Abel Tasman National Park, perched at the northern tip of New Zealand's South Island, is an intimate coastal wilderness of golden beaches, turquoise waters and emerald forest, best explored on foot, by kayak, or aboard a scenic water taxi.
New Zealand: 40 Day Tour
Contents
1. About New Zealand and our tour
2. Planning your visit
3. Best time to visit
4. Our itinerary
– Day 1 – Arrival Day: Transfer to Auckland
– Day 2 to 4 – Visiting Auckland
– Day 5 — Auckland to Bay of Islands: Whangārei Falls and the Hundertwasser Art Centre
– Days 6–8 — Exploring the Bay of Islands
– Days 9–11 — Travelling to and Exploring the Coromandel Peninsula
– Days 12–14 — Morrinsville, Hobbiton, Waitomo and the West Coast
– Days 15–17 — Tongariro National Park
– Days 18–20 — Wellington
– Days 21–22 — Crossing to the South Island and Kaikōura
– Days 23–25 — Exploring Christchurch
– Days 27–28 — Banks Peninsula and Akaroa
– Day 29 — Tekapo and Aoraki / Mount Cook
– Days 30–31 — Waitaki Valley, Oamaru and Clyde
– Days 32–34 — The Otago Central Rail Trail and Drive to Invercargill
– Day 35 — Invercargill, Bluff and Stewart Island
– Day 36 — Stewart Island to Wānaka via Queenstown and Arrowtown
– Day 37 — Wānaka to Fox Glacier: Haast Pass and the West Coast
– Day 38 — Fox Glacier to Hokitika: Franz Josef and the Driftwood Coast
– Day 39 — Greymouth to Tasman: Pancake Rocks, Cape Foulwind and the Buller Gorge
– Day 40 — Abel Tasman National Park: Coastal Walk
– Day 41 — Picton, the Ferry and Departure from Wellington
A 40 Day Tour of New Zealand
The itinerary balances natural wonders with cultural and historic depth. Visitors with an interest in Māori history and culture will find rich material throughout — from the carved meeting houses of the Auckland War Memorial Museum and the story of the Treaty of Waitangi, to the sacred volcanic peaks of Tongariro and the deep cultural significance of Aoraki / Mount Cook. Those drawn to unusual or offbeat experiences will enjoy the eccentricity that seems to come naturally to New Zealanders: accommodation in converted grain silos, aircraft tails, submarines and boots; a public toilet designed by a world-famous artist; a heritage railway that runs straight down the middle of a town’s high street; and beaches where you can dig your own hot spring pool from the sand. There is a spirit of invention here, and a pleasingly relaxed attitude to the idea that things should be ordinary.
The practical rhythm of this tour involves a mix of comfortable self-drive days and periods of settling into one base for two or three nights at a time, which allows for proper exploration rather than the exhausting chase of ticking things off. Roads are generally good, though some coastal and mountain routes are slow and winding — part of the pleasure rather than an obstacle. New Zealand’s biosecurity rules are strict and taken seriously; arriving visitors should ensure all food items are declared or disposed of before passing through customs, as fines are substantial. Border staff are efficient and courteous, and the process moves quickly once the formalities are observed. With that minor note aside, the country extends a welcome that feels entirely genuine — warm, curious and quietly proud of the extraordinary place it is.
Planning your visit to New Zealand
🌏 Planning Your Visit to New Zealand
New Zealand — known in Māori as Aotearoa, meaning “Land of the Long White Cloud” — is one of the world’s most captivating destinations. Comprising two main islands and a scattering of smaller ones, it offers an extraordinary range of landscapes, from active volcanoes and geothermal hot springs to dramatic fjords, glaciers, and golden beaches. Despite being a relatively small nation of just over five million people, it packs in a vast diversity of experiences and is consistently rated among the safest and most welcoming countries on earth.
📍 Location
New Zealand sits in the South Pacific Ocean, approximately 2,000 kilometres south-east of Australia. It consists of the North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui) and the South Island (Te Waipounamu), separated by the Cook Strait. The North Island tends towards a more subtropical climate, with geothermal activity, rich Māori heritage, and the country’s largest city, Auckland. The South Island is more rugged and mountainous, home to the Southern Alps, Fiordland, and some of the world’s most celebrated walking tracks. A third, smaller island — Stewart Island (Rakiura) — lies at the very southern tip.
The country sits entirely within the Southern Hemisphere, which means its seasons are the reverse of those in the UK: summer runs from December to February, and winter from June to August.
✈️ Getting There
New Zealand is a long-haul destination from the UK, with flights typically taking between 24 and 30 hours including a stopover. There are no direct flights from the UK; most routes connect through cities such as Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, or Doha. Auckland International Airport is the country’s principal international gateway. Christchurch and Wellington also receive some international services, primarily from Australia and Pacific Island nations.
As a British citizen, you do not need a visa to visit New Zealand for stays of up to six months. However, you are required to obtain a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) before you travel. This is applied for online or via a dedicated app and is typically processed within 72 hours, though it is advisable to apply well in advance of travel. When applying for the NZeTA, you will also be required to pay the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL), which currently costs NZD $100. This levy funds conservation efforts and tourism infrastructure across the country.
On arrival, you will need to complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD), which covers customs, immigration, and biosecurity information. This can be completed online before departure or via the NZTD app. Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your intended departure date from New Zealand.
🚗 Getting Around by Car
The most popular and rewarding way to explore New Zealand is by hiring a car or campervan. The country’s roads are generally well maintained, signposted clearly, and drive through some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. Self-driving gives you the freedom to travel at your own pace and reach remote areas that public transport simply does not serve.
As a UK licence holder, you are permitted to drive in New Zealand for up to 18 months from the date of each entry without needing to convert to a local licence. Your UK driving licence is valid as-is, since it is issued in English — there is no requirement for an International Driving Permit, though carrying one is never a disadvantage. You must carry your physical driving licence with you at all times when behind the wheel. Note that a UK provisional licence is not valid for driving in New Zealand.
New Zealanders drive on the left, which will feel natural to UK visitors. However, there are some important differences to be aware of. Speed limits are posted in kilometres per hour, not miles: the open road limit is 100 km/h, while urban areas are typically 50 km/h, with school zones sometimes as low as 25 km/h. The roads, while often beautiful, can be considerably narrower and more winding than those you might be used to at home, and journey times are frequently longer than maps suggest. Rural roads may include unsealed (gravel) sections, one-lane bridges, and sudden sharp bends. Logging trucks, farm machinery, and livestock are all common on country roads, so patience and vigilance are essential.
The drink-driving limit in New Zealand is lower than the UK: 50 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood (0.05%) for drivers aged 20 and over, with zero tolerance for those under 20. Penalties for exceeding this limit are strict. It is also illegal to use a hand-held mobile phone while driving, and all passengers in both the front and back seats must wear a seatbelt. Children under eight must travel in an approved child restraint.
New Zealand’s weather can change rapidly, particularly in alpine and mountainous areas, so always check road conditions before setting off on longer journeys. The country’s official journey planner tool is a useful resource for current road information and travel times.
