South Island New Zealand: 8-day road trip guide

The wild, remote Southern Island of New Zealand is up there with one of the more stunning places in the world to roam through in a van. Abundant with natural wonders and with the majestic Southern Alps running north-south down the spine of the island, you’ll come across sweeping glaciers, dappled forests, kilometres of mystical coastline and of course, the colossal mountains themselves. You could easily spend months meandering your way around the 12th largest island in the world, but if you’re after a short but sweet trip that hits all the highlights, here’s a handy 8 day guide to Te Waipounamu.

Day 1 - Picton to Spring Creek

If you’re journeying from the North Island, the car ferry departs several times a day from Wellington to Picton (and vice versa), taking you and your van on a three and a half hour trip across the Cook Strait. Grab a spot by the window for the entry into the archipelago at the top of the South Island, passing by emerald hills rising out of the ocean, calm blue waters stretching away on all sides and the aptly named Bay of Many Coves. Once you disembark the ferry, take the highway 20 minutes south to the gorgeous town of Spring Creek at the gateway to the Marlborough District. The Spring Creek Holiday Park is a great place to spend the night, with powered and unpowered campsites spread along an ambling stream for you to kick back and relax alongside.

The Marlborough District is renowned across the world for one of New Zealand’s finest exports, Sauvignon Blanc. The valley is home to an impressive array of wineries and vineyards, and with just one day you’ll barely scratch the surface of the incredible vintages they have to offer. The best way to see as many as possible is with Steve and Jo’s Bike Hire located in the nearby town of Renwick. They’ll provide you with a bike, helmet and map of the region so you can plan out your route for the day. The best thing? They’ll even pick you up and drop you off at Spring Creek Holiday Park, so you don’t need to worry about getting behind the wheel. The roads and lanes around Marlborough are perfect for cycling, with dedicated paths winding through the valley between wineries for less-experienced bikers. You’ll get plenty of time to sample all the wine and cheese you can handle in one of the best grape growing districts in the Southern Hemisphere, and burn some calories while you’re at it.

Day 2 - Spring Creek to Tākaka

Just up the coast you’ll find the gob-smacking Tasman Bay , with the Abel Tasman National Park sticking out proudly at its North-West end. The peninsula is loaded with more hikes than you’d know what to do with, ranging from coastal treks, beach-hunting expeditions and forest walks. Take the highway up from Spring Creek towards the top of the park, passing through the lovely coastal town of Motueka and the alternative enclave of Tākaka, before looping around the peninsula to get into the park itself.

There are a number of places to start your hike from, but if you’re looking for one that captures the best of the wilderness reserve, the Abel Tasman Coast Track will see you exploring secluded beaches, sculpted granite cliffs and towering headlands that provide extraordinary panoramas around the coastline. The track can be started from Wainui or Mārahau , but don’t feel like you have to complete it all. The track takes between 3-5 days to see the whole thing, with huts and campsites scattered throughout to rest your legs. On a shorter trip, simply pick the end you’d like to start from and make your own there-and-back track at your pace.

After returning to your van dusty, tired and more than a little bit hungry, the nearby town of Tākaka is the perfect pit-stop to soothe those weary bones. It might not seem it at first glance, but this small community is a haven for those seeking an alternative way of life on the South Island. With more soy milk per capita than Wellington (we assume) and more scruffy beards than we care to talk about, it’s a relaxing spot to recharge after an Abel Tasman adventure. You won’t find a better spot to do so than at Roots Bar, a nifty burger joint on the main street that blends retro aesthetics against its natural backdrop with aplomb. The burgers are top notch and regular live music makes Roots a rocking place to unwind at the end of the day.

You won’t have to go far to find your overnight campsite either. About 10 minutes from Tākaka you’ll come across Anatoki Salmon Fishing, a local attraction that opens a paddock in the evening to freedom campers. The paddock has plenty of space, but you’ll want to get in early during the high season to nab a great spot. Bask in the last light of the day surrounded by towering trees and murmuring fields of grass. Keep your eyes peeled for wandering peacocks catwalking through the brush.

Day 3 - Tākaka to Greymouth

What’s a road trip without one day almost solely dedicated to driving, right? Luckily, drivers in New Zealand are completely spoilt for scenic routes and well-maintained roads across the South Island, and the journey from Tākaka to Greymouth on the West Coast is no exception. The drive takes a little under five hours all told, and at Inangahua you have the option to take the coastal route, adding on an extra half an hour. Split the journey with a cheeky detour to St Arnaud , where the slightly-eerie-but-definitely-magical Lake Rotoiti lies on the border of the Tasman and Marlborough regions. Flat, easy walks along the lakeshore treat you to stunning views of the surrounding mountains, cascading waterfalls and lush, mossy vegetation.

