New Zealand · Easy
14-Day Road Trip on New Zealand’s South Island
An Epic 14-Day South Island Road Trip, Starting in Christchurch and Ending at Abel Tasman National Park
- Days
- 14
- Stops
- 15
- Mapped stops
- 15
- Mapped distance
- 2,862 km
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Trip
Day-by-day route
Day 1Queenstown
1 stopsDay 2Queenstown
1 stops · Driving route · 287.3 km · 3 hr 50 minDay 3Queenstown
1 stops · Driving route · 89.7 km · 1 hr 10 minDay 4Queenstown
2 stops · Driving route · 159.5 km · 2 hr 10 minDay 5Queenstown
1 stops · Driving route · 66.9 km · 1 hr 0 minDay 6Canterbury
1 stops · Driving route · 566.7 km · 7 hr 10 minDay 7Queenstown
1 stops · No drivable connection · 51.3 kmDay 8Queenstown
1 stops · No drivable connection · 126.7 kmDay 9Queenstown
1 stops · Driving route · 104.3 km · 1 hr 40 minDay 10Queenstown
1 stops · Driving route · 287.6 km · 3 hr 50 minDay 11Queenstown
1 stops · Driving route · 303.7 km · 4 hr 0 minDay 12Queenstown
1 stops · Driving route · 21.5 km · 25 minDay 13Queenstown
1 stops · Driving route · 51.3 km · 50 minDay 14Queenstown
1 stops · Driving route · 923.5 km · 12 hr 10 minMap explore
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New Zealand
Mountain passes, clear lakes and generous distances make New Zealand a natural fit for a patient road trip.
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Discover places worth the detour
New Zealand · Easy
14-Day Road Trip on New Zealand’s South Island
- Days
- 14
- Stops
- 15
- Mapped stops
- 15
- Mapped distance
- 2,862 km
Day 1Queenstown
1 stops- 1
Christchurch
SightseeingChristchurch is New Zealand's South Island garden city, rebuilt with innovative architecture and vibrant street art following the devastating 2011 earthquake. The Ōtākaro Avon River Precinct, the Canterbury Museum, and the reimagined Cardboard Cathedral showcase the city's creative rebirth. It serves as the primary gateway to the Southern Alps, ski fields, and the wild Canterbury Plains.
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Day 2Queenstown
1 stops · Driving route · 287.3 km · 3 hr 50 min- 1
Pancake Rocks Punakaiki
Driving route · 287.3 km · 3 hr 50 minSightseeingPancake Rocks Punakaiki is a natural attraction known for its landscape and outdoor scenery. It suits travelers looking for viewpoints, walks, photography, and a stronger connection to the region's geography.
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Day 3Queenstown
1 stops · Driving route · 89.7 km · 1 hr 10 min- 1
Hokitika Gorge
Driving route · 89.7 km · 1 hr 10 minSightseeingHokitika Gorge is a natural attraction known for its landscape and outdoor scenery. It suits travelers looking for viewpoints, walks, photography, and a stronger connection to the region's geography.
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Day 4Queenstown
2 stops · Driving route · 159.5 km · 2 hr 10 min- 1
Franz Josef Glacier
Driving route · 127.9 km · 1 hr 40 minSightseeingFranz Josef Glacier is one of New Zealand's most accessible and dramatic glaciers, a 12-km river of ice descending from the Southern Alps almost to sea level in a temperate rainforest on the West Coast of the South Island. Named after the Austrian emperor by a Victorian explorer, it can be explored on foot or by helicopter landing on the ice field. The glacier has retreated significantly in recent decades, making visits a poignant reminder of climate change.
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Fox Glacier
Driving route · 31.6 km · 30 minSightseeingFox Glacier is one of New Zealand's most accessible glaciers, a 13-km tongue of ice descending from the Southern Alps to within 245 meters of sea level in a temperate rainforest on the West Coast of the South Island. Named after a New Zealand prime minister, it can be explored on foot to the terminal face or by helicopter landing on the upper icefield. Like most glaciers worldwide, Fox has retreated significantly in recent decades due to climate change, making visits increasingly poignant.
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Day 5Queenstown
1 stops · Driving route · 66.9 km · 1 hr 0 min- 1
Lake Matheson
Driving route · 66.9 km · 1 hr 0 minSightseeingLake Matheson is a natural attraction valued for scenery, fresh air, and photo-friendly views. It works well in itineraries that need a quieter outdoor stop, a walk, or a landscape-focused break between busier sights. Conditions can vary by season, so check access, weather, and local safety guidance before going.