There are a small number of toll roads, mainly on the North Island. These can be paid online and must be settled within five days of use to avoid fines. Rental companies typically handle this process but may charge an administration fee.
Campervans are extremely popular in New Zealand and offer a combined transport and accommodation solution. Be aware, however, that freedom camping (parking overnight in public areas outside designated sites) is now restricted across most of the country. You must use official holiday parks or designated freedom camping areas; rental contracts usually specify permitted locations.
Jet lag after the long-haul flight from the UK can be significant. It is strongly advisable to rest fully before attempting to drive.
🧭 Things to Be Aware of When Visiting
Māori Culture
Māori are the indigenous people of New Zealand, descended from Polynesian voyagers who arrived in Aotearoa around the 14th century. They make up approximately 15–16% of the population and their language, traditions, and worldview are woven into the fabric of everyday life. New Zealand’s official policy of biculturalism gives Māori and Pākehā (non-Māori, broadly European New Zealanders) equal cultural standing, and you will encounter te reo Māori (the Māori language) in place names, on signage, and in common phrases throughout the country.
Respecting Māori culture is not merely courteous — it is considered a fundamental part of being a thoughtful visitor. Learning a few basic Māori greetings makes a genuinely positive impression. “Kia ora” (hello/thank you), “Tēnā koe” (greetings to you, formally), and “Ngā mihi” (greetings/thanks) are all warmly received.
If you visit a marae (a Māori communal meeting ground), dress modestly and always follow the protocols of your hosts. You will typically be welcomed through a pōwhiri — a formal welcoming ceremony — and should follow the guidance of those around you regarding where to sit, when to speak, and how to conduct yourself. Remove your shoes before entering a wharenui (meeting house), and do not bring food or drink inside. Always ask permission before taking photographs at Māori sites, buildings, or during cultural performances. Some places and objects are considered tapu (sacred and off-limits), and visitors should respect this without question.
The Māori concept of tapu extends to everyday social behaviour. Sitting on tables or any surface used for food is considered deeply offensive, as it brings the (spiritually lowly) posterior into contact with a surface associated with sustenance and nourishment. This is observed across the broader New Zealand population, not just within Māori communities.
If you attend a Māori cultural show — most famously in Rotorua — you may be invited to respond with a song or greeting from your own culture. Having something prepared in advance is both respectful and good fun.
General Social Etiquette
New Zealanders, known as Kiwis, are famously warm, laid-back, and direct. They have a strong egalitarian streak and are generally unimpressed by boasting or displays of wealth. Modesty and a dry sense of humour go down well.
Tipping is not customary in New Zealand and is never expected. It is only given, occasionally, for genuinely exceptional service in a restaurant or on a guided tour — and even then it is by no means obligatory.
In cafés and casual eateries, the norm is to order and pay at the counter rather than waiting to be served at your table. This is simply the way things are done; waiting to be approached at a table can result in a long wait and some puzzlement from staff.
Avoid discussing personal matters such as salary, age, weight, religion, or politics with people you have just met. New Zealanders tend to keep such topics private until a relationship is well established.
Local Laws
New Zealand law applies to all visitors. The following points are particularly worth noting.
The legal age for purchasing and consuming alcohol is 18. Proof of age may be requested, and a passport is an acceptable form of identification. Liquor bans exist in designated public areas across most cities and towns; drinking in these areas, or having an open container of alcohol, can result in arrest or an on-the-spot fine of around NZD $250.
Drug laws are strict. Possession of controlled substances carries significant penalties, and driving under the influence of any drug — including certain prescribed medications — is illegal.
The smoking age is 18. Smoking is prohibited in all enclosed public spaces including restaurants, bars, and workplaces. Some establishments also prohibit vaping on their premises.
New Zealand takes biosecurity exceptionally seriously, reflecting its unique and fragile ecosystem. Strict rules govern what you can bring into the country. Declaring any food, plant material, animal products, or outdoor equipment (including walking boots, tents, and sports gear) is mandatory on the New Zealand Traveller Declaration. Failure to declare items honestly can result in fines of NZD $400 or more. All outdoor equipment should be thoroughly cleaned before you travel. Bringing undeclared items into the country — even apparently innocuous ones such as certain packaged snacks, wooden carvings, or dried herbs — risks confiscation and penalty.
Freedom camping outside designated areas is prohibited in most parts of New Zealand, and enforcement has increased in recent years. Always check that your overnight location is legally permitted.
Drone use is regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority and by local authorities. You must not fly a drone within controlled airspace, near airports, or in many national parks without specific permission.
Safety and Natural Hazards
New Zealand is a geologically active country. Earthquakes are common, particularly on the South Island and in Wellington, though most are minor. In the event of a significant quake, follow the “Drop, Cover, and Hold” guidance. Volcanic activity is present on the North Island; areas around active volcanoes such as Whakaari/White Island and Ruapehu carry specific access restrictions and safety alerts that must be heeded.
The UV index in New Zealand is extremely high — significantly higher than most of Europe — due to the thinness of the ozone layer. Sunburn happens quickly, even on overcast days. Use a high-factor sunscreen (SPF 50+ is recommended), wear a hat, and seek shade during the middle of the day.
Weather changes rapidly throughout New Zealand, particularly in mountainous and alpine regions. If you are tramping (hiking), always check forecasts, carry appropriate clothing and supplies, and inform someone of your planned route and expected return. Hypothermia, river flooding after rain, and rapidly deteriorating trail conditions are genuine risks in the backcountry.
The best time to visit New Zealand
☀️ Summer — December to February
Summer is New Zealand’s prime season, and the country really earns its reputation during these months. Long daylight hours, warm temperatures (typically 20–30°C in most regions), and reliably dry spells make it perfect for outdoor adventure. The South Island’s Milford Sound and Queenstown are at their most accessible; the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in the North Island sees thousands of walkers a day; and beaches from the Bay of Islands to Abel Tasman National Park are at their most inviting.
Do bear in mind this is also peak season for New Zealanders themselves — schools are out, and the country fills up quickly. Book accommodation and rental cars well in advance, as prices spike significantly.
What to pack: Light clothing (t-shirts, shorts, sundresses), a quality sunscreen (the UV index is extremely high), UV-protective sunglasses, a light waterproof jacket for afternoon showers, sturdy walking shoes or trail runners, and a swimsuit.
🍂 Autumn — March to May
Many experienced travellers consider autumn New Zealand’s best-kept secret. The summer crowds thin out, prices ease, and the weather remains genuinely pleasant well into April — warm days, cool evenings, and some of the clearest skies of the year. Vineyards across Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay, and Central Otago come alive with the harvest, and the golden and russet foliage across the South Island is spectacular.
Fiordland and the Great Walks remain open and far less congested than in summer. It is also whale-watching season off Kaikōura, and fewer visitors mean a better experience at most tourist spots.
What to pack: Layered clothing (long-sleeved shirts, a mid-layer fleece or jumper, and a waterproof outer shell), comfortable walking shoes, light trousers, and a hat for cooler mornings and evenings.
