This 12-day adventure brings you up close to most of New Zealand's world-famous tourist hotspots. From the jaw-dropping magnificence of Queenstown, Wanaka and the Fox Glacier to the remote splendour of the untamed West Coast and onwards and upwards to Nelson, Wellington, Napier, the Volcanic Plateau and cosmopolitan Auckland, this is New Zealand in all its glory. A journey that has everything and more.
- The garden city of Christchurch
- Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers
- The wine-growing region of Marlborough
- Wellington and the wonderful Wairarapa
- Rotorua, Waitomo and the Volcanic Plateau
Start: Christchurch
Finish: Auckland
Duration: 12 days
Day One - Christchurch to Twizel
Collect your Britz Campervan from the Christchurch branch and take the scenic route to Lake Tekapo which begins at Rangiora, a rural centre north of Christchurch city. Small towns appear regularly as you travel across the Canterbury Plains through fields and farms. Explore the old coal mining settlement of Glentunnel before the road climbs over the braided Rakaia River and up to Mount Hutt. There are historic lime kilns at Staveley and Mt Somers, and the pretty town of Geraldine has an interesting car museum. After Fairlie you’ll ascend to the region known as the MacKenzie Country, named after the legendary Scottish sheep rustler who once roamed the area.
The settlement of Lake Tekapo, is famous for the Church of the Good Shepherd and located at the southern end of the lake. Fishing, kayaking, bike riding, horse trekking and skiing are some of the things you can do in the area.
The short drive to Twizel takes you past the southern end of beautiful Lake Pukaki. Enjoy the golden tussock and snow-capped mountain landscape.
Stay in Twizel tonight in your Britz Campervan.
Day Two - Twizel to Queenstown
Twizel is a well-placed base for mountain climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, skiing, horse trekking and hiking. It’s also a place to spy on the rarest wading bird in the world – the Black Stilt. If you don’t have the time to catch your own salmon, the local salmon farm sells it – fresh or smoked.
The easy drive to Omarama takes you through picturesque sheep farming country fringed with mountain ranges. You’ll have the chance to detour to the fascinating Paritea cliffs, which are constantly being exposed by the active Osler fault line. You could also pause to cast a line into the Ahuriri River – famous for sizeable rainbow and brown trout.
You’ll know you’re in Omarama when you see the giant merino sheep statue. This area’s unique geography has made it a magnet for gliding enthusiasts. The northwesterly wind blows steadily to form the famous Northwest Arch, a thermal that can take the glider pilots to 10,000 metres.
From Omarama you will make your way to Queenstown, often described as one of New Zealands best destinations both for New Zealands and tourists. It’s the place to source almost any kind of adventure, including bungy, jet boating, horse trekking, rafting and river surfing.
Stay tonight in Queenstown.
Day Three - Queenstown to Fox Glacier
The shortest route to Wanaka from Queenstown is over the Crown Range Road. It’s a challenging drive (there are alternative routes), but the views are amazing.
The lakeside town of Wanaka can provide you with an appealing mix of fine living, family fun and adventure. It has a high concentration of cafes, restaurants and interesting shops. You’ll also find unique attractions, like the 3D maze and the ‘Warbirds over Wanaka’ air show, which is held every two years.
Lake Hawea is the first scenic highlight of your journey, followed closely by the northern end of Lake Wanaka. The famous ‘bra fence’ is impossible to miss – it started as a joke, but it’s become a local legend. At the wilderness town of Makarora you can fuel up and refresh before you take on the dramatic twists and turns of the Haast Pass. Enjoy waterfalls and river scenery as you arrive in rainforest country.
The settlement of Haast was once a construction camp for the Ministry of Works (the government department responsible for road and bridge building). It’s a town with a touch of the wild west – helicopters fly deer hunters into the rugged ranges and local pubs make a feature of stuffed animal trophies.
