What are the Best Places to See in NZ?
Are you overwhelmed by the conflicting advice of various travellers and bloggers? How do you decide which places to visit? There is no shortage of things to do and see if you have four weeks or more. What should you see on a short New Zealand (NZ) trip?
This post will provide you with a series of pre-made road segments (maps) that you can use as your itinerary. If you want to see nature and wilderness you need to rent a car. If do not want to drive then several options are listed in the Urban Scenery section below.
Author & Photographer: George Mitchell
Our recommendations are not influenced by affiliate links – we have none. Our itineraries, photos, and advice are based on travelling for six months in New Zealand. We are avid hikers, nature lovers and photographers. NZ is one of our favourite destinations.
All of our recommendations are top-rated by Google Maps Ratings, which is based on everyone, not just tourists. Their names are appended with their Google Maps Ratings from G0 to G5. Must-sees are places with a Google Maps Rating greater than 4.3 out of 5. Acronyms can be found in the Abbreviations section.
Itinerary Planning
The purpose of this post is to give you ready-made itineraries that can be used as is. You can tailor them to the number of days you will spend on the ground in New Zealand (NZ).
The map images in this post are simplified versions included purely as high-level overviews. Use our detailed custom map links to do your travel planning.
The main reason to plan your itinerary is to decide how many nights you need to book at each accommodation. Planning every hour is overkill and will never work as planned. If you want more information, visit our Travel Itinerary Planning page.
Where Should You Go?
Because of the diversity of beauty, there are so many places to visit in NZ. This is one country where you can be forgiven for your indecision. In fact, we often say that getting from A to B is just as exciting as your destination. Give up on the idea of seeing everything. Travel is about making decisions. Travel is a personal decision depending on your passions, interests, and activities. Your choices will be different than our choices.
Our proposed itineraries are based on seeing the features that make NZ unique. Our itineraries travel to the places where you can see quintessential New Zealand. They are based on travelling for six months in NZ, amplified by backpacking for three years around the world. There is no one perfect itinerary. You easily could (and should) mix and match our recommended destinations to form your own custom itinerary.
Can You See North and South Island?
This question is often asked by people who want to travel to NZ for two weeks or less. The UK and Italy are about the same size as NZ. Can you see all of the UK or Italy in two weeks? Clearly, the answer is no.
Unless you are constrained by budget or work, you would need to spend months in NZ to “see it all”. You need at least three weeks to see a bit of both islands.
Here are the routes with the highest bang for the buck. These routes have the most places with a Google Maps Rating >= 4.4 points. Your itinerary should centre around one or more of these routes. The Rotorua route is on the North Island; the other three are on the South Island. There are detailed itinerary guides at the end of each section.
| Itinerary Route | # Must-sees |
|---|---|
| Southern Alps Route | 36 |
| Christchurch—Banks Peninsula Route | 28 |
| Picton—Abel Tasman Route | 28 |
| Rotorua – Thermal Hot Spots Route | 24 |
SHORT TRIPS
If you only have two weeks or less then you only have time for one island. So your first decision is whether that is North Island (NI) or South Island (SI). Our itineraries give a range of days to each route. The larger number allows for hiking and other activities. You decide how many days to spend at each destination.
Core North Island Itinerary
Choose North Island for Māori culture, geothermal pools, geysers, volcanoes, hiking, wine-tasting, beaches and coastal scenery.
Fly to Auckland and immediately drive 224 km, 2:45 hrs., to Rotorua. You do not have time to waste a day in Auckland. You need to allow one day to travel back to Auckland. In one week, you only have time for the Core North Island Itinerary:
- Rotorua –Thermal Hot Spots Route — 4 to 6 nights
- Tectonic Tongariro Route — 2 to 5 nights
These are the places with the most unique, quintessential features of NZ. There are many other alternatives for one week. If you want a beach holiday, visit the Coromandel or head north of Auckland. For travel without a car, see the How to Travel to Rotorua section below.