Hopping back in the van, and getting the latest episode of your favourite podcast on the radio, the drive to Greymouth winds through an endless stream of small towns, farmlands and sprawling countryside. If you can resist the urge to stop every ten minutes to snap a photo, you’ll arrive in the bustling coastal town of Greymouth, the largest on the West Coast but still small enough to walk across in a jiffy, before sunset. The historic town has a storied past full of gold mining and jade hunting, all of which can be learnt about from Shantytown Heritage Park, a recreated gold rush era town just to the south. It also acts as a hub for the many trails that run along the West Coast and further inland.

If you take a right out of town, you’ll find Cobden Aromahana Lagoon , a gorgeous spot overlooking the breakwater at the mouth of the Grey River. The carpark at the top has a designated freedom camping section, allowing you to back right up to the surrounding grass and pull out your camping equipment for a dinner with a heck of a view. Watch the sun go down from above the waterline, or wander down to the pebbled shore to see the native birds whooping and gliding across the ocean.

Day 4 - Greymouth to Arthur’s Pass

From Greymouth there are two options for continuing your way down the South Island; Highway 6 follows the West Coast, passing by the impressive (yet sadly diminishing) Franz Josef & Fox glaciers before cutting inland towards Queenstown, while Highway 73 takes the older route, Arthur’s Pass. We’ll take the 73 this time, and for only a couple of hours drive from Greymouth, this route delivers with every turn through the mountain range. The highway follows the trail Māoris traditionally used to cross the otherwise impassable range of mountains, and which was later named for the first European to make the crossing.

The drive is one of the best in New Zealand, with elevated stretches of the highway curving around mountains and soaring over steep valleys carved over millennia by glacial movement. Whack on your most upbeat playlist as you reach dizzying heights, before eventually arriving at the town of Arthur’s Pass, a quaint little village nestled between the peaks. The township is the starting off point for a labyrinthine network of hiking trails that venture deep into the National Park which encircles the town.

Arthur’s Pass Walking Track is the most accessible of the lot, and acts as a starting point for the various other trails that branch off it. Devils Punchbowl Waterfall and the base of Mt Rolleston are two highlights that shouldn’t be missed, but there are a litany of hidden gems waiting to be discovered.

The nights get cold here, so make sure you’re rugged up before rolling into Avalanche Creek Shelter just outside the village. This free campsite has an enclosed kitchen area and toilets, but is pretty limited on space. If you’re looking to hang out here for the night, your best bet might be to park early and head off on a walk from there.

Day 5 - Arthur’s Pass to Lake Tekapo

Start the day off with a steaming morning coffee to stave away the brisk mountain air sweeping off the peaks around you. In New Zealand you’re never far from landscapes so awe-inspiring you’ll wish you’d taken that extra art class back in high school. Waking up in Arthur’s Pass with the dawn light reflecting off the sheer mountainsides is just one of the many times you’ll feel wholly enchanted by the island.

Once you’ve gathered your wits, keep following Highway 73 as it drops to the lower plains of Canterbury , skirting the outskirts of Christchurch before turning south once more. The drive will take you through the town of Fairlie , where you won’t miss a near-constant line out the front of the Fairlie Bakehouse. Do yourself an enormous favour and hop to the back of the queue to grab a well-deserved break and a delicious pie. The Bakehouse is a local hit and draws tourists in from all over the South Island, and it won’t take more than a bite for you to see why.

From here it’s only a short hop through Burkes Pass to the intoxicating, startling, vocabulary-stretching Lake Tekapo. This surreal lake bursts with vivid turquoise, surrounded by undulating hills, mountains and a township bearing the same name. Book yourself into the Lakes Edge Holiday Park, which as the name suggests, straddles the edge of the lake, providing campers with unrivalled views across the azure waters. By now you’ve done a couple of walks, driven a couple of hundred kilometres, and are ready for a well deserved day of rest. Lucky for you the Tekapo Springs are connected to the holiday park and have you covered for all your unwinding needs. The thermal pools range in temperature to provide for any season, and offer stunning views of their own across the lake.

After you’ve adequately relaxed and sent your legs into jelly mode, wander back to the campsite and prepare yourself for a night of magical stargazing (if the clouds stay away). Tekapo is home to one of New Zealand’s only Dark Sky Reserves , and is commonly listed as one of the best regions in the Southern Hemisphere to look towards the infinite. The holiday park is well equipped for this, with most sites staying out of the way of tree cover so you can lie next to your van and lose yourself in all manner of dreams of aliens and far-off galaxies.

