Changes to my New Zealand Road Trip

ranoodle31
Apr 16, 2016
2 min read

I looked all over the place on the internet and in the library for ideas on road trips and found quite a bit, but nothing for the whole country. So my original plan was as follows:

South Island

Fly into Christchurch and explore
Drive east and check out Akaora
Head south towards Timaru/Oamaru
S. to the Moeraki Boulders
S. to Dunedin
S. to Owaka
S. to Slope Point (most southern point of the countries main land)
W. to Invercargill
S. to Buff
N. to Te Anu
N. to Milford Sound
S. and East to Queenstown
N. to Wanaka
N. to Mount Cook
S. then East to Tekapo
Drove N. on 72 to Arthur's Pass
W. thru Arthur's Pass
S. to Hokitika (see my blog as to why i didn't continue south)
N. to Greymouth
N. to Punakaiki
N. East to Kaiteriteri
Spent time in Abel Tasman
E. then South to Kaikoura
N.to Nelson/Picton for the ferry

Yes I know I drove to the north and then east and then north again, lol hence why I would change things around.

North Island

Wellington
N. East to Napier
W. to Taupo
W. to Waitomo Caves
E. to Rotorua
N. to Whakatane
N. to Tauranga
N. to Waihi
N. to Hahei / Cathedral Cove
N. to Whitanga
N. to Coromandel
S. via the Thames Coast Road
Passed through Auckland
N. to Whangarei
Paihia
Kerikeri
Pukenui
Tapotupotu Bay
Cape Reinga
S. to Te Paki (Sand Dunes)
S. to 90 Mile Beach
S. to Auckland

So here is what I would change about each Island's Trip

South Island NEW Itinerary

Fly into Christchurch and explore
Drive east and check out Akaora
W. to Aurther's Pass
S. to Hokitika
S. to Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacier
S. to Haast
S. to Wanaka
S. to Queenstown
S. to Te Anu
N. to Milford Sound
S. to Invercargill
E. to Slope Point (most southern point of the countries main land) and Caitlins National Park
E. to Owaka
N. to Dunedin
N. to the Moeraki Boulders
N. to Pukeuri
Go W. on 83 towards Omarama
N. to Pukaki
NE. to Tekapo
N. East to Kaikoura
N. to Kaiteriteri and Abel Tasman area (spend 3 or so days here)
S. to Nelson/Picton for the ferry