South Island NZ road trip: epic 10-day itinerary

Cross the Southern Alps, trace the West Coast, cruise Milford Sound and walk around Mt Cook on this 10 day South Island New Zealand road trip. This itinerary hits all the highlights - including Christchurch, Arthur’s Pass, Franz Josef Glacier, Wanaka, Queenstown, Fiordland National Park, The Catlins, Lake Tekapo and much more!

Use this flexible guide when planning your 10 day South Island New Zealand road trip. It can be modified to suit the exact number of days you have available and also includes all the best camping spots. Plus, we’ve thrown in a heap of extra information like drive time, distance, the best season to travel and much more!

Travel in style and comfort - use Camplify to find campervan hire on the South Island !

The ultimate 10-day South Island New Zealand road trip

Total Distance: 1,950 km | Recommended duration: 10 days | Best Time to Visit: Between October and May | Route on Google Maps

1. Christchurch

Start by picking up your campervan hire in Christchurch, the second largest city in New Zealand. This is the perfect place to begin a 10-day South Island New Zealand road trip because it has a domestic and international airport.

Ride the Christchurch Gondola to the summit of Mt Cavendish , where you can enjoy panoramic views over the city before riding the Time Tunnel electric cart ride. Afterwards, hop aboard a punting tour and let your guide gently row you along the Avon River through the Christchurch Botanic Gardens.

Don’t miss the International Antarctic Centre, where you can ride an all-terrain vehicle around an outdoor adventure course and step inside the Storm Dome to experience a realistic Antarctic storm. And kids will love seeing the Little Blue Penguins in the Rescue Centre.

Stay at the family-friendly Tasman Holiday Parks Christchurch, which offers unpowered and powered campsites amongst manicured gardens (15-minute drive out of the CBD). Facilities include amenities, camp kitchen, barbecue area, laundry, arcade room, indoor swimming pool and hydro slide, heated spa and much more.

2. Arthur’s Pass

Leave the city behind and begin your 10 day South Island New Zealand road trip by winding your way up into the Southern Alps. Your first stop is the iconic Arthur’s Pass National Park.

Reaching up to 900m above sea level, the road through Arthur’s Pass National Park is one of the highest and most breathtaking in New Zealand. As you make your way through this dramatic landscape of dense rainforest, deep gorges and rapid rivers , you’ll pass through viaducts, over bridges, under rock outcrops and around waterfalls.

There are about eight short and easy walking tracks in Arthur’s Pass National Park, each taking anywhere from 10-minutes to about 3-hours. Don’t miss the Devil’s Punchbowl Walking Track (2km return), which takes you through lush beech forest to a thundering 131m waterfall.

The Arthur’s Pass Walking Track (6.8km) is a little longer, but along the way you’ll see the Bridal Veil Falls, alpine wetlands, mountain views and historic sights such as Jacks Hut and Dobson Memorial.

Stay at the Klondyke Corner Campsite, a scenic campsite on the junction of the Bealey and Waimakariri Rivers. There are 40 non-powered campsites available and facilities include a cooking shelter, non-flush toilets and tap water.

3. Fox Glacier

Passing over the other side of the Southern Alps, your 10 day South Island New Zealand road trip now takes you down the wild West Coast.

Pull over and stretch your legs at the Hokitika Gorge Scenic Reserve (2km loop). This 1-hour walk takes you through pristine podocarp forest and over a 90m swing bridge, rewarding you with breathtaking views of the blue-green waters of the Hokitika River below.

Continue driving down the coast to Franz Josef Glacier , the steepest guided glacier in the country. Thrill-seekers may want to visit the ice caves and crevasses by taking a guided heli hike on the glacier. Others may just want to walk the Franz Josef Glacier Valley Walk (1.7km return), which winds through the rainforest and provides views of the glacier, waterfalls and the Waiho River.

A little further down the road is Fox Glacier , uniquely surrounded by temperate rainforest despite sitting 300m above sea level. Try the Fox Glacier South Side Walkway (6.4km return), which follows the Fox River before concluding with views over the glacier.

Stay at the Fox Glacier Top 10 Holiday Park and admire Aoraki Mount Cook from your campsite. The park offers unpowered and powered campsites and the facilities include heated bathrooms, camp kitchens, a hot tub and much more.

Want to spend more time seeing the sights? Try this West Coast NZ road trip.

4. Wanaka

Leave the West Coast for now and make your way inland, driving through the scenic Haast Pass as you head toward the lakeside town of Wanaka.

Along the way, you’ll also drive through the stunning Mount Aspiring National Park. Pull over and take on the Blue Pools walking track (3km return), where deep pools of clear glacial water flow into the Makarora River amongst a beech forest.

Once you get to Wanaka, relax amongst the 20 acres of beautiful lavender fields and display gardens at Wanaka Lavender Farm. Walk through the flowers, meet the farm animals and unwind with a cup of herbal tea or a lavender ice-cream.

Afterwards, end the day with a gentle stroll around the edge of Lake Wanaka. It’s best to visit at sunset, when you can get some awesome shots of the famous Wanaka Tree.

Stay at the highly-rated Wanaka Top 10 Holiday Park, which offers unpowered and powered campsites amongst landscaped gardens. Facilities include heated bathrooms, camp kitchen, barbecue area, lounge area, bike hire, playground, spa and sauna and more.

5. Queenstown

Queenstown is the Adventure Capital of the World and the halfway point of your 10 day South Island New Zealand road trip!

