Most South Island itineraries are too fast. This one is ten days and covers the essential loop without spending every evening in a different hotel.

The route

Christchurch → Lake Tekapo → Aoraki / Mount Cook → Wānaka → Queenstown → Milford Sound → Queenstown

Day by day

  1. Christchurch. Land, collect the car, eat well.
  2. Tekapo. Two hours of easy driving. Church, lake, hot pools.
  3. Mount Cook. Hooker Valley in the afternoon, stargazing at night.
  4. Wānaka. Over the Lindis Pass; lake walk and the lone tree.
  5. Wānaka. Roy's Peak if you are fit, wineries if you are sensible.
  6. Queenstown. Crown Range drive, gondola at dusk.
  7. Milford Sound. Long day, worth every minute.
  8. Queenstown. Free day for jet boats or a spa.
  9. Arrowtown. Gold-rush streets and a slow lunch.
  10. Fly out. Drop the car at Queenstown.

Driving notes

  • Distances look short but the roads are slow. Add 30% to Google's estimate.
  • Fuel up before Fiordland and the Mackenzie Basin.
  • The Milford road is stunning and demanding; do not drive it tired.

We can book the whole route — car, stays and the experiences worth paying for — as a single itinerary.