❄️ Winter — June to August
Winter is very much a tale of two islands. The North Island stays relatively mild — Auckland rarely drops below 10°C — and the beaches and geothermal areas around Rotorua and Taupo remain perfectly enjoyable. The South Island, however, gets genuinely cold and snowy, particularly in the Southern Alps, making it the prime season for skiing and snowboarding at Queenstown, Wānaka, and Mount Ruapehu.
This is the low season for everything non-ski-related: expect the lowest accommodation prices of the year, minimal queues at popular sites, and a more authentic, local feel. Fiordland is at its moody and dramatic best in winter — waterfalls are thundering and the light is extraordinary — though some high alpine tracks are closed.
What to pack: Warm thermal base layers, a heavyweight fleece or down jacket, waterproof trousers and outer shell, thermal socks, gloves, and a woolly hat. If skiing, full ski or snowboard gear (though rentals are widely available on the slopes).
🌸 Spring — September to November
Spring brings a wonderful sense of renewal: wildflowers bloom across the countryside, baby lambs dot the hillside paddocks, and migratory seabirds return to their nesting grounds. Temperatures climb steadily through October and November, and by late spring many of the Great Walk huts begin reopening for the season. It is also one of the best periods for wildlife: royal albatross and yellow-eyed penguins are active around Dunedin, and whale watching off Kaikōura is superb.
Crowds build through November but haven’t yet reached summer peaks, and prices remain reasonable. Be prepared for changeable weather — spring in New Zealand is famously unpredictable, with warm sunshine and cold showers sometimes arriving in the same afternoon.
What to pack: A versatile layering system — t-shirts, a light jumper, and a good waterproof jacket — comfortable waterproof walking shoes or hiking boots, and a compact umbrella or packable rain poncho.
Our Itinerary
✈️ Day 1 — Arrival Day: Transfer to Auckland
After a long international flight into Auckland Airport, the priority is straightforward navigation through immigration and customs. New Zealand’s biosecurity procedures are thorough and the signage is clear; all food, plant material and soil must be declared, and officers are diligent. Once through, rental car desks are well signposted, though allow time for paperwork after a long journey. The drive from the airport into the city takes travellers through the Central Business District and across the Harbour Bridge, offering an early glimpse of the Waitematā Harbour and the distinctive skyline. Birkenhead, on Auckland’s North Shore, makes an excellent and practical base for the first few nights — a quiet, well-served suburb with supermarkets, cafés and easy access to walks, a short bus or ferry ride from the city centre.
🌏 Days 2–4 — Visiting Auckland
Three day is enough time to explore Auckland comfortably. The city is best explored by public transport — the bus network is reliable, affordable and far less stressful than driving, where parking is both scarce and expensive. A good starting point is Ponsonby, one of the most characterful neighbourhoods in the city: once a working-class area of small wooden villas, it was transformed from the 1980s onwards into a lively strip of independent boutiques, excellent restaurants and handsome restored kauri villas painted in soft pastels and crisp whites. From there, the Auckland Domain — the city’s oldest park, spread across the crater of an ancient volcano — provides a leafy approach to the Winter Gardens, two heritage glasshouses dating from 1913 and 1917 and inspired by Kew Gardens and the Sefton Park Palm House in Liverpool. The tropical house is dense and humid with banana palms and hanging orchids; the sunken fernery, carved into a former quarry in 1921, is the most atmospheric space of all. The Auckland War Memorial Museum at the top of the Domain is one of the finest in Australasia — its natural history galleries cover volcanic geology and extinct wildlife including the enormous moa, its Māori and Pacific galleries house the carved meeting house Hotunui and a 25-metre waka, and the military history floor with its Gallipoli displays is quietly devastating. Allow at least three hours. The Sky Tower, a short walk downhill into the CBD, rises 328 metres and remains the tallest freestanding structure in the Southern Hemisphere; the observation deck offers views of up to 80 kilometres on a clear day. The waterfront from here is worth exploring on foot, particularly the stone monument marking where the Ngāti Whātua chief Apihai Te Kawau offered land for the foundation of Auckland in 1840 — a small but significant spot easily missed. A harbour ferry provides a scenic return across the Waitematā.
Beyond the city centre, the volcanic landscape that defines Auckland is best appreciated at the regional parks and viewpoints scattered across the isthmus. One Tree Hill (Maungakiekie), one of around fifty volcanic cones in the Auckland Volcanic Field, offers a straightforward walk to the summit with panoramic views across both harbours and the Hauraki Gulf — the obelisk at the top is a memorial to the Māori people and the surrounding Cornwall Park is one of the city’s most pleasant green spaces. Rangitoto Island, visible from the waterfront and reachable by a short ferry crossing, is a striking shield volcano that last erupted around 600 years ago; the walk to the summit takes about ninety minutes return and the views across the gulf are exceptional. For those with an interest in New Zealand’s natural history, the Auckland Botanic Gardens in Manurewa are well worth the short drive south — 64 hectares of themed gardens including extensive native plant collections, a kitchen garden and a visitors’ centre with good café. The Waitākere Ranges to the west of the city, part of the Tūpuna Maunga network, offer more serious walking in native bush with black sand surf beaches at Piha and Karekare at the far end of the road — wild, dramatic coastline that feels entirely removed from the city just forty minutes behind.
🚗 Day 5 — Auckland to Bay of Islands: Whangārei Falls and the Hundertwasser Art Centre
The drive north from Auckland to the Bay of Islands takes three to four hours depending on the route, and the journey is greatly enhanced by stopping in Whangārei — pronounced “Fangarei” — the largest town in Northland. The name means “harbour of whales” in Māori and reflects the town’s sheltered position on a natural inlet; it began as a small trading post in the 1830s and later became a hub for kauri gum and timber. Whangārei Falls, just a short drive from the town centre, are one of the most accessible and rewarding natural features in the region. The Hātea River drops 26 metres over a basalt cliff into a pool below, surrounded by native bush. The trail that winds down through the gorge to the base of the falls is short but satisfying, with the best view from a bridge below the plunge pool; the combination of spray, sound and light makes it an excellent stop even in passing.
The Hundertwasser Art Centre in Whangārei’s waterfront is the only building of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and merits a proper visit. Completed in 2021, it is dedicated to the work of Friedensreich Hundertwasser — the Austrian-born artist and architect born Friedrich Stowasser in Vienna in 1928, who became a New Zealand citizen in 1983 and lived quietly on a property near Kawakawa until his death in 2000. Hundertwasser rejected straight lines as “soulless,” believing beauty came from individuality and the natural world, and his buildings — including the famous Hundertwasserhaus in Vienna — are full of uneven floors, bold mosaics and vegetation growing from rooftops. The Whangārei centre is instantly recognisable with its bright colours, irregular windows and golden onion dome, and inside the displays include both his paintings and the work of contemporary Māori artists — a combination he insisted upon when the project was first proposed. The gently sloping, uneven floors are a signature of his style, and the whole building has an unusual warmth and humanity that makes it easy to spend an hour or more exploring.
