North & South Island NZ Vacation Itinerary
Recommend a minimum of 30 days to complete this North & South Island New Zealand vacation itinerary
This vacation itinerary incorporates both the North and South Islands of New Zealand. The arrival point of this itinerary is Auckland where you can pick up your rental vehicle. From here, travel north to the 'winterless' Northland region including the Bay of Islands. Return back south toward Auckland and stop in to the rural picturesque Warkworth/Matakana region along the way.
Next on to Taupo, home to NZ's largest lake continuing through the Central Plateau region and the Tongariro National Park where you can visit Mt Ruapehu. Travel from here onto the Manawatu/Horowhenua district followed by the capital city of Wellington. From there you can either fly over the Cook Strait, or take the 3 hour journey on the Interislander Ferry through the Marlborough Sounds to the South Island port of Picton. Most rental car companies allow you to drop your rental vehicle off in Wellington and collect another in Picton.
From Picton head along to the Nelson/Tasman region where you can include the Abel Tasman National Park in your trip. Travel down to the West Coast to Glacier Country which incorporates Franz Josef & Fox Glaciers. This route then continues on to Wanaka/Lake Hawea and the Queenstown/Southern Lakes District. Then incorporates Central Otago, Southland, Dunedin, Oamaru and finishes in the Canterbury region where both national and international flights are available from the recently refurbished Christchurch Airport.
Use the itinerary below by simply selecting the tourism operators you are interested in. Once submitted, this system will email all of your chosen operators and they will reply to you directly with a no obligation free quote and availability. You can also use this itinerary service to make direct bookings for accommodation, rental vehicles and activities.
- STOPS
- 1. Auckland
- 2. Northland
- 3. Bay of Islands
- 4. Warkworth/Matakana Coast
- 5. Lake Taupo
- 6. Tongariro National Park / Ruapehu
- 7. Manawatu / Horowhenua
- 8. Wellington Region
- 9. Nelson / Tasman
- 10. Glacier Country - West Coast
- 11. Wanaka / Lake Hawea
- 12. Queenstown
- 13. Central Otago
- 14. Fiordland
- 15. Southland
- 16. Dunedin
- 17. Oamaru / Waitaki
- 18. Christchurch / Canterbury / Akaroa