7-Day New Zealand South Island Itinerary

The South Island of New Zealand is the perfect place for a road trip! This 7-day itinerary will take you to some of our favourite spots on the South Island, through the most beautiful nature, onto some of the best hikes in the country, and give you a ton of fun, unique things to do.

There’s so much to see on New Zealand’s South Island, but we’ve done our best to make this 7-day road trip as full and adventurous as possible without too much driving and you missing out on too much!

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The Ultimate 7 Day South Island Itinerary (self-drive)

This 7-day New Zealand South Island guide starts from Queenstown and takes you to some of the highlights of the South Island, like Milford Sound, Mount Cook, and Lake Tekapo and finishes off in Christchurch.

Know before you go

How to get around New Zealand

The best way to get around the South Island is by renting a car or a van. We’ve set up this 7-day itinerary in a way that you can pick up your rental car on day 3 after you’ve visited Queenstown and Milford Sound.

You can, of course, also rent it for the whole duration if you prefer. Either way, you would have to rent the car from Queenstown (Airport) to Christchurch (Airport). In order to find the best price, we suggest you check out DiscoverCars.

We’ve visited NZ multiple times and spent over 10 months here, so we’ve rented a ton of different cars (including 3 times from Queenstown Airport), and we’ve used DiscoverCars every time. Click here to check their prices and availability.

Get Travel insurance (SafetyWing)

Alright, now that’s covered, let’s head into the itinerary!

Arrival Day: Fly into Queenstown

On your arrival day, you’ll land in one of the most beautiful airports in the world! A little tip is to try and get a window seat when you’re flying to Queenstown because the views are simply stunning. You’ll get an awesome aerial view of all the Remarkables mountains and Lake Wakatipu on your way in!

Once you’ve landed, you can make your way via bus or taxi to Queenstown. It’s a short trip, and we actually have a full post on getting from Queenstown Airport to Queenstown here.

You’ll probably only have a few hours on this first day, but there are a few things we recommend doing to get a feel for Queenstown (and to beat the jetlag). After you check into your place of accommodation (we suggest The Waterfront Hotel or Absoloot Hostel), you probably want to grab some food.

Personally, we think the highly hyped up Fergburger is an absolute must. It’s the most popular burger joint in Queenstown for a reason! The waitline is usually 30 minutes or so (even if the line looks long), and it’s worth it.

If you’re feeling up for it, we’d also recommend stopping by Patagonia & Chocolaterie Queenstown for a yummy ice cream. You can take the ice cream to the beachfront and enjoy a nice afternoon by the lake or sunset overlooking Lake Wakatipu. You may even see the iconic TSS Earnslaw coming in or going out for one of its tours (recommend this for day 2).

If you’re not ready for bed, maybe slightly jetlagged, there are tons of bars and restaurants that are open in the city as well. But the next 7 days are pretty full on, so make sure you get some good rest 😉

📍 Want to know about all the best spots in Aotearoa New Zealand?
Then check out our New Zealand Maps with +200 locations around the country that we have visited during our 10 months of living and travelling in NZ! 🗺️

Day 1: Explore everything Queenstown

Queenstown is the adventure capital of New Zealand, so if you’re looking to go bungee jumping or skydiving, this is the place to do it! There’s everything adrenaline rush imaginable here in Queenstown, but if that’s not your vibe, there are definitely some less extreme adventures you can enjoy.

You can start the day with a coffee at one of the many cute cafes in town. We love Vudu Café by the water or Bespoke Kitchen, which is close to the gondola.

From there, you can either hike up the Tiki Track or take the Skyline Gondola up to the top and take a few rides on the luge. You can buy tickets for the lounge and gondola at Skyline Queenstown’s front office at the base of the mountain.

Another amazing activity you can do in the afternoon/evening is to go on one of the TSS Earnslaw tours, where you go across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak Farm and enjoy a delicious dinner buffet. It’s one of the coolest experiences we’ve done in Queenstown, and if it’s something you’re interested in, then you’ll definitely love it!

In the evening, if you’re up for a bit of a walk and want to get out of the downtown area, you can walk to Altitude Brewing and have a tasty beer or two. They also sometimes have a pizza truck outside that serves some amazing pizza!

Day 2: Day trip to Milford Sound

Milford Sound is always going to hold a special place in our hearts. We used to live there during our work holiday visa in New Zealand back in 2017. This is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and the day trip from Queenstown to Milford is iconic! Maybe my favourite day on this 7-day South Island itinerary.

You have a few options for how to get to Milford on this day trip. One of the options is to take a scenic flight out to Milford Sound, where the cruise out on the fjord is also included, and the flight back as well. If there’s a tour to do to remember for the rest of your life, it’s the scenic flight!

Another great option is to do the coach bus from Queenstown and back, where you’ll leave early in the morning, pass by Te Anau, then end up in Milford, where you’ll have time to walk the foreshore and hop on a cruise. After all the sightseeing, you’ll take the bus back to Queenstown and stay in town one more night.

Also read: 3 Awesome Scenic Flights over Milford Sound ✈️

Day 3: Road trip to Wānaka

It’s time to get on the road and make your way down Highway 6 or 8 towards Wānaka. On the way, you stop at the Cardrona Ski Field and try out the summer Mountain Carting. It’s one of the coolest activities you can do, and it’s also on the way to Wānaka. 

This is one of our favourite towns on the South Island, and we recently spent a full month here. It’s a less crowded and less touristy version of Queenstown, and the town itself also has a beautiful lake right next to it.

