You can't argue that New Zealand is a long way to go for a holiday for most of us. It is the type of holiday destination you choose to celebrate those extra special milestones and occasions. This makes it so important to plan out your trip as much as possible before flying to ensure that you get the very best out of your holiday in New Zealand.

A popular and enjoyable way to see as much of New Zealand as possible while on holiday is to take a New Zealand road trip! You can plan out an itinerary that takes in all of the sights, tour the best attractions and wonders whilst taking in the stunning scenery and changing landscape as you drive from place to place. All of this comes with knowing that you have your bed and amenities with you wherever you go. There is no better way to take a holiday in this magnificent country.

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Planning Your New Zealand Road Trip

Once you have chosen a road trip holiday, then the next step is to plan your itinerary. This can seem somewhat daunting at first, but there is a lot of information available to help you. Please look at our travel advice pages for further details, including what to do about visas and customs.

Next, it's time to consider your motorhome, insurances, GPS, wifi access and how you want to travel. If you choose one of our holidays then not only do we have some fantastic options for road trips but you also have many of these things included in your package. For further information, take a look at the options we have available.

Once you have looked into your holiday's practical aspects, you can start to plan the fun stuff! This is the bit where you can let your imagination run wild and plan out all the wonderful things you want to see and do while on holiday.

New Zealand offers so many incredible opportunities; it can be challenging to pick out highlights. When planning your getaway, it's worth talking to family and friends to see what types of excursions and stops are most important. You should be able to plan out a road trip that has something for everyone. To help, we have had a look at some of the best New Zealand road trips for you. Take a look at some of these awe-inspiring options.

Discover the South Island - Christchurch to Kaikoura via the whole South Island

The South Island is renowned for its beautiful mountain landscapes with The Alps running throughout the middle of the island. If snow-capped mountains are something you want to see a lot while on your New Zealand road trip, this is the road trip for you. You start and end in Christchurch and spend about thirty days travelling around The Alps, stopping and seeing all of the sights along the way.

This is a road trip with a lot of choices. The main stopovers allow you plenty of opportunities to choose the attractions that are highest on your priority list.

It's hard to choose the highlights of a road trip around the whole of the South Island, but we would suggest you include a trip to the Fiordland National Park where you can view the beautiful Milford Sound. This is a stunning area full of natural beauty that is worth exploring.

Another place on this road trip you may want to consider is the Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers. You will be genuinely humbled by the majestic awesomeness of the natural world - that's a guarantee!

Once you have taken a good look at the mountains and glaciers, you can switch up your holiday by heading to the beach in Abel Tasman National Park. These beaches are almost tropical and offer you some much-needed relaxation time either on the beach or exploring the surrounding area.

These are just a few of the highlights of our Southern Island Exploration Itinerary. There is so much more to see, and as you traverse around the island, you will find more than enough to make this road trip the holiday of your lifetime.

Tour the best that New Zealand has to offer - Auckland to Christchurch

Starting in Auckland gives you an unbelievable opportunity to see the best that the very north of New Zealand has to offer. You'll then take a leisurely drive through the middle of the North Island including a trip to Lake Taupo where you can even book yourself onto a short but very scenic cruise to appreciate the beauty surrounding you.

Once you have driven through the North Island, you can explore the beautiful and impressive South Island. Once you have taken the ferry across the Cook Straight, you're not far from the forested slopes of the Queen Charlotte Sound. Then you have a journey that takes in the western coastline of the South Island and then around to Christchurch where your holiday ends.

There is so much to see and do between these two places! A few of our highlights are the Punakaiki Rocks which are also known as Pancake Rocks. This is a wonderful walk around some of the weirdest rock formations that nature has to offer. If you want another example of just how breathtaking nature can be, take a look at the Moeraki Boulders. These inexplicable and almost perfectly round rocks look as though they are humanmade sculptures, but they are a product of mother nature.

Although there is plenty of natural wonders to explore, New Zealand has much more to offer. As you travel the country, you can stop off at cafes and towns to explore the local culture. You can even stop off for some adventure as you visit Queensland, which is known for its outdoor activities, including sky-high bungee jumps and mile-long zip wires.

If you want to look at this road trip in more detail, take a look at our Wonders Of New Zealand road trip tour. This road trip takes you on a journey throughout New Zealand, taking in the best the country has to offer on the way.

Tour the whole of New Zealand! - Start and end in Auckland

If you can't decide what you want to see most on your holiday of a lifetime in New Zealand, why not see it all? Take the time to travel around the whole country, both the south and north island, taking in as much as you can along the way. This road trip is designed to take around 56 days and includes plenty of time to explore the cities and the rest of this beautiful country.

This is the Ultimate New Zealand Road trip; you start in Auckland to explore the urban environment before heading out on a slow but steady tour of New Zealand. From here, you have plenty of time to stop at as many stops along the way as you want. This is one way to ensure that you don't miss out on anything while on holiday.

It isn't easy to narrow down the highlights of this road trip as everywhere you go in New Zealand is a highlight! Here are a few that we think you should not miss on your road trip.

Situated on the North Island is the Coromandel Peninsula in which you will find some of the most beautiful beaches New Zealand has to offer. You can take the opportunity to relax or take a hike in the surrounding areas.

Whilst still on the North Island, you can visit their thermal reserves, including the impressive Rotorua, where you can see natural geothermal activity in action. Bubbling mud pools and sulphuric lakes all surrounding the beautiful scenery. While in the area you could also take a trip to Hobbiton where you can view the set made famous by Lord of The Rings. An exciting excursion for any movie buff.

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Another recommended destination is the Waitomo glowworm caves. This is where you can see natural caves lit up by the thousands of glowworms that make them their home.

On the southern island, you can take many trips and walks through the Alps. You can even see this stunning landscape for sections of your travelling time. There is always something interesting to look at, even when you are driving!

Stop and take a look at the stunning Fox and Franz Glaciers or take a walk around Lake Wanaka before heading back to the town that shares its name and exploring the local culture.

This is the road trip of a lifetime, and you can take at the complete itinerary and everything our Ultimate New Zealand Tour includes here. Don't forget to check out our excursions page to find out more about all the extra trips and exciting adventures available.

If you are ready to book your New Zealand road trip, don't hesitate to request a brochure or get in touch with us. We would love to help you plan out your ultimate holiday.

Peter Stannett

Content Writer

Peter is our content writer and SEO specialist, helping keep our content current and monitoring website traffic.

His content covers all four corners of the globe, across topics like activities, advice, food, culture and history.

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