New Zealand Itinerary

Wellington is a must visit destination on your New Zealand itinerary. However, there is much to explore when visiting this incredible country. So, to help you plan your dream trip and discover the best of both islands, we've created a 21 night trip schedule thast packs in many of the best attractions and sights.Â

21 Night Itinerary

Destination	Duration	Drive TimeÂ	Itinerary Highlights
1. Auckland	3 Nights	Arrive	'The City Of Sails'. Highlights: War Memorial Museum, Skytower, Viaduct Harbour, Devonport, Waiheke Island, Rangitoto Island, Piha Beach & Waitakere Ranges.
2. The Coromandel	2 Nights	2 hours	Picturesque Coastline. Highlights: Cathedral Cove, Hot Water Beach, Coromandel Town, Hahei Beach, Driving Creek Railway.
Option	0 Nights	1 hour	Lord of The Rings. If time permits, why not visit the 'Lord of the Rings Shire' movie set at Hobbiton. It's located in Matamata and on the way to Rotorua.
3. Rotorua	2 Nights	1 hour	Geothermal & Maori Attractions. Highlights: Maori Villages, Geothermal Attractions, The Redwoods Forest, scenic lakes, Zorbing, Polynesian Spa, Skyline Gondola.
4. Taupo	1 Night	1 hour	Lake Taupo. Highlights: Lake Taupo, Craters of the Moon, Orakei Korako, Huka Falls, Tongariro National Park.
5. Wellington	2 Nights	4.5 hours	Capital City. Hop on the ferry from Picton to Wellington (3.5 hour crossing). Highlights: Botanical Gardens, Wellington Zoo, Wellington Cable Car, Te Papa Museum, Zealandia, Oriental Bay, Weta Cave, Mt Victoria lookout, Cuba Street.
Option		2 hours	Abel Tasmen & Nelson Lakes National Parks. An option if you have more time, is to drive from Picton to Abel Tasman National Park and enjoy the water taxis to the stunning Island beaches. We suggest staying in Motueka. It's also worth checking outÂ Nelson Lakes National Park (Head to Saint Arnaud Village).
6. Kaikoura	1 Night	2 hours	Whale Watching. Highlights: Whale Watching, Fyffe House, Seal Colony, Coastal Walkway.
7. Arthur's Pass	1 Night	3.45 hours	Dramatic National Park. Highlights: Fantastic East Coast to West Coast Drive, Arthur's Pass National Park. On the drive pull over to see Castle Hill, Cave Stream Scenic Reserve, Lake Pearson. We suggest breaking the journey with a night in/near Arthur's Pass Village. From the village, check out the Devil's Punchbowl Falls walk.
8. The Glaciers	1 Night	2.5 hours	Glacier Hiking. Highlights: Try a guided hike or a scenic helicopter flight and glacier landing. We suggest staying a night in Franz Josef which has more hotel/motel options than Fox Glacier. On the way to Wanaka, it's also worth stopping off at Fox Glacier (30 minutes after Franz Josef) and also Haast Beach (2 hours after Franz Josef).
9. Wanaka	1 Night	3.15 hours	Adventure Resort. Highlights: Lake Wanaka, Lake Hawea, scenic lake cruise, Mt Iron Walk, Puzzling World. Local Tip - when moving onto Queenstown, drive via The Crown Range, a shorter and more beautiful route.
10. Queenstown	4 Nights	2.5 hours	Adventure Capital of NZ. Highlights: Bungy, Skydiving, Jet Boating, Paragliding, Gondola Ride, Ziptrek, Lake Cruise, Fly-Cruise-Fly return trip to Milford Sound. Visit historic Arrowtown,Gibbston wineries, enjoy top golf courses.
11. Mount Cook	1 Night	2.5 Hours	Stunning National Park. Highlights: It's an Incredible scenic drive from Queenstown. Mount Cook Village is where many of the activity tours depart. Highlights: Tasman Glacier Scenic Flight, Glacier Explorer, 4WD, Stargazing, walking trails. Just past Mount Cook you'll see Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki.
12. Christchurch	2 Nights	3.5 hours	The 'Garden City'. Highlights: Hagley Park, Botanical Gardens, River Avon Punting, Gondola, Banks Peninsula & Akaroa, Sumner and New Brighton beaches.
Total	21 Nights		Depart Christchurch