A Legendary New Zealand Itinerary 3 Weeks Road Trip

When looking for countries that have it all, New Zealand is high on the list. Do you want beautiful natural landscapes including mountains, valleys, and beaches? How about some crazy adrenaline activities like skydiving or bungy jumping? Maybe you are interested in doing some of the best hikes that the world has to offer?

Well, New Zealand has it all for you and much, much more! And if you are looking to plan a New Zealand road trip itinerary for 3 weeks around the North and South Islands, then you have come to the right place.

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New Zealand Overview

There is just so much to do around the country and having 3 weeks to see the best of the North and South Islands is a great amount of time to enjoy it all. You can choose to follow it from North to South as this New Zealand road trip will go over, or you can reverse it and head in the opposite direction.

This itinerary will go over one week on the North Island followed by two weeks on the South Island.

Before jumping into the 3 week itinerary, I wanted to point out some important things to know that you should take into consideration when planning your trip…

New Zealand Itinerary 3 Weeks Map View

The map below shows you the type of route that you will be taking from North to South. This is just to give you a better sense of what the overall drive will look like.

It does not include each and every hike or activity mentioned throughout the itinerary. For those, head into the specific guide that will be linked in this itinerary.

A Detailed New Zealand Itinerary 3 Weeks

It is now time to dive on into the itinerary itself. This is going to be a bit of a long one – 3 weeks is a good amount of time. Much of what I write in below may be a bit more high level.

As just mentioned though, for many of the hikes or cities, I do have additional guides that will go into much more detail about certain questions you may have.

Feel free to click on those along the way to get a better idea of what to expect during this New Zealand road trip.

Since you will be visiting so many different places during your trip, I have also added in several accommodation options to choose from in each city that you will be sleeping in.

Day 1 – Auckland

Your first day of this New Zealand itinerary 3 weeks road trip will have you exploring the ins and outs of Auckland.

As mentioned before you can choose to pick up your car immediately from the airport or you can also opt to pick it up early on day 2 from Auckland city, once you are ready to head out of the city itself.

Day 2 – The Waitakere Ranges

On your second day in New Zealand, it is time to head on out to the Waitakere Ranges for a one of kind day trip.

The Waitakere Ranges are located just 45 minutes away from Auckland, and are full of hiking trails, waterfalls, and beaches.

It is a great way to be introduced to New Zealand’s nature and experience what the North Island has to offer.

Day 3 – Waitomo Caves & Rotorua

It is now time to start heading south as you make your way to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. If you want to see thousands of bioluminescent glowworms light up some dark underground caves, then this place is for you.

Waitomo Caves

There are a few of these around the country but Waitomo is definitely the most popular option and it has the most to offer its visitors. I would advise to get an earlier start to the day if possible so you will have the time to explore Rotorua later on in the afternoon.

I opted for the Black Water Rafting – Black Labyrinth tour, which was a 3 hour adventure through the caves on inflatable tubes. If you don’t want to take part of a tubing experience, there is also the normal 45 minute tour through the caves on boardwalk / boat.

You can take a look at the Waitomo website to get a better idea of the different offerings they have.

After you are all finished with your glowworm experience, continue the drive to Rotorua, where you should have some time later in the afternoon to take part of a few Rotorua activities…

Day 4 – Rotorua / Drive to Taupo

On day 4, you can spend some more time enjoying what the Rotorua area has to offer before making your way down to Taupo for the night.

Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Wonderland

After a morning at the forest, make your way to the Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Wonderland. This geothermal area is packed with plenty of different lakes, geysers, and craters that are sure to have you in awe.

Kerosene Creek

A natural thermal river, Kerosene Creek gives you the chance to sit down, relax and soak in the warm water to finish up your time around Rotorua.

Rainbow Mountain

If you still have some time (depending on what time you started the day) or if you want to switch things up, there is a fantastic 2 hour hiking trail at Rainbow Mountain. Along the way you will pass by a bright blue lagoon, get some great views of the multi colored rocks, and take in one incredible landscape shot of the surrounding hills and forests.

Day 5 – Tongariro Alpine Crossing

Next up on this 3 week New Zealand itinerary is the North Island’s most famous hike – the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

This hike is a 19.4 KM / 12 Mile trek through all different types of landscapes. You will pass through valleys, get up and close to volcanoes, and see the famous emerald lakes.

