New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries I’ve ever been to! It’s such an underrated destination and was never really on my radar because it always seemed ‘too close’ or ‘not really an overseas holiday’ as an Australian. These thoughts were so silly, and after spending a week road tripping around the South Island, it is definitely a place that I can’t wait to come back to!
We had the best time, and I really wanted to share our itinerary and photos to show how amazing NZ is as a holiday destination. If New Zealand isn’t currently on your bucket list, I guarantee that after you read this, it will be up there as number one!
Cost Breakdown AUD
Flights – $618 ($309pp) – return from Sydney to Queenstown with Jetstar. We booked our dates around the cheapest flights and got a great deal
Travel Insurance – $70 – through WebJet
Car Hire – $300 – for 8 days, including stress-free insurance cover
Petrol – $213 – approx. $2.50/L NZD
Accomodation – $845 – for 8 nights
Food – $538 – groceries and eating out for most meals
Sim Card – $59 – Vodafone 10GB data with unlimited calls & text
Milford Sound Cruise – $110 ($55pp)
Skyline Queenstown – $88 ($44pp)
Queenstown Ice Arena – $38 ($19pp)
Lavender Field Entry – $10 ($5pp)
Total = $2,889 ($1,444.50pp)
Day 1 – Queenstown Airport
We landed in Queenstown Airport just after 7pm and couldn’t pick up our car until the next day, so we stayed for a night near the airport. Because we were on a budget, and January is the busy season, most of our accomodation was private rooms with shared bathrooms. On the first night we stayed at Remarkables Queenstown which was a 10min walk from the airport. We had a room with two single beds and a shared bathroom across the hall. I would definitely recommend this place if you have a late flight. When we arrived there wasn’t much open, so it’s a good idea to grab something to eat at the airport or the supermarket in town.
Day 2 – Lake Pukaki & Lake Tekapo
We picked up our little Suzuki Swift from Jucy Queenstown at 9am. We chose Jucy as they were one of the only places that allows rentals to under 21.
Tip: get a NZ SIM card and phone mount for access to maps. Most of the time you’re just driving on the same road, but it’s nice to see how long and far you have to go!
Originally I’d wanted to do the trip in a campervan to have more freedom with our itinerary, but as we were going in the middle of Summer, it was much cheaper to get a small car and pay for accommodation. If we did it again, we’d definitely go for a camper. The island is super camper-friendly and most of the roads are easy to drive on. It would be really difficult to travel New Zealand, in particular, the South Island without a car unless you’re doing an organised tour.
The drive from Queenstown Airport to Lake Tekapo is three hours, but we made lots of stops to admire the stunning scenery so it took us closer to five. Lake Pukaki is on the way to Lake Tekapo and is so beautiful. The water is so unbelievably blue with a clear view of the snow capped Mount Cook. I’d planned to come back here on the way to Mount Cook the next day, but it was impossible to drive past without stopping! The visitor centre was quite packed, but as we drove further along, there were some great spots to stop for a swim.
The lupins were one of the main reasons I was so excited to go on this trip, however they only bloom from mid-November to December. As the season goes on, they travel South, which is important to consider when planning a trip. I was pleasantly surprised to see quite a few lupins on the drive to Tekapo. We found a huge field on the side of the road and stopped to take photos, which I was glad we did because there were hardly any at the lake!
Lake Tekapo was a half hour drive further from Lake Pukaki and similarly spectacular with the most ridiculously blue water I have ever seen. Sadly we didn’t find any lupins (I believe there was a field somewhere but we couldn’t find it), but it was still magical! After taking hundreds of photos, we headed up to the cafe and had the most delicious mango smoothies ever. There was a campground at the Lake which would’ve been a fantastic place to spend the night in a camper.
We stayed the night in Twizel which is halfway between Lake Tekapo and Mount Cook.
Day 3 – Mount Cook & Hooker Valley Track
We left at 8.30am for Mount Cook which is a 50min drive from Twizel. The weather was perfect without a cloud in the sky, giving a clear view of Mount Cook the entire drive. It was the most scenic drive and we were so excited to shoot on the way. These are my favourite photos from the trip!