Rotorua – Thermal Hot Spots Route
| Our Custom Map | NZ Rotorua-Tongariro Region |
|---|---|
| # Nights | 4 to 6 |
| # Must-sees | 21 |
There are 21 highly rated sights on this 96 km route. The top must-sees are the Maori village, Te Puia (Whakarewarewa), Waiotapu and Waimangu Valley thermal areas, plus Huka Falls.
Tectonic Tongariro Route
| Our Custom Map | NZ Rotorua-Tongariro Region |
|---|---|
| # Nights | 2 to 5 |
| # Must-sees | 15 |
This is the route to learn about volcanoes and glowworms. The three grottoes of Waitomo Caves are world-famous attractions.
There are 12 highly-rated sights in the Tongariro area. Almost all of them are on the Tongariro Trans-alpine Track. This very steep track is not for beginner hikers lacking hiking shoes or boots. You need good Vibram soles for maximum traction on scoria (slippery volcanic pebbles). If you do not have good footwear, be satisfied with the views from easy access points near Whakapapa Village.
Core South Island Itinerary
Choose the South Island for mountains, fjords, glaciers, glacial blue-green lakes, waterfalls, hiking, wine-tasting, beaches and coastal scenery.
Fly directly to Christchurch. You do not have time to waste a day in Auckland. For a ten-day trip, you only have enough time for the Core South Island Itinerary:
- Southern Alps Route — 4 to 10 nights
- Arrowtown to Queenstown Route — 3 to 7 nights
- Fiordland-Milford Sound Route — 1 to 4 nights
These are the places with the most unique, quintessential features of NZ.
Southern Alps Route
| Our Custom Map | NZ SI Southern Alps Route |
|---|---|
| # Nights | 4 to 10 |
| # Must-sees | 36 |
There are 36 highly rated sights on this 657 km route. The top must-sees are Aoraki/Mt. Cook NP and Pukaki – the most beautiful lake in NZ. The Hooker Valley and other hikes are easy and must-dos.
About one million travellers visit Mt. Cook NP annually. About 950,000 travellers visit Wanaka. About 500,000 travellers visit Lake Tekapo.
Arrowtown to Queenstown Route
| Our Custom Map | NZ SI Wakatipu-Fiordland Map |
|---|---|
| # Nights | 3 to 7 |
| # Must-sees | 15 |
There are 15 highly rated sights on this 103 km route. The top must-sees are Kawarau River, Arrowtown, Coronet Peak, Lake Wakatipu to Glenorchy, and the Routeburn Track.
Fiordland-Milford Sound Route
| Our Custom Map | NZ SI Wakatipu-Fiordland Map |
|---|---|
| # Nights | 1 to 4 |
| # Must-sees | 18 |
There are 18 highly-rated sights on this 302 km route. The must-sees are the cruise through a massive fjord and the Te Anau to Milford Sound Road. Alternatively, you can do the tour from Queenstown, which is 287 km or 3:45 hrs. one way. You will be on the bus for most of the day. But you will miss out on exploring the sights along the road. About 750,000 travellers visit Milford Sound and 500,000 travellers visit Te Anau annually.
Detailed Itinerary Guides for a Short Trip
LONG TRIPS
These itineraries are for two or more weeks. If you have three weeks, then you can do one week in NI and two weeks in SI. In most cases, you should start with the core NI and SI itinerary.
There is no way to say there is only one itinerary that everyone should follow. Instead, we provide a series of add-on routes. Include the add-on options that most interest you.
North Island Itinerary
Add the Cool Coromandel Route to your itinerary. Only if you have more time can you start looking at other regions.
Cool Coromandel Route
| Our Custom Map | NZ Coromandel Map |
|---|---|
| # Nights | 5 to 11 |
| # Must-sees | 25 |
There are 25 highly rated sights on this 358 to 486 km route. The top must-sees are Cathedral Cove, Shakespeare Cliff Lookout, Hot Water Beach, and Coromandel Coast Walk.
