Campervan Park Holiday Pass

Visitor information

About New Zealand
New Zealand visitor information
New Zealand climate guide
New Zealand driving guide
New Zealand map
Book your ferry tickets
 

Mt Maunganui, New Zealand

Christchurch-Christchurch (14 nights/15 days)

Day 1: Christchurch

• Arrive at Christchurch Airport, uplift your Campervan and travel onto your local campervan park.
• After settling in you may want to explore the city, or even visit the Antarctic Centre located near the airport, with penguins and other points of interest about the South Pole.

Day 2: Christchurch

• Drive through the city and visit some of the scenic highlights including Sumner Beach, Cashmere Hills, Lyttleton Harbour, Brighton Pier or just meander the city on the trams or by foot.
• You may want to take in the very authentic Tamaki Heritage Village Maori cultural experience and hangi (Maori earth-oven meal).
• You may want to travel up the Gondola in the Heathcote Valley overlooking Christchurch and the Canterbury Plains.
• Alternatively you could drive north through the Wairapa Valley wine country to Kaikoura on the East Coast and board a boat for a 2 hour whale watching expedition in the waters off Kaikoura or travel out to Akaroa on the Banks Peninsula to view the Hector Dolphins on one of the cruise.

Day 3: Christchurch - Lake Tekapo (230km/3:00hr) - Mt Cook/Aoraki (102km/1:15hr)

• Today you will drive out across the Canterbury Planes, down the coast and west through Geraldine and onto the very picturesque Lake Tekapo.
• From here it is a 1 hour drive to New Zealand's highest mountain, Mt Cook/Aoraki.
• In the afternoon take one of the many walks available in the Mt Cook area, guided or unguided.
• In the evening be sure to discover the Planetarium or visit the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre.

Day 4: Mt Cook/Aoraki - Oamaru (184km/2:30hr) - Dunedin (115km/1:30hr)

• If you are in outside of winter when the lake is frozen, you may want to take up the wonderful experience of viewing the Tasman Glacier up close with a Glacier Boat Tour of the lake where you will see and touch icebergs at the face of the glacier.
• There are plenty of various graded walks to do within the National Park, both guided and unguided which you could do in the afternoon including the Hooker Valley walk, a very popular walk amongst visitors.
• In the afternoon you will head back out to the east coast via the mining town of Oamaru, home to one of New Zealand's largest Blue Penguin Colonies. Each day, 1 hour after dusk you can view the Penguins returning to their colony after a day in the ocean.
• Continue down State Highway 1, past the Moeraki Boulders and down into New Zealand's most Scottish town, Dunedin.

Day 5: Dunedin

• A 45-minute drive out to Otago Peninsula, and you can visit the Yellow Eyed Penguin and New Zealand Fur Seal colonies at Nature's Wonder, the Royal Albatross Centre or New Zealand's only castle, Larnach Castle.
• Other attractions include the worlds steepest street, Baldwin St, The Octagon, or the fantastic architecture of Dunedin Railway Station.
• Dunedin is also the home to the Cadbury Chocolate Factory which you can take a tour of during the day.

Day 6: Dunedin - Te Anau (298km/4:00hrs)

• Continue south today down SH1 through to Gore, the you will head north west and through to Te Anau, base for access to the amazing Doubtful and Milford Sounds.
• In the evening you may want to take a Real Journeys tour out across the lake to visit the Glowworm Caves of Te Anau.

Day 7: Te Anau - Milford Sound (116km/2:30hr) - Te Anau (116km/2:30hr)

• Drive through the spectacular Fiordland National Park, stopping along the way at some of the many great spots for a photo, or just to admire the stunning views.
• Then upon arrival into Milford Sound take one of the cruises available through this World Heritage Site.
• * The Te Anau-Milford Sound road can get quite busy, and is very windy in places. We would recommend that you take a coach tour to/from Te Anau so you can sit back and enjoy the sights from the safety of a coach.
• Return to Te Anau for the evening.

Day 8: Te Anau - Queenstown (174km/2:30hr)

• Head north around the back of Lake Wakitipu and through to Queenstown.
• After settling in at the local camp ground you may want to sample the great shopping and fine restaurants on offer in Queenstown or travel up to dine at Skyline located at the top of the gondola, where they do a fabulous buffet in the evening.

Day 9: Queenstown

• You may want to start the day with an exhilarating jet boat ride on the Shotover Jet through the river canyon.
• If you are interested in wines you may want to drive out to lunch at Gibston Valley Wines for a tour of their unique cave wine cellar.
• Take a bungy jump from Kawarau Bridge, or Skippers Canyon - or a least go and watch others.
• White water rafting is very popular, and the rivers around Queenstown offer some of the best.
• Take a cruise on Lake Wakitipu aboard the TSS Earnslaw over the Walter Peak Farm.
• Other extreme activities include sky diving or taking a ride in one of the Pit Special Aircraft used for aerial acrobatics over Queenstown.
• Located 10km from Queenstown are the Onsen Hot Pools, where you can soak up in a tub in the with the great views out at Arthurs Point.

Day 10: Queenstown - Wanaka (70km/1:00hr) - Franz Josef (285km/3:45hr)

• A one hour drive over the Crown Range into Lake Wanaka where you can stop to explore this picturesque lakeside town.
• You may want to stop at the Cardrona Pub along the way, or even stop at Cardrona Adventure Park for a quad bike ride or a ride in a monster truck.
• Continue out through Haast Pass up State Highway 6 and through to Fox Glacier and onto Franz Josef 23km further away.
• Explore the glacier on foot or take a guided walk with one of the local tour companies. There are also Heli Hiking options which start from the ice fall.
• Relax in the evening and indulge yourself at the Franz Josef Glacier Hot Pools.

Day 11: Franz Josef - Greymouth (160km/2:00hr) - Punakaiki (44km/0:30hr) - Nelson (274km/3:45hr)

• Today drive north up the rugged West Coast and onto the old mining town of Greymouth.
• You may want to visit Shanty town, an authentic recreation of the mining town from yesteryear or take in one of the many bush or coastal walks available.
• Drive north up the rugged West Coast, through to the famous Pancake Rocks and Blowholes of Punakaiki.
• While you are there you may want to walk the Truman Track - 15 minutes through virgin forest to a coast of caves and coves.
• Continue north to New Zealand's sunshine capital, Nelson at the top of the South Island.

Day 12: Nelson

• Travel up 70km north west to Kaiteriteri, the gateway to the Abel Tasman National Park for a walk through one of the many tracks or just relax on the beach. Guided walks that our can do include stunning coast line, beaches, bush and wildlife.
• Be sure to explore Nelsons arty shops or enjoy their boutique restaurants in the evening or visit the World of Wearable Art Museum which is fascinating.
• Nelson is also home to Skywire, the longest (1.6km) flying fox in the world, located just out of town.

Day 13: Nelson - Blenheim (113km/1:30hr) - Kaikoura (128km/1:45hr)

• Upon leaving Nelson you will drive east through Blenheim. If you have time we thoroughly recommend visiting the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, designed by film director Peter Jackson, it is an incredible life like display of vintage plans, unique to any other displays in the world.
• Continue down the east coast of the South Island through the coastal town of Kaikoura.

Day 14: Kaikoura - Christchurch (188km/2:30hr)

• Experience one of the amazing whale watching expeditions today off the coast of Kaikoura.
• Head down the coast, through the Waipara Valley wine making region and onto Christchurch for your last night.

Day 15: Christchurch

• Today you will return your camper van to the depot at Christchurch Airport where your arrangements conclude.

 
 
Top of page