Your Ultimate 3-Week New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary
New Zealand was our first stop on a three-and-a-half-month journey, and we can’t remember a more exciting feeling than touching down in Auckland on a bright February morning — dazed, jet-lagged and knowing we had months of adventure ahead of us.
New Zealand holds a special place in our hearts for the many firsts we experienced there. Our first time traveling for longer than a couple weeks. Our first time driving in another country. Our first time hang-gliding, hiking nearly every day, and constantly encountering landscapes that made us gasp from their sheer beauty.
It’s one of the most naturally stunning countries we’ve visited so far, and we’ve captured our top recommendations in this travel guide to help you plan your perfect trip.
To get you started...
When we went: We visited New Zealand in late February to early March, which is late summer transitioning into fall. We got extremely lucky with sunshine nearly the entire time and highs in the mid 70s (Fahrenheit), while summer crowds were also starting to die down.
What we listened to: Escaping Winter playlist here.
Costs: Since New Zealand was one of the pricier places we visited on our extended trip, we researched heavily into the best ways to keep costs down. We found Airbnb and rental cars to be the most cost-effective option for two people. We also packed lunches and opted for Airbnbs or campsites with kitchens to cook our own meals when possible.
Use the table of contents below to jump around and explore our favorite parts of New Zealand!
GETTING THERE & AROUND
With flexibility to choose our travel date, we found a one-way flight for $380 per person on Hawaiian Air from San Francisco to Auckland.
Within New Zealand, driving is by far the best way to get around and see all the sights. We researched extensively to find the most affordable option between the ever-popular camper van or a rental car with separate accommodations. In the end, we found that the low cost rental car options in New Zealand, paired with the fact that we were sharing expenses between two people, made rental cars andAirbnbs far more economical than paying for a pricey camper van, fuel, and campsites.
We made a one-week circle on the North Island, beginning and ending in Auckland, and a two-week circle on the South Island, beginning and ending in Christchurch.
DAY BY DAY ITINERARY
North Island
Day 1: Arrived in Auckland at 7am and spent the entire day exploring the city on foot and on bikes. Highlights included:
Walking down to the CBD and visiting the top of the Sky Tower for panoramic views of the city
Lunch at Mamak Malaysian Restaurant in the CBD
Riding bikes from our Airbnb down to Pt. Chevalier beach…and really realizing for the first time that we had transported ourselves from winter back home to summer down there.
Day 2: Ferried to Waiheke Island and spent the day on lush vineyards and beaches. One of our favorite days of our entire trip! Our guide on where to go on Waiheke Island here.
Waiheke Island
Day 3: Drove up to Kerikeri (4 hrs). Did the Rainbow Falls hike on arrival and got a bit lost, turning it into a 7 mile hike. Made dinner at our beautiful Airbnb.
Gorgeous view from our Airbnb in Kerikeri.
Day 4: Day trip to Paihia and took the ferry to Russell. Hiked to Russell’s scenic overlook and saw the historic church. Stopped at Haruru Falls on the way back.
Day 5: Drove from Kerikeri down to Taupo (7 hrs). Grabbed food and beers by the lake and booked our Tongariro trek for the following day.
Day 6: Tongariro Alpine Crossing (aka Mt. Doom) hike, starting at 6am. Got back to Taupo around 3:30 and grabbed burgers. Checked out Huka Falls just outside of town that evening. Totally exhausted from the long hike! Five things to know before you hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing here.
Crystal blue Alpine Lake on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.
Day 7: Day trip from Taupo. Stopped at Craters of the Moon geothermal area, then went to Hobbiton movie set — Ray’s dream come true! Find out if Hobbiton is worth a visit (from both Ray and Sam’s perspectives) here.
Enjoying hobbit-brewed beer at the Green Dragon Inn.
Day 8: Stopped in Rotorua, the living Maori village, on the drive back to Auckland (3 hrs). Flew to Christchurch that evening.
Carving at one of the magnificent meeting halls in the Maori village of Rotorua.
South Island
Day 9: Walked around Christchurch all day and fell in love with it. Botanic Gardens, Sunday music in the park, trendy food court, breweries, and shops that have popped up in buildings ruined by the earthquakes. Read more about why we could literally live in Christchurch!
Day 10: Drove from Christchurch to Lake Tekapo (3 hrs). Gasped when we came over a hill and saw the bright blue color of the lake. Decided to rally that day and hiked the Hooker Valley Track to Hooker Lake with a beautiful view of Mt. Cook.
The striking blue waters of Lake Pukaki on the way to the Hooker Valley Track.