Northlands Route
| Our Custom Map | NZ North of Auckland Map |
|---|---|
| # Nights | 7 to 14 |
| # Must-sees | 42 |
This 634 km Northlands Route is packed with 42 highly rated photogenic sights. This is a prime birding, beach, and coastal scenery area.
The top must-sees are Cascade Kauri Park, Whangaparāoa, Shakespear Regional Park, Tiritiri Matangi Reserve, Matakana, Scandrett Regional Park, Tāwharanui Peninsula, Waipu River Estuary, Tutukaka, Matapouri, Paihia, Waitangi, Bay of Islands, Kerikeri, Te Waimate Mission, Waipoua Kauri Forest, Cape Reinga, and Ninety Mile Beach.
South Island Itinerary
In the South Island, there are many more options. You usually should start with the Core South Island Itinerary. Then you have two options to return north: the East Coast Route or the West Coast Route.
East Coast Route
Cruising Catlins Route
| Our Custom Map | NZ SI Otago-Catlins Map |
|---|---|
| # Nights | 3 to 5 |
| # Must-sees | 16 |
There are 16 highly rated sights on this 103 km route. You will drive through rolling green hills dotted with white sheep and many waterfalls. Come here to experience off-the-beaten-track NZ.
Dunedin—Oamaru Route
| Our Custom Map | NZ SI Otago-Catlins Map |
|---|---|
| # Nights | 4 to 5 |
| # Must-sees | 30 |
There are 30 highly rated sights on this 185 km route. Enjoy the atmosphere and Victorian architecture in these two small cities. These are two of the best places to visit if you do not rent a car. Nearby are beautiful coastlines and scenic views. Come here to experience off-the-beaten-track NZ.
West Coast Route
| Our Custom Map | NZ SI West Coast Route |
|---|---|
| # Nights | 7 to 8 |
| # Must-sees Wanaka | 12 |
| # Must-sees Other | 11 |
There are only 11 highly rated sights on the very long 863 km West Coast Route. It goes from Wanaka to Franz Josef Glacier (FJG), Punakaiki Rocks, and Arthur’s Pass to Christchurch.
With one million travellers annually, Franz Josef is an over-touristed place. It is a long drive just to see a glacier. If you have seen many glaciers in Patagonia, Alaska or the Canadian Rockies, FJG is not a priority. Moreover, there are plenty of glaciers to see in Mt. Cook NP.
FJG is not visible from the main highway. You must hike the track or take a helicopter tour to see it. Will you see anything if there is a storm or you do not feel like hiking in the rain?
We would recommend that you move the 3 to 5 days in Wanaka from the Southern Alps Route to the West Coast Route, since Wanaka is on the way and is your best jumping-off place. There are 12 must-sees in the Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea regions.
Detailed Itinerary Guides for a Long Trip
Tasman-Christchurch Itinerary
This itinerary covers the Abel Tasman coast and the northeast of South Island. It is the best area for wine tasting, beaches, coastal scenery, and sea life.
It is not as touristy. Only 200,000 travellers visit Abel Tasman NP. Only 500,000 travellers visit Kaikoura. About one million travellers visit Christchurch annually, but that’s because it is the major airport gateway to the South Island for both tourism and commerce. There are three road segments for this itinerary:
- Picton—Abel Tasman Route — 4 to 8 days
- Picton—Kaikoura—Christchurch Route — 2 to 3 days
- Christchurch—Banks Peninsula Route — 3 to 4 days
Picton—Abel Tasman Route
| Our Custom Map | NZ SI Picton-Tasman Map |
|---|---|
| # Nights | 4 to 8 |
| # Must-sees | 28 |
There are 28 highly-rated sights on this 273 km route. The top must-sees are the Queen Charlotte Drive (from Picton to Havelock), Nelson, Kaiteriteri Beach, Pohara Beach, Tōtaranui and Anapai Beaches in Abel Tasman NP, Ngarua Caves Lookout, and Pupu Springs. The number of days depends on your interests and activities. For instance, you need 4 nights to hike the full Abel Tasman Coast Track.
