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New Zealand in 30 Days
A balanced 30-day self-drive route from Auckland to Christchurch, linking North Island culture, volcanoes, wine country, ferries, glaciers, fiords, lakes, and coastal wildlife with efficient daily drives and practical overnight anchors.
30days
96stops
3399km
Day 1: Auckland City Centre → Auckland War Memorial Museum → Viaduct Harbour
22min · 7.1km3 stops
Auckland City Centre
09:00 – 11:00
8min · 2.5km
Auckland War Memorial Museum
12:00 – 14:00
14min · 4.6km
Viaduct Harbour
15:00 – 17:00
Day 2: Devonport → Mount Eden Summit → Mission Bay
43min · 31km3 stops
Devonport
09:00 – 11:00
20min · 13km
Mount Eden Summit
12:00 – 14:00
23min · 18km
Mission Bay
15:00 – 17:00
Day 3: Auckland City Centre → Driving Creek Railway → Whitianga
2h 48min · 179km3 stops
Auckland City Centre
09:00 – 11:00
18min · 8.5km
Driving Creek Railway
12:00 – 14:00
2h 30min · 171km
Whitianga
15:00 – 17:00
Day 4: Whitianga → … → Tauranga
3h 9min · 191km3 stops
Cathedral Cove Walk
11:42-13:30
8min · 6.7km
Hot Water Beach
14:24-16:12
2h 23min · 148km
Tauranga
16:12-18:00
Day 5: Tauranga → Te Puia → Rotorua Lakefront
1h 13min · 71km2 stops
Te Puia
12:00 – 14:00
12min · 5.2km
Rotorua Lakefront
15:00 – 17:00
Day 6: Rotorua Lakefront → Redwoods Treewalk → Waimangu Volcanic Valley
37min · 32km2 stops
Redwoods Treewalk
12:00 – 14:00
26min · 26km
Waimangu Volcanic Valley
15:00 – 17:00
Day 7: Rotorua Lakefront → … → Hamilton City Centre
2h 4min · 139km4 stops
Rotorua Lakefront
09:00-10:48
27min · 26km
Hobbiton Movie Set
11:42-13:30
59min · 69km
Hamilton Gardens
14:24-16:12
38min · 44km
Hamilton City Centre
16:12-18:00
Day 8: Hamilton City Centre → Waitomo Glowworm Caves → Taupō Lakefront
3h 5min · 223km2 stops
Waitomo Glowworm Caves
12:00 – 14:00
2h 1min · 152km
Taupō Lakefront
15:00 – 17:00
Day 9: Taupō Lakefront → Huka Falls → Craters of the Moon
17min · 9.2km2 stops
Huka Falls
12:00 – 14:00
6min · 2.9km
Craters of the Moon
15:00 – 17:00
Day 10: Taupō Lakefront → Tongariro National Park → Taranaki Falls Track
1h 30min · 104km3 stops
Taupō Lakefront
09:00 – 11:00
12min · 8.0km
Tongariro National Park
12:00 – 14:00
1h 18min · 96km
Taranaki Falls Track
15:00 – 17:00
Day 11: Tongariro National Park → Durie Hill Elevator → Wellington Waterfront
1h 50min · 138km3 stops
Tongariro National Park
09:00 – 11:00
1min · 0.3km
Durie Hill Elevator
12:00 – 14:00
1h 49min · 138km
Wellington Waterfront
15:00 – 17:00
Day 12: Wellington Waterfront → Museum of New Zealand Te Papa… → Mount Victoria Lookout
10min · 3.4km2 stops
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
12:00 – 14:00
9min · 3.2km
Mount Victoria Lookout
15:00 – 17:00
Day 13: Wellington Waterfront → … → Picton Foreshore
23min · 8.1km4 stops
Wellington Waterfront
09:00-10:48
10min · 3.3km
Wellington Ferry Terminal
11:42-13:30
11min · 4.4km
Picton Ferry Terminal
14:24-16:12
2min · 0.5km
Picton Foreshore
16:12-18:00
Day 14: Picton Foreshore → … → Nelson City Centre
2h 14min · 152km3 stops
Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre
11:42-13:30
7min · 5.1km
Pollard Park
14:24-16:12
1h 34min · 113km
Nelson City Centre
16:12-18:00
Day 15: Nelson City Centre → Kaiteriteri Beach → Motueka
1h 15min · 72km2 stops
Kaiteriteri Beach
12:00 – 14:00
15min · 12km
Motueka
15:00 – 17:00
Day 16: Motueka → Lake Rotoiti Jetty → Murchison
2h 14min · 163km2 stops
