New Zealand itineraries
Expert guide to New Zealand
Overview Overview
Hotels Hotels
Attractions Attractions
Getting there Getting there
Where to go Where to go
Itineraries Itineraries
An essential guide to what to do on a short break in New Zealand, including visiting Rotorua, Taupo and the Tongariro National Park in the North Island and Christchurch, Mount Cook and Queenstown in the South Island. By Sarah Bennett, Lee Slater and Bryn Reade, Telegraph Travel's New Zealand experts.
It’s no surprise New Zealand is a long-time favourite among Telegraph readers. So it should be. Its beautiful landscapes are now known around the world from the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films – but the appeal goes way beyond that. There are vibrant cultural and culinary attractions dotted throughout the country, and its residents’ very welcoming attitude make it a wonderful prospect for visitors, despite its remoteness.
A small country it may be, but New Zealand is often slow going for travellers, not only down to the predominance of one-lane highways and winding roads, but also the sheer density of attractions. Signposts reading ‘waterfall’, ‘scenic reserve’ or ‘lookout’ tend to derail the schedule, so it will pay to have a bit of leeway.
If you’ve only got a week, focus on one island. We’ve listed the North Island as the starting point for one week, but if you’re serious outdoor enthusiasts like us may well find South Island more rewarding. The North sports the country’s biggest metropolis and the capital city, as well as lively volcanic landscapes and rich Maori culture, while epic mountains, fjords, and adventure tourism around Queenstown can be found on the South.
These itineraries are ideal for self-drivers, but could be completed via public transport, albeit at a slightly slower pace. Whatever your mode of transport, you’re likely to find this small country well deserves its reputation as one of the world’s most rewarding travel destinations.
One week
Start in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest and most cosmopolitan city. Shop Queen Street and wander the waterfront Wynyard Quarter, then visit the city’s superb Art Gallery (0064 09 379 1349; aucklandartgallery.com; free). For a drink, you’re spoiled for choice in trendy Ponsonby. Spare half day? Go to Rangitoto, the spectacular volcanic island a short cruise from the city wharf.
Drive southeast to Thames to tour the beach-lined Coromandel Peninsula. In arty Coromandel Town, take the Driving Creek Railway (0064 07 866 8703; drivingcreekrailway.co.nz; £14), a fun journey from a pottery-workshop station up through a forest reserve. Cross to Whitianga, down along the native forest parks and surf beaches of the peninsula’s eastern coast, calling in at Cathedral Cove, Hot Water Beach and Whangamata.
Head to Rotorua via Matamata to visit Hobbiton (0064 07 888 1505; hobbitontours.com; £36), the Shire seen in the Hobbit trilogy. Learn about the area’s fiery geology and Maori culture at Rotorua Museum (0064 07 350 1814; rotoruamuseum.co.nz; £10), then encounter both at Te Puia (0064 07 348 9047; tepuia.com; £30), a steamy geothermal park melded with Maori art and performance.
Continue south to Taupo via Wai-o-Tapu (0064 07 366 6333; waiotapu.co.nz; £16), an awe-inspiring volcanic reserve, with colourful terraced hot springs, geysers and mud pools. Cruise Lake Taupo on the elegant yacht Barbary (0064 07 378 5879; sailbarbary.com; £22) and head to Huka Falls to see the Waikato River’s waters crash through a rocky bottleneck. The riverside track here is just one of many enjoyable walks in the area.
Further south is Tongariro National Park with its three volcanoes, which starred in scenes from Lord Of The Rings. It is also the setting for some truly spectacular hikes. The one-day Alpine Crossing is a must for the moderately fit. Ohakune has excellent visitor services as well as the Old Coach Road (ohakunecoachroad.co.nz), a history-packed, easier alternative to the Crossing.
From there, it’s a largely rural drive to Wellington, the harbour capital with an intoxicating blend of art, culture, caffeine and craft beer. Visit the national museum, Te Papa (0064 04 381 7000; tepapa.govt.nz; free), and take the Cable Car (0064 04 472 2199; wellingtoncablecar.co.nz; £4) to the Botanic Gardens, allowing time to explore the compact inner city, prioritising the waterfront and restaurant-packed Cuba Quarter.
