Road Trip Itinerary for New Zealand’s South Island

This was a bucket list trip for Kevin and I. We have wanted to explore New Zealand by van for ages. We had years to research due to Covid and when it finally happened we were so happy! There were so many things we wanted to see and do, but we only had 9 days. While you can cram a lot into 9 days, we didn’t want to always be moving and feel overwhelmed.

Our first decision was to decide if we were going to go to the South or North Island. We ended up on deciding on the South Island because we wanted the trip to be about the outdoors and seeing areas in nature that were unique to New Zealand. We wanted to hike and be outside and so the South Island it was. Our travels had us in New Zealand in April, which is their fall and people say a day without rain is not a day in New Zealand. So we had to be flexible in our travels. We had made a general itinerary that kept us on the west and in the south, but things change when weather has its own idea of what will happen each day. The good thing about New Zealand’s south island is that it is very van/camper friendly. I mean, very friendly and so you can be anywhere and anywhere has an amazing view or something to do.

Without question, the best way to explore this island is by van or RV. So, if you decide to rent a van your second question you need to answer is where you will start. Queenstown and Christchurch are the top two places to start. I would suggest starting at whichever is cheaper. The island is smal enough that detours are possible. Queenstown was for us and we ended up being quite happy with that. It is a great city, with beautiful mountains and wineries close by and a pretty good mountain bike park. It has enough to do to start and end in the city and it has easy access to its airport.

Like I said earlier, this country is very van friendly. Most towns embrace the community wholeheartedly. Some even have specific parking lots that are free and have a lot of amenities. This can range from bathrooms, kitchen area, picnic tables, covered areas, potable water, coffee shop to grocery stores nearby. Just make sure to spend a couple dollars in the community. One of those communities, which was one of our favorite for a nights stay, is Lumsden. Located on your way to Fjordland National Park and Te Anau. It used to be the center of the train stops in the area, but with no more trains running, it has become a small town needing tourist dollars to survive. You have covered picnic tables, a kitchen, bathrooms, playground, coffee shop, grocery store and a library for WIFI.

Even RV parks are cheap for dry camping spots and again you have kitchen areas, dump and water, laundry and in the kitchen areas, most people leave left over food or drinks. If you are on a budget, it is a good place to start. We left coke, packaged noodles and when we went in, someone had left a bottle of wine and a basket of fresh groceries. It had a similar vibe to Iceland.

Most people seem to travel in a car or van that do not have bathrooms. This makes it incredibly cheap. Even the vans and campers that you can rent for a period of time are not meant for boondocking or dry camping for longer than a couple nights. We are used to having solar, inverter, generator, etc., but these rigs do not come with that. You will need to plug in at some point, but luckily, RV parks are very affordable and we were able to find spots a day to two days beforehand. While not monitored strictly, you are required to have this sticker to freedom camp if there are no bathrooms available.

You will have to dump your tank as they are not that big of holding containers. No hose, you have to grab the container and dump. Kevin used gloves, this was before we used for a picture!

Now to the fun stuff!

The Best Spots to Stop on your New Zealand Road Trip

Not all of these places are on the top places to see in New Zealand and we were just fine with that. It means you get into the local communities and see things with no one else around. Other times, it is fun being surrounded by people who are enjoying the same areas that you are. While this island is pretty laid back, we did notice that there wasn’t the best trail etiquette. Please know trail etiquette before heading out.

Our initial plan had us doing two out and backs from Queenstown. North and then south. We ended up doing a loop, going counter clockwise from Queenstown.

Queenstown

We arrived late and beelined it to Fergburger. There is always a line and it is worth it. It is the local spot and they take care of their employees. Focused on a good burger and not a huge menu. Which we love!

The next morning we picked up our van and familiarized ourselves with driving on the wrong side of the car and road. We found some lookout spots and had a leisurely day.

Wanaka

Wanaka was our first stop. I wanted to see the famous willow tree and get a bite to eat. This willow tree is the most photographed tree in New Zealand. It has been losing parts of itself due to people climbing on it. So please don’t climb on it. Just enjoy the view and the lake from shore. Then get a tasty bite to eat at one of the many local places or food trucks. There are larger restaurants close to the water but if you walk a couple blocks away you can find some great eats! There are many parks to hang out at along the water and plenty of parking. Just make sure to read the signs.

Omarama

Omarama was a bit of a surprise for us. We didn’t originally plan on spending any time in this small community, but then we came across the Omarama Hot Tubs. There is a cost and you must reserve in advance. But for an hour you have a private area to yourself where you can relax and take in the views. You are allowed drinks and snacks but no alcohol on holidays. We happened to be there on a holiday so we enjoyed a small snack and a soda. They spread the tubs out enough where you could not hear anyone. We enjoyed watching the local birds and gliders.

Omarama Clay Cliffs

Just a short drive past Omarama are the Omarama Clay Cliffs. With a small parking lot and navigating private land, it is a rewarding spot to get to. They don’t seem like they should exist here but after a short hike you can explore this magnificent area. We found that it was a popular spot for people bikepacking. This is a short stop and not a long hike.

