10 day Queenstown to Christchurch itinerary

Jul 17

Road trip from lakes, to mountains, and the West Coast on this drive from Queenstown to Christchurch

The view of Aoraki/Mount Cook from the Sealy Tarns viewpoint — *Aoraki/Mount Cook is worth the detour on any trip between Queenstown and Christchurch*

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Take the most direct route from Queenstown to Christchurch, and you’ll go past Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, Lake Pukaki, and Lake Tekapo. But, you’ll miss out on the lush, wild, rainforested West Coast.

Even though it’s more of a drive, I always try to make it to the West Coast when I’m in the South Island.

So, this itinerary takes the long route to Christchurch, via the rugged beaches and glaciers of the West Coast.

Hi, I’m Petrina, and I have travelled New Zealand from top to bottom. This road trip itinerary includes the places and activities I have loved on my travels.

A few things to note

I’ve still added Aoraki/Mount Cook in there, because it’s worth a bit of a detour. You could cut that part out though, and turn this 10 day road trip into a one week itinerary around the West Coast.

Like many South Island road trips, this route is perfect for a campervan. But, you can also very easily do this in a car – camping, if you’re on a budget, or opting for a combination of hotels and Airbnbs on the way.

I’ll also tell you up front that when writing this road trip itinerary, I had summer hours in mind. I love the long summer evenings in the South Island, which means you can be on the road until 9pm.

Sure, that’s a lot – but for me, I’d also rather be out making the most of all the sunshine than parked up at my accommodation (unless it happens to be somewhere with an outdoor bathtub).

So, while I generally try to keep driving to less than four hours a day, occasionally I will drive for five (like on the trek from Te Anau to Aoraki/Mount Cook. It’s not ideal but road tripping around New Zealand isn’t always comfortable – it’s adventurous, and exciting, a bit gritty and always beautiful.

If you’re travelling in the winter months, it’s a little harder to fit everything into the shorter days. There are shortcuts you can take, though – like making Milford Sound/Doubtful Sound day trips from Queenstown, which is possible with tours.

A 10 day South Island itinerary overview

Day 1: Arrive in Queenstown
Day 2: Spend the day in Queenstown
Day 3: Head to Milford Sound
Day 4: Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
Day 5: Aoraki
Day 6: Lake Hawea
Day 7: Franz Josef
Day 8: Franz Josef and Okarito
Day 9: Arthur’s Pass
Day 10: Christchurch

Day 1: Arrive in Queenstown

The calm waters of Lake Wakatipu as seen from the Queenstown lakefront

Queenstown is a small town with big views, so you can easily spend your first afternoon strolling around the lakefront and admiring the mountains.

Note that there is limited parking in the centre of Queenstown for large campervans, so if you plan on travelling in a motorhome, I recommend only picking up your vehicle when you plan on leaving town.

Queenstown is a very busy and commercial little town.

There are dozens of things you can do in the area, but my top two activities would be hiking up Ben Lomond (not a beginner hike, take plenty of water, snacks, and layers) and hopping on the TSS Earnslaw for dinner at Walter Peak.

Day 2: Make your way to Te Anau

Heading to Te Anau for a night before visiting Milford Sound means you’ll have a lot more time to appreciate Fiordland.

Te Anau itself is a much more laid back place than Queenstown. On the edge of a lake, surrounded by mountains, it’s beautiful – even though it mostly serves as a jumping off point for exploring Fiordland.

Day 3: Dip into Fiordland – either Milford Sound or Doubtful Sound

I highly recommend an overnight cruise on Doubtful Sound. It’s truly one of the most magical experiences I have had in New Zealand.

It’s much more remote than Milford, so there are fewer people and it feels much more like the vast wilderness that Fiordland is.

The catch is that the road to Milford Sound is as spectacular as the cruise on the fjord. Driving to Milford Sound is an experience in itself. On top of that, if you’re in a campervan,

If you’re organised, you can even spend the night in Milford, at the Milford Sound Lodge. They have a limited number of campervan parks, which is a very cool way of getting to experience Milford after the crowds have gone.

So. Not an easy choice. If you have more time, you could do both. If I had to choose, I would go for a short hike the day you arrive in Te Anau (Lake Marian, for example) and then go on the Doubtful Sound overnight trip on this day.

As a remote fjord, it’s quite a long drive to Milford Sound – four hours one-way from Queenstown. I wouldn’t plan on getting all the way there and back in a day. I have done that before and it’s pretty exhausting, and you barely have time to see the main sights.

If you want to keep it to one day, I recommend taking a tour instead. That will save you a lot of driving, and you can nap on the bus on the way back. Or you could just skip the bus and fly.

If you’re in a campervan, you can plan to spend the night relatively close to Milford Sound. The closest campground is Cascade Creek.

There are quite a few stops you can make on the way as well, particularly in the final 90 minutes. If you’re planning to fit in a cruise – and you absolutely should – you will need a whole day and plan to spend the night somewhere along the Milford Sound road if you’re in a campervan.

I loved the walk around Lake Gunn, just for the feeling of being immersed in the dense, mossy wonderland that is Fiordland (and there were very few people on this walk, compared to stops like the Mirror Lakes).

Make sure you get any supplies you need in Te Anau, the last town before you dive into the wilderness.

Day 4: Drive from Te Anau to Aoraki/Mount Cook

Although it’s a long trek — around 5 hours of driving — to get all the way from Te Anau to Aoraki/Mount Cook, the drive itself is thoroughly enjoyable.

Beyond Queenstown, near the Lindis Pass, the red gold hills make for a stunning landscape. The Omarama Clay Cliffs are an area of unusual rock formations.