We arrived at the Hooker Valley Track and started the hike at 10am. The hike is a 10km round trip and takes about three hours to complete. It’s an easy flat hike with the most stunning views. There are three suspension bridges evenly spread out with the hike ending at the glacier filled Hooker Valley Lake. The last bridge is about 10 minutes from the lake.
It’s a good idea to start the hike as early as possible because the parking lot fills up and there isn’t much shade along the track. Make sure to bring your own food and water as there is nowhere to purchase any. There was also the option to camp at the start of the track.
We drove past the NZ Alpine Lavender Farm on the way and decided to stop in on the way back as it didn’t open until 9am. It cost $5pp to get in and walk around in the lavender but you could look from the outside for free. We choose to go in and take some photos.
After this, we started the 2hr drive to Wanaka. When we arrived we had to fill up the petrol tank, which cost $90 NZD!! I was shocked, considering our car was so tiny but the petrol was about $2.50/L, much more expensive than Australia!
Day 4 – Wanaka & Blue Pools Track
Wanaka seems to be the place to go for New Zealanders as it’s only an hour out of Queenstown. It’s incredibly touristy, but set in the mountains around Wanaka Lake and so beautiful.
Tip: Wanaka doesn’t do takeaway coffee cups, you must bring a KeepCup, drink in the cafe or borrow a cup for a $3 deposit.
When in Wanaka, you have to take a photo of the most photographed tree in Wanaka, (search #ThatWanakaTree), a 100 year old willow that sits in Lake Wanaka. It’s very easy to find because tourists flock around the area.
The Wanaka Blue Pools Track is a 1hr drive from Wanaka town. The drive took us about 90minutes as there was roadwork which delayed us. Parking was limited at the entry, however there were more spaces 900m down the road. The track was busy when we arrived at 11:30am but the walk is short so people don’t stay for long and we were able to snag a spot right out front.
The track is a flat 1.5km return walk, taking 30-45mins. There are two suspension bridges on the hike, taking you through beech forest into the brightest blue pure glacier water! There were a few people jumping off the bridge into the water. Jade braved the cold and dove in!
There were lots of sandflies so bring your bug spray! It was beautiful but a very long trek out for such a short walk. The drive was very scenic but couldn’t compare to the Mount Cook drive the day before.
When we got back, we decided to go for a swim in Lake Wanaka. It was freezing (although Jade says nothing compared to the Blue Pools) and refreshing, giving us so much of energy!
Day 5 – Te Anau
The original plan for this day was to get up early and hike Roy’s Peak, which is one of the most popular hikes in Wanaka, but an incredibly gruelling steep 16km round trip. We decided to give it a miss and start driving to our next stop early instead.
Te Anau is the closest town to Milford Sound and is a three hour drive from Wanaka. It was very scenic with some awesome viewpoints over Queenstown, however the road was windy with heaps of hairpin turns which I wouldn’t want to do in a campervan.
It was raining most of the drive but cleared up by the time we reach Te Anau at 11am. The town is very cute and a lovely place to spend the day. We got some sandwiches, cheese & crackers and had a little picnic along the lake.
Tip: the first bathrooms we found charged $1, but there were free ones at the visitor centre.
We had quite a bit of time to kill so we drove right to the end of the camping ground area and found a lovely spot along the lake to hang out for a few hours. We checked into Te Anau Lakefront Backpackers and had an early night before we had to get up early for Milford Sound!
Day 6 – Milford Sound & Glenorchy
We left at 5:30am to drive to Milford Sound. It’s a 2hr drive from Te Anau but they say to get there early in Summer to park and walk over. Make sure you fill up with petrol before you leave as there is nowhere to stop along the way. The drive was quite scary in the dark and it started raining part way through. There was a point where you literally drive through a mountain! While I would avoid driving in the dark where possible, we made it just in time, so we would’ve been rushing if we’d left any later.
There is parking ten minutes from the visitor centre for $10/hr. Alternatively, there is a big free parking bay a further ten minutes away, which is where we parked. Both areas were full when we came back around 11am. There are tons of sandflies so don’t leave your car doors open otherwise you will take some friends back with you like we did!
We’d pre-booked the 9am Milford Sound scenic cruise through Southern Discoveries, and it was absolutely amazing. It rained most of the time which isn’t unusual as Milford Sound receives almost 7m of annual rainfall, making it the ‘eighth natural wonder of the world’.