It really is one of the most diverse hikes I have taken part of during my travels.

Since this is a one way hike, you have two main options to get to the starting point of the trail – 1) take round trip transportation from Taupo to the beginning of trail at Mangatepopo and back to Taupo from the end of the trail at Ketetahi or 2) Self drive to the end of the trail at Ketetahi, where you can park your car, and then take the one way transport option to the start of the trail.

Either one works – with the first option you don’t need to worry at all about driving and logistics but you will need to wait for a shuttle at the end of the trail to get you back to Taupo.

With the second option, you can make your way at your own pace without worrying about getting transport back.

Read up on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing Hiking Guide for everything you need to know about completing the trail

Day 6 – Taupo / Drive to Wellington

You will probably need a little bit of rest and recovery today after the big Tongariro hike the previous day.

Today will mostly be filled with the 5 hour drive from Taupo to Wellington but you can check out a couple main sites in Taupo before heading out.

Huka Falls

The first place you can stop at is Huka Falls, a bright blue 11 meter waterfall coming from the roaring Waikato River. You can head to a few different viewpoints around the area to take it all in.

Learn more about the Huka Falls Walk & Lookout for your time in the area.

Aratiatia Rapids

You can then head to the Aratiatia Rapids, a dam that releases water 4 times a day (10AM, 12PM, 2PM, 4PM). Note the 4PM release is only in summer months.

Before they release the water, there is basically just a small stream of water a few feet high. After only a couple minutes they open the dam, the water levels rise significantly through the canyon.

Day 7 – Wellington

On your last day on the North Island of New Zealand, you will spend some time exploring the capital city of the country.

Day 8 – The Wellington to Picton Ferry / to Kaikoura

It is now time for this New Zealand road trip to head off the North Island and onto the South Island. Like I mentioned earlier on, you will simply need to utilize the Wellington to Picton ferry to get you there.

The ferries are operated by two companies – Interislander and Bluebridge, and you shouldn’t have much difficulty booking yourself a ride across (with your car too!).

Day 9 – Kaikoura / to Christchurch

Your first full day on the South Island will take you into the water for a once in a lifetime experience – swimming with dolphins in the open water! This is not one of those touristy type places where they keep the dolphins roped off.

The boats will head out and find the dolphins out in the wild, where you will then hop into to the water and swim right alongside of them.

It is a very special experience to have and Kaikoura is one of the best spots to take part. Take a look at the Dolphin Encounter website to learn more about the day and to make your booking.

Day 10 – The Drive to Mount Cook

If you did not know already, the driving in New Zealand is an experience on its own – especially on the South Island.

The drive from Christchurch to Lake Tekapo to Mount Cook Village will have you pulling off onto the side of the road numerous times during the journey as there is just so much scenery to take in.

Lake Tekapo

Your first major stop here will be Lake Tekapo. Along the way you should see some signs pointing you to some viewpoints but also be sure to head to the Church of the Good Sheperd right by the waterside for some great photo ops.

Another must do viewpoint in my book is the one on top of Mt John Observatory. There is a small fee to use the road that heads up to the top but it is most definitely worth it. The views from the observatory of the lake and surrounding mountains are just surreal.

Lake Pukaki

Next up on the drive is Lake Pukaki. Just like Tekapo, there will be plenty of viewpoints to stop at along the way to pull over and enjoy the view.

On a clear day you should have a straight shot at Mount Cook out in the distance.

The Drive to Mount Cook

Once you have had enough time taking in the views from afar, it is time to make the turn towards Mount Cook Village. During this portion of the drive you will have Lake Pukaki off to your right and Mount Cook straight ahead of you.

When it comes to driving in New Zealand, there aren’t too many roads better than this one.

While there are some official spots to pull over, there are plenty of unofficial ones as well. If you do pull over just be careful and make sure to get completely off the road.

Day 11 – Mount Cook National Park

The next two days will be spent exploring all that Mount Cook National Park has to offer. There are hikes for every skill level and you should have no problem enjoying a few of them during your stay there.

Below are the main hikes to choose from ranging from less than an hour to 8+ hours:

Learn More: Check out this overview of every single one of the Mt Cook Hikes

Hooker Valley Track

The “must do” hike in Mount Cook National Park would be the Hooker Valley Track. An easy 3 hour trail round trip trail, this hike takes you alongside and into the valley beneath Mount Cook itself.