⛵ Days 6–8 — Exploring the Bay of Islands
Three days gives a good amount of time to explore the Bay of Islands properly, with Opua — a small marina town whose sheltered harbour holds yachts from across the Pacific — serving as a quiet and practical base. The coastal walking track from Opua to Paihia is one of the finest short walks in Northland, winding along cliff edges and through native bush before crossing a long boardwalk through a mangrove inlet; time it to low or mid-tide, as the final stretch runs along the base of a cliff the sea reclaims on the flood. Paihia is the main tourist hub, with a busy beachfront and boat operators running trips throughout the bay. The Waitangi Treaty Grounds, a short drive away, are essential for anyone with an interest in New Zealand’s history — it was here that the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840, the founding document of modern New Zealand. Russell, a short passenger ferry ride from Paihia, is one of the prettiest spots in the bay: once notoriously known as the “Hellhole of the Pacific,” this lawless whaling port of the 1830s is now a quiet and charming colonial village. Kawakawa, twenty minutes inland, is worth a half-day for the extraordinary public toilets designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser — no straight lines, walls embedded with recycled bottles, a grass-and-tree roof and an undulating floor — and for the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway, whose locomotive runs straight down the middle of the high street before heading out through wetlands to a trestle bridge reputedly the longest curved wooden railway bridge in the Southern Hemisphere.
A day on the water is the highlight of any stay in the bay, and the ferry to Urupukapuka Island — the largest of the bay’s 140-plus islands — is the best way to experience it. The route passes Motuarohia (Roberton Island), a small double-lagoon island the captain typically slows to allow passengers to admire, before reaching Urupukapuka in about 45 minutes. The island was once a seasonal gathering place for Māori and later the base of American adventurer Zane Grey, who helped establish the bay’s international reputation as a game fishing destination in the 1920s; today it is managed as the Otehei Bay Reserve with well-maintained walking tracks connecting clifftop viewpoints, open grassland and sheltered coves. Eagle rays glide through the clear shallows at the pier and tūī and fantails call from the regenerating native bush along the trails. The ferry back to Paihia frequently encounters pods of bottlenose dolphins, which are regular visitors in these waters and will swim alongside the vessel for twenty minutes or more. Bring waterproofs regardless of the morning forecast; the bay generates its own weather.
🌊 Days 9–11 — Travelling to and Exploring the Coromandel Peninsula
The drive south from the Bay of Islands to the Coromandel Peninsula takes the best part of a day, passing back through Auckland and down to Thames — once New Zealand’s second-largest town during the 1860s gold rush, and still worth a brief stop for its fine Victorian commercial architecture and backdrop of steep, forested hills. The west coast road from Thames follows the Firth of Thames closely, twisting through quiet settlements and rocky shoreline with a pleasingly wild character that the busier east coast lacks. Based at Te Puru or nearby, the peninsula is best explored without a fixed itinerary — the roads are narrow and winding and the driving is part of the pleasure. The village of Coromandel, forty kilometres north, has a single main street of old wooden buildings, a good bakery, small galleries and a genuinely unhurried pace; local art exhibitions, if running, are usually worth a look. The mountain road east across the Coromandel Range leads to the coast at Whangapoua, from where a tidal river crossing and short headland walk reaches New Chums Beach, consistently rated among New Zealand’s most beautiful. Timing the crossing to low or mid-tide is essential. Matarangi, a little further south, has a vast sweep of fine sand that feels remarkably empty even in summer — a shady spot under the coastal pines and a paddle in the clear surf is all it asks.
Hot Water Beach on the east coast is one of those experiences that genuinely delivers what it promises. Natural hot springs bubble up through the sand in a small, specific section near the centre of the beach; the window for access is roughly two hours either side of low tide, after which the sea reclaims the area. Spades can be hired from the car park café, though bringing one saves time and money. Finding the actual hot spots requires some digging, but the water directly over the springs can be very hot, and the ideal pool blends it with incoming seawater to a therapeutic warmth. The whole exercise is cheerful and companionable — people share pools, compare notes on the best spots and watch the sea make its gradual return with resigned amusement. Hahei, a short drive north, has its own wide sandy beach and good cafés, and the walking track from there to Cathedral Cove — roughly forty minutes each way — leads to one of the Coromandel’s most photographed natural features: a soaring archway carved through honey-coloured cliffs, with dramatic sea caves and deep coves on either side. Early mornings and overcast days see considerably fewer visitors than the summer peak.
🧙 Days 12–14 — Morrinsville, Hobbiton, Waitomo and the West Coast
The drive south from the Coromandel passes through the dairy heartland of the Waikato, where cows outnumber people by a considerable margin and the landscape is a rolling green patchwork of paddocks and farm buildings. Morrinsville, a well-kept farming town en route, announces itself with a “Herd of Cows” art installation — life-sized fibreglass cattle painted by local artists with bold designs ranging from abstract patterns to farm scenes — and makes an excellent coffee stop. Hobbiton, the film set for Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies near Matamata, is open exclusively by guided tour and is considerably more impressive than the phrase “film set” might suggest. The forty-four Hobbit holes scattered across the hillside are permanently installed, horticulturally maintained and meticulously detailed — every garden planted, every chimney smoking via a concealed machine, every washing line strung with tiny clothes. Two holes have been fully fitted out as interior spaces with handmade quilts, shelved preserves and stacked books, and the tour ends at the fully operational Green Dragon Inn with a complimentary drink. The Woodlyn Park Motel near Waitomo offers famously quirky overnight options — guests can sleep in a converted plane, train carriage, boat or Hobbit hole. The Waitomo cave system is one of New Zealand’s unmissable natural attractions: Ruakuri Cave is entered via a beautifully engineered spiral ramp descending forty-five metres — one of the few fully wheelchair-accessible cave entrances in the world — and ninety-minute guided tours pass through chambers of limestone curtains, thick pillars and stalactites growing by only a cubic centimetre per century. The Glowworm Cave’s underground boat ride, guided by rope across a subterranean river in complete silence and darkness beneath thousands of softly glowing Arachnocampa luminosa larvae, is an effect that is genuinely dreamlike and unlike anything else on the itinerary.
The area around Waitomo is worth a further day’s exploration westward toward the Tasman coast. The Boot Fence — a long stretch of roadside wire covered in hundreds of shoes hanging by their laces — is an unexplained but cheerful local landmark. Mangapohue Natural Bridge, about twenty minutes further along the road, is one of the finest natural formations in the North Island: the towering remnant arch of an ancient collapsed cave, roughly twenty-five metres high, reached via a boardwalk through ferns and moss-covered limestone. Marokopa Falls, a short drive beyond, are among the most beautiful in the North Island — a wide curtain of water plunging thirty-five metres over black basalt into a pool surrounded by tree ferns and nikau palms, particularly dramatic after rain. Kawhia on the Tasman coast holds deep significance in Māori history as the final resting place of the ancestral Tainui waka, making it one of the most spiritually important places in the Waikato region; from the village, a path over steep sand dunes leads to a wild west coast beach where natural thermal springs bubble up through the sand at low tide — considerably less crowded than the Coromandel’s Hot Water Beach and all the more elemental for it.