Lake Rotoiti Jetty
12:00 – 14:00
48min · 60km
Murchison
15:00 – 17:00
Day 17: Murchison → … → Greymouth Town Square
2h 38min · 184km3 stops
Buller Gorge Swingbridge
11:42-13:30
1h 49min · 126km
Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes Walk
14:24-16:12
37min · 44km
Greymouth Town Square
16:12-18:00
Day 18: Greymouth Town Square → Hokitika Gorge Walk → Franz Josef Glacier Village
3h 8min · 233km2 stops
Hokitika Gorge Walk
12:00 – 14:00
2h 8min · 161km
Franz Josef Glacier Village
15:00 – 17:00
Day 19: Franz Josef Glacier Village → Franz Josef Glacier → Ōkārito Lagoon
1min · 0.1km2 stops
Franz Josef Glacier
12:00 – 14:00
Ōkārito Lagoon
15:00 – 17:00
Day 20: Franz Josef Glacier Village → Ship Creek Walks → Wānaka Lakefront
1h 50min · 129km3 stops
Franz Josef Glacier Village
09:00 – 11:00
1h 50min · 129km
Ship Creek Walks
12:00 – 14:00
Wānaka Lakefront
15:00 – 17:00
Day 21: Wānaka Lakefront → Mount Iron Track → Rippon
2 stops
Mount Iron Track
12:00 – 14:00
Rippon
15:00 – 17:00
Day 22: Wānaka Lakefront → Arrowtown Chinese Settlement → Queenstown Bay Beach
3 stops
Wānaka Lakefront
09:00 – 11:00
Arrowtown Chinese Settlement
12:00 – 14:00
Queenstown Bay Beach
15:00 – 17:00
Day 23: Queenstown Bay Beach → Skyline Queenstown → Frankton Arm Walkway
27min · 12km2 stops
Skyline Queenstown
12:00 – 14:00
20min · 11km
Frankton Arm Walkway
15:00 – 17:00
Day 24: Queenstown Bay Beach → Devil's Staircase Lookout → Te Anau Lakefront
54min · 45km3 stops
Queenstown Bay Beach
09:00 – 11:00
17min · 11km
Devil's Staircase Lookout
12:00 – 14:00
37min · 35km
Te Anau Lakefront
15:00 – 17:00
Day 25: Te Anau Lakefront → Milford Sound Visitor Terminal
3h 28min · 236km2 stops
Milford Sound Visitor Terminal
12:00 – 14:00
1h 44min · 118km
Te Anau Lakefront
15:00 – 17:00
Day 26: Te Anau Lakefront → Bill Richardson Transport Wor… → The Octagon
4h 26min · 358km2 stops
Bill Richardson Transport World
12:00 – 14:00
2h 33min · 203km
The Octagon
15:00 – 17:00
Day 27: The Octagon → Dunedin Railway Station → Otago Peninsula
30min · 18km2 stops
Dunedin Railway Station
12:00 – 14:00
26min · 17km
Otago Peninsula
15:00 – 17:00
Day 28: The Octagon → Moeraki Boulders → Oamaru Historic Precinct
1h 30min · 96km3 stops
The Octagon
09:00 – 11:00
28min · 18km
Moeraki Boulders
12:00 – 14:00
1h 2min · 79km
Oamaru Historic Precinct
15:00 – 17:00
Day 29: Oamaru Historic Precinct → Aoraki/Mount Cook National Pa… → Twizel
3h 23min · 277km2 stops
Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
12:00 – 14:00
50min · 67km
Twizel
15:00 – 17:00
Day 30: Twizel → … → Christchurch City Centre
3h 40min · 287km3 stops
Church of the Good Shepherd
11:42-13:30
2h 54min · 226km
Christchurch Botanic Gardens
14:24-16:12
3min · 0.9km
Christchurch City Centre
16:12-18:00
Heads Up
- 1. June is winter in New Zealand: check NZTA road conditions daily, especially the Desert Road, Lewis Pass, Arthur's Pass, Crown Range Road, and the Milford Road.
- 2. Book the Cook Strait ferry and Milford Sound cruise well ahead; ferry sailings can be delayed by weather, so keep the Wellington and Picton days flexible.
- 3. Carry warm layers, waterproof gear, and tire chains where rental conditions require them; daylight is short, so plan to finish driving before dark.
- 4. Some alpine walks, glacier access routes, and high-country roads may close after snow, ice, rain, or avalanche risk; use visitor centers for current local advice.