During the hike you will pass by the Mueller Lake, and onto three suspension bridges on your way to the base of Hooker Lake overlooking Mount Cook in the distance. Since it is a valley walk, there is barely any elevation gain/loss, making this a hike for nearly everyone to take part of.

Mueller Hut

The most demanding of hikes in the Mount Cook region is that of the Mueller Hut. While many may opt to do the hike in two days, it can also be done in one day instead.

Expect the total round trip to be around 6-8+ hours depending on fitness level and the amount of time you want to spend at various viewpoints and the hut itself.

The track begins with 2000+ stairs (as part of the Sealy Tarns track), before continuing the ascent on steep rocky ground towards the Mueller Hut.

Blue Lakes and Tasman Lake View & Tasman Lake Track

While these may technically be a couple different trails, you should have no problem combining them into one longer route, taking you a couple hours to complete.

An easy trail takes you to 3 different small lakes around the Mount Cook area. The hike begins at the Tasman Glacier Car Park and follows a path to the first of the lakes.

When you get to each of these lakes note that you can go around each one and follow a path to the next. It may not be so obvious at first, but there is a path around. Once you have seen all of them, turn back around and head back towards the starting point.

On the way back you should see a sign pointing you towards the Tasman Lake View (you would have passed this same sign on the way to the lakes trail). Head up the path where you will be welcomed to a vast view of Tasman Lake down below.

Day 12 – Mount Cook National Park / to Queenstown

On day 12 of this New Zealand road trip, you can continue on hiking the park and choosing some other trails from above. You also have the option to head off to some other activities that are offered in the area.

These include cycling, glacier boating, heli glacier hiking (similar to Franz Josef), or taking a flight around the mountain ranges.

Click on the links to head over to some of the company websites that offer those activities.

Day 13 – Queenstown

For the next two days you will have the chance to explore the ins and outs of what Queenstown has to offer – from hiking to adrenaline activities to just enjoying the beautiful lakeside town.

On your first day you can choose from the following options to fill up your day:

Hike Ben Lomond

You can get started right away and hike Queenstown’s most challenging climb – Ben Lomond. Climbing this mountain that overlooks Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu, and the never ending mountain ranges in every direction will 100% be worth it at the end of the day.

Queenstown Hill

A much less challenging of a climb is the one up to Queenstown Hill. It takes just about 45 minutes to get to the top (1.5 hours round trip), where you will get some incredible views of Queenstown and the lake down below.

Enjoy Queenstown’s Waterfront

If you take part of a hike or not, you should still have time to explore the waterfront area of Queenstown. You can walk along the water to Queenstown Gardens, which is full of ponds, flowers, lake views, and lots of ducks!

You can also just sit back and relax near the water with the beautiful scenic mountains all around.

Do Some Luging

On top of the Queenstown Skyline Gondola (where Ben Lomond track begins), there is actually a luge circuit that takes you down a portion of the mountain.

If you are looking for some fun (and some views!!) then luging could be a great activity for you. Take a look at the Queenstown luging website to learn more.

Day 14 – Queenstown

During your second day in Queenstown it is time to get that adrenaline going. Queenstown offers everything you can imagine when it comes to heart pumping activities.

You can take a look at some of the activities below and decide what you are most interested in (click on each one to book through some reputable companies):

• Skydiving
• Bungee Jumping
• Canyon Swinging
• Jet Boating
• Canyoning
• Paragliding
• Hang Gliding

I opted for a once in a lifetime skydiving experience over the mountains of Queenstown. It was just surreal being above the lake and the never ending mountain ranges out in the distance.

Feel free though to pick 1-2 that you think you will enjoy most to cap off your time in Queenstown.

Day 15 – Milford Sound / Drive to Wanaka

This is probably going to be the longest driving day of the trip but at the end of the day it sure will be worth it. Get up nice and early to make the 3.5 hour drive out to Milford Sound – one of the most picturesque fjords in the world.

Once you arrive at Milford, you can join in on a boat tour that will take you all around the Sound towards the open sea. There are a few companies that offer these boat rides including: Real Journeys, Jucy and Southern Discoveries to name a few.

