The Perfect One Month New Zealand South Island Itinerary (With or Without a Car)
- Margaux
- 2 days ago
- 17 min read
If you’re looking for jaw-dropping landscapes, next-level hiking, and some of the best adventure activities out there, New Zealand’s South Island is the best place to be. I spent a month there and fell in love with the country. This blog post will give you the ultimate itinerary for travelling New Zealand’s South Island, including the best things to do in each place - and it is all doable without a car.
For a complete guide on getting around New Zealand without a car, see my post here.
Contents
New Zealand South Island Itinerary Summary
This itinerary follows a logical loop through the South Island, starting in Kaikoura and finishing in Abel Tasman, covering mountains, glaciers, fjords, and coastal national parks.
Kaikoura: 2 nights
Christchurch: 2 nights
Lake Tekapo: 2 nights
Mt Cook National Park: 2 nights
Wanaka: 4 nights
Queenstown: 5 nights
Te Anau: 3 nights
Franz Josef: 2 nights
Nelson: 2 nights
Abel Tasman National Park: 4 nights
Total: 29 nights, 30 days
What to Budget to Travel New Zealand
Low-budget travel: NZ$120–150 per day depending on activities.
Adventure-heavy, more luxury travel: NZ$150–250 per day.
My daily average in New Zealand was NZ$165/day (approx. £75). This included accommodation, food, transport, and activities, with some expensive tours (£150+) thrown into the mix (Milford Sound and others). This did not include internal or international flights. I cooked pretty much every meal in the kitchens of the hostels I was staying in to save money, with only a few exceptions. You could definitely cut this down by being extra stringent with hostel choices, activities, and transport, but to get a good experience, make sure you budget enough. New Zealand is not cheap.
Kaikoura: 2 Nights
Kaikoura is famous for its wildlife. Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to visit, but wish I had. I would recommend 2 nights here so that you get a full day to get out on the water.
Whale watching
The best thing to do in Kaikoura is whale watching. Sperm whales inhabit these waters and you can take tours to see them, as well as swim with them.
See the seals
Fur seals also inhabit Kaikoura. You can take great coastal walks and see these by the water.
Christchurch: 2 Nights
Christchurch is a great city with a lot of history. I would recommend two days to explore it, with an extra day if you want to do a day trip to Akaroa. Here are the best things to do in Christchurch.
Take a Walking Tour
I did a walking tour of the city through Walk Christchurch, which was great. While hitting all the hotspots in the city, we got a really informative overview of the history of the earthquakes and how Christchurch is moving on and adapting to being on such a damaging fault line. The tour included the earthquake memorial, which was beautiful.
Visit Riverside Market
The tour ended near Riverside Market, which is a great place to get food. There are so many options and it has a great atmosphere all day and night. Even if you don’t eat here, take a walk through it.
Quake City Museum
Quake City Museum is a small but very informative museum about the 2011 earthquakes in Christchurch. It includes an incredible video of local people talking about their experiences of the day of the earthquake and beyond. There are interactive displays and great information about it all.
Day Trip to Akaroa
If you can rent a car for a day, or find a car share through Facebook groups or your hostel, I highly recommend taking a day trip to Akaroa. This is a very cute French-style town where you can take a boat tour on the stunning Akaroa harbour. The harbour is home to the smallest dolphin in the world, and the only one endemic to New Zealand. And they are adorable. We were so lucky to see so many of them during our trip. We also got sightings of a few penguins and seals. Swimming with dolphins trips are also very popular.
Lake Tekapo: 2 nights
The next stop on your South Island trip is the unbelievable Lake Tekapo. This is the 10th largest lake in New Zealand and is famous for its blue colour and shoreline of lupins. I would recommend 2 nights here to get a full day to experience the lake.
Explore the Lake Tekapo Lakefront
Lake Tekapo honestly blew me away. I spent so long sitting down by the lake admiring the blue of the water and the snow-capped mountains in the distance. The lupins start coming out in November, so I was lucky to see them as well. But don’t expect the huge fields of lupins that you probably see on social media! It’s more of a few little clusters and everyone is standing right in front of them for that perfect photo. I found there to be more on the lakeshore to the left, walking clockwise around the lake. It is still absolutely gorgeous though, and I’d love to go in the winter to see it all snowy too! If you can head down to the lake for sunrise, you will be treated to something special. Sunset is also incredible.