🌋 Days 15–17 — Tongariro National Park
Tongariro National Park is one of New Zealand’s most extraordinary landscapes — a high volcanic plateau protecting three active volcanoes: Ruapehu (2,797 metres), Ngauruhoe (2,291 metres) and Tongariro (1,967 metres). It holds dual UNESCO World Heritage status as both a natural site and a cultural landscape, the peaks being regarded as sacred ancestors by Māori and gifted to the nation by the chief Te Heuheu Tūkino IV in 1887, making it New Zealand’s first national park. Ngauruhoe’s near-perfect cone, familiar internationally as Mount Doom in The Lord of the Rings, dominates the skyline from almost every trail in the park. Waimarino Village, just outside the northern boundary, makes an excellent base, and Whakapapa Village within the park is the main hub for walks and information. The Department of Conservation Visitor Centre there has well-presented displays on the park’s volcanic geology, the ancient Taupō eruption and the ecology of the alpine zone — a worthwhile first stop for orientation before heading out on foot.
Several excellent short walks make the most of the extraordinary landscape without requiring a full alpine day. The Taranaki Falls Track is a 6 km loop from Whakapapa Village through alpine scrub and across glacial riverbeds to a 20-metre lava-cliff waterfall, taking about two hours at an easy pace. Tawhai Falls, a short fifteen-minute return walk through native forest near Whakapapa, drops over a distinctive basalt ledge into a mossy gorge and is consistently photogenic. The Whakapapa Nature Walk is a gentler 45-minute loop through beech forest with interpretive panels on the park’s ecology, well suited to those wanting a shorter outing. The upper road to the Whakapapa ski field is worth driving for the landscape alone — stark, treeless volcanic slopes under wide skies — and from the car park at the base of the Sky Waka gondola, short tracks lead to viewpoints overlooking the Waikato Basin far below. For those with the fitness and experience for a full day’s walking, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing — 19.4 km across active volcanic terrain past emerald crater lakes, the South Crater and the Red Crater — is widely regarded as one of the finest one-day walks in the world; a shuttle service operates from Whakapapa Village and Waimarino to the trailheads, and the Department of Conservation website provides daily track condition updates.
🌟 Days 18–20 — Wellington
Wellington, New Zealand’s compact and energetic capital, sits at the southern tip of the North Island wedged between steep hills and a wide harbour, and is best explored on foot or by public transport — a car is more hindrance than help here. Two to three days gives a good amount of time to cover the main attractions without rushing. The Weta Workshop in Miramar is a mandatory visit for anyone with even a passing interest in cinema. Founded in 1993 by Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger, it produces practical effects, armour, weapons, creatures and prosthetics for major international productions; their work on The Lord of the Rings trilogy — 17 Academy Awards — established them as one of the world’s leading creative workshops. Guided tours take visitors through displays of film props and costumes, demonstrations of fabrication techniques from sculpting to forge work, and the occasional opportunity to handle a genuine hero sword. Book well in advance. Te Papa Tongarewa — the national museum on the waterfront, whose name means “container of treasures” — is one of the finest in the Southern Hemisphere and warrants at least four hours. Its natural history galleries cover New Zealand’s volcanic geology and unique wildlife; the Māori and Pacific galleries include the magnificently carved meeting house Hotunui and a 25-metre waka; and the Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War exhibition, developed with Weta Workshop and featuring figures at two and a half times life size, is one of the most powerful pieces of exhibition design in the country. The Beehive — the distinctive circular Executive Wing of Parliament completed in 1977 to a design by Sir Basil Spence — is visible from many angles across the city and worth locating on foot; free tours of the parliamentary precinct run most weekdays.
Cuba Street is Wellington’s most characterful thoroughfare — lively, independent and full of cafés, bookshops, vintage clothing and small live music venues — and repays a slow walk at any hour. The waterfront between Te Papa and the ferry terminal is one of the city’s great public spaces, open and well laid out, with the Waitangi monument marking the site where the Ngāti Whātua chief Apihai Te Kawau offered land for the foundation of Auckland in 1840 — a small but significant spot easily missed. If visiting in late February or early March, the Pasifika Festival on the waterfront is exceptional — one of the largest celebrations of Pacific Island culture in the world, with music, dance, food and crafts from Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, the Cook Islands, Niue and beyond filling the harbour foreshore over a weekend. The cable car from Lambton Quay up to Kelburn is a quick and satisfying way to reach the Botanic Garden, which descends back into the city through formal rose gardens, native bush and the Carter Observatory. The walk back down through the garden to the CBD takes about thirty minutes and is one of the more pleasant routes in the city. Wellington’s restaurant and café scene is strong for a city its size — the coffee is consistently excellent and the independent food culture extends well beyond the usual tourist offerings.
⛴️ Days 21–22 — Crossing to the South Island and Kaikōura
The Interislander or Bluebridge ferry crossing from Wellington to Picton is one of the great short journeys in New Zealand and should be treated as part of the itinerary rather than simply a means of transport. The Cook Strait has a well-earned reputation for rough crossings — strong currents and the meeting of two large bodies of water can make it very lively — though calmer passages are equally possible. The crossing takes approximately three to three and a half hours, and the scenery in the final approach to Picton, threading through the Marlborough Sounds, is exceptional. Private lounges with reserved seating, food and drink can be booked in advance and are worth the additional cost on busy sailings. From Picton the drive south follows State Highway 1 through the Marlborough wine country before the road narrows and twists along the edge of the Kaikōura Ranges dropping into the sea. A short distance before Kaikōura, the Ohau Point Lookout reveals a large fur seal colony on the rocks below — during the breeding season the youngsters hop, slide and splash in the tidal pools with considerable energy, and it is one of those unplanned stops that becomes a highlight.
Kaikōura itself is a small coastal town pinched between the mountains and the sea, with a dramatic backdrop and a strong reputation for wildlife encounters — whale watching tours operate year-round, and dolphins are frequently seen from the shore. The headland walk is worth an early start: the coastal track loops around the peninsula with views of the ranges dropping to the sea, rock formations below the cliffs and regular sightings of fur seals hauled out or swimming in the kelp. The walk takes about two hours and the combination of mountain and coastal scenery is hard to equal on the South Island. The drive south to Christchurch takes roughly two and a half hours, the Kaikōura Ranges receding behind as the Canterbury Plains open ahead — a wide, flat landscape with the snowcapped Southern Alps rising beyond the city to the west on clear days.