Picton—Kaikoura—Christchurch Route
| Our Custom Map | NZ SI Picton-Tasman Map |
|---|---|
| # Nights | 2 to 3 |
| # Must-sees | 5 |
There are 5 highly-rated sights on this 337 km route. The main sights are in the Kaikoura area.
Christchurch—Banks Peninsula Route
| Our Custom Map | NZ SI Kaikoura-Christchurch |
|---|---|
| # Nights | 3 to 4 |
| # Must-sees | 28+ |
There are 28+ highly-rated sights on this 131 km route. The top must-sees are:
- Christchurch: Botanic Gardens, Canterbury Museum, Chief Post Office, Christchurch Cathedral, and Riccarton House.
- Banks Peninsula: Summit Road; Sugarloaf, Ōmawete, Hilltop, and Akaroa Lookouts; and Akaroa town.
Detailed Itinerary Guides for a Tasman-Christchurch
Tasman Circuit Route
If you have more time, you can make a circular route without backtracking. The route sections would be:
- Picton—Abel Tasman Route
- Abel Tasman—Punakaiki—Arthur’s Pass Route
- Christchurch—Banks Peninsula Route
- Christchurch—Kaikoura—Picton Route
SOUTH ISLAND GRAND TOUR
This itinerary will appeal to those who have the time and desire to see it all. The problem with the South Island is geography — the Southern Alps barrier. There are only two passes that cross over to the west coast. So here are two ways to see it all.
Southern Alps Route
You start by doing the core itinerary with an East Coast return as recommended above.
- Southern Alps Route — 4 to 10 nights
- Arrowtown to Queenstown Route — 3 to 7 nights
- Fiordland-Milford Sound Route — 1 to 4 nights
- Cruising Catlins Route — 3 to 5 nights
Here you have two options: the Dunedin Haast Pass Route or the Christchurch Arthur’s Pass Route.
Dunedin – Haast Pass Route
One plus to this route is seeing the Otago Gold Rush region. One reason to avoid the Haast Pass is that the West Coast is the wettest region of NZ. If the road is damaged or closed, you have to go all the way back. Always check for road conditions and closures.
- Dunedin – Moeraki Boulders part of the Dunedin – Oamaru Route — 2 to 3 days
- Otago Gold Rush Country – Naseby, Ophir, Clyde, Cromwell, Kawarau River — 2 to 4 days
- Wanaka — it’s better to see Wanaka now than as part of the Southern Alps Route — 2 to 4 days
- West Coast Route — Wanaka to Franz Josef Glacier
Dunedin – Arthur’s Pass Route
This alternative goes all the way up the east coast to Christchurch before crossing over Arthur’s Pass.
- Dunedin—Oamaru Route — 3 to 5 days
- Christchurch—Franz Josef Glacier Route — 3 to 4 days
Tasman Circuit Route
The South Island Grand Tour then continues up the West Coast to Nelson and Abel Tasman NP, then east to Picton and/or Christchurch — depending on your port of exit.
- Kumara — Punakaiki (Pancake Rocks) — Abel Tasman
- Abel Tasman—Picton Route — 4 to 8 days
- Picton—Kaikoura—Christchurch Route — 2 to 3 days
- Christchurch—Banks Peninsula Route — 3 to 4 days
What if you have Specialized Interests?
Urban Scenery
If you cannot or do not want to drive then there are several places you can go by airplane, bus and train. Use the Rome2Rio app to find out the local transportation options, costs and travel times.