The lakefront is also home to the famous Church of the Good Shepherd, so take a walk to see that too.
Hikes Around Lake Tekapo
Mt John Hike: this hike isn’t too long or strenuous but provides great views of the lake. It starts uphill but then flattens out and is mostly downhill after the summit. It goes past the observatory and down over the other side, where you get views of Lake Tekapo and the smaller Lake Alta next to it. The trail doubles back along the lake shore and takes you back to the starting point near the edge of town. The whole big loop will take you about 3 hours.
There is another trail on the opposite side of the lake to Mt John. It is a flat path right along the shoreline which is equally stunning and completely deserted. I didn’t go the whole length of the trail but from what I saw, it keeps going for a good while!
Star Gazing in Lake Tekapo
Lake Tekapo is known for its exceptional stargazing opportunities. You can opt to go to one of the observatories in the area for a large fee, which has the advantage of using the powerful telescopes and having a guide to explain the night sky to you. However, if these experiences are out of your budget (as they were for me), you can’t go wrong just heading down to the lakefront and looking up. The stars are absolutely stunning.
Mt Cook National Park: 2 Nights
It’s best to head down to Mt Cook National Park after Lake Tekapo. The entire drive there is iconic New Zealand. You’ll drive past Lake Pukaki and get an incredible view of Mt Cook at the end of it. There are some great hikes in Mt Cook National Park.
Hiking in Mt Cook National Park
The most popular hike in Mt Cook National Park is the famous Hooker Valley Track. Although busy, this trail was unreal. It is not strenuous at all, and takes 2-3 hours depending on your speed and how long you spend at Hooker Lake at the end of the trail. It crosses rivers and has incredible views of Mt Cook itself. It’s definitely up there with the most stunning hikes I have ever done.
Sealy Tarns track is also incredible, and much quieter than Hooker Valley. You get great views of the mountains and glacial blue lakes.
Top tip! There are no supermarkets in the village of Mt Cook, so stock up on food beforehand.
Wanaka: 4 Nights
Wanaka was one of my favourite places in New Zealand. A smaller version of Queenstown, it provides you with all the incredible views and activities without being overcrowded or too touristy. I would recommend spending 3 days in Wanaka. Here are the best things to do in Wanaka.
The Best Hiking in Wanaka
Glendhu Bay: the trail to Glendhu Bay runs along Lake Wanaka. It’s a fairly long hike but not too strenuous, some up and down but mostly flat. It’s also incredibly quiet - I only passed a few dog walkers on the way. The views were fantastic the whole way, and the lake was so peaceful. It took me around 5 hours with a break for lunch.
Roy’s Peak: if you’ve seen pictures of New Zealand, the view from the top of Roy’s Peak is probably one of them. I recommend doing this hike for sunrise. It takes about 2-3 hours to summit, and the trailhead is about a 10-15 minute drive from town. As I didn’t have a car, I booked a shared taxi with Yellow Taxis to take me there. It cost around NZ$7 per person one way. It was absolutely freezing at the top waiting for sunrise though, so be prepared with layers and blankets. I’m not exaggerating! I was there in November and the ground at the top was frozen. Dry clothes to prevent your sweat cooling you down would help as well. As expected, the golden hues of sunrise over Lake Wanaka and the mountains was incredible. Heading down took under 2 hours, and I ended up hitching a ride back to town with some other travellers. You can also call the taxi company again if you’d prefer not to do that, or walk back along the Glendhu Bay trail, although this will add another couple of hours to your morning.
Isthmus Peak: this mountain is located a little further outside of Wanaka town, and you most likely need a car or taxi to access the trailhead. Unfortunately I did not get the chance to do it because of this, but have heard from some that it was more impressive than Roy’s Peak!
Visit That Wanaka Tree
Every picture of Wanaka features the famous tree standing in the lake. It is a very overhyped landmark, and in fact if you keep walking down the Glendhu Bay trail, you’ll see many more ‘Wanaka Trees’ standing in the water. But it’s worth taking a look at anyway. You won’t miss it as it always has a crowd of people standing next to it on the beach. Please don’t go and swim up to the tree - it has been severely damaged because of people doing this.
