10-day New Zealand South Island Itinerary

If you’re planning on visiting New Zealand, but aren’t sure where to go, South Island is where it’s at. Filled with breathtaking mountainous views, South Island will make your heart stop. 

To help my fellow travelers, I’ve put together a 10-day New Zealand South Island itinerary, based on my own road trippin’ experience! 

Who is this itinerary for? 

If you’re short on time, 10-days is just enough to experience the best of the South Island. 

While some might recommend the North Island too, honestly you will probably feel rushed if you have 10-days to see both New Zealand’s North and South Islands.

10-days is just enough time to experience New Zealand’s South Island without feeling like you’re missing out.

Psst: for my budget travelers, make sure you check out my guide to visiting New Zealand on a budget. 

Here’s a quick snapshot of my suggested itinerary:

Day 1: Tekapo

Day 2 – 3: Aoraki / Mt Cook National Park 

Day 4 – 5: Wanaka

Day 6: Milford Sound / Te Anau

Day 7 – 8: Queenstown

Day 9: Franz Josef

Day 10: Arthur’s Pass

This is a tight itinerary, and to feel less rushed, I would recommend 2-weeks if possible. We had 2-weeks in New Zealand, and the extra days either end made it feel less rushed.

Note: You can also do this itinerary in the opposite direction too!

Psst: want to know how to shorten or add extra days to this itinerary? I’ve got advice for you – check out the bottom of this article!

Day 1: Tekapo

This 10-day New Zealand South Island itinerary starts in Tekapo.

The town of Tekapo is home to the oh-so-famous Lake Tekapo, which is known for its aqua blue water. Tekapo is also part of the UNESCO Dark Sky Reserve, making it the perfect place to go stargazing.

If you’re visiting during spring, this is also a beautiful spot to see the lupin that lines the banks of Lake Tekapo. 

Driving time:

3hrs from Christchurch to Tekapo

Things to do in Tekapo:

• Walk around Lake Tekapo
• Drive up to Mt John Observatory (or hike 1hr up, so you save $8 on parking!)
• Enjoy a coffee or snack at the Astro cafe (at the Mt John Observatory)
• Church of the Good Shepherd
• Take a nighttime stargazing tour 

Where to stay in Tekapo: 

The town of Tekapo has endless accommodation options, regardless of your budget. You don’t have to go far, most of these options are in Tekapo town so you can park your car and walk to dinner!

Day 2-3: Aoraki / Mt Cook National Park

If you want to experience those sweeping mountainous views, this is where New Zealand starts to show off. 

Aoraki (which is the Maori name for Mt Cook) is New Zealand’s highest mountain. Regardless of whether you’re an avid hiker or a beginner, there are hiking options for here for you!

Driving time:

1hr from Tekapo to Mt Cook

Things to do for beginner hikers: 

• Kea Point Track
• Blue Lakes and the Tasman Glacier Walk (this is a great spot to see the glacier!) 
• Hooker Valley track 

Things to do for more advanced hikers (or those after a challenge!): 

• Hike up to Sealy Tarns 
• Hike to Mueller hut (via the Sealy Tarns, note: you can hike this in a day, or if you prefer to enjoy the views you can stay overnight at Mueller Hut) For more information, make sure you check out my guide to hiking to Mueller Hut!

Where to stay in Aoraki: 

For those who are keen hikers, I’d recommend spending a night at Mueller Hut. It’s a beautiful spot to spend the night, and on a clear day, you get up-close with Aoraki / Mt Cook!

If you’re looking for accommodation that you don’t need to hike to, the best place to stay is in Aoraki Mt Cook Village (make sure you book ahead!) Here are some suggestions:

Day 4-5: Wanaka 

This adorable lakeside town is a must on your South Island itinerary.

When planning our trip to New Zealand, I was confused about why people recommended visiting Wanaka, but honestly now having visited… I completely understand! 

Wanaka is home to some incredible hikes. If you thought your New Zealand South Island itinerary wasn’t going to get any better, well you’re wrong, my friends!

Driving time:

2.5 hr from Tekapo to Wanaka 

Things to do:

• Sunrise hike up to Roy’s Peak (don’t miss the summit!)
• Rocky Mountain Summit Track 

If you have time: 

• Sunrise hike up to Isthmus Peak
• Outlet river track

Where to stay in Wanaka: 

Wanaka has many accommodation options. Some are in the heart of Wanaka, others require a short drive. Regardless of your budget you’re bound to find somewhere to stay in this beautiful town!

Day 6: Milford Sound 

Milford Sound is when the itinerary heads to the west coast and heads to a part of New Zealand called Fiordland. Yes, you read that correctly – Fjord with an ‘i’.

Fjords are a long, narrow water inlet that has steep sides or cliffs (like mountains) which have been created by a glacier. They’re most common in places like Norway, but New Zealand has Fjords too!

Milford Sound is New Zealand’s most famous fjord, known for towering mountains and waterfalls. 

Psst: Milford Sound is the wettest inhabited place in New Zealand. There’s an average of 182 rainy days every year (nearly half of the year!) Chances are, it’ll rain when you’re in Milford Sound. If it does rain during your visit, remember this is part of Milford Sound’s magic… Plus the waterfalls will be more majestic!