🎭 Days 23–25 — Exploring Christchurch
Christchurch is a city shaped by catastrophe and recovery, and understanding both is central to appreciating it. The 6.3 magnitude earthquake of 22 February 2011 killed 185 people and effectively destroyed the city centre; the rebuilding that followed has been thoughtful, creative and still ongoing. Quake City in the Riverside Market explains the earthquakes movingly, with survivor testimonies, damaged objects and clear accounts of liquefaction — the process by which the sandy ground turned liquid and swallowed entire suburbs in grey silt. The memorial area near the former CTV building site, where most lives were lost, is simple and respectful. The Transitional Cathedral — the Cardboard Cathedral — designed by Shigeru Ban from cardboard tubes, timber and steel, is genuinely uplifting inside and has become a symbol of the city’s resilience. Christ Church Cathedral in Cathedral Square, badly damaged in the quake, is now undergoing major restoration. New Regent Street, with its 1930s pastel shopfronts, and the street art murals that have appeared across the city since the earthquakes form an excellent open-air gallery worth hunting out on foot. For aviation and Antarctica enthusiasts, the New Zealand Air Force Museum near the airport is a well-presented collection covering everything from fragile First World War biplanes to the recently retired C-130 Hercules fleet; the International Antarctic Centre nearby — Christchurch is the primary southern gateway for Antarctic programmes — offers a storm simulator, rescued little blue penguins, a 4D theatre and the famous Hägglund tracked vehicle ride.
The Avon River is one of Christchurch’s great pleasures, winding gently through the city centre lined with willows and grassy banks. The riverside trail provides a flat, scenic walk between the gardens and the CBD, and punting on the Avon is available year-round — a leisurely way to pass an hour and see the gardens from the water. The Botanic Gardens alongside the river are among the finest in New Zealand: 21 hectares of themed planting including rose, herb and water gardens, a New Zealand native plants section and a series of glasshouses. Mona Vale, a Federation-style homestead on the western bank of the Avon with sweeping grounds to the river’s edge, offers a quieter alternative and a good picnic spot in summer. The walk back along the Avon from either garden to the city centre passes some of Christchurch’s most interesting post-earthquake architecture, where new buildings in timber, glass and recycled materials have been placed carefully among the surviving historic streetscapes.
🏡 Days 27–28 — Banks Peninsula and Akaroa
Banks Peninsula is the eroded remains of two ancient volcanoes and one of the most dramatic and complex coastlines in the South Island. The Summit Road along the volcanic ridges offers some of the finest views on the peninsula — on clear days both the Pacific and the Canterbury Plains are visible from the same lookout — though the road is narrow and requires careful driving. Little River, at the base of the peninsula, is the starting point of the Little River Rail Trail, a former railway line converted into a cycling and walking route; the gravel track follows gentle gradients through farmland alongside a river and suits all fitness levels. The village has a small gallery and a good general store-café. Akaroa, deep within the peninsula, is one of the most historically distinctive towns in New Zealand — in 1840 French settlers made a serious attempt to establish a colony here, arriving just weeks after the Treaty of Waitangi had given Britain sovereignty. French influence remains visible in the street names, some of the architecture and a Francophile sensibility the town wears with good humour. It is a picturesque seaside village of colourful cottages along a sheltered volcanic harbour backed by steep green hills, with a small lighthouse on the waterfront, good restaurants and Hector’s dolphin-watching cruises in the harbour.
A second day on the peninsula rewards those who want to go deeper into the landscape. The walking tracks on the crater rim above Akaroa — the Summit Road track and the longer Barry’s Bay to Le Bons Bay section — provide dramatic ridge-walking with views into multiple bays simultaneously. Birdlings Flat, on the outer eastern coast, is one of the more unusual beaches in the South Island: the entire shoreline is composed of pebbles rather than sand, worn smooth over centuries, and patient beachcombers will find agates among them in shades of green, cream and pale pink, formed in ancient lava bubbles. Terns work the surf offshore with impressive efficiency, hovering and plunging for fish. The tiny settlement at Birdlings Flat has an appealingly remote character — just a handful of houses on two narrow streets — and the outer coast faces the open Pacific with a swell powerful enough to make swimming inadvisable.
🏔️ Day 29 — Tekapo and Aoraki / Mount Cook
The drive from Banks Peninsula to Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park is one of the great South Island journeys, passing through the Mackenzie Basin — a wide, high-country plateau of tussock grass and schist framed by the Southern Alps. Lake Tekapo, reached after roughly ninety minutes, is famous for its astonishing milky-turquoise colour produced by glacial flour suspended in the water; the Church of the Good Shepherd, a small stone chapel built in 1935 on the lakeside, is one of the most photographed buildings in New Zealand and worth arriving at early. Tekapo sits within the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, one of the largest in the world, and the Mount John University Observatory offers evening stargazing tours. Lake Pukaki, even larger and equally vivid, provides the most dramatic approach to Aoraki — the long straight road along the eastern shore eventually reveals the mountain filling the entire horizon at the head of the valley.
At 3,724 metres, Aoraki is the highest peak in Australasia and in Māori tradition a sacred ancestor; the name means “Cloud Piercer.” The Kea Point Track from Mount Cook Village (3 km return, about ninety minutes) reaches a viewpoint over the terminal face of the Mueller Glacier and its rubble-covered lake. The Hooker Valley Track — 10 km return, about three hours — is the most popular walk in the park, crossing three swing bridges to the Hooker Glacier’s terminal lake where icebergs calve from the glacier face. The Sealy Tarns Track climbs a steeper laddered route to a bird’s-eye view of the valley and the full sweep of the Alps. The Hermitage Hotel at the village has a good bar and restaurant, and the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre covers the history of climbing in the area.
🐧 Days 30–31 — Waitaki Valley, Oamaru and Clyde
The drive from Twizel to Oamaru follows the Waitaki River eastward through one of New Zealand’s most significant hydroelectric corridors — a chain of dams has created a series of large blue lakes, Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki, that give the valley a distinctly Scottish character. The route passes the Takiroa Māori Rock Drawings, charcoal sketches on limestone cliffs created several centuries ago; the site is part of the Waitaki Whitestone UNESCO Global Geopark, New Zealand’s first. Elephant Rocks, a short drive further, are enormous rounded limestone boulders scattered across farmland — used as a filming location for The Chronicles of Narnia and worth at least forty minutes to explore on foot. Oamaru itself is one of the South Island’s most characterful small towns: the Heritage District of beautifully preserved Victorian whitestone limestone buildings feels like the late nineteenth century tidied up, and Steampunk HQ — housed in a former grain elevator with a giant flame-belching locomotive outside and mirrored infinity chambers within — is genuinely unlike anything else in New Zealand. The little blue penguin colony is the primary evening attraction; a free alternative to the paid grandstand is to wait by the harbour wall just before the colony entrance, where the birds haul ashore from about thirty minutes after sunset and shuffle under the road to their burrows.
The onward drive from Oamaru to Clyde, the start of the Otago Central Rail Trail, passes through more excellent scenery. The Moeraki Boulders lie scattered along a beach near the small settlement of Moeraki — almost perfectly spherical stones, some several metres across, formed by the slow cementing of sediment around tiny cores on the ancient sea floor millions of years ago, best seen at low tide when the fractured ones reveal their honeycomb interiors. Katiki Point nearby has a lighthouse and a nature reserve where New Zealand fur seals haul out on the rocks and clifftop grasses. Clyde itself is a handsome historic gold rush town on the Clutha River, all stone buildings and quiet streets, serving as the official start of the 152 km Rail Trail. Cromwell, a short drive away, has a well-preserved heritage precinct of nineteenth-century stone buildings and the unapologetically cheerful giant Cromwell Fruit Sculpture — a towering stack of painted apples, pears, apricots and cherries celebrating the region’s orchard industry.