Adventure Activities in Wanaka
Lake Wanaka is host to many lake-based activities such as kayaking, paddle boarding, and boating. You can also go swimming in the lake - it is freezing but worth it! Skydiving is also an option here and I don’t think the views would disappoint.
Ice Cream in Wanaka
I highly recommend heading over to Patagonia Ice Cream, located right by the Lake Wanaka lakefront beach. The selection of ice cream and desserts is incredible, including lots of vegan options!
Queenstown: 5 Nights
Known as the Adventure Capital of New Zealand, Queenstown has endless things to do. It’s a fairly large city with an international airport and decent nightlife. You could easily fill four days here, and more if you do more of the activities on offer.
The Best Hiking in Queenstown
Ben Lomond: it is a tough hike up to the top of Ben Lomond, the mountain that looms over Queenstown. It took me just over 3 hours to go up, and 2.5 hours down, from the bottom of the cable car (which you can reach on foot from Queenstown city). If you take the cable car up, you’ll shave off about an hour of the hike which covers the switchback section in the forest. The trail to the saddle of Ben Lomond is well maintained and wide, but after that, it becomes a bit rougher and you’ll have a couple small scrambles in the last 45 minutes. The views from the top are worth it though, and you will see a lot more from the summit than if you just stop at the saddle. It might be possible to take the cable car down without paying for it if you walk into the terminal and look like you know what you’re doing, but don’t take my word for it! By then it’s not long to the bottom anyway.
Queenstown Hill: this is a short and easy hike behind Queenstown itself. You can walk to the trailhead from the city. It’s mostly forested until a bit higher up where you get views over Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown, and Ben Lomond.
Adventure Activities in Queenstown
The world’s first bungee jump was in Queenstown and it’s still in use today. The world’s highest bungee jump is also in Queenstown, along with several others, so you won’t be lacking if you’re looking to do that! There are also zipline courses through the trees, skydiving, paragliding, and canyoning available. These activities are not cheap though, you are looking at NZ$200+ for most of those activities, regardless of who you book with. There are plenty of agencies you’ll see walking around town to get prices and book through.
The Shotover Jet is also a staple of Queenstown. A powerful jet boat takes you down the Shotover River, through canyons and rocky areas. The drivers are very skilled and spin you in 360s. It’s a lot of fun. To get to some of the jet boat sites, you might get to drive down the famous Skipper’s Canyon Road, the 17th most dangerous road in the world which is literally on the edge of a cliff. Don’t worry too much though - the buses are all on a schedule so that you won’t cross paths with anyone else! The price of the Shotover Jet again is around NZD$200.
Swimming in Lake Wakatipu is also a staple of Queenstown. It is predictably freezing cold, but very refreshing and there is a great atmosphere down by the lake. It’s easy to spend an afternoon there.
Day Trip to Glenorchy and the Routeburn Track
Because of the airport, it is fairly easy to rent a car in Queenstown. If you have a car or can rent one for a day, I highly recommend taking a day trip to Glenorchy to hike a part of the Routeburn Track, one of New Zealand’s Great Walks. Even if you don’t hike, the drive there is worth it - easily one of the most beautiful roads I’ve ever driven. You’ll have to drive a little bit off-road to reach the trailhead, so double check your rental company allows this, and you can park for free. In a day you can hike a good section of the trail. It’s not too strenuous and goes through the forest along the river. The colour of the water is something else, and the whole walk is breathtaking. You can make the turnaround point the waterfall or one of the huts along the route, depending on how fast you’re moving.
If you have more time or are looking for something a little easier, you can drive to Glenorchy Lagoon where there are boardwalks with fantastic mountain views. There are also lupins in the spring season in this area, and you can visit the famous red Glenorchy hut. In terms of views, though, I would recommend doing the Routeburn over this boardwalk trail!
Food In Queenstown
Fergburger: this burger place is a Queenstown classic, and the queues down the street prove it. Be prepared to wait, but the wait will be worth it. They have all kinds of burgers on offer, including lots of veggie and vegan options. I had the tofu burger and it was incredible!
Winnie’s: Winnie’s Gourmet Pizza Bar is another famous spot and has great pizza. Later at night the place turns into a bar with great music and good vibes.
