Blog: Three Amazing Road Trip Routes in New Zealand

North Island, South Island - or both?

New Zealand, with its gorgeous landscapes, snow-capped peaks and unspoiled lakes, is the perfect place for adventure seekers and road-trip enthusiasts. When it comes to New Zealand, the question that we're often asked is about which travel route is the absolute best. The truth is, we have more than one great option - but it all depends on how much time you have on your hands, and how far you want to drive. In this blog, we'll compare our favourite road trips through New Zealand: One for North Island, one for South Island, and one that combines both into a true ''Best off'' itinerary. Buckle up as we explore three unforgettable routes that will leave you spellbound.

Road Trip – NZ North Island (2000 1300) BG

Road Trip North Island

Recommended trip duration: around 3 weeks

Kilometres on the road: about 2700

Let's start off in the north of New Zealand, with this amazing road trip adventure through the North Island. In around 3 weeks you'll get to explore all the cool spots (and trust us, there are many!) in New Zealand's North Island.

Start and end your road trip adventure in Auckland. Get a slow start, and check out the city before you go your own way in the included campervan. This road trip route has a lot of cool stops, as you'll drive from Auckland to Paihia and Kaitaia in the north, where you'll find loads of sandy beaches, pretty cliffs, and great dive spots. Not to mention the Maori culture, that has strong roots here, especially in Kaitaia. From the upper north of North Island, you'll slowly but surely drive down to Wellington via some of New Zealand's absolute highlights, including the Waitomo Caves and Tongariro National Park, with its stunning volcanic landscapes and piercing blue crater lakes.

Once you make it to Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, there are a bunch of touristy things on the agenda (the free Te Papa Tongarewa museum and perhaps the cable car leading up the hill overlooking the city), as well as some great restaurants - like you'd expect of a proper capital. After Wellington it's about time to explore the east coast of North Island, passing the art-deco town of Napier and Gisborne, which is great for surfing. The next few stops on your route are just as exciting, with Hobbiton's green hills and cottages (yes - the ones from Lord of the Rings) and Rotorua, where the geothermal activity creates an otherworldly landscape filled with steamy lakes and geysers. You can really see the massive diversity New Zealand can offer you here - don't miss these stops!

Some of the buzzwords for this itinerary are nature, water activities and Maori culture. Check out the numerous hot springs, visit amazing volcanos and geothermal areas. In addition, you'll get a chance to experience the amazing Maori culture first hand which is already exciting in itself!

Check out our North Island itinerary in New Zealand

Road Trip – NZ South Island (2000 1300) BG

Road Trip South Island

Recommended trip duration: 3-4 weeks

Kilometres on the road: about 2700

A road trip on the South Island of New Zealand is a breathtaking experience: mountain ranges, golden beaches, glaciers, rainforests, fjords, extreme sports and whale-watching. Get the ultimate South Island experience on this wonderful road trip!

We start our south island drive in Christchurch, known for its beautiful gardens and vibrant art scene. Explore the Botanic Gardens, walk along the Avon River, and visit the Quake City Museum to learn about the city’s resilience after the devastating earthquake in 2011. Leaving the city behind, you'll stop at plenty of spots (we suggest to do at least Kaikoura for the occasional whale watching,, and the Marlborough Wine Region - because who doesn't like a drink) along the road to Abel Tasman National Park. In this coastal paradise, the golden beaches meet lush forests. Hike the Abel Tasman Coast Track, kayak in crystal-clear waters, and spot seals and dolphins along the coast.

Slowly but surely making your way south again, you'll come across the Franz Josef Glacier - a stunning icy wonder. Take a guided glacier hike, soak in the Hot Pools after a long day, and marvel at the icy blue masses staring you in the face. Via Wanaka you'll end up in Milford Sound, which is one of the most mesmerizing places on earth. The fjord here is not only surrounded by snowy mountains (part of the year), but also has rainforests, waterfalls, dolphins and penguin colonies. It's hard to top Milford Sound, but your next stop is exciting, as it's the adventure capital of New Zealand, and maybe even the world! Bungee jump off the Kawarau Bridge, practice watersports on Lake Wakatipu, and try paragliding here.

Via Invercargill, you get ready to catch a ferry to Stewart Island, a remote gem. The reason to go all this way, is the Rakiura National Park. Here you get fantastic hiking trails, many, many different birds, and a chance to see the elusive kiwi bird (though we have to admit, this is pretty ffin' hard). After seeing what New Zealand island life is like, there are only a few more stops left on the itinerary, with one of them being Dunedin - known for its Scottish heritage and student life. Visit the Otago Peninsula for albatross colonies, penguins, and stunning coastal views. We can see why the Scots liked it here. For your last stop, head inland to Lake Tekapo, which is so blue it almost hurts your eyes. By day, it's incredibly picturesque, while by night we recommend you to Stargaze at the Dark Sky Reserve. It's a peaceful end to your New Zealand journey, but it will leave you wanting more.

View our South Island itinerary in New Zealand

Road Trip – NZ North + South Island (2000 1300) BG

Road Trip North & South Island

Recommended trip duration: minimum 3 weeks, but we recommend a longer stay!

Kilometres on the road: about 3700

This epic road trip is basically a greatest hits cocktail of the two itineraries above. We'll guide you through all the best New Zealand's 2 main islands has to offer in three weeks or (preferably) more. We've included some of the most major stops on this route, but if you have more than 3 weeks, there's plenty of more to see along the way - or you can simply choose to linger a little longer.

Adventure through alpine meadows, ancient glaciers and snow-capped mountains as you experience stunning filming locations, Middle-earth activities and more. Experience friendly kiwi hospitality at its best and fully immerse yourself in the very best of New Zealand with this comprehensive road trip itinerary.

You start the adventure in Christchurch and end it in Auckland. If you do the road trip in this order, there will not be applied a one way fee to your total cost (there will be a fee if you do it vice versa) as most people start in Auckland and end in Christchurch meaning more rental cars have to be taken back to Auckland.

A few of the stops on our recommended route are actually unique to this itinerary, though you could of course also add them to the respective North or South island road trip. For example, we love the Poor Knights Islands, a stunning group of islands named one of the top 10 dive sites in the world by no other than Jacques Cousteau, is a truly special place where you can't just try cave-diving, but also spot plenty of underwater mammals like whales and dolphins. On south island one of the major highlights is Arthurs Pass National Park, great for hiking but especially interesting for the climbers among us. It's landscapes are both lush and rocky at the same time, making it one of the best places in the Southern New Zealand Alps.

As you've seen above, you could easily spend 3 weeks in just one of the islands alone, but we've tried to compile a ''best of'' cocktail covering both islands in around 3 weeks. If you have more time, great! Then you just get to experience even more.

See our North + South Island itinerary in New Zealand

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