There are tons of delicious cafes in Wānaka, and we also have a list of some of our favourite hikes to do in the area. Mount Iron Track is perfect if you’re just looking for a short little hike near town, otherwise, you can try something a bit more adventurous like Isthmus Peak.

Since you only have one day in Wanaka, it might be best to stay local, enjoy the town, the lake, and maybe a short hike up Mount Iron, before maybe stopping by the Food Trucks for dinner (the burritos are our favourites)!

Also read: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Wānaka

Day 4: Aoraki Mount Cook National Park

It’s time to visit the tallest mountain in New Zealand and one of the most beautiful national parks in the entire country (maybe even in the world)!

There’s a very small town called Mount Cook Village at the end of the road, and that’s where all the magic happens and where all the accommodation is.

Once you’ve checked in, it’s time to explore Aoraki Mount Cook National Park! There are beautiful walking trails in the park (Hooker Valley Track and Sealy Tarns are our favourites), as well as helicopter tours and glacier walking tours you can book!

It’s a great place to spend a few days, but of course, since we’re limited for time on this 7-day New Zealand South Island Itinerary, it’s all about making the most of the time you have while you’re here!

We suggest you do a hike the day you arrive, and then take a helicopter trip in the morning the day you fly out, as the heli airport is located on your way out of the town. That being said, make sure you check the weather and book in your heli ride for the day it looks the best!

Day 5: Stargazing in Lake Tekapo 

On your way out of Mount Cook, if you’re up for another short “hike”, we recommend stopping by the Pukaki Kettle Hole Track. It’s a short, maximum 1-2 hour, walk you can do before continuing to your next destination, which is Lake Tekapo. In our opinion, some of the best views in the whole area are from this little walk! (The image you saw under the Mount Cook section is from there).

Then, next stop, Lake Tekapo! This feels like a full-on lake itinerary, and it’s because the South Island is full of beautiful lakes, and almost all of the towns are by lakes.

Lake Tekapo is a small lake town, and it’s incredible to visit in November and December when the lupins are in full bloom. But even when they’re not, it’s well worth a visit because of the amazing stargazing you can do here.

During the day, there are some options to go on a little walk near the lake. The Lake Tekapo Peninsula area is beautiful, and the Church of the Good Shepard is also worth visiting while you’re in town.

In the evening, we absolutely recommend doing one of the stargazing tours! This is one of the best areas in New Zealand to stargaze, and the combination of stargazing through a telescope followed by a dip in the hot pools late at night while listening to stories about space and stars is the perfect combination. This tour almost always sells out, so make sure you book in advance!

Book your stargazing experience here 🌟

Day 6: Visit the coastal town of Kaikoura

It might seem slightly impractical to drive past Christchurch to visit Kaikoura, but you cannot miss this town! And since you already made it all the way to New Zealand, it’s worth the stop!

Kaikoura is a stunning coastal town that is known for the wildlife boat tours you can do right from town – and they’re absolutely incredible! If you want a chance to see dolphins, sperm whales, and seals, there’s no better place in New Zealand.

It’s a bit of a long drive (5.5 hours), but you can get up early to drive there and aim for a 4:45 pm boat departure (only available during the summer months) that same day or, even better, go on a morning whale watching tour (7:45 am departure) the following day before heading back to Christchurch.

The alternative option is to only drive to Christchurch and book accommodation for two nights there, and then do a full day trip to Kaikoura with a guide on your 7th and final day in NZ. This way, you don’t have to drive yourself and can just lean back and enjoy the scenic views.

Since most of this 7-day South Island itinerary has been inland and by the mountains, it’s nice to get to the coast and see the east coast of the South Island.

Book your Kaikoura whale & dolphin tour here 🐋

Day 7: Spend the last day in Christchurch

On the final day, you will make your way to the biggest city on the South Island of New Zealand, which is Christchurch. New Zealand is definitely more famous for its mountains, waterfalls, and scenery, but Christchurch is a cute city to spend your last day.

One of the best ways to see the city is to get the 3 Attractions Combo Pass, where you’ll hop on a vintage tram, cruise on the Avon River, and ride the Christchurch gondola. It’s a great way to see all the highlights of the city!

Christchurch also has some amazing cafes and restaurants, so you’ll easily stay busy during your time here. It’s a great way to close out this 7-day New Zealand South Island trip. Next time, you’ll be back for more!

📍 Want to know about all the best spots in Aotearoa New Zealand?
Then check out our New Zealand Maps with +200 locations around the country that we have visited during our 10 months of living and travelling in NZ! 🗺️

You may also like…

• 11 Must-Have Apps for Your Trip to New Zealand
• 5 Stunning Hikes to Do in Wanaka
• The Ultimate New Zealand Packing List
• How to Get From Queenstown Airport to Queenstown
• 10 Tips for Visiting Milford Sound for the First Time

Recap of 7-Day New Zealand South Island itinerary

This 7-day itinerary takes you to all the highlights of the central & eastern part of New Zealand’s South Island from Queenstown to Christchurch. The South Island is quite big, but this road trip passes by some of our favourite places on the island, including Milford Sound!

We hope you have the best time during your time here. This country has a really special place in our hearts, and we love sharing tips, tricks, and things to experience here.

If you have any questions about New Zealand, please reach out. We’d love to hear from you. DM us on Instagram or leave a comment below.

Have the most amazing road trip. We hope it’s everything you imagine and more!

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