South Island Itinerary
The South Island ItinerarySouth Island Travel Itinerary - New Zealand in one week
Many of you often ask me for help in organizing a New Zealand itinerary. Shall I stay on the South Island or see both? You can use this free of charge for your own use! The itinerary is for someone who only has a whole weekend and wants to get a good idea of what New Zealand has to show.
You stay on the South Island for a whole weekend. There are certainly some chilly places on the North Island, but the south is much more scenic and has much more to do. When you have more free travel you can have a look at our other routes!
I took my best efforts to create this itinerary. I' ve been to all these places myself and put together my favourites, walks and activites in this ultimative itinerary. The route begins in Queenstown and continues through Fiordland National Park, back to Wanaka, my preferred national park Mount Cook, Tekapo and ends in Christchurch.
It is a self-drive route and you need a vehicle for this. Although you may be paying a little more for the rent, you will be saving your long-term savings in terms of cost and quality, as you do not have to return the vehicle to the place where it was originally collected!
When you are looking for a true Roadtrip, you should hire a motor home! A motor home or small motor home is a great way to get away from it all and make your stay more personal. Around both isles there are plenty of campsites.
It is one I used myself when I travelled New Zealand on the street and I can strongly advise it. All right, you guys up for it? Begin your fabulous journey in Queenstown - the adventurous city of the year! In the second half of the afternoons, decide whether you want to take the Glenorchy highway.
It will be a great way to discover the scenery of the South Island. The third of the days you depart Queenstown after luncheon and head to Te Anau - the gate to Fiordland National Park. Although it is only 170 km, the first section, which begins 20 km south of the center of Queenstown, becomes very wind.
Be sure to keep an eye on the street and only stop at certain stations. The devil's stairs were called this scenically delightful ride. Unattractive as it may seem, it's another astonishing route. Arrived in Te Anau, please register at your hotel and take a pleasant walk around the beautiful scenery (photo above right).
Exit Te Anau at 7am to beating the crowd on the way to Milford Sounds. Do you know that it's not really a fjord, but a soundtrack? More interesting facts can be found in my article about Milfordound. Few cruise operators offer two major directions: Real Journeys and Southern Discoveries, which offer a similar level of services at a similar rate.
The Fiordland National Park is the rainsiest part of New Zealand! Undoubtedly Milford Sound is one of the best places for a sightseeing trip in New Zealand. From the Milford Sound Visitors Center you can make a reservation. IMPORTANT: The Te Anau to Milford Sound Strait is closed in snow.
Ensure that your rented car is fitted with it before you leave! You have a long way to go to your next goal after a pleasant ride around Milford Sound. However, don't be afraid, you will return on the same street and as you probably already know, it is completely amazing.
Hopefully, if you didn't have good wheather on your way to Milford Sound, the way back will be better. Their next stop is Wanaka, another small city in the middle of the Southern Alps of New Zealand. Situated in the southern Alps, Wanaka has some of the most dramatic walks on the South Island.
One of these wonderful walks around Wanaka is recommended on your fifth outing. This 16 km route begins in a small parking lot 6 km from Wanaka on the Mount Aspiring Road. Rocky Mountain Trail provides stunning view over Lake Wanaka, unlike the view from the top of Roys Peak.
It is a brief stroll with magnificent vistas over the Wanaka Town Hall and the plains of Albertown and the Upper Clutha River. Leaving Wanaka early the next to last night, head towards Mount Cook National Park. but Mount Cook/Aoraki National Park is my favorite place in New Zealand.
Mount Cook's landscape is unsurpassed. It is home to the highest peak in the long cloudy country and it is the place where Sir Edmund Hillary trained for his Mt. Everest climb! The relatively shallow 5km walk offers some of the most beautiful vistas in the area.
One clear sunny morning, you'll see the top of Mount Cook light up and turn reddish (see picture above). Reverse the highway to civilisation, 2km from Mount Cook Village, and turn lefthand onto Tasman Valley Rd. (Highway 80). You can start your 1-hour trip back after a brief ride to the parking lot.
The Mount Cook National Park is one of the best places for a sightseeing trip. Mt. Cook's best businesses are Air Safaris and Helicopter Line. TIP: Mount Cook is really short, so make sure you get as much as possible! You can also return 90km on Mount Cook Rd and then take State Hwy 8 to Tekapo for the overnight stop if you cannot find a place to live in Mount Cook Village.
The Tekapo is another picturesque little hill town. All the better if you managed to get your Mt Cook reservation. Those who still have not had enough of the nice view can go up Mount John about 10 km before Tekapo and have a cup of tea. Peak of the hill towers above the bluish Tekapo lake.
From mid-November to the end of December, the stop on the shores of Lake Tekapo is not to be missed. It is also noteworthy that Tekapo is New Zealand's Dark Sky Reserve, which means it is a fantastic place for any astrology and astrophotographer. No matter where you stayed last evening in New Zealand, I trust you had a lot of enjoyment on this brief journey and will return sometime to see more of this lovely state.
When you travel in the high seasons from December to March, I strongly advise you to book your accomodation and your car/camper as far in advanced as possible. When you travel in the late June - September seasons, you should book your Queenstown and Wanaka accommodations in advanced.