A South Island road trip guide (a 14 day itinerary)
If you plan on spending two whole weeks in 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.
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.
Alternative 14 day itinerary around the South Island
If you would prefer to spend more time around Queenstown, see Lake Tekapo, and end up in Christchurch (which can be handy if you’re hiring a campervan or motorhome), you might want to check out this alternative two week South Island itinerary.
I’ve put this one together in a PDF — just drop your email into the form and it will be sent to you.
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
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!).
If you’re planning on renting a campervan, many companies only offer pick up/drop off in Christchurch — only a handful have depots in Queenstown. (You won’t have this issue in a rental car).
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
Something special | The Observatory Hotel is absolutely stunning, and a top choice if you want to splurge.
Mid range | 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.
Budget | 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.
Day 2-3: Kaikoura
I love Kaikoura, and I’m always trying to steer people here.
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.
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
Photo by Bare Kiwi
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. Along the way, you can stop off at the Omarama Clay Cliffs for a walk.
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
Something special |
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.
Day 14: Depart Queenstown
Queenstown airport has flights back to Auckland.
Thanks for reading this far! I hope this itinerary helped you plan your South Island trip. If you liked my recommendations, you might also enjoy these posts:
AUTHOR BIO
I’m a freelance travel writer from New Zealand with bylines in National Geographic Travel, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and more.
I’ve travelled up and down beautiful Aotearoa and I love sharing my recommendations for the best places to visit in New Zealand.
This post was about:
