Gujju Diary

New Zealand in 21 days

Both islands, one rental-car road trip, and Christmas in Queenstown. From Auckland’s harbour to Milford Sound and back up to the Bay of Islands.

December 2015

Duration
22 days, 21 nights
Season
December, early summer
Driving
About 2,600 km
Getting around
Car, ferry, one flight, bus
Stays
15 places, hotels and motels

The route

We landed in Auckland, drove south through the North Island, crossed Cook Strait by ferry, looped down the South Island’s west coast to Fiordland, then flew north to finish in the Bay of Islands.

North Island

  1. Auckland 1 night
  2. Waitomo 1 night
  3. Rotorua 1 night
  4. Taupō 1 night
  5. Wellington 2 nights, via Napier

Interislander ferry across Cook Strait

South Island

  1. Picton 2 nights
  2. Nelson 1 night, Abel Tasman day trip
  3. Punakaiki 1 night
  4. Franz Josef 1 night
  5. Wānaka 1 night
  6. Te Anau 2 nights, Milford Sound
  7. Queenstown 2 nights, Christmas
  8. Christchurch 2 nights, via Dunedin

Flight to Kerikeri, then the Bay of Islands (2 nights) and back to Auckland (1 night)

How the trip went

If you only read one part of this page, read this. The full day-by-day table is below it.

Days 1–2
Auckland

Starting in the City of Sails

Our flight landed in Auckland at 10:15 in the morning, so day one was easy: the Sky Tower for a first look at the harbour, a walk around SkyCity, and Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life aquarium. We kept the first night at the airport Ibis Budget, which made sense after a long flight.

Auckland has far more than one day can hold. Our list had Rangitoto and Waiheke islands, the Auckland Museum and Art Gallery, Victoria Park Market and the Kitekite Falls. On day two we picked our favourites before driving 195 km south to Waitomo.

Draft note for Manan: which Auckland places did you actually get to on day 2? Replace this box with a line or two in your own words.

Days 3–4
Waitomo, Rotorua, Taupō

Glowworms, geysers and the volcanic heart

Waitomo is all about the glowworm caves. After the caves we drove on to Rotorua, with Lake Rotorua, Mount Tarawera and Tarawera Falls along the way.

Day four was the geothermal day. Get to Wai-O-Tapu before 10:15 am, because that is when the Lady Knox Geyser erupts. After that came the Waimangu Volcanic Rift Valley, the Polynesian Spa, Lake Tikitapu and the Government Gardens, plus a mud bath if you want one. We ended the day 80 km south at Taupō.

Days 5–7
Napier, Wellington

The long drive to the capital

Huka Falls sits just before Taupō town and is worth the stop. From there it was a long driving day: 147 km to Napier, then 320 km down to Wellington. Plan for a full day in the car.

Wellington got two nights. We fitted in Te Papa, the national museum (give it at least two hours), the Botanic Garden, the Beehive parliament building and Matiu/Somes Island. Martinborough’s wineries are about an hour away if you have time. On day seven we visited Wellington Zoo and St Mary of the Angels, then caught the 5 pm ferry to Picton.

Days 8–9
Picton, Nelson, Abel Tasman

Sounds, tracks and golden beaches

Picton is the gateway to the Marlborough Sounds. We spent a full day there and walked part of the Queen Charlotte Track.

The next morning we took the Queen Charlotte Drive to Nelson, 110 km and one of the most scenic drives of the trip. From Nelson it is about 67 km to Marahau, the entry point for Abel Tasman National Park, which you explore by boat or kayak. Then we drove back to Nelson for the night.

Draft note for Manan: boat or kayak in Abel Tasman? A sentence on how it felt would make this section.

Days 10–12
West Coast, glaciers

Down the wild West Coast

From Nelson we headed through Nelson Lakes National Park and Lake Rotoiti, then 245 km to Punakaiki on the coast. On the way out the next morning, stop at the Cape Foulwind seal colony near Westport, a 20-minute walk from the car park. Punakaiki’s Pancake Rocks and blowholes are the main attraction there.

Hokitika is the place for greenstone carving and glass-blowing, then it is 135 km more to Franz Josef. Day twelve was glacier day: a Fox Glacier tour and Lake Matheson, famous for its mirror reflections. That afternoon we drove 287 km to Wānaka.

Days 13–16
Wānaka, Te Anau, Queenstown

Fiordland, then Christmas in Queenstown

After a morning by Lake Wānaka we drove 228 km to Te Anau and stayed two nights. That gave us a whole day for the Milford Sound cruise, which we would not rush.

On Christmas Eve we drove to Queenstown, stopping at the Kawarau Bridge (the original bungy site, 28 km before town). We took the Skyline Gondola up to Bob’s Peak for views over Lake Wakatipu and went up Coronet Peak. Christmas Day was spent in Queenstown, which is the adventure capital if you want jet boats, rafting or a skydive.

Draft note for Manan: what did Christmas Day in Queenstown look like for you two? This is the most personal moment of the trip and worth a short paragraph.

Days 17–18
Dunedin, Otago Peninsula, Christchurch

Penguins and a castle on the way north

Day seventeen was the biggest travel day. We drove 285 km to Dunedin, then out to the Otago Peninsula for Larnach Castle and the yellow-eyed penguins, before continuing to Christchurch.

Christchurch had plenty for a full day: the International Antarctic Centre, Orana Wildlife Park, Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, the Canterbury Museum, the Air Force Museum, the Arts Centre and the Port Hills.