Closer to Aoraki/Mount Cook, the road runs along the edge of Lake Pukaki, so you’ll have views of the road unfurling alongside the lake, with the pyramid peak of Aoraki rising up ahead.

Stock up on groceries and gas in Twizel, which is the last town before the national park. If you left early enough, this is also a good lunch stop. Head to Mint Folk and Co for a good meal.

You’ll probably arrive in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park in the late afternoon or evening, but with summer hours you can still get out and do one of the shorter walks around.

The Kea Point track (1 hour return) is an excellent one to do near sunset, as the colours from the fading day are reflected on the peak of Aoraki (the highest mountain in New Zealand, and sacred ancestor to Ngāi Tahu, the local Maori tribe).

Day 5: Spend the day exploring Aoraki/Mount Cook

Aoraki/Mount Cook is a small village, with limited places to eat, so make sure you stock up on supplies beforehand (Twizel is a good place to top up on gas and get groceries).

The most popular walk in Aoraki/Mount Cook is the 3 hour return Hooker Valley Track. Leave early if you can to avoid the crowds, which inevitably swarm the track by midday.

*The White Horse Hill campground in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park*

The White Horse Hill DOC campsite is the best option for campervans in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. You can expect it to be quite chilly overnight, but on a clear night you can also admire the stars in a night sky unspoiled by light pollution.

I loved hearing the glaciers crack and ice fall.

Day 6: Aoraki/Mount Cook to Lake Hawea

From the national park, you’ll need to back track a little to get to the West Coast — on a map, it’s straight across the Southern Alps, but New Zealand roads are sparse enough it takes many hours of driving.

For me personally, the town of Wanaka is nice for a pit stop – some great places to eat and shop – but unless you’re planning on allotting time to do some of the famous hikes in the area (Roy’s Peak, or Rob Roy Glacier), it doesn’t merit a stop in and of itself.

*The views driving alongside Lake Hawea on the way to the West Coast*

I much prefer Lake Hawea, which is a prettier lake and a much quieter spot. If you set off early enough and you feel like a climb, Isthmus Peak makes for a great late afternoon climb.

I went up Isthmus for sunset, and afterwards went to the Kidds Bush Reserve Campsite to camp overnight.

Day 7: Drive through Haast Pass to Fox Glacier and Franz Josef

It’s a beautiful trip along the edge of Mount Aspiring National Park and through Haast Pass. There are plenty of gorgeous stops to make en route, including the Blue Pools and Fantail Falls.

I also love Ship Creek, a lovely little spot to stop with a boardwalk along the dunes and a lookout tower for spotting Hector’s dolphins.

Fox glacier is the more laid back neighbour of Franz Josef. If you have time when you arrive, make sure you check out the Lake Matheson walk, a 40 minute walk around the lake. On calm, clear days, the lake reflects the Southern Alps.

There’s also a viewpoint nearby where you can see Fox Glacier from the road.

Gillespies Beach Campground is a great DOC site, but you have to drive for 20 minutes down a gravel road to get there. The sunset there was incredible, as was seeing Fox Glacier from the beach.

If you’re not travelling in a campervan, and would prefer to stay two nights in one place, push on to Franz Josef.

Day 8: Spend the day in Franz Josef

After a couple of long driving days, you can enjoy exploring glacier country – it’s only 30 minutes between Fox Glacier and Franz Josef.

Before leaving Fox, check out the Fox Glacier South Side walkway, which leads to glacier viewpoints, albeit from a distance. Neither of the glaciers can be approached on foot anymore, after years of retreat.

In Franz Josef, the ultimate experience is to take a helicopter up to the glaciers and hike on the ice. However, if this is outside your budget, you can also see the glaciers various walks.

The Franz Josef Glacier/Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere track is a 30 minute gentle walk to a viewing point of the glacier and valley. If you’re up for something a bit longer, Alex Knob is excellent on a clear day. The Roberts Point track is a slightly harder walk to a viewing platform of Franz Josef glacier.

If you have time and energy in the evening, head out to Okarito for sunset or better yet, a kayak around the lagoon. Okarito is a very special and beautiful place. There is a campground there right by the beach, so you could even park up there for the night and kayak in the morning.

Otherwise, Orange Sheep Campervan Park is right in the middle of Franz Josef village, with great facilities. I loved the way the campervan parks were tucked into the bush.

Day 9: Drive from Franz Josef to Arthur’s Pass

From Franz, head north with a little detour inland to the Hokitika Gorge.

Hokitika itself isn’t worth stopping overnight, but it’s a good place to get supplies. Instead, I recommend aiming for Arthur’s Pass. It’s cool to be able to spend a night in another national park.

There are some wonderful short walks in Arthur’s Pass. The Otira Valley Track is nice and short, but still takes you into some spectacular alpine scenery. The Devil’s Punchbowl waterfall is great, too. And if you want a longer hike and get lucky with the weather, there is also Avalanche Peak.

There’s a DOC campsite in Arthur’s Pass village, as well as a small handful of hotels.

Day 10: Arthur’s Pass to Christchurch

From Arthur’s Pass, you can leave the often wet and lush forests behind as you drive down to the arid Canterbury Plains.

Stop by Castle Hill to check out the unusual rock formations, and prolong your road trip. Then cruise into Christchurch, where you can stay a few nights to explore, maybe add on a couple of days to check out Kaikoura, or catch a flight to your next destination.

Fin.

Thanks for reading this far! I hope this helped you decide which geothermal park to visit in Rotorua.