Mt. Cook attempt

After that long day we decided we should find our first place to spend the night. We wanted it to be freedom camping (boondocking) and so we found this parking lot next to the lake. It would then be a short drive to Mt. Cook for some amazing hiking. The weather had other plans and so we had to skip Mt. Cook all together, but it should definitely be at the top of your list.

This is what most parking lots looked like. There was also one in Omarama. Find your spot and get comfortable. This location only had pit toilets to offer as an amenity, along with the random views of Mt. Cook. If you are wondering about etiquette for freedom camping in parking lots there is only the rule to not block a lane. You can park as close or as far, but realize someone will park close towards the end if it fills up.

Moeraki Boulder Beach

Because of the weather, we decided to drive east towards the coast. Moeraki Boulder Beach was on our list if we made it to the east coast. Always have multiple itineraries. There are multiple places to park to explore this beach. These large boulders have become a touristy destination but not too many people were there. The country has protected the area for research, but you still can get up close and personal with the boulders. While not unique to this beach, it was pretty incredible to see and these seem to be the best ones.

Doctor’s Point Reserve

This location wasn’t even on the list but when you are driving around and have the flexibility to stop anywhere you want, you can find places like this. We wanted a place for lunch near the beach and the name sounded interesting to us so we stopped and we are so happy we did! You can explore caves and the towering rock walls.

Otago Peninsula

We then decided to head to the Otago Peninsula off the city of Dunedin. It was an incredibly beautiful drive. This area is well known for viewing Albatross. An absolutely incredible bird that is dangerous close to being the endangered list. Some species are. We stayed in Portobello at this cute RV park. For such a small park there was an amazing kitchen area.

Royal Albatross Centre

This center offers a lot. Beautiful views of the coastline, Albatross education, chances to see seals and evening penguin tours. I highly suggest this area for families. Having kids (and adults) learn about what is happening to the animals and birds is beneficial for their understanding and appreciation of them and nature. We all need to do our part and we need to start doing something soon before they become extinct.

Te Anau

One of the main places on our list for exploring was Te Anau and Fjordland National Park. Te Anau is a great place to make your home base for a couple days or how ever long you want to stay. With restaurants, grocery stores and plenty of places to stay it has a lot to offer. It sits right on Lake Te Anau so it has plenty of tours and excursions to choose from close by.

Fjordland National Park

We chose to do the day tour to Fjordland National Park. To do this, we highly suggest hiring a company to explore Fjordland National Park. Especially if you only have a day. They will pick you up at your hotel or RV park, transport you to the scenic cruising docks, provide a plethora of information and stop at highlights along the way. They provide a small bag lunch (you can buy more at the docks) and then drop you off at your hotel or RV park after a short nature hike to stretch the legs.

Arriving

This area gets a lot of rain. I mean a lot. With over 200 days of rain each year, make sure to bring your rain jacket. From the moment you arrive, you can see why this is such a special place.

Scenic Cruise Through Milford Sound

Our tour company went with Mitre Peak Cruises. It is about a 2 hour cruise through the towering rock walls of Milford Sound. The turnaround point is the Tasman Sea. The boat offers multiple places to view the landscapes. Inside lounging, outside benches and the front for the best view.

It was an absolutely incredible experience and we got lucky with no rain. However, these boats are made to be able to get close to the shoreline and so for one of the waterfalls, you almost get right underneath!

The last part of the tour is a nature walk to learn about the plants, trees and wildlife of the area. Short, flat and beautiful, it is made for any age or ability.

Onsen Hot Pools and Cargo Gantley’s Pub & Cafe at Arthur’s Point

This area is another great stop or day trip from Queenstown. Soat in one of the private tubs looking over the river. Have a drink and snack that is complimentary. It was nice after being in the van. This will not be as relaxing as Omarama since it is busier and you are much closer to the next group, but still worth it. Then have lunch at the local cafe. I was impressed with their food!

Supporting Local

While you are driving around this small island. Make sure to support the local businesses. They need tourism to stay open and there were a lot of cute ones. Our favorite was a sandwich shop on the way back to Queenstown in the south. AMAZING Sandwich!

Queenstown

We left a few days at the end to explore more of Queenstown. We stopped to watch a local rugby game. We got really into it by the end of the trip.

Kevin read so much about the bike park. It was supposed to be one of the best in the world. His experience was disappointing as there was tons of construction and no warning about delays. Each wait was an hour plus to get back on the gondola.

If mountain biking isn’t your thing, there are paved paths, parks and trails near the lake to hike or run.

We then drove up the mountain for a short hike and for views of the town. The weather caught up with us again, so we had to turn around but we were still able to get in some beautiful views.

We stayed at an RV park right in town that had all the great amenities for a really affordable price. We could walk everywhere and it was still quiet in the evening. While these are budget friendly, the cheapest is freedom camping but you will only find these areas outside of the major cities.