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Walkers on the Hooker Valley Track below snow-covered mountains

South Island

South Island, 12 nights

Christchurch to Christchurch in 12 nights, 7 stops.

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Overview

A loop from Christchurch across the Mackenzie Country to Aoraki Mount Cook, down to Dunedin, and through Southland to Te Anau and Milford Sound. From Queenstown the Haast Pass takes you to the glaciers at Franz Josef, and the TranzAlpine brings you back over Arthur’s Pass. The longest drive is around 5 hours, Dunedin to Te Anau.

When
December to March
Price
On requestPriced to your dates and where you stay. Flights to New Zealand not included.
How long
12 nights, 7 stops

The route

Days 1 to 2

Christchurch

A stone memorial arch under a red sunset sky
Christchurch at sunset, Canterbury
Two women walking down a street of pastel shopfronts with tram tracks
New Regent Street, Christchurch, Canterbury
Two people walk a lit laneway near Riverside Market
Riverside, Christchurch
A cyclist rides past a huge street mural of two hands
Street art, Christchurch
Prawns, mussels and small plates on a restaurant table
Dining, Christchurch

Two nights in central Christchurch. A driver meets you at the airport, and you pick up the car on day 2.

2 nightsStart of the route

Where you stay

Hotel Montreal

A five-star hotel in central Christchurch, a few minutes' walk from restaurants, with a kitchenette in every room.

Day 3

Aoraki Mount Cook

Aoraki Mount Cook and the Southern Alps above Lake Pūkaki, with tussock in front
Aoraki Mount Cook from Lake Pūkaki, Canterbury
Walkers on the Hooker Valley Track below snow-covered mountains
Hooker Valley Track, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park
A walker on a tussock ridge looking up at Aoraki Mount Cook
Below Aoraki Mount Cook, Canterbury
People in a small yellow boat beside huge icebergs on a milky blue glacier lake
Tasman Glacier lake, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park
A walker on glacier snow below jagged peaks
Snow walk, Aoraki Mount Cook, Canterbury

Drive across the Canterbury Plains and the Mackenzie Country to a night at The Hermitage, right below Aoraki Mount Cook, with dinner included.

1 nightAround 4 hours on the road

Where you stay

The Hermitage Hotel, Aoraki Wing

Premium Plus rooms in The Hermitage's Aoraki Wing, looking out over Aoraki Mount Cook National Park.

Two armchairs and a small table facing a picture window filled by Aoraki Mount Cook and the Hooker Valley
Premium room view, Aoraki Wing, The Hermitage Hotel
A premium room with two queen beds and a window onto snowy peaks at the far end
Premium room, Aoraki Wing, The Hermitage Hotel
A bathroom with a glass shower against teal tiles and a basin on a dark stone bench
Premium bathroom, Aoraki Wing, The Hermitage Hotel
Two textured armchairs and a timber side table in front of a made-up king bed
Premium room sitting area, Aoraki Wing, The Hermitage Hotel
Tables under the Panorama Room's timber roof, with tall windows onto the mountains
The Panorama Room, The Hermitage
The hotel's tall Aoraki Wing above snow-covered trees, with white peaks around it
Aoraki Wing in winter, The Hermitage Hotel

Days 4 to 5

Dunedin

Sea arches and turquoise water at Tunnel Beach from the air
Tunnel Beach, Dunedin, Otago
A mother and child looking over stone battlements to the green hills and inlets of the Otago Peninsula
Looking over the Otago Peninsula, Dunedin, Otago
A pavilion and pond in Dunedin's Chinese Garden
Lan Yuan Chinese Garden, Dunedin
Three sea lions on the shore below the hills of the Otago Peninsula
Sea lions, Otago Peninsula

Follow the Waitaki River down to the coast and on to Dunedin, for two nights in the grounds of Larnach Castle on the Otago Peninsula.

2 nightsAround 4 hours on the road

  • Dinner at Camp Estate, Larnach Castle, both nights

Where you stay

Camp Estate, Larnach Castle

A blue stone country house in the grounds of Larnach Castle on the Otago Peninsula, with a marble staircase, open fires and entry to the castle and gardens.

Days 6 to 7

Te Anau

A boat on Lake Te Anau below the mountains of Fiordland
Lake Te Anau, Fiordland
A three-masted ship cruising the fiord below steep, sunlit peaks
Cruising Milford Sound, Fiordland
A waterfall falling down sheer green cliffs to the fiord, with a small boat below
Waterfall, Milford Sound, Fiordland
A woman looking out over the still water of Milford Sound
Milford Sound, Fiordland
A yellow jet boat speeds across water below snowy peaks
Waiau River, Fiordland

Drive through South Otago and Southland to Te Anau, then spend a day on the Milford Road with a cruise on Milford Sound and lunch included.