Day 11: Super happy we did the Hooker Valley Track the previous day, because it rained all day! Spent some time at the Tekapo Springs hot springs adjacent to the campsite, but then spent the rest of the day in our glamping tent reading and watching Netflix downloads. The skies finally cleared up by early evening and we grabbed some groceries to grill at the campsite.
Day 12: Drove from Lake Tekapo to Manapouri (5 hrs). Stopped at Mt. John University Observatory on the way out of town for one last beautiful view over Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki.
Mt. John University Observatory view of Lake Tekapo.
Day 13: Drove up to Milford Sound for our 1:30pm tour. One of the most beautiful drives and boat rides, and we lucked out with a cloudless day and full visibility on the sound.
The drive to Milford Sound. Almost as striking as the sound itself!
Day 14: Drove from Manapouri to Queenstown (2.5 hrs) and were amazed by the beauty (and crowds!) of Queenstown. Made lunch and picnicked at Bob’s Cove, then made the gorgeous drive to the adjacent town of Glenorchy. Breathtaking mountain, water, and valley views everywhere we looked.
The iconic shed in Glenorchy.
Day 15: Went hang gliding that morning! In the afternoon, drove up to the The Remarkables ski area along a highly sketchy mountain road, and hiked from the ski area to Lake Alta. Some of the most beautiful views of Queenstown we saw were on the drive back down. Explored the adjacent town of Arrowtown on the way back.
Is this view unreal or what?
Day 16: Did the Ben Lomond hike in Queenstown, and boy was it a beast but so rewarding when you get to the top and have a full view over the city and surrounding mountains. So tired and sore that night!
One side of the view from atop the Ben Lomond hike.
Day 17: Drove from Queenstown to Franz Josef (4.5 hrs) and stopped at some scenic sights along the way, such as Lake Wanaka. Checked into the YHA hostel in town and hiked to Franz Josef Glacier. The mountains above it were obscured by clouds, but we got a pretty good view of the glacier itself.
Franz Josef Glacier
Day 18: A cloudy and drizzly day. We drove to Lake Matheson and did the hike around it, but due to the clouds, we couldn’t see the famous reflection of the mountains in the lake. Spent most of the day doing research and booking upcoming travel.
Day 19: Drove back up to Christchurch (5 hrs) through the beautiful Arthur’s Pass. Stopped at our favorite restaurant and beer garden in Christchurch before heading to the airport.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Airbnbs and campsites (read: glampsites) won the day for us in New Zealand. With a couple exceptions, we stayed in private rooms within other people’s homes in almost every city. We love having reasonable privacy, while also being able to chat with our hosts about their local recommendations.
One of our favorite Airbnbs we’ve ever stayed at was in Kerikeri, on the northern part of the North Island. We had the full bottom floor of the house to ourselves with a gorgeous view, swimming pool, kitchen, and tons of cute pets (a dog, a cat, and chickens…or as Kiwis call them, chooks!). Book it here and use this link for $40 off your first Airbnb stay.
We also stayed in a couple different campsites we’d recommend on the South Island.
Lake Tekapo Motels & Holiday Park
2 Lakeside Drive, Lake Tekapo, South Canterbury, NZ | Website
If you’re visiting Lake Tekapo, which we highly recommend, Lake Tekapo Motels & Holiday Park is the best game in town. They offer a variety of different accommodation options to suit families, couples, groups, and solo travelers alike, including tent sites, glamping tents, cabins and motel rooms. We opted for a glamping tent which ended up being the perfect place to spend the day when we got rained in on our second day in the area.
Possum Lodge Motels & Holiday Park
13 Murrell Ave, Lake Manapouri 9679, NZ | Website
As our base for exploring Milford Sound (another must), we chose to stay in Manapouri rather than the slightly closer town of Te Anau for more cost-effective accommodations. Possum Lodge also offers different options including camper van sites, tent sites, and cabins. As we were traveling without our own tent, we rented a cabin and found it the perfect spot for exploring the area.
FOOD & DRINKS
While New Zealand has farm fresh meat and veggies along with some outstanding Asian cuisine, the country isn’t exactly known for a unique food scene and dining there can be a bit pricey. For these reasons, we didn’t prioritize dining out and opted for cooking and packing lunches when we could. When we did dine out, we found a few food and drink gems.
Best Indian Restaurant Taupo (aka “Master of India”)
47 Ruapehu St, Taupo 3330, NZ | Website
The Indian and Asian food in New Zealand was always a pleasant surprise. It was more affordable than your typical burger there, and we found it quite authentic. This Indian restaurant in Lake Taupo was one of our faves. Great portions and delicious flavor.