Milford Sound is beautiful rain or shine, and the moments of torrential rain made the experience even more magical. The smoky clouds covering the mountains gave it a moody and magical vibe. As soon as the rain subsided and a bit of sun came out, I started looking for a rainbow. Sure enough, we saw one and it just got brighter and brighter before turning into a double rainbow! Within minutes, Jade spotted a pod of dolphins jumping around under the rainbow..how magical!!!
The cruise was 90 minutes so we were back at the car by about 11am. Even the views from the carpark were insane!
The drive back was much nicer in the daytime and incredibly scenic. It took two hours to get back to Te Anau where we stopped for lunch and then continued on for another three hours to our destination, Glenorchy. We totalled over seven hours of driving this day, but the scenic views made the hours fly by.
We made it to Glenorchy just after 5pm. The sun doesn’t set until 9.30pm in summer so we had lots of daylight ahead of us, although we were exhausted after an early wake-up and huge day of driving.
Glenorchy is a quaint little town 45mins outside of Queenstown. You can easily do it as a day trip from Queenstown if you are based there. The drive itself is voted as one of the top ten drives in the world, which I totally agree with!
We checked into Bold Peak Lodge and had a room with a private bathroom which was a little luxury after several nights of sharing! The town is tiny with the highlight being the iconic Glenorchy Hut, which you have to take a photo with. There were so many cute nooks to explore in the last few hours of daylight.
Day 7 – Arrowtown & Queenstown
Arrowtown is an historic mining town 15mins outside of Queenstown. It has that charming small town vibe, which coupled with its historical design, makes it a perfect day trip from Queenstown. It’s very touristy and was hard to park when we arrived at 11am, but a lovely spot to wander around for a few hours. We had brunch at a little cafe and took it all in. There is also a relaxing 4.5km walk which loops around Lake Arrow.
After Arrowtown, we headed back into Queenstown where we were based for the next two days. After driving on empty country roads for a week, it was stressful driving in the ‘city’ (which is still just a small town). Queenstown was much smaller than I thought and seemed to just be a base for day trips to the places we’d already been. It’s the perfect base to do adventurous activities like skydiving or bungee jumping.
We checked into a backpackers and wandered around town for a bit. First stop, food! Fergburger is arguably the crowning jewel of Queenstown with a line halfway down the street! We joined the line at 2.30pm and had our food by 3pm which was quicker than I thought. I would imagine a weekend at lunchtime would be madness, but the burgers were pretty damn good! We headed back to our room for a quiet and relaxing afternoon after a very busy day.
Day 8 – Queenstown
Sadly, this was our last full day in New Zealand. We headed up to the Queenstown Skyline for 9am opening time. This was good timing because the line was short so we had tickets and were in a gondola within about 10mins. Tickets were $44 per adult for a return gondola ride. There was also the option to purchase luge rides (which is like go-karting down the hill). It was pretty spectacular with panoramic views across Queenstown. There is a little cafe at the top where we stopped for coffee and cakes. I believe there are also a few trails that you can hike to the mountain peak.
After the Skyline, we went for a walk through Queenstown Gardens towards the ice rink. Queenstown Ice Arena is situated in the middle of the Gardens and is accessible by car and foot. There was a public session from 12pm-7pm that you can go in and stay for as long as you want for $19pp. It was lots of fun and a great activity to get out of the sun for a bit. I was surprised how empty it was and during the time we were there, there was never more than four other people on the ice.
We thought we might have Fergburger again for lunch, but instead went to The London next door for $10 lunch specials. The food was delicious, and even more satisfying not having to wait in the heat for half an hour! Our last afternoon was pretty relaxed and after dinner we just headed back to get ready for our early flight the next morning.
Well that wraps up my New Zealand South Island Road Trip Travel Guide! I really hope you enjoyed this post and that it inspired you to do a New Zealand road trip. It is honestly such an underrated destination and incredibly close for us Aussies!
The best part of this trip is that it reignited our love for travel, making us super excited for our big round-the-world adventure which is creeping up very fast! The Big Trip kicks off in China in mid-June, followed by Turkey, Greece and then a European whirlwind adventure!
Watch this space in the lead up to The Big Trip and follow my adventures on Instagram, Tik Tok & YouTube.
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