National Itinerary

There’s an unparalleled array of exciting activities and spectacular scenery in New Zealand. Here’s a suggested itinerary to help you explore much of what the country has to offer.

Start: Auckland
Finish: Christchurch
Minimum Length: 24 days
Distance: 4,948 km

Day 1 Auckland – Paihia, Bay of Islands [236 km; 4 hr]

Drive north along the eastern leg of the Twin Coast Discovery Highway, stopping for lunch in Whangarei on the way to Paihia. Spend the rest of the day enjoying one of many water activities or visiting the historic Waitangi Treaty Grounds.

Day 2 Paihia, Bay of Islands – Kaitaia [107 km; 2 hr, 15 min]

Drive north to the charming village of Kerikeri and explore the shops and historic sites. Continue to Kaitaia, gateway to Ninety Mile Beach and Cape Reinga, and join a 4WD expedition to the remote northern tip of New Zealand.

Day 3 Kaitaia – Hokianga – Auckland [343 km; 4 hr, 51 min]

From Kaitaia, drive south along the western leg of the Twin Coast Discovery Highway to Omapere and Opononi on the tranquil Hokianga Harbour [87 km; 1 hr, 12 min]. Continue on to Dargaville, stopping at the Waipoua Forest to see Kauri trees [89 km; 1 hr, 17 min]. From Dargaville, drive south to Auckland [167 km; 2 hr, 22 min].

Day 4 Auckland – Waitomo Caves – Hamilton [274 km; 3 hr, 57 min]

Journey south to Ngaruawahia, taking the bypass to the ‘Kiwiana town’ of Otorohanga. Continue on to Waitomo Caves [200 km; 3 hr, 10 min]. Enjoy an afternoon of underground adventure in the caves before driving north to Hamilton [74 km; 1 hr, 15 min].

Day 5 Hamilton – Whitianga [181 km; 2 hr, 35 min]

After breakfast in Hamilton, drive through the Waikato countryside to the Coromandel Peninsula, taking the beautiful Thames Coast Road to Coromandel Town and beyond to the beach resort of Whitianga.

Day 6 Whitianga – Tauranga [170 km; 2 hr, 28 min]

Drive south along picturesque winding roads to Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty. Spend the rest of the day enjoying some of the many land and water activities on offer and finish with dinner in a harbourside restaurant.

Day 7 Tauranga – Rotorua [86 km; 1 hr, 30 min]

From Tauranga, enjoy a short drive south to Rotorua and spend the remainder of the day experiencing the geothermal and cultural attractions that make this town so popular with visitors.

Day 8 Rotorua – Taupo [80 km; 1 hr, 5 min]

After a leisurely start, continue south to the lakeside resort of Taupo and enjoy an exciting day of activities on and around the lake. Visitors may choose to visit the Ruapehu region for an afternoon of adrenaline-pumping outdoor adventure.

Day 9 Taupo – Napier [143 km; 2 hr, 30 min]

Drive the picturesque Napier-Taupo road to Napier on the east coast and admire the remarkable Art Deco architecture before sampling the region’s famous wines over a vineyard lunch. Spend the afternoon exploring the shops or join a tour of the area.

Day 10 Napier – Palmerston North [178 km; 2 hr, 40 min]

Pass through country towns as you cross southern Hawke’s Bay and drive through the Manawatu Gorge to the university town of Palmerston North.

Day 11 Palmerston North – Wellington [145 km; 2 hr, 10 min]

Drive south to the Kapiti Coast, stopping to explore vibrant towns along the way. Spend the afternoon enjoying Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city.

Day 12 Wellington – Blenheim [98 km; 3 hr, 44 min – including 3 hr, 20 min ferry sailing]

Today, catch the ferry from Wellington to Picton. Stop to enjoy this charming town in the Marlborough Sounds before continuing on through the vineyards to Blenheim.

Day 13 Blenheim – Nelson [116 km; 1 hr, 45 min]

After breakfast in Blenheim, drive through to Nelson and explore its art galleries and the beautiful surrounding countryside.

Day 14 Nelson – Greymouth [290 km; 4 hr, 35 min]

Drive south along the West Coast, enjoying a remarkably scenic road trip past untamed beaches and stunning rainforest on the way to Greymouth.

Day 15 Greymouth – Franz Josef [177 km; 2 hr, 20 min]

Continue along the coastline, stopping to explore charming West Coast towns on the way to Franz Josef. Spend the rest of the day experiencing a thrilling glacier walk or helicopter landing.

Day 16 Franz Josef – Wanaka [287 km; 5 hr, 55 min]

From Franz Josef, drive south to the remote town of Haast and turn inland, through the rugged Haast Pass, to the welcoming lakeside resort of Wanaka.

Day 17 Wanaka – Queenstown [117 km; 1 hr, 50 min]

Enjoy a lakeside stroll before making the easy drive south to Queenstown. Spend the rest of the day selecting from a wide range of amazing adventure activities and finish with dinner in a local restaurant.

Day 18 Queenstown – Milford Sound [291 km; 5 hr, 5 min]

Drive around the shores of Lake Wakatipu to Te Anau [170 km; 2 hr, 45 min]. Stop for refreshments in this picturesque setting before continuing to Milford Sound [121 km; 2 hr, 20 min] to enjoy the region’s remarkable wilderness.

Day 19 Milford Sound – Te Anau – Invercargill [273 km; 4 hr, 45 min]

Return to Te Anau [121 km; 2 hr, 20 min] and continue south to enjoy a warm southern welcome in Invercargill [152 km; 2 hr, 25 min], our most southern city.

Day 20 Invercargill – Dunedin [217 km; 3 hr, 10 min]

Drive through the rolling hills of Southland to Dunedin and spend the rest of the day enjoying historic architecture and sampling unforgettable wildlife experiences.

Day 21 Dunedin – Oamaru – Mt Cook [331 km; 4 hr, 44 min]

North of Dunedin, stop to see the strange Moeraki Boulders on the way to the historic coastal town of Oamaru [115 km; 1 hr, 40 min]. Drive inland up the Waitaki Valley to Mt Cook in the Mackenzie Country [216 km; 3 hr, 55 min].

Day 22 Mt Cook – Methven [275 km; 4 hr]

Take a scenic flight over Mt Cook then drive past stunning lake and mountain scenery in the Mackenzie Country to Methven.

Day 23 Methven – Hanmer Springs [209 km; 3 hr, 24 min]

Drive north from Methven, bypassing Christchurch as you cross the magnificent Canterbury Plains. In Hanmer Springs, enjoy one of the area’s many adventure activities or go for a relaxing soak in the hot pool complex.

Day 24 Hanmer Springs – Kaikoura – Christchurch [317 km; 4 hr, 43 min]

The final day begins with a drive to Kaikoura [134 km; 1 hr, 57 min] to experience whale watching or other outdoor activities. Drive south via the wine region of Waipara and finish in Christchurch City [183 km; 2 hr, 46 min].

Road Trips

Sandwiched between rugged mountains and pounding surf, the 50-kilometre road from Haast to the remote fishing village of Jacksons Bay on the South Island’s West Coast was rated one of the world’s top ten road trips by Lonely Planet’s Blue List. Other particularly memorable roads include State Highway 43 – the Forgotten World Highway – from Stratford in Taranaki to Taumarunui in the central North Island and the Kaikoura Coast road. The Haast Pass from Wanaka to the West Coast took 30 years to carve out of solid rock and Milford Road, from Te Anau to Milford Sound, is another feat of engineering – the only road to one of New Zealand’s most popular visitor destinations is also one of its highest altitude highways (the highest part is 940 metres above sea level).