Little High
255 St Asaph St, Christchurch Central, Christchurch 8011, NZ | Website
Our favorite dining, drinking, and general city vibes in New Zealand were found in Christchurch. Little High features eight local and family-run restaurants in one modern space with shared seating, and we loved it so much we went twice. Everything was delicious, but one of our favorites was the handmade dumpling sampler platter from Eightgrains.
Dumpling sampler platter at Little High.
Smash Palace
172 High St, Central City, Christchurch 8011, NZ | Website
By the name alone, we could tell this place was right up our alley. It kept catching our eye as we explored Christchurch’s streets because it looks something like a German-style biergarten mixed with a Budapest-style ruin bar. With tons of outdoor seating, trendy people-watching, and killer playlists, Smash Palace was our favorite place to grab a beer in all of New Zealand.
The Fork and Tap
51 Buckingham St, Arrowtown 9302, NZ | Website
Queenstown is incredibly touristy, so we found it tricky to find good yet affordable dining options that weren’t packed to the brim. Though still crowded, adjacent Arrowtown was somewhat of an oasis where restaurant choices were concerned. We stopped at The Fork and Tap after a long day of hiking and were pleased to find what looked like a converted house with a fun backyard full of outdoor seating. Great spot for some quality burgers, pizzas, and pints.
EXPERIENCES
Waiheke Island Wine Tasting Day (from Auckland)
Waiheke Island is an absolute treasure. A quick ferry trip from Auckland, this island is packed with vineyards where you can sip the day away while lounging on scenic hillsides and beautiful beaches. For the wine-lover, we can’t recommend this day trip enough. Our favorite vineyards we tried were: Stonyridge (for the amazing view), Te Motu (free tasting when you purchase a bottle), and Mudbrick (a perfect last stop for sunset views as the day comes to a close). We also walked from Te Motu to the beach and enjoyed a perfect dip in the ocean before moving along to more wineries. We took the Fullers Ferry from Auckland to Waiheke and back, and there are shuttles on the island that take you from vineyard to vineyard all day long before you ferry back and get a gorgeous view of the Auckland skyline at sunset. Read our full Waiheke Island day-trip guide here.
View of Auckland at sunset from the Waiheke Island ferry.
Tongariro Alpine Crossing (from Taupo)
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing hike is a 12-mile through trek known as one of New Zealand’s best day hikes. The trail runs through an active volcanic region in Tongariro National Park, home to the iconic peaks of Ruapehu, Tongariro, and Ngauruhoe (aka Mt. Doom from Lord of the Rings!). The trek takes you through a drastic range of different scenery, and on a clear day you’ll get views of the craters, Emerald Lake, Blue Lake, and the peaks themselves. We got cold fog and wind and the top but could still get some solid photos of the lakes. Make sure to book with one of the shuttle companies in advance to get from your accommodation to the trailhead and back. The hike itself should take 6 to 9 hours to complete. Five tips to follow when hiking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing here.
Starting the trek to Mt. Doom.
Hobbiton Movie Set (from Taupo)
While Ray is the Lord of the Rings nerd in the family, Sam was highly skeptical that Hobbiton would be worth the $75 per person ticket price. Happy to say she was pleasantly surprised! Check out both of our reviews here. Hobbiton was built for the filming of The Hobbit movies and exists on a beautiful sheep farm in Matamata, NZ, about 1.5 hours from Taupo. We found it to be a truly magical experience. Hobbiton looks less like a movie set and more like a fully functional village, complete with hobbit holes, beautiful gardens full of real vegetables, the Party Tree, and The Green Dragon Inn (where you get a free beer to end your tour). If you’re visiting the North Island and have even a slight knowledge of Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit, we recommend a stop at Hobbiton. Book your tickets in advance here.
Sam showing off the tiny hobbit holes at Hobbiton.
Rotorua (from Taupo to Auckland)
We found Rotorua to be very doable in a couple hours on our way from Taupo back to Auckland, although you could stay for much longer. Rotorua is known for its geothermal activity and Maori culture. First, we drove around on our own and saw some of the traditional Maori meeting houses. Then we visited Whakarewarewa, one of the living Maori villages in Rotorua. We chose to explore the village on our own, but if you have more time you can take a guided tour and enjoy a traditional meal there. We got to see the geothermal hot pools and even sat down to watch a Maori cultural performance. Rotorua has many other opportunities for family fun if you choose to spend more than just a day there — from hot springs and spas to hiking and mountain biking.