Driving time:

4.5 hrs from Wanaka to Milford Sound

Things to do:

• Sunrise kayaking tour with Rosco’s Milford Kayaks
• Take a cruise of Milford Sound

If you have the time: 

• Foreshore walk
• Lookout walk
• The chasm 

Where to stay in Milford Sound: 

There are limited accommodation options in Milford Sound. If you have a camper van / RV or want to treat yo’ self, I’d recommend staying at the Milford Sound Lodge. This has space for campervans and also has more luxurious cabins (not a great fit for those who are on a budget!)

We stayed here when in Milford Sound, and loved the property – everything was beautiful, well maintained, and found it an incredible place to soak in the beauty of Milford Sound. Book here now

If you’re not traveling in a camper van or are on a budget, I’d recommend staying in Te Anau. Te Anau is the closest town and has many more accommodation options. The drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound is approximately 1 hr 45 min, but prepare for longer, as there is a one-way tunnel on this route!

Day 7-8: Queenstown

Queenstown, like Wanaka, is a lakeside town.

This is where the similarities end because Queenstown is very different compared to Wanaka. Queenstown is a bigger town and busier than Wanaka – it even has an international airport! 

Here, you’ll find some nice hikes, but where Queenstown shines is in its extreme sporting options. If you’re not into extreme sports, there’s still lots to do in Queenstown. 

Psst: For my Photography friends (or those who are Instagram obsessed!) make sure you check out my guide to Instagrammable places in Queenstown. 

Driving time:

4 hrs from Milford Sound to Queenstown

Things to do in Queenstown: 

• Queenstown Hill Walk
• Burgers from Fergburger (which some people call the best burgers in the world!)
• Day trip to Glenorchy (make sure you visit Bob’s Cove and Glenorchy Wharf)
• Walk along the shore of Lake Wakatipu

If you have time… 

• Moke Lake Viewpoint
• Ben Lomond Summit or Saddle
• Onsen Hot Pools

Where to stay in Queenstown: 

Queenstown can be on the expensive side when it comes to accommodation. If you’re on a tight budget, there are various hostels or Airbnb options. If budget isn’t a restriction, there are some incredible luxury options here!

Day 9: Franz Josef Glacier 

Visiting Franz Josef Glacier was on my bucket list ever since I visited New Zealand as a teenager and learned that glaciers existed. I vowed that if I were to visit again, I would 100% visit a glacier!

In this part of New Zealand, you’ll also find Fox Glacier. We ended up choosing the Franz Josef Glacier because it turns out the more dramatic formations occur when the glacier moves towards a steep gradient. Franz Josef is on a steeper gradient, whereas Fox Glacier is on a more gradual incline!

To visit the glacier, you’ll need to book a tour; we ended up going for a Heli Hike tour with the Franz Josef Glacier Guides.

While this tour comes with a hefty price tag, it was well worth the investment. The experience was incredible from beginning to end, and you even get free entry to their hot pools so you can warm up after your tour!

Driving time:

5 hrs from Queenstown to Franz Josef

Psst: regardless of whether you’re visiting Franz Josef or Fox Glaciers, make sure you plan enough driving time, especially if you have booked a tour! 

Things to do: 

• Franz Josef Heli Hike
• Lake Matherson Track, Fox Glacier

Where to stay in Franz Josef:

Day 10: Arthur’s Pass

When we were planning our trip, we weren’t going to include Arthur’s Pass on our itinerary. But the drive from Franz Josef to Christchurch was far too long (can you tell we hate driving long distances?!)

Arthur’s Pass is smack bang in the middle, making it a great place to stop, even if you want some down time before going onto exploring the city of Christchurch. This township is a great place to base yourself to explore Arthur’s Pass National Park too!

Driving time:

3 hrs from Franz Josef to Arthur’s Pass + 2hrs from Arthur’s Pass to Christchurch (next day)

Things to do in Arthur’s Pass: 

• Devils Punchbowl Falls

Where to stay in Arthur’s Pass:

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I’ve put together a downloadable google map with all the places listed in this itinerary:

Are you short on time? 

If you have less than 10 days in the South Island, I’d recommend skipping Arthur’s Pass. Arthur’s Pass National Park was beautiful, but we didn’t love it as much as some of the other places we visited.

Remember: if you don’t spend the night at Arthur’s Pass, you’ll end up driving for nearly 5 hrs in the one day.

If you don’t want to drive for 5 hrs in one day, I’d recommend not visiting the Franz Josef Glacier or driving through Tekapo on the way to Aoraki / Mt Cook (rather than spending the night at Tekapo).

If you’re not keen on adventure sports, you can also remove a day from Queenstown. 

Do you have extra time? 

If you have extra days to explore New Zealand, a couple of suggestions…

We spent an extra day at Milford Sound, which was nice to have a bit of extra resting time. Milford Sound is an expensive place to spend an extra day, so if we were to do it again, we’d add the extra day to Wanaka, Queenstown or Aoraki / Mt Cook. 

There are so many hikes at both these places; we could have used the extra rest days in between the challenging hikes. 

Are you heading to New Zealand?

What are you adding or removing to your 10-day New Zealand South Island Itinerary?

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