South & North Island Explorer - from Christchurch to Auckland
Highlights of this trip: Christchurch - Canterbury Plains - Fairlie - Lake Tekapo - Lake Pukaki - Queenstown - Lake Wakatipu - Te Anau - Fiordland National Park - Wanaka - Franz Josef Glacier - Hokitika - Pancake Rocks - Punakaiki - Nelson - Abel Tasman National Park - Blenheim - Picton - Wellington - Martinborough - Napier - Taupo - Rotorua - Bay of Plenty - Coromandel - Pauanui - Auckland
Highlights of this trip: Christchurch - Canterbury Plains - Fairlie - Lake Tekapo - Lake Pukaki - Queenstown - Lake Wakatipu - Te Anau - Fiordland National Park - Wanaka - Franz Josef Glacier - Hokitika - Pancake Rocks - Punakaiki - Nelson - Abel Tasman National Park - Blenheim - Picton - Wellington - Martinborough - Napier - Taupo - Rotorua - Bay of Plenty - Coromandel - Pauanui - Auckland
Summary
Pick up in:
Christchurch
Return in:
Auckland
Travel Days:
18 days
Distance:
3500 km
1
1
Christchurch
Pick-up your motorhome or camper. Get known with your new home on wheels. and get used to the left-hand traffic. Stop by the next supermarket and get installed on the first campground.
2
2
Christchurch - Canterbury Plains - Fairlie
196 km
Drive through the countryside and Canterbury Plains to Fairlie. We recommend to stay at a farmers house, it is very interesting to see their farm-life.
Approx. driving time: 2 hours 35 minutes
3
3
Fairlie - Lake Tekapo - Lake Pukaki - Queenstown
319 km
Drive along the 2 nice and turquoise blue lakes: Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki to Queenstown. Queenstown is the birth town of bungeejumping and mekka for adventure tourism.
Approx. driving time: 3 hours 55 minutes
4
4
Queenstown - Lake Wakatipu - Te Anau
171 km
Drive along the Lake Wakatipu to Te Anau and Fiordland National Park.
Approx. driving time: 2 hours 5 minutes
5
5
Te Anau - Fiordland National Park
1 km
During the cooler past, glaciers carved many deep fjords, the most famous and most visited is Milford Sound. Other notable fjords include Doubtful Sound and Dusky Sound. From one of the peaks within the park a view of Mount Aspiring/Tititea to the far north can be observed.
6
6
Fiordland National Park - Queenstown - Wanaka
239 km
Drive back to Queenstown and continue to Wanaka. The landscape is gorgeous at Lake Wanaka.
Approx. driving time: 3 hours 10 minutes
7
7
Wanaka - Franz Josef Glacier
287 km
Scenic drive via Haast Pass to the West Coast and to the area of the glaciers. The glaciers almost reach the sea level.
Approx. driving time: 3 hours 40 minutes
8
8
Franz Josef Glacier - Hokitika - Pancake Rocks - Punakaiki
218 km
Drive via Hokitika and Greymouth to Punakaiki. Visit Pancake Rocks, which is a heavily eroded "pancake"-layering limestone area where the sea bursts through several vertical blowholes during high tides.
Approx. driving time: 2 hours 45 minutes
9
9
Punakaiki - Nelson
266 km
Drive northbound to Nelson. Nelson is the sunniest place in New Zealand. Enjoy the golden beaches in the area.
Approx. driving time: 3 hours 35 minutes
10
10
Nelson - Abel Tasman National Park
96 km
Today explore Abel Tasman National Park. The Abel Tasman Coast Track is a popular tramping track that follows the coastline and is one of the greatest walks, Abel Tasman Inland Track is less frequented. Totaranui beach is 1 km long.
Approx. driving time: 1 hour 35 minutes
11
11
Abel Tasman National Park - Nelson - Blenheim
211 km
Drive back to Nelson and continue to Blenheim. Wine growing area and near Cloudy Bay.
Approx. driving time: 3 hours 10 minutes
12
12
Blenheim - Picton - Wellington
127 km
Drive to Picton and take the ferry to Wellington. From the ferry nice views on Marborough Sounds. The ferry crossing takes about 3 hours.
Approx. driving time: 4 hours 25 minutes
13
13
Wellington - Martinborough - Napier
362 km
Follow the wine route northbound to Napier. Wine tasting in Martinborough.
Approx. driving time: 4 hours 40 minutes
14
14
Napier - Taupo - Rotorua
223 km
Visit Lake Taupo on your way to Rotorua. In Rotorua you find many hot springs, geysers and it's famous for the Maori culture. Visit a Maori tribe and eat hangi, a typical maori meal which is done in an earth oven.
Approx. driving time: 2 hours 55 minutes
15
15
Rotorua - Bay of Plenty - Coromandel
233 km
Drive along the Bay of Plenty to Coromandel Peninsula.
Approx. driving time: 3 hours 35 minutes
16
16
Coromandel - Pauanui - Coromandel
167 km
Visit the most popular highlights which are "Cathedral Cove" and "Hot Water Beach". On "Hot Water Beach" you can dig your own spa pool and take a bath in the hot spring. Pauanui is a small harbour town on the eastern side of the peninsula.
Approx. driving time: 3 hours 10 minutes
17
17
Coromandel - Auckland
169 km
Leave the quite area and drive to Auckland, the biggest city of New Zealand. The city is built on 48 extinct volcanos.
Approx. driving time: 2 hours 25 minutes
18
18
Auckland
Drop-off your vehicle
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