Day Trip to Arrowtown
If you are looking for more to do during your time in Queenstown, the nearby Arrowtown provides a great day trip. You can take the bus there and spend a day walking around the little town and forest around it.
Day Trip to Milford Sound
If you decide to skip Te Anau (which I don’t recommend because it is stunning!), you can take a day tour to Milford Sound from Queenstown. It’s the same tour as from Te Anau, you just leave earlier, get back later, and have more bus time. But it’s very feasible. More on this day trip below.
Te Anau: 3 Nights
Te Anau is a very small town on Lake Te Anau, the second largest lake in New Zealand. While the town might not have anything special, the surrounding nature is incredible. I spent three full days here, including a hike on the Kepler Track and day tours of both Milford and Doubtful Sounds.
The Best Hiking in Te Anau
The Kepler Track, one of the Great Walks, starts pretty much in the town of Te Anau. If you have a full day, hiking the section of the track up to the summit of Mt Luxmore is doable in that time. You can take a water taxi across the lake to Brod Bay to shave off an hour of the walk if you are pressed for time or want to save your legs. Book this in advance through Kepler Water Taxi online - they have a boat every hour for the morning, and then back in the afternoons, and it costs NZ$25 per adult for a return trip. The trail starts uphill in the forest until you break above the tree line about an hour in. From the tree line, it’s fairly flat to the Luxmore Hut, and then it’s incline up to the summit. The views up there are well worth the climb. The round trip for the hike (taking the water taxi) took me about 4.5 - 5 hours including lunch at the summit.
Day Trip to Milford Sound
If Milford Sound is on your bucket list, I strongly recommend taking the tour from Te Anau rather than Queenstown. It firstly won’t be as early of a start, with some tours in Queenstown leaving at 5am, but it also will be less time sitting on the bus. I booked my tour with Pure Milford for £80 on Get Your Guide, and it was great. It included all transportation, lots of scenic stops along the road, lunch, and a cruise on Milford Sound. I recommend choosing the earlier option if possible, to avoid bigger crowds and more boats later in the day. The scenery is out of this world, and I was lucky enough to have Milford Sound in full sunshine. It’s pretty rare, but rain or shine this place is magical.
Day Trip to Doubtful Sound
The much less visited Doubtful Sound is located nearby Milford Sound, and in my opinion was much more impressive. I booked a tour through Real NZ in their office in the town of Te Anau. Again, I recommend going with the earlier option. While it was twice the price of my Milford Sound tour, it was worth it. It was an earlier start and we got taken to the harbour at Lake Manipuri, which we crossed as the morning mist was lifting off the lake. It was gorgeous. We got transferred to a bus on the other side, taken up and over a mountain pass which had a great view of Doubtful Sound, and then headed back down the other side to board the cruise on the Sound itself. We were treated to a visit by several dolphins, seals, and got to experience the ‘Sound of Silence’ which was unforgettable. I cannot recommend this enough.
Franz Josef: 2 Nights
The small town of Franz Josef is the gateway to the famous Franz Josef glacier and is home to all of the trailheads that give you the incredible views of it. However: this is the rainiest part of New Zealand, so be prepared for clouds and fog that will completely block your view of the glacier. I unfortunately had two days of weather that meant I never actually saw it. If you can, be flexible so that you can extend your stay here if necessary. There are enough things to do while you wait! Please note that there is only one supermarket in Franz Josef, and it’s pretty small, so be prepared if you are planning to cook while you are there.
The Best Hiking in Franz Josef
Two easily accessible hikes to see Franz Josef Glacier are the Forest Walk and Sentinel Rock Walk. They are both right next to each other and neither takes longer than 15 minutes to the viewpoint. There are lots of little paths in this area, and you can also walk to these trailheads from town in about 45 minutes.
A longer and more strenuous hike is the Alex Knob trail, which takes you up to get a view down onto the glacier. Only do this if it’s good weather! It provides great views of the glacial valley.
Heli Hiking on the Franz Josef Glacier
While this was out of my budget, if you want to get up close and personal with Franz Josef Glacier, you can opt to do a heli-hike on the ice itself. You get flown up in a helicopter, make a landing on the glacier, and walk for a few hours. Note that helicopters only fly in good weather. Prices for this range from £350-£700.