Just north of Haast is Lake Moeraki, a peaceful forest lake with good fishing – a 40 minute walk takes you to the penguin colony at Monro Beach. Next is pretty Lake Paringa, where you can enjoy a delicious meal of salmon at the salmon farm. Just before Fox Glacier is the western end of the Copland track. In half a day you can walk to the hot springs at Welcome Flat.
The terminal face of Fox Glacier is just 5 kilometres from the township that serves it. The road to the walking track crosses ancient moraine from earlier advances and retreats.
Stay tonight in Fox Glacier.
Day Four - Fox Glacier to Westport
The Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers are unique relics of the last ice age. Mighty rivers of solid white, tumbling down ice-hewn rock valleys, they are classically beautiful in the glacial sense. Nowhere else in the world have glaciers advanced so close to the sea at this latitude. While in the area, you can choose from a wide range of adventure activities.
The Fox Glacier is just 5 kilometres from the Fox Glacier township.
Further north is Franz Josef Glacier. This glacier has been moving forward at a rate of about 1 metre a day since 1985. You can walk to the terminal of the glacier in about 10 minutes. Franz Josef township has a good range of accommodation and eating establishments.
Further north up SH6 you will come to the town of Hokitika. Hokitika is an old mining town that was established on the West Coast after the discover of gold in the area. It still has the feel of a ‘frontier town’, and there are some lovely old buildings to admire. Greenstone (NZ jade) is the town’s treasure these days – watch it being carved. You might also want to investigate the museum and do the historical walk.
Head further north to Westport where you will spend the night.
Day Five - Westport to Nelson
Westport is known as a coal mining town, but it’s also a base for outdoor adventures. Visit the local coal mining museum, then strap on your walking shoes to investigate the seal colony. Black water rafting, jet boating, horse trekking and surf rafting are other opportunities for some outdoor excitement.
The road to Nelson is scenic and interesting, beginning with the dark, forbidding Buller Gorge. At Hawks Crag you’ll drive under a dramatic rock overhang. For those with time up your sleeve turn off her and loop past the Nelson Lakes National Park.
The city of Nelson is home to a fascinating community of beach, bush and art lovers. From here you can organise yourself an eco-adventure or become immersed in the local creative culture.
Overnight in Nelson tonight.
Day Six - Nelson to Wellington
Nelson is a city that has lots to offer the traveller – with the beach, bush and art there is something for everyone. From here you can organise yourself an eco-adventure or become immersed in the local creative culture. Nelson is the home to the Montana New Zealand Wearable Art Awards, where art comes off the streets and onto the body as glamorous wearable creations. The event is now held in Wellington.
From Nelson travel onto Blenheim travelling through the Rai Valley. Blenheim is the heart of wine-growing in Marlborough. Here you will find many choices to wine and dine.
From Blenheim travel north to Picton. Picton is a picturesque seaside town and is used as a South Island base for many travellers as this is usually the point that many travellers either begin or end their South Island Adventures. The Interislander Ferry service that links the North and South Islands of New Zealand departs and arrives at the port of Picton daily.
The journey through the Marlborough Sounds and across the Cook Strait is one of the most beautiful trips in the world. The fast ferry makes the trip in just over 2 hours and the cruise-style ferry takes 3 hours. Both types of ferry can transport your Britz Campervan. Highlights along the way include the beautiful inlets and coves of the sounds, Cook’s Lookout, Tory Channel and Red Rocks seal colony. Arrive into the Capital City, Wellington.
Overnight in Wellington.
Day Seven - Wellington to Greytown
Wellington is compact, cultured and full of character. Nestled between the harbour and the hills, the downtown area is ideal for explorations on foot. Enjoy cafes, restaurants, museums and all kinds of shops. Dance, theatre and musical performances are a Wellington specialty. As New Zealand’s capital, this city is rich in political history. Visit Te Papa Museum on Wellington’s waterfront. This is serious fun, not your usual museum - it has exhibitions that will entertain and interest everyone!