Day 16 – Wanaka

Wanaka is truly one of my favorite places I have visited. It is a small lakeside town and is just surrounded by mountains in every which direction.

Not only can you sit back and enjoy the lake, but you also have the chance to climb those mountains and get some vast views of the surrounding areas.

There are plenty of hikes to choose from including some of my favorite South Island New Zealand hiking trails:

Day 17 – Wanaka / Drive to Franz Josef

On day 17, you can rest up after hiking the previous day and just enjoy the town of Wanaka and the nearby lake. Head on over to That Wanaka Tree to take in one of the most famous trees out there.

You can also make your way to the nearby lavender farm to stroll the fields and even doing some honey tasting. And if you still have that desire to hit the trails, head out on another hike around the area!

If you do not want to take part of the glacier hike, another option here is to do the ~5 hour Roberts Point Track, which takes you across some suspension bridges right up close to the glacier (but not onto the glacier itself). It is a great alternative if you do not want to spend the money on the glacier hike.

Day 19 – Drive to Abel Tasman

Day 19 Note: the weather in Franz Josef can be hit or miss and there is a chance the glacier hike can be cancelled or delayed. If you do not have the chance to take part on day 18, then try to reschedule nice and early on day 19. If this happens you will not get to Abel Tasman until later in the evening most likely.

Another long drive is up next as you make the trip from Franz Josef all the way up to Abel Tasman National Park. The drive should take you 6 hours give or take as you make your way up the West Coast of the island.

You have the chance here to make the quick stop at the pancake rocks at Punakaiki. If you do add it onto the route, expect the drive to take a bit longer (closer to 7 hours) as Punakaiki is not on the fastest route up to Abel Tasman.

Day 20 – Abel Tasman

Abel Tasman has a ton to offer its visitors but the main attraction here is the famous Abel Tasman Coastal Track.

While the full track can take up to 5 days to complete, you can easily take part of just a section of the track during your time here.

My recommendation would be to take the water taxi out to Bark Bay and walk to Anchorage from there. Once at Anchorage, you can hop on another water taxi back to Marahau.

Day 21 – Abel Tasman / Travel

At some point on your last full day of this New Zealand road trip, it will be time to depart.

You can actually choose to leave from a number of places depending on what is easiest logistically – Christchurch (5.5 hour drive), Wellington (3 hour drive + 4 hour ferry), or Nelson (1 hour drive). Each one of those cities has an airport to fly out of, if for example you needed to get back to Auckland for your flight out.

Depending on where you are going / what time you are leaving, you could have some time to continue to explore Abel Tasman.

This could mean taking part of the 2 day hike, getting a half day kayak in, or just heading to the beach to relax. Once all done though it is time to end your New Zealand 3 week itinerary.

Getting Around

When it comes to getting around New Zealand, I have to say that renting your own car (or campervan) is the move. While there are some companies that run busses throughout the country, it really is just not going to be the same type of experience.

So many of the activities & attractions I took part of required getting to certain locations that public transport just would not cover. In addition, the ability to be on my own schedule is what made this trip possible.

There is just no way you could spend three weeks taking part of this particular itinerary by using public transport. You would just be able to see a subset of the highlights laid out.

If you haven’t already, I would highly recommend reading through the driving in New Zealand overview I put together to learn more about getting around the country.

What is the Best Time to Visit

While you can visit New Zealand year round, the most ideal time to visit will be during the warmer months of the year. This is usually between September and May.

During this time, you will have a better chance to enjoy those warmer temperatures and take part of all sorts of activities along the way.

I visited New Zealand during March (the Fall time period), which ended up being an ideal time to visit. The weather was still very comfortable, the crowds were minimal, and I got to fully enjoy the trip from beginning to end.

Is 3 Weeks Long Enough for New Zealand?

At the end of the day, New Zealand is a massive country and there is just so much to do and see throughout. If you are looking for an all encompassing trip that heads to both the North and South Islands of the country, three weeks will give you enough time to enjoy a little bit of everything.

As you can tell in this itinerary, a vast amount of the country is covered as you head from north to south. Now, it will not cover everything of course, but it is enough to really give you a great idea of what this country is all about.

If you have even longer, go for it! But if you are worried if 3 weeks is long enough, I would not sweat it. You will get to see so much during that amount of time and have a holistic overall trip.

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