See Kiwis at the West Coast Wildlife Centre
While the weather was terrible, one of the indoor activities available in the town of Franz Josef is going to see the infamous Kiwi birds at the West Coast Wildlife Centre. You can walk in and buy a ticket for NZ$30 (if you stay at some hostels in town, including Glow Worm, you get a discount on your ticket). You head into the dark room where they have kiwi birds to go look at. No photos are allowed but watching these animals is incredible. I loved this experience.
Quad Biking
Because you’re going to get muddy anyway, quad biking is a great activity in Franz Josef, whatever the weather. You are taken off-road into the forest and get a full quad biking experience in nature.
Nelson: 2 Nights
Because of the timing of the buses to Abel Tasman, I have added 2 nights in Nelson here. However, if you have your own car, you don’t necessarily need to stop. However, if you do, you can do a great day trip.
Nelson Lakes National Park
If you don’t have a car, there are plenty of day tours to Nelson Lakes National Park. For incredible views of lakes surrounded by mountains, Nelson Lakes is perfect.
Abel Tasman National Park: 4 Nights
Abel Tasman National Park remains one of my favourite places on this planet. It is drop-dead gorgeous. If you aren’t doing the full Abel Tasman Coast Track, stay at least 3 nights, but ideally 4, to experience the place fully and hike at least part of the track. Logistically, this place is difficult to get to without a car, so read below on how to do it and how to get the best hiking.
Getting to Abel Tasman National Park by Bus
The nearest city to Abel Tasman is Nelson, which is well serviced by Intercity buses. There is only one company offering buses from Nelson to Marahau (the town at the entrance to Abel Tasman): Better Bus. The route from Nelson to Marahau/ Abel Tasman only runs in the morning in order to get you to Marahau for the first water taxis of the day, so you may have to stay overnight in Nelson before. Likewise, the route from Marahau/ Abel Tasman to Nelson only runs in the afternoon and evening, after the last water taxis arrive back in town. Plan your accommodation accordingly - I made this mistake! It costs NZ$35 each way, and picks up and drops off at various places in Nelson and Marahau. Most of the time the driver will take you to your accommodation. The drive is approximately 1 hour.
The Best Hiking in Abel Tasman
If you aren’t doing the approximately 5 day hike along the Abel Tasman Coastal Track, you can do sections of it in day hikes. I unfortunately only had one day here, which is one of my biggest regrets of my New Zealand trip, so I only did one section and did as much as I could. I would recommend doing at least 2, ideally 3 sections of it.
I decided to take a water taxi from Marahau to Bark Bay which cost NZ$55, and then walked from Bark Bay back to Marahau, which was around 23km, not including offshoot paths. It is a little bit up and down but is mostly flat so is not too strenuous. The views along this trail are unreal, and the colour of the water is unmatched. There are several paths from the main track which take you to little beaches, coves, rivers, and viewpoints, and they are all incredible. It’s a very quiet area and I had most of the beaches to myself. Take your swim stuff! It is one of my favourite hikes ever.
Kayaking in Abel Tasman
There are several companies offering kayaking excursions in Abel Tasman National Park, ranging from half day trips to overnight expeditions with camping. If this is something that appeals to you, the views would be second to none. These kayak trips also take you to see the famous Split Apple Rock near the start of the Park. However, if you’re just doing the kayak trip to see the Rock, I’d recommend just taking the water taxi to your hike start point instead - they all do a little spin so you can see it without paying extra!
Open Mic Night in Marahau
On Thursday nights, the only pub in Marahau hosts an open mic night where people come and sing. Pretty much the entire town is there, locals and backpackers alike, and it's an incredible vibe. Get down there if you can!
Stargazing in Abel Tasman
The Abel Tasman National Park area is pretty far from civilization and as such the stargazing is incredible. Head down to any of the beaches and take a look up at the stars.
I hope this helps you plan your trip to New Zealand - I promise the country will steal your heart. For more on New Zealand, see my guide to the best day hikes here, and a full guide to backpacking the South Island without a car here. As always, please look after the incredible nature you visit, and remember to only leave your footprints behind :)
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