Day 1

    

Blenheim

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

Details  
Mode

Self Drive

Departure

Marlborough Airport [BHE]

Arrival

The Marlborough Riverside Hotel

Self Drive

Check-in to The Marlborough Riverside Hotel

Day 2 - 4

    

Abel Tasman National Park

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

Details  
Mode

Self Drive

Departure

The Marlborough Riverside Hotel

Arrival

Abel Tasman Lodge

Self Drive

Stay at Abel Tasman Lodge

Recommended

Day 5

    

Punakaiki

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

Details  
Mode

Self Drive

Departure

Abel Tasman Lodge

Arrival

Punakaiki Beach Camp

Self Drive

Check-in to Punakaiki Beach Camp

Day 6 - 7

    

Banks Peninsula

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

Details  
Mode

Self Drive

Departure

Punakaiki Beach Camp

Arrival

Akaroa Village Inn

Self Drive

Stay at Akaroa Village Inn

Day 8 - 10

    

Mackenzie Country

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

Details  
Mode

Self Drive

Departure

Akaroa Village Inn

Arrival

Three Rivers Lodge Tekapo

Self Drive

Stay at Three Rivers Lodge Tekapo

Day 11

    

Dunedin

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

Details  
Mode

Self Drive

Departure

Three Rivers Lodge Tekapo

Arrival

Distinction Dunedin Hotel

Self Drive

Check-in to Distinction Dunedin Hotel

Day 12 - 13

    

Catlins

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 Bed and Breakfast

Details  
Mode

Self Drive

Departure

Distinction Dunedin Hotel

Arrival

Catlins Farmstay Bed and Breakfast

Self Drive

Stay at Catlins Farmstay Bed and Breakfast

Day 14 - 15

    

South Island

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 Bed and Breakfast to Fiordland Lodge

Details  
Mode

Self Drive

Departure

Catlins Farmstay Bed and Breakfast

Arrival

Fiordland Lodge

Self Drive

Stay at Fiordland Lodge

Day 16

    

End of Itinerary

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]

Details  
Mode

Self Drive

Departure

Fiordland Lodge

Arrival

Queenstown International Airport [ZQN]

Self Drive
back to top