Two weeks
Continue down to the South Island, where the major gateway is garden-obsessed Christchurch, now blooming amidst its rebuild following the 2011 earthquake. Check out the new Christchurch Art Gallery, and gloriously restored Woolston Tannery (thetannery.co.nz) boasting boutique shops and the Cassels Brewery bar. Detour to Akaroa for a dramatic peninsula drive. The village itself has a harbour setting, heritage buildings, and French colonial influence. Spy or even swim with dolphins on a Black Cat Cruise (0064 03 304 7641; blackcat.co.nz; £40–75) then tuck into fish and chips along the prom.
The Southern Alps are beckoning by now, so head to Geraldine via Inland Scenic Route 72 to make the most of mid-Canterbury’s bucolic scenery. Crossing Burkes Pass lands you at Tekapo, a surreal turquoise lake set in the golden, tussocky Mackenzie Country. Head up Mt John for amazing views, then revisit after dark for a tour of the heavens with Mt John Observatory (0064 03 680 6960; earthandskynz.com; £68).
State Highway 8 continues to Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, home to New Zealand’s highest peak. Get up close on a short hike, or swoop around its slopes on a scenic flight with Mount Cook Ski Planes (0064 03 430 8034; mtcookskiplanes.co.nz, £210). The town of Twizel offers a greater range of visitor services than Mt Cook Village.
Over the next pass, Central Otago is celebrated for its painterly landscapes, steeped in fascinating pioneer history. It’s also known for its stone-fruit and world-class pinot noir. A bicycle ride on the Otago Central Rail Trail (otagocentralrailtrail.co.nz) will give you a taster.
Dawdle through the vineyard-soaked Kawarau Gorge to Queenstown, the renowned adventure town that really lives up to the hype with its beautiful lakeside setting, lively centre and bewildering array of activities. Cruise on the vintage TSS Earnslaw (0064 03 249 6000; realjourneys.co.nz; £27), ride the Skyline Gondola (0064 03 441 0101; skyline.co.nz/queenstown; £15), and cycle the Queenstown Trails around such highlights as Arrowtown, Amisfield Winery (0064 03 442 0556; amisfield.co.nz) and the AJ Hackett Bungy (0064 03 450 1300; bungy.co.nz; £95) at Kawarau Bridge.
Three weeks
Fiordland awaits, so drag yourself away from Queenstown and head to Te Anau for a night or two. Take a Milford Sound Nature Cruise (0064 03 249 6000; realjourneys.co.nz; £41) and squeeze in a trip to the Glowworm Caves (0064 03 249 6000; realjourneys.co.nz; £36) if possible.
Return to Queenstown and over the view-filled Crown Range Road to Wanaka, an energetic town with an insatiable appetite for the great outdoors. Take a day hike to Rob Roy Glacier in Mount Aspiring National Park, or up Mt Iron closer to town and handy to Puzzling World (0064 03 443 7489; puzzlingworld.co.nz; £9), a fun place to exercise your brain. Follow the State Highway 6 road north for the West Coast, along a beautiful drive crossing the Southern Alps via the sheer Haast Pass. The long West Coast road is incredibly scenic, so dally as much as your schedule allows.
Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers offer similar ice-viewing experiences, with Franz Josef the bigger village. At either glacier, we recommend hiring a bike to ride their ancient rainforest pathways to the glacier viewpoints, then getting a bird’s eye perspective on a helicopter tour up them and into the Alps.
Keep going north to Hokitika, basking in the glow of Eleanor Catton’s Man Booker Prize-winning The Luminaries, set around the bonny old gold town. Survey its wild beach, and craft galleries along its wide streets, then venture inland to visit (and perhaps swim in) Lake Kaniere, encircled by forest, and sublime Hokitika Gorge nearby.
Up next is Greymouth, where the nearby Shantytown heritage park (0064 03 762 6634; shantytown.co.nz; £15) recreates the region’s gold rush past. Pause too at the historic Monteith’s Brewery (0064 03 768 4149; monteiths.co.nz; tour £10). If possible, find the time to detour north to Punakaiki, where you’ll find the fabulous Pancake Rocks blowing their stacks on a spirited high tide.
Return to Christchurch via Arthur’s Pass, an intensely scenic journey following steep river valleys and passing through the alpine national park before emerging on the green Canterbury Plains.
