New Zealand South Island 10 Day Road Trip Itinerary
When I say New Zealand has my heart, I mean it deep in my soul. I went on a road trip with 3 other girls through the South Island of New Zealand and I can truly say that it was a dream trip. If you’re planning to spend some time road tripping through the South Island, this is for you!
Day 1: Arriving in Queenstown, Hostel Check In
Evening
Extremely late check in at Pinewood Lodge.
If you are staying on the island for an extended time, get a local sim card! There are tons of options at the airport for 10 day/ 2 week plans and I dont know how we would have made it without those.
Day 2: Exploring the Adventure Capital of the World; Queenstown, New Zealand + Bungy Jumping
Morning
Our hostel had a kitchen and was very close to the center of town, so most meals were cooked at the hostel.
Afternoon
You cant visit the adventure capital of the world without doing something that puts your life at risk, right? I jumped off of the Kawarau Bridge with AJ Jacket Bungy and it was the most exhilarating experience. If bungy jumping isn’t for you but you are interested in doing something similar, they have plenty of other experiences available.
Evening
We finished the day with $5 Dominos pizza on the Queenstown Wharf.
Day 3: Queenstown to Te Anau
Morning
Make sure you do this drive during daylight hours. The roads are tight and there are a ton of hairpin turns. You are also driving thorough huge mountains and will not want to miss an ounce of the beautiful scenery.
Afternoon
Closer to Te Anau, we stopped at Punanga Manu o Te Anau/Te Anau Bird Sanctuary. It was a great place to stretch our legs and also was a beautiful park with a walking path by the water and mountains.
Evening
Checked into our hostel, Te Anau Lakefront Backpackers.
Day 4: Mirror Lakes, Milford Sound, Hiking Key Summit
Morning
If you are planning to visit Milford sound, get out there early. There are so many beautiful places to see on the way there that are so quiet and serene just before the sun comes out.
The first top on the road from Te Anau to Milford Sound was Mirror Lakes.
Afternoon
Once we got to Fiordland National Park, we did the cruise and kayak tour. If you’re not sure that you need the kayak option, you do. There was a moment in the kayaks when our guide told us to drink the water that we were in and it was the most delicious water I’ve ever tasted. It just rained so there were waterfalls everywhere and it was the experience of a lifetime.
On the way back into town we stopped to see Humboldt Falls and hiked Key Summit. Key Summit was about a 3 hour return hike and the views at the summit were stunning.
Evening
We moved hostels for the night to Te Anau Lakeview Kiwi Holiday Parks and Motel.
Day 5: Driving Back Through Queenstown to Lake Wanaka
Morning
Check in at Wanaka Backpaka. Highly recommend this place, beautiful lake views and such a comfy stay.
Afternoon to Evening
We spent the day adventuring around the small town of Lake Wanaka. We saw #ThatWanakaTree, ate lunch at Burrito Craft and watched the sun go down from the pier in front of our hostel. Very wholesome day!
Day 6: Hiking Roys Peak
All Day
We woke up and hiked the 7 hour return track to Roy’s Peak. This hike is no joke but the views at every leg of the hike are absolutely beautiful.
Day 7: A Change in Plans - No More Mt. Cook, Hello Timaru!
Morning
We realized that our next destination, Mt. Cook, was set to get some pretty heavy snowfall so we had to make other plans. We hadn’t heard much of anything about Timaru but it was the next city on the route and a coastal town so we decided to spend the night there.
Afternoon
Timaru was the hidden gem of the trip! We spent the evening in Trevor Griffith’s Rse Garden which I highly recommend if you need a break from overly stimulating activity.
Timaru also has the most beautiful beaches; we visited Waimataitai Beach which was a short walk from the rose garden.
Evening
We ended the night with dinner at Zest and stayed at Timaru Top 10 Holiday Park.
Day 8: From Timaru to Akaroa
Morning
The drive from Timaru to Akaroa was breathtaking.
Just before getting into Akaroa, we stopped at The Hilltop Tavern for a bite to eat.
Checked into our hostel at Bon Accord Backpackers- definitely a little sketchy, would not recommend if you are traveling alone but very centrally located, we walked everywhere.
Afternoon
Akaroa Harbor 2-Hour Nature Cruise - You have to do this! The wildlife is incredible and you learn so much about the town.
Evening
We stopped at the convenience store down the street and had a cozy night in.
Day 9: Arriving in Chirstchurch! A day of Thrifting
This is no slander to the town of Christchurch, but if i were to do this trip over I would plan to arrive in Christchurch on the day of my departure. It had much more of a city vibe to it than any other stop on our road trip
Morning
Checked into our room at Apollo Motel and again I will say that I do not recommend, I would opt for a more centrally located hostel next time.
Afternoon
Thrifting! This is one of my favorite things to do when visiting a new place and this was no different. there were a few in the area and we just went to them all.
Evening
It was the end of our trip so we treated ourselves to a massage- check Groupon for deals on self care appointments!
Day 10: Christchurch Farmers Market, Botanic Gardens, Canterbury Museum, Heading Home!
We had a late departure and wanted to make the most of our last day in New Zealand!
Morning
Hung out and got a bite to eat at the Christchurch Farmers Market. So much yummy food!
Afternoon
Checked out of our room, visited the Botanic Gardens and Canterbury Museum. I loved learning about the history of the native people of New Zealand and think it is so important to know who’s land you are traveling on.
Evening
We returned our rental car, which oddly wasn’t at the airport? Then headed to the airport to return back to Newy.
This was honestly the trip of a lifetime and I’m so lucky to have had the opportunity to experience it.
until next time
xx devon