As you’re driving into Queenstown, detour via Arrowtown. This living historic settlement was first established in 1864 by gold rush pioneers on the scenic banks of the Arrow River. Today, you can step back in time when visiting the 60 restored cottages, shops, churches and hotels and the Lake District Museum (one of New Zealand's best small museums).

Once you arrive in Queenstown, take a ride on the Skyline Gondola up 450m and admire the view from Bob’s Peak over The Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu. Then zoom back down the mountain on the Queenstown Luge , controlling your cart around 1600m of banked corners, tunnels and dippers.

Looking for more thrills? Why not jump off at the Kawarau Bridge Bungy, the first and most famous bungy jump in the world. Others might prefer to paddle the white-water rapids of the Shotover Canyon or skydive over the Southern Alps!

Stay at the Queenstown Holiday Park & Motels Creeksyde, which offers powered sites close to the city centre and is considered one of the best caravan parks on the South Island. Facilities include bathroom amenities, camp kitchen and lounge, a spa and sauna and much more.

6. Fiordland National Park

The highlight on any South Island New Zealand road trip is iconic Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park!

Base yourself in the township of Te Anau , the gateway to Fiordland National Park. Take a walk to Lion Lookout Point , where you can enjoy awesome views over the town from the viewing platform. Then descend into the earth with a tour of the Te Anau Glowworm Caves , a mysterious underground cavern lit by hundreds of luminous glow worms.

As you make the 1.5 hour drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound, there are a heap of awesome places to pull over and explore within Fiordland National Park. Don’t miss the famous Mirror Lakes in Eglinton Valley , renowned for the way they reflect the surrounding Earl Mountain ranges.

And you’ll want to see the Hundred Falls after passing through Homer Tunnel , where hundreds of streams gush down the surrounding rockface (best seen after recent rain).

Once you do arrive in Milford Sound , take a cruise or paddle a kayak out on the gentle waters to see the fjords from a unique angle. Afterwards, enjoy the easy Foreshore Walk (400m) that passes along the sandy foreshore and offers great views of Mitre Peak.

Stay at the Rainforest Campervan Park, the only campervan park inside Milford Sound. It offers powered sites nestled in the heart of the world-heritage Fiordlands rainforest. Facilities include a camp kitchen, lounge, laundry and more.

Don’t miss any of the 15 must-see stops from Te Anau to Milford Sound!

7. The Catlins and Otago Peninsula

The return leg of your 10 day South Island New Zealand road trip will take you up the east coast via the wild and woolly Catlins and Otago Peninsula.

As you pass through The Catlins, your first stop should be the McLean Falls Walk (2.1km), a short walk through the forest that takes you to a spectacular set of waterfalls. Just down the road are the Cathedral Caves , where you can explore giant caverns up to 30m tall that have cut into the cliffs.

As you trace the coastline northward along the Otago Peninsula, visit the awe-inspiring Nugget Point Lighthouse. It is one of the oldest lighthouses in the country and stands above a littering of rock that look like nuggets of gold (great for photographs). Then make a stop at Allans Beach to see the colonies of penguins, fur seals and sea lions that call this place home.

Stay at the Purakaunui Bay campsite, one of the most scenic beach camping spots in Otago. Facilities include drop toilets and tap water and you’re only a short walk from the Purakaunui Falls.

8. Dunedin

Drive up the East Coast towards the city of Dunedin, known as the ‘Edinburgh of the South’ thanks to its Scottish heritage and Edwardian architecture.

Learn about the history of the region at the Otago Museum, host to New Zealand’s biggest science centre and seven free galleries showcasing ancient Maori and Victorian artefacts. For a little more history, continue on to Larnach Castle , the only castle in New Zealand and a great spot for high tea.

Next, head over to the world’s only mainland Royal Albatross Breeding Centre, where you can see these monstrous birds showing off their 3m wingspan. Follow up with a guided tour of Penguin Place , a private conservation reserve dedicated to helping the endangered Yellow Eyed Penguin.

Stay opposite the beach at Dunedin Holiday Park, which offers unpowered and powered campsites located close to the city centre. Facilities include an amenities block, communal kitchen, TV room, laundry, barbecue area, playground and more.

9. Aoraki Mount Cook and Lake Tekapo

Instead of following the East Coast directly back to Christchurch, it’s worth detouring inland via Aoraki Mount Cook and Lake Tekapo if you have the time on your 10-day South Island New Zealand road trip.

Drive alongside the shimmering Lake Pukaki as you approach the tallest mountain in New Zealand - Aoraki Mount Cook. Stretch your legs with one of the 10 stunning short walks around the base of the mountain, all of which begin near the Aoraki Mount Cook village. Afterwards, visit the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre, where you can learn about the first man to climb Mount Everest.

Continue your journey north until you reach the beautiful Lake Tekapo. As the sun sets over the Southern Alps in the afternoon, pull out your camera and take some shots of the Church of the Good Shepherd. Then make your way up to Mount John Observatory for some of the best stargazing in New Zealand.

Stay at the Lakes Edge Holiday Park, which offers unpowered and powered campsites by the lakeside. Facilities include an amenities block, camp kitchen, barbecue area, laundry, TV lounge and more.

10. Return to Christchurch

End your 10 day South Island New Zealand road trip by returning to Christchurch , where you can drop off your campervan hire before heading home via the domestic or international airport.

Want to continue your South Island road trip? Venture further north on one of the best road trips around Marlborough or take on the best road trip around the Abel Tasman!

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