Three amazing road trip itineraries in New Zealand

Let's start off in the north of New Zealand, with this amazing road trip adventure through the North Island. In around 3 weeks you'll get to explore all the cool spots (and trust us, there are many!) in New Zealand's North Island.

A road trip around the South Island of New Zealand is a breathtaking experience - think mountain ranges, golden beaches, glaciers, rainforests, fjords, extreme sports and whale-watching. Enjoy the ultimate South Island experience on this unbelievably scenic road trip!

Start your South Island adventure in Christchurch, known for its beautiful gardens and vibrant art scene. Explore the Botanic Gardens, walk along the Avon River, and visit the Quake City Museum to learn about the city’s resilience after the devastating earthquake in 2011.

Leaving the city behind and heading north, stop at least Kaikoura for whale-watching and the Marlborough Wine Region to sample some of New Zealand's famous grape juice. The next stop is Abel Tasman National Park where golden beaches meet lush forests. Here you can hike the Abel Tasman Coast Track, kayak in crystal-clear waters, and spot seals and dolphins along the coast.

Making your way south again, you'll come across the Franz Josef Glacier - a stunning icy wonder. Take a guided glacier hike, soak in the hot pools after a long day, and marvel at the icy blue masses staring you in the face. Via Wanaka you'll end up in Milford Sound, which is one of the most mesmerising places on earth. The fjord here is not only surrounded by snowy mountains (part of the year), but also has rainforests, waterfalls, dolphins and penguin colonies. It's hard to top Milford Sound, but your next stop is exciting, as it's the adventure capital of New Zealand, and maybe even the world! You can bungee jump off the Kawarau Bridge, practice watersports on Lake Wakatipu, and try paragliding here.

Via Invercargill, catch a ferry to Stewart Island, a remote gem. The reason to go all this way is the Rakiura National Park. Here you'll find fantastic hiking trails, many different birds, and a chance to see the elusive kiwi bird (though we have to admit, this is pretty ffin' hard).

Continue north along the east coast of the South Island via Dunedin - known for its Scottish heritage and student life. Visit the Otago Peninsula for albatross colonies, penguins, and stunning coastal views. (We can see why the Scots liked it here!).

For your last stop, head inland to Lake Tekapo, which is so blue it almost hurts your eyes. By day, it's incredibly picturesque, while by night we recommend stargazing at the Dark Sky Reserve. It's a peaceful end to your New Zealand journey, but it will leave you wanting more. 

This epic road trip is basically a greatest hits cocktail of the two itineraries above. We'll guide you through the best of what New Zealand's two main islands have to offer in three weeks or (preferably) more. We've included some of the major stops on this route, but if you have more than three weeks, there's plenty more to see along the way - or you can simply choose to linger a little longer in each place.