Day 6 - Lake Tekapo to Wānaka

Tekapo is only one of a series of lakes that emanate outwards from the base of the Southern Alps , and its next door neighbour Lake Pukaki is well worth a visit as you continue your trip south. Crowned with the magnificent sight of Aoraki (Mt Cook), the highest peak in the country at its Western end, those with time to spare won’t want to miss a stunning drive up Highway 80 which runs along the shore of the lake to the base of the mountain. From here you can head on walks to get up close and personal with the mighty Aoraki, or simply bask in the view of the natural basin that surrounds the tiny town.

But if you’re on a time limit, keep heading down the island where after a couple of hours you’ll wind up in Wānaka ; Queenstown's smaller yet just as worthy little brother. Situated at the southern end of the lake bearing the same name, Wānaka is a must-see destination for any trip to New Zealand, with trendy bars and restaurants, watersports in the summer and snowsports in the winter. You could easily base yourself here for weeks and still not find all the town has to offer.

For one day here, however, you won’t want to miss a walk along the lakes foreshore where you’ll get some of the best views of the snow capped mountains that ring the town. Take a dip in summer (or winter if you’re the adventurous type), or simply lay in the sun and question why you’ve never been here before. Keep circuiting the lake to find the Wānaka Tree , an Instagram favourite which is sure to have a very excitable crowd gathered around the solitary tree thrusting out of the lakebed. If you’ve got the time and the stamina, Roy’s Peak is an excellent hike that zig-zags almost completely vertically up the mountainside. A challenging hike for beginners, the reward at the top is breathtaking, and will look familiar as the classic social media shot travellers to the region can’t go without. Expect to wait in line for a photo for nearly as long as it takes to climb the mountain, but trust us, it’s worth it.

You’re spoiled with choice for evening plans, with a bustling high street along the promenade featuring only a handful of what Wānaka has to offer. Kai Whakapai Eatery & Craft Beer Bar is the pick of the bunch, with a trove of outdoor seating and lip-smacking local brews from the region to sample. If you’re after a holiday park for the night, Mt Aspiring Holiday Park is 10 minutes out of town and loaded with modern luxuries and amenities. If you’re after a more authentic connection to nature however, head north to Albert Town Campground, where a small donation will get you a spot under towering willows.

Day 7 - Wānaka to Milford Sound

Rise and shine! Your second last day starts bright and early as we venture on another exceptionally beautiful drive towards the remote south-west corner of the island. This journey won’t see us stopping in Queenstown, the beating heart of this end of the South Island, but rest assured there will be plenty more trips to Aotearoa in the future to experience the adventure capital of the world.

For now, we’ll catch a glimpse of the magnificent city from afar as we wind ever onwards, driving past rivers and streams, gorges and valleys, lowlands and highlands, just about any terrain you can think of, you’ll find it on this drive. Take a break in Te Anau, which will be the last settlement before the road arrows toward Milford Sound. For those on a longer itinerary, there’s no harm in stopping here for the night before continuing into the wilderness, but something tells us that the mystical allure of the sounds will call you in quickly.

From Te Anau, there’s only one road that burrows into Southland due to the frankly insane terrain that makes up this corner of the island. The drive takes you past wild meadows and under forest canopies as the backdrop gradually rises, until you reach Homer Tunnel and emerge onto the other side. There are very few words in any language that can accurately convey the sight you are greeted with as you drive down to sea level and into Milford Sound itself. One would be ‘jurassic’. Another might be ‘majestic’. ‘Sublime’ captures the spirit but doesn’t do it justice.

This ancient land is the perfect endpoint to your South Island travels, and there’s only one place to stay in a van, Milford Sound Lodge, so make sure you book ahead. Waddle along the shore and gape in silent admiration at the cliffs dwarfing you on every side, and read the signs about the topography of the area as you realise how jealous you are of the ducks and dolphins that get to live here year-round. Head back to the Lodge for a meal at the world-class restaurant (again, book ahead), or cook up a storm in your van.

Day 8 - Milford Sound

Milford Sound has an excellent array of ways to see the area in all its glory. Planes take off daily to zip between the cliffs, cruises glide along the waters while you crane your neck upwards, and walks curve around the Sound to give you a whole host of different views. But the best way to see Milford has got to be on a kayak. Roscos Milford Sound Kayaks depart all through the day from right next door to the Lodge, and offer a variety of options for how long you want to stay on the water. The guides are informative and helpful, and you can spend the whole day or half a day seeing the Sound from atop the water.

To leave Milford, you’ll have to take the same route back to Te Anau before continuing on to further travels or to return your van. But don’t worry, the drive is just as stunning the second time. There’s plenty of lookouts along the way to grab those last minute photos, or to just take a deep breath and take it all in. You’ll be back.

Te Waipounamu has something for everyone, and this road trip is just a taste of what it can offer. The East Coast holds even more wonders to explore in a van, and with listings all over the South Island, you can begin your journey from anywhere on Camplify.