Glenorchy.