One of the magnificent meeting halls in Rotorua.
Christchurch Botanic Gardens (Christchurch)
The most impressive (free!) botanic gardens we’ve ever been to! We weren’t expecting much, but had the most peaceful day walking through Christchurch’s Hagley park on a Sunday. There were concerts in the park and tons of families sprawled out on the grass enjoying the beautiful day. The Botanic Gardens are located in the center of the park and feature fountains, an impressive outdoor rose garden, conservatories full of flowers and foliage from different climates, and forested paths full of New Zealand’s famed silver fern. A must on your short and beautiful walkthrough of Christchurch.
Frolicking through flowers at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens.
Hooker Valley Track to Mt. Cook (from Lake Tekapo)
The Hooker Valley Track is an easy 10km in and out hike that criss crosses a glacial creek over a series of suspended bridges, and ends at Hooker Lake with a beautiful view of Aoraki / Mt. Cook. Even the drive there (about 1 hr from Lake Tekapo) passes by Lake Pukaki, which is somehow even brighter blue than Tekapo, and winds through increasingly striking mountain ranges as you near the trailhead. A must if you’re in the area! Learn more here.
View of Mt. Cook along the Hooker Valley Track.
Milford Sound (from Te Anau or Manapouri)
One of New Zealand’s top must-see sights. Milford Sound is a fiord on the southwest coast of the South Island, known for towering Mitre Peak and waterfalls that plummet down its sheer sides. Milford Sound is one of the wettest inhabited locations in the world, so it can be tough to catch it on a good day. We lucked out with sunny skies and perfect visibility for our boat trip with Southern Discoveries. What we didn’t expect was that the drive from Manapouri to Milford Sound also included some of the most beautiful scenery of our entire roadtrip with stunning peaks, rainforests, and waterfalls just a quick stop from the roadside.
Mitre Peak and Milford Sound
Hang Gliding with Coronet Peak Tandems (Queenstown)
Queenstown is known for stunning views and extreme activities, from skydiving and bungy jumping to mountain biking, zip lining, and hang gliding. We were too scared to take on bungy jumping or skydiving just yet, but opted for hang gliding with Coronet Peak Tandems — a gift from Ray to Sam for Christmas a couple months before we embarked on our trip. Again, we got lucky with sunny skies and low winds which made for a perfect first hang gliding experience. The instructors at Coronet Peak were fun and professional, and the views as we soared down from Coronet Peak were absolutely breathtaking. We recommend taking advantage of the extreme lifestyle in Queenstown to do something out of your comfort zone, whether it’s hang gliding, something more adrenaline-pumping, or something that keeps you securely on the ground.
Ben Lomond Hike (Queenstown)
This was one of the most difficult hikes Sam had ever done...while it might’ve been more par for the course for Ray. We arose early in the morning and took on the full hike from the base rather than taking the gondola halfway up, which is a popular option as well. Ben Lomond is a full day hike, traversing about 7 miles and 4,700 feet of elevation gain. It can be a demanding climb, but with no technical terrain it’s doable by anyone as long as you take it at your own pace. Those who reach the top are rewarded with a breathtaking panoramic view over Queenstown, The Remarkables mountain range and Lake Wakatipu.
Ray atop the Ben Lomond hike in Queenstown.
TIPS & TRICKS
The biggest lessons we learned along the way, and things we might’ve done differently if we planned this trip all over again.
Reduce time in the Northland and Franz Josef. On the North Island, we wouldn’t give up Auckland, Waiheke Island, or Taupo and the surrounding areas (Tongariro, Hobbiton, and Rotorua) for anything. However, the Northland, while beautiful, didn’t offer too much to do. We also didn’t get to do much in Franz Josef. Perhaps it was the weather we got, but beyond Franz Josef glacier, we felt there wasn’t a lot to see. If given the choice again, we would probably cut out the North Island’s Northland and the South Island’s Franz Josef and spent more time in other areas we didn’t get to explore, such as the Coromandel Peninsula and Wellington (North Island) and Abel Tasman National Park (South Island) which we’ve heard rave reviews about.
Book the Tongariro Alpine Crossing shuttle at least a couple days in advance. We arrived in Taupo in the late afternoon and wanted to book our Tongariro Alpine trek for the next day, but found that all of the shuttle companies had already closed by the time we called. Luckily, we found one company that still had someone in the office to pick up the phone, but it would have saved some stress if we had called and booked one more day in advance.
Questions or New Zealand recs of your own? Leave a comment below!
Happy travels!