The drive to Martinborough whisks you out of the city on a fast moving motorway. You’ll wind through the picturesque Hutt Valley before climbing over the Rimutaka Range and descending into the tranquillity of the Wairarapa region. After Featherston travel east towards Martinborough.
Martinborough is known to some as the gourmet capital of the lower North Island. It has over 25 vineyards in the area and lots of great restaurants to test your tastebuds! As Martinborough is a small town you can park up your Britz Campervan and walk to most of the local attractions.
Drive north through the Wairarapa.
Stay in Greytown tonight.
Day Eight - Greytown to Napier
Greytown is filled with great shops and cafes. We recommend the French Baker for a breakfast stop this morning.
Continue your drive up to the north east of the North Island to Hastings and Napier. Only 20km apart, they are both famous in New Zealand for their Art Deco and Spanish Mission-style architecture.
The vineyards are well worth a visit in this area, as some of New Zealand’s best wine are born in the Hawkes Bay.
Stay in Napier tonight.
Day Nine - Napier to Taupo
Enjoy the scenery today on the Napier to Taupo road. Valleys, plains and rugged hill’s you get it all on this strech of road.
Taupo is a favourite kiwi holiday spot. Loads to see and do – mostly starting with the largest Lake in NZ, Lake Taupo! Enjoy a hot spa in the thermal pools or catch a trout on the lake! Get amongst it all and go a little crazy with what Taupo has to offer - jetboating, 4x4 motorbiking, white-water rafting, kayaking, jet skiing, tandem skydiving, bungy jumping, horse trekking, parasailing, replica race-car driving, mountain biking, abseiling, rock climbing, skiing and snowboarding – just to name a few!! Try water-skiing, fishing, sailing or fly over and land on the lake in a float-plane. Bungy jump off a platform over the Waikato River, Tandem-skydive for a birds eye view of Lake Taupo, or get up close and very personal with the jaw-dropping Huka Falls in a jet boat or helicopter.
But it’s not just the “man-made” attractions that make the Lake Taupo region an adventure-junkies paradise. Take a moment to look around your surroundings. Wild, unspoilt, unmatched. The little town of Turangi at the southern end of the Lake is “Adventure Central”. On its doorstep are the Tongariro River, Tongariro National Park, Kaimanawa Ranges, Lake Taupo and the Whakapapa and Turoa Ski Areas.
After seeing and experiencing everything that Taupo has on offer you won’t be leave this place!
Stay in Taupo tonight.
Day Ten - Taupo to Rotorua
Travel from Taupo to Rotorua today. When you get to Rotorua you can enjoy a hot swim at the Polynesian Spa, or check our the unique culture of New Zealand’s Maori people. Rotorua is entertaining in any weather, at any time of the year. Tamaki Maori Village is one of the ‘must sees’ in Rotorua. Here you can explore the rituals, music and food of a culture that existed before the Europeans arrived in New Zealand.
After you have had your fill of New Zealand culture head to the Blue and Green Lakes and take a walk. This 40 minute walk will give you chance to clear your head and experience some New Zealands nature.
Stay in Rotorua tonight.
Day Eleven - Rotorua to Waitomo
Today head up the Thermal Explorer Highway and turn off at just after Cambridge and head to the Waitomo area.
Take a guided tour through the long galleries and chambers of Waitomo Glowworm Caves. The boat ride will take you through the amazing glow worm grotto which is lit by thousands of tiny living lights.
Take a tour through The Ruakuri Cave to explore the mysteries of the underground universe – hear the hidden waterfall, listen to the legend of the Ghost Walk, see the galleries of crystalline draperies and deep glowwrom flecked river canyons.
Visit the Waitomo Website
Visit the Ruakuri Caves Website
Stay in Waitomo tonight
Day Twelve - Waitomo to Auckland
Waitomo to Auckland
Travel back Auckland today.