Abel Tasman road trip NZ: best sights & camping

Visit some of New Zealand’s best vineyards and national parks on a road trip around Abel Tasman. This journey is the perfect way to see some of the country’s most famous sights, including Abel Tasman National Park, Nelson Lakes National Park, the Marlborough Region and Wharariki Beach.

Use our 5-day Abel Tasman road trip guide to plan your travels. It can be modified to suit the number of days you have available and includes all the best sightseeing and camping spots. Plus, we’ve thrown in a heap of extra information like drive times, distances, the best season to travel and much more!

Best New Zealand road trip around Abel Tasman: 7 places you can’t miss

Total Distance: 465 km | Recommended Days: from 5 - 10 days | Best Time to Visit: Summer or Spring (September - February) | Route on Google Maps

1. Blenheim

Start in the heart of the Marlborough region, Blenheim, a sunny city surrounded by vineyards renowned for producing some of the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc. If you’re a wine lover, spend a day taking a guided or self-guided bike tour to over 30 vineyards and cellar doors around town.

Be sure to also visit the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, a state-of-the-art museum that exhibits a range of WW1 and WW2 aircraft. It was created by the same team behind the Lord of the Rings and houses Sir Peter Jackson’s private collection of aircraft and artefacts.

Stay at the Spring Creek Holiday Park, a quiet and shady park nestled on the edge of a crystal clear creek. It’s only 5 minutes out of town and offers a range of camping options starting from about $40 per night.

2. Nelson

Drive Time: 1 hr 45 min | Distance: 123 km

The vibrant city of Nelson is a creative hub for some of New Zealand’s best artists and galleries. Visit the Farmers Markets on a Wednesday or the Nelson’s Saturday Market on a weekend and try some of the local brews from the world’s ‘Best Cider City’.

You’ll be amazed at the Classic Car Museum’s collection of over 150 iconic cars spanning more than 100 years of motoring. Regarded as one of the best private exhibits in the world, the museum is home to older Renaults, Triumphs and Cadillacs as well as more modern Ferraris and Jaguars.

Stay at the family-friendly Nelson City Top 10 Holiday Park, conveniently located in the centre of Nelson. Choose from a range of shady unpowered and powered campsites starting from about $50 per night.

3. Nelson Lakes National Park

Drive Time: 1 hr | Distance: 82 km

No trip around the Nelson Abel Tasman region is complete without visiting the stunning Nelson Lakes National Park. This ancient landscape is distinguished by its giant glaciers, tall beech forests, rugged mountains and Blue Lake (the world’s clearest lake).

The best way to see Nelson Lakes National Park is by taking the Lake Rotoiti Walkway. The 23-31km return track takes about 7-10 hours to complete and can be slightly arduous but it is well worth it for the views over Lake Rotoiti Jetty at the end. If the walk is too long, you can always cut it in half by catching a water taxi.

There are several outstanding Department of Conservation (DOC) campsites within Nelson Lakes National Park, including Kerr Bay Campsite and West Bay Campground. Prices start as low as $15 a night and bathroom and kitchen facilities are provided.

4. Abel Tasman National Park

Drive Time: 1 hr 40 min | Distance: 120 km

The coastal town of Motueka serves as a gateway to the famous Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand’s smallest national park. Hire a kayak or do up your laces and explore some of the park’s most popular sights, including Split Apple Rock, Tonga Arches and the easy Wainui Falls Track.

Thrill-seekers can get the best views of the National Park by solo or tandem diving with Skydive Abel Tasman. For those who prefer to keep their feet planted on the ground, take a leisurely stroll to Janie Seddon Shipwreck or Riwaka Resurgence, a deep pool where the river emerges from a marble cave.

Stay at the Motueka Top 10 Holiday Park and take your pick from a powered or unpowered site starting from about $48 per night. This shady park has awesome facilities including a heated swimming pool and a jumping pillow for the kids.

5. Takaka

Drive Time: 1 hr | Distance: 60 km

As you emerge over the top of Takaka Hill, you’ll look down on the seaside town of Takaka, the centre of the Golden Bay region. This welcoming and artistic community is full of charming cafes and even has its own little movie cinema. Be sure to take an easy 30-minute stroll to the amazing Rawhiti Cave.

A few minutes drive out of Takaka, you’ll find Te Waikoropupū Springs, the largest freshwater springs in New Zealand and the largest cold water springs in the Southern Hemisphere. Follow the boardwalk around the lake and watch as schools of fish and eel swim below your feet.

Grab a beachfront camping spot at the Pohara Beach Top 10 Holiday Park, with unpowered and powered sites starting from about $22 per night. Hot showers are only $1 for 6 minutes and you also get free WiFi.

6. Collingwood

Drive Time: 20 min | Distance: 26 km

If you love leaving the beaten track and getting amongst the great outdoors, you must stop in the quiet seaside village of Collingwood. This is the best place to organize a quick adventure into Kahurangi National Park or the Farewell Spit.

Enjoy a full-day tour with Farewell Spit Eco Tours to the northernmost point of the South Island, a 34km stretch of sand where seals and over 90 bird species spend summer and spring. Along the way, you’ll also stop at the historic lighthouse built in 1869.

Camp at the highly-rated Collingwood Holiday Park, which offers absolute waterfront campervan and powered sites from about $30 per night.

7. Wharariki Beach

Drive Time: 30 min | Distance: 28 km

You may remember the world-famous Wharariki Beach from your Windows 10 screensaver? It is one of the most photographed attractions in the Abel Tasman region and is definitely worth a night's stay.

One of the best ways to explore the caves, rocks, dunes, rock pools and arches that run the length of the beach is by taking the Wharariki Beach walk. This easy return walk takes about 40-minutes (2km) to complete and also passes through lush farmland and coastal forest. Alternatively, you can join a horseback beach ride with the welcoming team at Wharariki Beach Horse Trek.

Stay at the nearby Farewell Gardens Holiday Park, a small family eco-friendly camp beside the sea. From about $20 per night, you can have an unpowered or powered site within walking distance of Puponga Beach.

Organise your Abel Tasman road trip with Camplify

Now that you’ve got your Abel Tasman road trip itinerary sorted, it’s time to start organising the finer details that’ll guarantee a great vacation!

Need to arrange campervan hire in Nelson Tasman? Camplify is a platform that allows travellers to quickly search through privately-owned rentals. Simply enter your pickup location and budget and within seconds, you can find the perfect motorhome, caravan or campervan for your road trip!

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