Day notes
Reason #1 for a Road Trip through New Zealand: wine, wonderful sauvignon blanc & pinot noir
Tune your ears to mouthwatering descriptions of 'robust aromas, crisp flavours of gooseberry & capsicum, or fragrant, richly flavoured & supple mouth-filling reds', sipping as you go. Keep the kids busy building up an appetite on a cycling tour through the valleys & hills before a Greenshell Mussel dinner in Havelock.
Self Drive from Marlborough Airport [BHE] to The Marlborough Riverside Hotel
Self Drive
Marlborough Airport [BHE]
The Marlborough Riverside Hotel
Check-in to The Marlborough Riverside Hotel
Day notes
Reason #2 for a Road Trip through New Zealand: great adventures in the great outdoors
No visit to Kiwiland is complete without a trip to the Abel Tasman National Park, where you can pick & choose among adventure activities like sea kayaking, paddle-boarding, canyoning, horse trekking & hiking. Or just chill out on the beach & play fetch with the dog.
Self Drive from The Marlborough Riverside Hotel to Abel Tasman Lodge
Self Drive
The Marlborough Riverside Hotel
Abel Tasman Lodge
Stay at Abel Tasman Lodge
Day notes
Reason #3 for a Road Trip through New Zealand: rocks like pancakes & other geological spectacles
Amble leisurely amid this geological wonderland of Punakaiki Pancake Rocks & Blowholes, as you get up close & personal with 30 million year old works of natural art. Your fingers will be clicking overtime with photo opps galore!
Check-out from Abel Tasman Lodge
Self Drive from Abel Tasman Lodge to Punakaiki Beach Camp
Self Drive
Abel Tasman Lodge
Punakaiki Beach Camp
Check-in to Punakaiki Beach Camp
Day notes
Reason #4 for a Road Trip through New Zealand: otherworldly landscapes & famous film sites
Motor through majestic mountains via Arthur's Pass & wave kia ora to the Kiwi sheep & cattle grazing en route. Castle ruins dot the rolling countryside, also the film site of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe. Add French flavour to your trip with a visit to lovely Akaroa on the Banks Peninsula.
Self Drive from Punakaiki Beach Camp to Akaroa Village Inn
Self Drive
Punakaiki Beach Camp
Akaroa Village Inn
Stay at Akaroa Village Inn
Day notes
Reason #5 for a Road Trip through New Zealand: natural spas under Dark Sky stars
After a relaxing day at Lake Tekapo, lazing in thermal hot pools, you can take a scenic flight over the Southern Alps & glaciers to Mackenzie. Experience a stargazing extravaganza at the largest International Dark Sky Reserve.
Self Drive from Akaroa Village Inn to Three Rivers Lodge Tekapo
Self Drive
Akaroa Village Inn
Three Rivers Lodge Tekapo
Stay at Three Rivers Lodge Tekapo
Day notes
Reason #6 for a Road Trip through New Zealand: culture with a taste of Victorian & Edwardian legacy
Known as the Edinburgh of New Zealand, but with a picturesque harbour, this is one of the best-preserved Victorian & Edwardian cities in the Southern Hemisphere. History & elegant architecture exist in harmony with the natural beauty & wildlife that call South Island home.
Check-out from Three Rivers Lodge Tekapo
Self Drive from Three Rivers Lodge Tekapo to Distinction Dunedin Hotel
Self Drive
Three Rivers Lodge Tekapo
Distinction Dunedin Hotel
Check-in to Distinction Dunedin Hotel
Day notes
Reason #7 for a Road Trip through New Zealand: exotic wildlife in a natural wonderland
Feast your eyes (& ears) on parrots, sea lions, seals, kiwis, penguins & other marine birds. Catlins Coast & Forest Park were designed for exploratory hikes - think hidden waterfalls, dense rain forests & the wonder of pure isolation in this sparsely populated area.
Self Drive from Distinction Dunedin Hotel to Catlins Farmstay B&B
Self Drive
Distinction Dunedin Hotel
Catlins Farmstay B&B
Stay at Catlins Farmstay B&B
Day notes
Reason #8 for a Road Trip through New Zealand: fjords, sounds & breathtaking scenery
Here is landscape formed over a hundred-thousand years, of glaciers carving into it, shaped by waterfalls, cascading metres deep into black fjords, surrounded by ancient rainforests, granite peaks & shimmering lakes. You'll walk it, breathe it in, photograph it, & wish you could take it all home with you.
Self Drive from Catlins Farmstay B&B to Fiordland Lodge
Self Drive
Catlins Farmstay B&B
Fiordland Lodge
Stay at Fiordland Lodge
Day notes
Just eight unforgettable reasons to experience South Island, New Zealand... All that's left is to come road tripping back, due North.
Check-out from Fiordland Lodge
Self Drive from Fiordland Lodge to Queenstown International Airport [ZQN]
Self Drive
Fiordland Lodge
Queenstown International Airport [ZQN]
