Best of New Zealand Two-Week Itinerary (2024)

Even with two weeks, it is a challenge to see all the highlights of New Zealand’s two main islands. The country is replete with beautiful sights and memorable experiences, but they are often remote or spread out, and trying to take them all in can mean a lot of driving. Consider renting a car or camper van to tour the country; holiday parks and campgrounds are cheap and plentiful, and this means less checking into and out of hotels, less packing and repacking.

Travelers who prefer a slower pace and more time in each place should consider focusing on just one of the main islands and making the most of the extra time. Most visitors will fly into Auckland and begin their journey there. It’s also possible to cover greater distance in less time by taking domestic flights from Auckland to Wellington, or from Wellington to destinations on South Island.

North Island

Auckland

Day 1

After flying into Auckland, recover from the long flight with a walk along Queen Street, the city’s main artery, stopping at Aotea Square to admire its carved waharoa (ceremonial gateway). Grab an energizing brew and house-baked good from one of the city’s amazing coffee shops before getting the ultimate adrenaline shot at the Sky Tower, where you can just enjoy the view or try the Sky Walk or Sky Jump, if you dare. Head to The Domain, Auckland’s first park, where you can explore the excellent collection of Māori artifacts at the Auckland War Memorial Museum before relaxing at the café in the beautiful Wintergardens. In the evening, if you’re still going strong, check out the nightlife scene on vibrant K’ Road.

Day 2

Begin the day exploring Auckland’s gorgeous waterfront Viaduct Harbour and the adjacent Wynyard Quarter to get a better understanding of the city’s nickname, the “City of Sails.” From the landmark Ferry Building, catch a boat over to Waiheke Island, one of the Hauraki Gulf Islands, for a half-day tour of the vineyards before heading back into town. Grab a drink and a snack from one of the many trendy eateries in the Waitematā Railway Station before heading for Mount Eden/Maungawhau, Auckland’s friendly local volcano, to view the sunset. Enjoy an upscale meal at one of the neighborhood’s lovely restaurants for dinner. Finish the evening with co*cktails in Ponsonby, Auckland’s most fashionable suburb.

Hamilton Gardens and Waitomo Caves

Day 3

In your rental car or RV, it’s a couple of hours’ drive south to Hamilton, the hub of the Waikato region, where you’ll be stopping to see the world-famous Hamilton Gardens. Keep heading south another hour to the Waitomo Caves, a mind-blowing underground wonderland beneath the lush rolling farmlands of Waikato. The caves are adorned with glowworms and offer other adventures like rappelling or rafting.

Rotorua

Day 4

Two hours east of Waitomo, Rotorua literally fizzes thanks to volcanic activity, resulting in bubbling mud, steaming springs, and erupting geysers. Visit Wai-O-Tapu to experience the geothermal heartland, then soak in the waters of the Polynesian Spa. When you’re done exploring the volcanic wonders, check out a Māori cultural show at the Whakarewarewa—The Living Māori Village and feast on a hāngī of traditional Māori cooking.

Day 5

South of the city center, The Redwoods tower over the rest of the Whakarewarewa State Forest; get on the canopy level on the Redwoods Treewalk. From here, keep heading south to Lake Tarawera and the Tarawera Trail, a 15-km (9-mi) hike to Hot Water Beach, where a hot spring flows through the cooler lake waters.

Tongariro National Park

Day 6

Less than 2.5 hours southwest of Rotorua awaits the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. One of the world’s great day hikes, the spectacular route winds past three active volcanoes, including The Lord of the Rings’ “Mount Doom,” officially known as Mount Ngāuruhoe. If hiking is not your thing, head to Lake Taupō instead, on the way to Tongariro from Rotorua, where an extraordinary Māori artwork sits carved into the sheer rock above Mine Bay.

Wellington

Day 7

From Tongariro, it’s a 5-hour drive to Wellington, but you can stop en route at Kāpiti Island, a DoC-maintained nature reserve. Arriving at the capital in the late afternoon, take the famous Wellington Cable Car up to enjoy a view of the city and harbor before heading to the nearby Wellington Botanic Garden, through which you can walk back down to town to hit the craft beer joints of the Cuba Quarter and Courtenay Place.