Days 19–22
Bay of Islands, Auckland

A slow finish up north

Instead of driving back up, we flew from Christchurch to Kerikeri and stayed in Paihia for two nights. Haruru Falls, the dolphin cruise out to the Hole in the Rock at Cape Brett and the Cathedral Cave made a relaxed end to a busy trip.

On the last full day we took the bus back to Auckland, slept at the airport again and flew out at 9 am on New Year’s Eve.

Day-by-day itinerary

Distances and drive times are the ones we planned with. Optional extras are highlighted like this.

Day Route and travel Sightseeing Stay Distance
North Island
Day 1 Arrive Auckland 10:15 am Sky Tower, SkyCity, Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Ibis Budget Auckland Airport
Day 2 Auckland to Waitomo (2.5 h) Choose from Rangitoto and Waiheke islands, Auckland Museum, Art Gallery, Victoria Park Market, Mangere Mountain, Kitekite Falls, Lake Pupuke Waitomo Caves Hotel 195 km
Day 3 Waitomo to Rotorua (2 h 15 m) Waitomo Glowworm Caves, Lake Rotorua, Mount Tarawera, Tarawera Falls Ibis Rotorua 166 km
Day 4 Rotorua to Taupō (1 h 15 m) Wai-O-Tapu (Lady Knox Geyser 10:15 am), Waimangu Volcanic Valley, Polynesian Spa, Lake Tikitapu, Government Gardens Mud bath Huka Falls Resort, Taupō 80 km
Day 5 Taupō to Napier (2 h), Napier to Wellington (4.5 h) Huka Falls, Lake Taupō Mercure Wellington 467 km
Day 6 Wellington Te Papa museum, Botanic Garden, the Beehive, Matiu/Somes Island, Martinborough wineries (1 h away) Mercure Wellington
Day 7 Evening ferry to Picton (5 pm) Wellington Zoo, Michael Fowler Centre, St Mary of the Angels Gateway Motel, Picton Ferry
South Island
Day 8 Picton Marlborough Sounds, Queen Charlotte Track Gateway Motel, Picton
Day 9 Queen Charlotte Drive to Nelson (1 h 45 m), Nelson to Marahau and back Abel Tasman National Park by boat or kayak Grand Mercure Monaco, Nelson 244 km
Day 10 Nelson to Punakaiki (3.5 h) World of WearableArt and Classic Cars, Nelson Lakes National Park, Lake Rotoiti Te Hui House, Punakaiki 245 km
Day 11 Punakaiki to Hokitika (1 h 15 m), Hokitika to Franz Josef (2 h) Cape Foulwind seal colony, Pancake Rocks and blowholes, Hokitika greenstone and glass-blowing Sir Cedric’s Chateau Franz, Franz Josef 219 km
Day 12 Franz Josef to Wānaka (4 h) Fox Glacier tour, Lake Matheson, “Flowing West” film Mercure Oakridge, Wānaka 287 km
Day 13 Wānaka to Te Anau (3 h) Lake Wānaka White-water sledging Edgewater Motel, Te Anau 228 km
Day 14 Te Anau to Milford Sound and back Milford Sound cruise Edgewater Motel, Te Anau
Day 15 Te Anau to Queenstown (2.5 h) Kawarau Bridge, Skyline Gondola to Bob’s Peak, Coronet Peak Bungy, jet boat, rafting, skydive Mercure Queenstown Resort 172 km
Day 16 Christmas Day in Queenstown Free day Mercure Queenstown Resort
Day 17 Queenstown to Dunedin (3.5 h), Otago Peninsula, then on to Christchurch Larnach Castle, yellow-eyed penguins Novotel Christchurch Cathedral Square 300 km + transfer
Day 18 Christchurch International Antarctic Centre, Orana Wildlife Park, Willowbank, Canterbury Museum, Air Force Museum, Arts Centre, Port Hills Novotel Christchurch Cathedral Square
Back to the North Island
Day 19 Flight Christchurch to Kerikeri (1:30 pm, lands 5:45 pm) Bay of Islands Marlin Court Motel, Paihia Flight
Day 20 Bay of Islands Haruru Falls, dolphin cruise to the Hole in the Rock, Cape Brett, Cathedral Cave Marlin Court Motel, Paihia
Day 21 Evening bus back to Auckland Bay of Islands Ibis Budget Auckland Airport Bus
Day 22 Fly out of Auckland, 9 am

What has changed since our trip

  • Rotorua Museum: Closed since the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake. Strengthening work finished in September 2026, and the council plans to reopen it in 2028.
  • Cadbury World in Dunedin: Closed for good in 2018 to make way for the new Dunedin Hospital.
  • Visas for Indian passport holders: You need a full visitor visa (the NZeTA is not available to Indian citizens), plus the NZD 100 International Visitor Levy. Check current fees on the Immigration New Zealand website before you apply.
  • Prices and opening hours: Those from 2015 are out of date, so we have left them out. Check each attraction’s website before you go.

Last checked: November 2026

If you are planning this route

  • Book the Cook Strait ferry early. Mid-December to January is peak season in New Zealand, and the evening sailings fill up.
  • Day 5 and day 17 are long. Both are 450+ km. If you have an extra day, add a night in Napier or Dunedin.
  • Give Milford Sound a full day. Basing yourself in Te Anau for two nights, as we did, takes the pressure off the road in.
  • Plan Christmas Day. Many shops and some attractions close on 25 December, so book any activities ahead.
  • Flying back north saves two days of driving. Christchurch to Kerikeri put us in the Bay of Islands the same evening.
  • Stay near the airport on the first and last nights. It keeps arrival and departure days simple.