2 nightsAround 5 hours on the road

  • Milford Sound cruise with RealNZ

Where you stay

Fiordland Lodge

A log and stone lodge on high ground above Lake Te Anau, with stone fireplaces and full-height windows facing the Kepler Mountains.

Days 8 to 9

Queenstown

Three walkers on a ridge above a lake and mountains near Queenstown
Above the lake, Queenstown, Otago
Old wooden shops on Arrowtown's main street in autumn
Arrowtown, near Queenstown
A jet boat speeds up a braided river below the mountains near Glenorchy
Dart River, Glenorchy
Plates of food and red wine served at a restaurant table
Dining, Queenstown
A group walking a hillside track above a lake at sunset
Sunset walk, Queenstown, Otago

Follow Lake Wakatipu into Queenstown, with a free day to spend on the lake or in the hills above it.

2 nightsAround 2 hours on the road

Where you stay

Azur Lodge

Private villas above Lake Wakatipu, with a main lodge for breakfast and a guest lounge, all looking out over the lake and mountains.

Days 10 to 11

Franz Josef

A line of walkers below the ice falls of Franz Josef Glacier
Franz Josef Glacier, West Coast
Fox Glacier's valley and river from the air
Fox Glacier, West Coast
The coast road winds above the sea at Knights Point
Knights Point, Haast, West Coast
A guide points out the ice to a group walking on Fox Glacier
Fox Glacier, West Coast
A climber in a blue ice gully on the glacier
Glacier ice, West Coast

Cross the Crown Range to Wānaka and the Haast Pass to the West Coast, for two nights in the rainforest at Franz Josef with dinner both nights.

2 nightsAround 5 hours on the road

Where you stay

Legacy Te Waonui Hotel

A timber lodge in native rainforest at Franz Josef, where glass walls and balconies open onto the tree ferns, on the edge of Westland Tai Poutini National Park.

Te Waonui's timber wings among tree ferns, with snow on the Southern Alps behind
Te Waonui, Franz Josef
A king bed with a green runner, and tall windows onto the rainforest
Deluxe King room, Te Waonui, Franz Josef
A bathroom with a bath, a basin on a timber bench and a wall of green tiles
Deluxe bathroom, Te Waonui
A balcony with two chairs and a small table looking into the rainforest, framed by a mossy trunk
Room balcony, Te Waonui, Franz Josef
Restaurant tables set by floor-to-ceiling glass, with tree ferns and rainforest outside
Canopy Restaurant, Te Waonui, Franz Josef
A lit path through tree ferns to Te Waonui at dusk
Te Waonui at dusk, Franz Josef

Day 12

Christchurch

A passenger train crossing a river bridge below bush-covered mountains, with autumn trees beside it
The train to Arthur's Pass, Canterbury
A long bridge crosses a braided river below the mountains
Braided river, Canterbury
A kea spreads its orange-lined wings in flight
Kea, Arthur's Pass
A family dining at the window of a moving train
Dining on the train, Christchurch, Canterbury

Drive up the coast to Greymouth and leave the car there, then ride the TranzAlpine over Arthur's Pass back to Christchurch for your last night.

1 nightAround 2 hours on the road to Greymouth, then the train

  • TranzAlpine train from Greymouth to Christchurch
  • A driver from the station to your hotel

Where you stay

Hotel Montreal

A five-star hotel in central Christchurch, a few minutes' walk from restaurants, with a kitchenette in every room.

What's included

Included

  • All 12 nights, in the hotels and lodges named on each stop
  • A mid-size rental car, from day 2 until you leave it in Greymouth
  • 12 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 6 dinners
  • Everything listed under each stop
  • A driver from the airport to your hotel when you land, and back to the airport when you leave
  • A travel app with your itinerary, and support while you're in New Zealand
  • A half-hour online course on Māori customs before you travel

Not included

  • Flights to and from New Zealand
  • Travel insurance
  • Fuel
  • Activities not listed under a stop

Questions about this route

How long is the longest day on the road?

Around 5 hours, Dunedin to Te Anau, through South Otago and Southland.

Do we fly or take a ferry anywhere?

No. On day 12 you leave the car in Greymouth and take the TranzAlpine train back to Christchurch.

Can we change the stops, nights or lodges?

Yes. Add a night, drop a stop, swap a lodge or do the route in reverse.

When is the best time to do this route?

December to March is summer and the warmest. Spring and autumn are milder and quieter. February is the busiest month at the lodges, so book early for it.

Plan your trip

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Each route is a starting point. The stops, nights and pace can all change.

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