Day 8

It would be easy to spend a whole day at the extraordinary Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, but keep it to the morning; that way you can grab lunch and eat it watching the lovely Wellington Harbour. Hike up to Mount Victoria for a spectacular sunset view before getting a taste of the capital’s excellent restaurant scene for dinner.

With More Time

If you have more time to devote to North Island, give an extra day or so to each of the main cities, Auckland and Wellington; this will allow you to slow down and soak up more of the local culture. Another day in gorgeous Tongariro National Park wouldn’t hurt either. To the north, you could spend a day or two dolphin-watching in the Bay of Islands and visiting the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, a must for those interested in Aotearoa’s complicated history. There’s also the island’s lovely east coast: You could spend a couple of days road-tripping the Coromandel Peninsula, or a weekend in the wine region of Hawke’s Bay, with its art deco hub Napier.

Marlborough Sounds

Day 9

Take the ferry from Wellington to Picton, or fly from Auckland to Marlborough, and start the morning with a coffee in the pretty seaside town, then take a walk or bike ride along some of the coastal Queen Charlotte Track to marvel at the Marlborough Sounds. As you head back, watch for dolphins. Be sure to try some of the region’s green-lipped mussels at one of the restaurants in town or in nearby Havelock.

South Island

Day 10

Start your morning with a kayak to soak in more of the gorgeous sounds before heading 30 minutes south to the beautiful Marlborough Wine Region. Spend the day sampling farm-to-table cuisine and cycling from vineyard to vineyard for wine-tastings.

Kaikōura and Christchurch

Day 11

Stop in Kaikōura, a 2-hour drive south of Picton, on the way to Christchurch for whale-watching, a New Zealand must-do. Two and a half hours farther south, Christchurch remains on the mend following two major earthquakes. It’s still a cultural paradise, with wonderful museums, art galleries, and the Christchurch Botanic Gardens.

Takapō/Tekapo and Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park

Day 12

Base yourself in the idyllic lakeside town of Takapō/Tekapo, a 3-hour drive through the beautiful scenery of Canterbury, as a launching point to the national park and New Zealand’s tallest peak, Aoraki/Mount Cook. Hike up Mount John/Ōtehīwai to take in impossibly blue Lake Takapō, and come evening, enjoy some of the clearest night skies in the world on a tour with the Dark Sky Project.

Day 13

The hour-long drive into Mount Cook Village from Takapō/Tekapo alongside Lake Pukaki is mesmerizing, with Aoraki rarely out of view. Explore some of Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park on foot via several short hikes, before taking a tour with Glacier Explorers or flightseeing over the Franz Josef Glacier/Kā Roimata ō Hine Hukatere or Fox Glacier/Te Moeka o Tūawe.

Queenstown

Day 14

Three hours to the south, there’s enough fun in Queenstown to spend the entire two weeks here. The top of your list should be bungee jumping, or jet-boating the Shotover River. Afterward, ride the gondola to Bob’s Peak for views of Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu, and the Remarkables mountain range—it’s one of Aotearoa’s most memorable vistas.

Day 15

Take an hour’s drive north to Wānaka, where you can take a photo of That Wānaka Tree, take on some of the hikes around the town, which is a gateway to Mount Aspiring/Tititea National Park, and enjoy the town’s small but respectable craft beer scene. On the way back south, stop in Arrowtown, a former mining town where you can learn about the complicated history of Chinese immigration to New Zealand, before getting a taste of Queenstown’s legendary nightlife.

Fiordland and Southland

Day 16

On your last day in Queenstown, splurge on a flightseeing experience to Milford Sound/ Piopiotahi; the drive is long, and flying enables you to save some time and enjoy incredible views of Fiordland National Park from the air. Many tour providers offer full-day packages including hiking, cruises, and snow landings.

With More Time

More time would allow you to enjoy Nelson and Abel Tasman National Park, with its excellent Great Walk, the Coast Track, west of Marlborough Sounds. Both deserve 2-3 days. There’s also the remote West Coast, accessible by the spectacular TranzAlpine train from Christchurch, and Fiordland and the rest of Southland, which require more time to reach but reward with routes less traveled. In eastern Otago, the city of Dunedin and town of Ōamaru both deserve at least a day, boasting Victorian architecture and the chance to see unique wildlife, including endemic penguins.

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