🚴 Days 32–34 — The Otago Central Rail Trail and Drive to Invercargill
The Otago Central Rail Trail follows the trackbed of the former Otago Central Railway, opened progressively between 1891 and 1909 and closed in the mid-1980s before being converted to a cycling and walking route. The 152 km trail runs from Clyde through the heart of Central Otago to Middlemarch, typically taking three days by bicycle, and passes through a landscape of stripped-back grandeur — schist rock outcrops, tussock hillsides and wide, open valleys quite different in character from anywhere else in New Zealand. Several operators in Clyde offer bike hire, electric-assist bikes (which make the modest climbs considerably more manageable), shuttle services and luggage transfer to overnight accommodation; ShebikesHebikes is one of the established operators. The first day’s riding from Clyde passes through Alexandra — the largest town on the trail, with a gold rush history and a famous hillside clock — before following the Manuherikia River valley through open farmland to Omakau, where the Muddy Creek Café is consistently recommended, and on to overnight accommodation at Lauder, a historic mud-brick farmhouse a few kilometres beyond. The night skies in Central Otago are extraordinary — unpolluted by artificial light, the Milky Way is clearly visible on clear evenings.
The second day enters hillier country where angular schist outcrops tilted by ancient geological upheaval become increasingly dramatic. Two tunnels on this section — the longer one about 300 metres, curving so that no daylight is visible from the entrance — are best walked rather than ridden; the experience of moving through Victorian-era railway tunnels in complete silence is one of the trail’s more atmospheric moments. The Historic Hayes Engineering Works near Oturehua is a remarkable example of early twentieth-century rural self-sufficiency with an excellent café producing exceptional vegetarian pies. Ranfurly, the largest town in the Maniototo, is known for its Art Deco commercial architecture from the 1930s and provides a good coffee stop before the final kilometres to Waipiata. The third and final day descends from the plateau through a river gorge before emerging into open farmland, passing the tiny settlement of Hyde with its excellent café, and crossing a long wooden trestle bridge before arriving at Middlemarch. The Kissing Gate Café at the terminus produces excellent food after the final day’s riding. The shuttle back to Clyde takes about ninety minutes; those with time can extend the experience by taking the Taieri Gorge Railway from Middlemarch to Dunedin. After returning to Clyde to collect the car, the drive south to Invercargill is straightforward and takes roughly three hours through the broad Clutha and Mataura valleys.
🦜 Day 35 — Invercargill, Bluff and Stewart Island
Invercargill, New Zealand’s southernmost city, is the gateway to Stewart Island and worth a morning’s exploration in its own right. Bill Richardson’s World of Transport is one of the great surprises of the South Island — a private collection of hundreds of vintage commercial vehicles, from tiny early delivery vans to colossal mid-century road beasts, all restored to a standard that borders on obsessive. The complex also celebrates local legend Burt Munro, the motorcycle tinkerer whose heavily modified Indian Scout set land-speed records on the Utah salt flats and inspired the film The World’s Fastest Indian. From Invercargill the drive to Bluff takes about thirty minutes; the ferry crossing of the Foveaux Strait to Oban on Stewart Island takes roughly an hour on the twin-hulled catamaran, which is designed for notoriously rough seas. Stewart Island — Rakiura in Māori — is New Zealand’s third-largest island, over eighty percent of which is national park, with a population of only a few hundred people clustered around the single settlement of Oban.
The island’s most compelling evening activity is the guided kiwi-spotting tour that departs after dark — kiwis are nocturnal and Stewart Island’s southern brown kiwi population is among the healthiest in the country, as the island has far fewer introduced predators than the mainland. Guided tours use dim red torches to avoid disturbing the birds and take small groups out to roadside verges and coastal areas where kiwis search for worms. A sighting is not guaranteed, but the chances are considerably better here than almost anywhere else in New Zealand. Stewart Island also sits within an exceptional dark-sky region with virtually no light pollution, and on clear nights the Milky Way blazes overhead in a way rarely seen from inhabited places. The combination of kiwi encounters and extraordinary night skies makes an evening on the island an experience unlike anything else on the itinerary.
🚗 Day 36 — Stewart Island to Wānaka via Queenstown and Arrowtown
The morning ferry from Oban back to Bluff completes the Stewart Island excursion, and the drive north begins immediately. The route north from Invercargill through to Queenstown takes about two and a half hours, and a detour into Queenstown itself is worth making despite the town’s well-documented transformation into one of New Zealand’s most expensive and glossy resort destinations. The lakeside setting on Wakatipu is genuinely spectacular and the views from the waterfront are hard to beat. Arrowtown, a few kilometres from Queenstown, is the more rewarding stop — a gold rush town of the 1860s preserved in exceptional condition, its main street of low wooden buildings and painted shopfronts largely unchanged in character since the nineteenth century. The Chinese Settlement, one of the best-preserved examples of Chinese miner housing in New Zealand, is particularly interesting. The small cafés and galleries repay a slow wander and an ice cream is essentially obligatory.
The Crown Range Road between Arrowtown and Wānaka is New Zealand’s highest sealed road, climbing over 1,100 metres through exposed schist and tussock before descending into the wide Cardrona valley. The summit viewpoint, with the Wakatipu Basin spread out far below, is exceptional. The Cardrona Hotel in the valley below, dating from 1863 and one of New Zealand’s oldest continuously licensed premises, is an atmospheric coffee stop. The Bra Fence nearby — a long stretch of roadside wire covered in thousands of bras associated with breast cancer awareness — is strange, genuine and impossible to ignore. Wānaka, at the far end of the descent, sits on the shore of its vast lake surrounded by mountains on all sides, and is sporty, outdoorsy and considerably more expensive than most New Zealand towns. It makes an excellent overnight stop before continuing north over Haast Pass to the West Coast.
🚗 Day 37 — Wānaka to Fox Glacier: Haast Pass and the West Coast
The drive from Wānaka to Fox Glacier follows one of the great South Island highway routes, crossing Haast Pass — at 563 metres, the lowest crossing through the Southern Alps — and descending to the wild West Coast. The pass was used by Māori for centuries as a greenstone trail; the road was not completed until 1965, making it one of the last significant road links built in New Zealand. Lake Hāwea, traced along its eastern shore before the pass, has water of an astonishing blue. The Haast River valley, once through the pass, is densely forested and carries a strong sense of remoteness. Fantail Falls, a short walk from the road in the Mount Aspiring National Park section, is a fine small waterfall in native bush. Haast township is small and functional — a last fuel and supply point before the long West Coast stretch north.