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Day 6Canterbury
1 stops · Driving route · 566.7 km · 7 hr 10 min- 1
Lake Tekapo
Driving route · 566.7 km · 7 hr 10 minNatureA clear alpine lake and an easy place to build a quiet half-day into a longer route.
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Day 7Queenstown
1 stops · No drivable connection · 51.3 km- 1
Aoraki Mt Cook National Park
No drivable connection · 51.3 kmSightseeingAoraki / Mount Cook National Park in New Zealand's Southern Alps protects the country's highest peak, Aoraki/Mount Cook (3,724 m), and the longest glacier in the southern hemisphere outside the polar regions, the Tasman Glacier. The star-gazing within the park's Dark Sky Reserve is among the finest in the southern hemisphere. The Hooker Valley Track offering lake-and-glacier views, and the alpine village of Mount Cook at the park entrance, make it a supreme destination for outdoor adventure.
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Day 8Queenstown
1 stops · No drivable connection · 126.7 km- 1
Wanaka
No drivable connection · 126.7 kmSightseeingWanaka is a notable point of interest, offering visitors an opportunity to experience the distinctive character and appeal of this destination. Whether for its natural beauty, cultural significance, or unique atmosphere, it provides a rewarding experience as part of a broader exploration of the area.
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Day 9Queenstown
1 stops · Driving route · 104.3 km · 1 hr 40 min- 1
Queenstown Adventure Hub
Driving route · 104.3 km · 1 hr 40 minSightseeingQueenstown Adventure Hub is a named place of interest that can add local context, scenery, or culture to a travel itinerary. It is best used as a focused stop when exploring nearby neighborhoods, landmarks, or regional routes.
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Day 10Queenstown
1 stops · Driving route · 287.6 km · 3 hr 50 min- 1
Milford Sound
Driving route · 287.6 km · 3 hr 50 minSightseeingMilford Sound is Fiordland National Park's most spectacular fjord, a place where sheer granite walls rise 1,200 meters directly from the dark water, and waterfalls cascade hundreds of meters unbroken into the sea. Sir Edmund Hillary called it the eighth wonder of the world, and boat cruises through the fjord reveal a primeval landscape of glacially carved cliffs, fur seals, dolphins, and Stirling Falls. The 2-hour drive from Queenstown through the Homer Tunnel is itself a remarkable journey.
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Day 11Queenstown
1 stops · Driving route · 303.7 km · 4 hr 0 min- 1
Queenstown Central
Driving route · 303.7 km · 4 hr 0 minSightseeingQueenstown Central is the vibrant heart of New Zealand's adventure capital, a compact downtown of restaurants, bars, and outdoor gear shops overlooking the glacial blue of Lake Wakatipu and the jagged Remarkables mountain range. The mall, lakefront promenade, and Steamer Wharf precinct buzz with travelers from around the world drawn by bungee jumping, skiing, jet boating, and hiking. The nightly energy of Queenstown's bar scene has earned it a reputation as the southern hemisphere's party capital.
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Day 12Queenstown
1 stops · Driving route · 21.5 km · 25 min- 1
Arrowtown
Driving route · 21.5 km · 25 minSightseeingArrowtown is a perfectly preserved gold rush town in the Queenstown Lakes district, nestled in an Otago valley where the Arrow River was once panned for gold in the 1860s. Its broad main street of stone and timber gold-rush era buildings houses boutiques, restaurants, and the excellent Lakes District Museum. The surrounding gorge walk and autumn foliage — the poplars and willows turning gold in April — create some of the most beautiful seasonal scenes in New Zealand.
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Day 13Queenstown
1 stops · Driving route · 51.3 km · 50 min- 1
Central Otago Wine Region
Driving route · 51.3 km · 50 minFoodCentral Otago Wine Region is a notable point of interest, offering visitors an opportunity to experience the distinctive character and appeal of this destination. Whether for its natural beauty, cultural significance, or unique atmosphere, it provides a rewarding experience as part of a broader exploration of the area.
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Day 14Queenstown
1 stops · Driving route · 923.5 km · 12 hr 10 min- 1
Abel Tasman National Park
Driving route · 923.5 km · 12 hr 10 minSightseeingAbel Tasman National Park is New Zealand's smallest but most popular national park, a golden-sand coastal paradise at the top of the South Island where a mosaic of granite headlands, forest, and turquoise sea create an incomparably beautiful coastal landscape. The Abel Tasman Coast Track is one of New Zealand's Great Walks, a 60-km route through the park accessible by water taxi, sea kayak, or on foot. The park's sheltered bays host an extraordinary density of native wildlife including wading birds, fur seals, and little penguins.
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