Fox Glacier village, reached in the late afternoon, sits at the edge of Westland Tai Poutini National Park and provides direct access to the Fox Glacier valley walk — one of the most accessible glaciated landscapes in the world. The glacier descends from the high snowfields of the Southern Alps, fed by the névé above Aoraki and Mount Tasman, and reaches to within a few hundred metres of dense temperate rainforest — a climatic juxtaposition found almost nowhere else on earth. The valley walk (approximately 1.5 km each way from the car park) follows the former path of the glacier — information boards mark where the ice stood in earlier decades — to a viewpoint of the current terminus. The glacier has retreated approximately three kilometres since 2009, and the bare rock left behind speaks plainly of what is being lost. The Moraine Trail return route climbs through native forest over old terminal moraines; the transition from raw valley to dense green bush in a few minutes’ walking encompasses thousands of years of ecological succession.
🧊 Day 38 — Fox Glacier to Hokitika: Franz Josef and the Driftwood Coast
An early start allows a visit to Franz Josef Glacier before the day warms and the valley clouds in. The walk to the Franz Josef viewpoint (approximately 30 minutes each way from the car park) follows the river along the former glacier path and reaches a clear view of the current glacier face: a broad wall of compressed ice descending between steep rock walls, streaked with blue and grey, with the high snowfields of the Southern Alps above. Like Fox Glacier, Franz Josef has retreated significantly in recent decades, though it remains one of the most visually striking glaciers accessible on foot in the Southern Hemisphere. Sentinel Rock, a short but steep 600-metre detour from the main valley path, provides a wider perspective over the entire valley and is worth the effort for the view. Both glacier valleys can be visited in a single morning before driving north; allow four hours.
Hokitika, the principal town of the central West Coast, is known for its greenstone galleries, its independent character and one of the most dramatically distinctive beaches on the South Island. The main street repays a wander, particularly the jade workshops where pounamu — New Zealand greenstone — is carved and polished by local artisans. The shoreline at Hokitika is covered in an extraordinary quantity of driftwood — great bleached logs, twisted branches and smooth stumps scattered across dark sand in vast numbers, among which temporary sculptures are constructed by local artists: arches, figures, names, and, memorably, a coiling dragon assembled from curved limbs and pale trunks. These creations are temporary; storms and tides flatten them, and they are built again. The result changes with each visit and has an energy that is unusual among beach art installations. Greymouth, a short drive north, provides practical overnight accommodation and a useful base for the Paparoa National Park the following day.
🥞 Day 39 — Greymouth to Tasman: Pancake Rocks, Cape Foulwind and the Buller Gorge
Greymouth sits at the mouth of the Grey River on the West Coast and makes a practical overnight base before heading north. The main draw of the immediate area is the West Coast Wilderness Trail and the historic coalfield at Blackball, but the more rewarding morning is spent just north of town at Punakaiki within Paparoa National Park, home to the famous Pancake Rocks and blowhole. The limestone here, formed around thirty million years ago from compressed marine sediments, has been sculpted by erosion into remarkable horizontal layers that genuinely resemble stacked pancakes. Boardwalks wind through the formations and over chasms where the sea surges between the walls; at high tide the blowhole fires columns of spray skywards, though the timing must align with the tides — the visitor centre provides reliable information. The Truman Track, an easy twenty-minute return walk from the main car park, leads to a secluded beach through dense coastal rainforest. A short drive further north, Cape Foulwind — named by Captain Cook in 1770 — provides an accessible headland walk with excellent clifftop views over the Tasman Sea, a fur seal colony at Tauranga Bay and the lighthouse first lit in 1876 reachable by road at the other end.
From Westport the drive turns north and east, leaving the dramatic West Coast behind as the road follows the Buller River into the Buller Gorge — one of the more spectacular stretches of highway on the South Island, where the river has carved a deep canyon that the road traces for many kilometres through native forest and rock walls. The Buller Gorge Swingbridge near Murchison, the longest swingbridge in New Zealand at 110 metres across the gorge, is worth stopping for. Murchison itself is a pleasant lunch stop with good cafés and a small museum dedicated to the 1929 earthquake that destroyed much of the town. Beyond Murchison the road opens into the fruit-growing valleys around Motueka, passing orchards, hop gardens and vineyards as the landscape gradually softens towards the Tasman coast. The region around Tasman and Kaiteriteri is an excellent base for Abel Tasman National Park the following day, and the beaches along the Kaiteriteri coast are among the finest in the South Island.
🌊 Day 40 — Abel Tasman National Park: Coastal Walk
Abel Tasman National Park, at the northern tip of the South Island, protects a coast of golden sand beaches, clear turquoise water and native bush that is widely regarded as the most beautiful in New Zealand. Access is primarily by water taxi — boats from Marahau and Kaiteriteri drop visitors at various points along the coast — or on foot via the Abel Tasman Coast Track, a 60 km multi-day route that passes through the park’s most scenic sections. Day visitors most commonly take a water taxi to a bay of their choice and either walk back along the coast track or return by boat. The track is well-maintained and the walking between bays is typically easy to moderate, with the main challenge being the tidal crossings at Awaroa — a wide tidal inlet that must be crossed within two hours either side of low tide and is impassable at high tide.
For those preferring to walk from Marahau, the first section of the Coast Track reaches Tinline Bay and Coquille Beach within approximately ninety minutes from the car park; both are accessible at low to mid-tide. The beaches in this section are less visited than those further into the park and have a pleasantly secluded character. The coastal bush is thick with birdsong — bellbirds, tūī and tomtits are all common — and the views across the bays to the outer islands are consistently excellent. The water is clean and safe for swimming on the beach sections; the Tasman Sea here is calmer than the West Coast and the water temperature in summer is comfortable. The park’s famous sea kayaking tours, which range from half-day paddles to multi-day expeditions camping on the beaches, are an excellent alternative for those who prefer the water; book well in advance in summer.
⛴️ Day 41 — Picton, the Ferry and Departure from Wellington
The drive from the Tasman and Nelson area to Picton takes approximately three hours through the Marlborough wine country — the South Island’s most significant wine-producing region, known principally for its Sauvignon Blanc. The road passes through the Wairau Valley, flanked by vineyards on both sides, and several wineries offer cellar door tastings; Cloudy Bay, Brancott Estate and Seresin Estate are among the most established. The town of Blenheim has good cafés and a small museum covering the region’s history and viticulture. It is worth not leaving too late, as the road from Blenheim to Picton through the Marlborough Sounds crosses hilly terrain that adds time to what looks like a short distance on a map. Picton itself is a compact ferry port town with a pleasant harbour, a handful of cafés, and the Edwin Fox Museum — one of the oldest surviving wooden sailing ships in the world, dating from 1853.
The early morning ferry from Picton to Wellington takes approximately three and a half hours; the route through the Marlborough Sounds on departure threads between forested hills before opening into the Cook Strait, and the private lounge upgrade is worth booking in advance for a more comfortable crossing. The ferry arrives in Wellington early afternoon, leaving time for a final walk along the waterfront, a coffee on Cuba Street or a browse through the city centre before heading to the airport. Wellington International Airport is ten minutes from the city centre and handles both domestic connections and international departures; a late afternoon or evening flight is comfortably achievable on the same day as the ferry crossing. New Zealand leaves most visitors with the strong impression that they have barely scratched the surface of what it offers — which, given the length and richness of this itinerary, is the best recommendation the country could hope for.
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