The best cities with interesting architecture and sights are:
- Christchurch—Banks Peninsula Route — 3 to 4 days
- Dunedin – Oamaru Route — 3 to 4 days
- Nelson — 2 to 3 days
The best places to go are where the nearby scenery is special, rather than the city. You will need to walk, bus, shuttle or tour to see these nearby sights:
- Arrowtown to Queenstown Route — 3 to 7 nights
- Rotorua – Thermal Hot Spots Route — 4 to 6 nights
How to Travel to Rotorua
It requires two buses (NZD 35 to 101 per person) to get to Rotorua: Auckland (AKL) airport to Hamilton (1:40 hrs) plus Hamilton to Rotorua (1:45 hrs) for an elapsed time of 5:40 hrs.
Super Shuttle offers service from AKL airport to Rotorua for about NZD 35 for the first passenger plus NZD 8 per additional person in the same group. You can drive 215 km from Auckland airport to Rotorua in 2:32 hrs.
Alternatively, book your flight directly to Rotorua Airport (ROT) from your home city; for example, LON-AKL-ROT. Booking separate fares will be much more expensive. When I tried it, I got the same fare to ROT as to AKL. The only drawback is that the connecting flight AKL-ROT departs at 16:40 and arrives at 17:25 hrs.
From Rotorua, there are several shuttle buses and tours to various top sights. It requires 4:10 hours via connecting buses to get from Rotorua to Waitomo Caves. Check out tours instead. Otherwise, for Waitomo Caves, it is better to commute from Hamilton, NZ. For Tongariro, NP you can bus to Turangi. However, you would have to take an expensive taxi from Turangi to Whakapapa Village, Tongariro NP.
Rural Scenery
White sheep on green hills is a unique feature of New Zealand. This scenery is available everywhere, especially on the South Island. If you want off-the-beaten-track NZ, then you need to visit these regions:
- Catlins Region between Bluff and Dunedin, South Island
- Taumarunui Region west of Tongariro NP, North Island
Hiking
If you want to hike, then your trip must be planned around the main tracks (hikes) that you want to do. You need to plan on a long-duration trip because hut-to-hut hikes are often 3 or 4 full days each. The prime tramping (hiking) areas are:
- Tongariro NP, North Island
- Coromandel Coastal Walk, Coromandel, North Island
- Aoraki Mt. Cook NP
- Abel Tasman NP
- Fiordland NP and
- Routeburn Track
There are many less well-known tracks throughout the country.
Wine Tasting
You could visit the two largest wine-producing regions — Marlborough SI and Hawke’s Bay, North Island. But why not focus on some of the other superb areas? These may also be near your planned itinerary. For instance, you can tour:
- Waipara Region near Christchurch
- Central Otago along Kawarau River from Cromwell to Queenstown.
- Wairarapa / Martinborough near Wellington.
Final Comments on These Itineraries
New Zealand is a pleasant, relaxing place to visit — unless you are on the slippery slope of a volcanic caldera! The diversity of natural beauty makes NZ unique. It has coastal, geothermal, volcanic, alpine, and agricultural scenery. There are also plenty of hidden gems to see.
The places included in these routes are all highly rated by the people as shown by their Google Maps Ratings. If you want more planning tips, visit our Travel Itinerary Planning page.
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This was only a taste of some of the scenic wonders of NZ. If you have other favourites, share your experiences with us. How long is your trip? What questions do you have?
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Itinerary Map & Resources
Each detailed itinerary has a link to its own custom map with points of interest.
Google Maps Ratings
Google Maps provides a rating from 0 to 5 for all sights, hotels, and restaurants (but not cities). All our recommendations are appended with the rating (prefixed with a G) from Google Maps. Google Ratings are based on feedback from locals as well as tourists. They are much more reliable than travel booking websites or tourist anecdotes. We consider a score of 4 to 4.39 to be Very Good and 4.4 to 5 to be Excellent.
What is the Most Beautiful Country?
New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Many people feel Switzerland is the most beautiful country, thanks to its alpine scenery. But, NZ offers the greatest diversity of beauty — coastal scenery, beach scenery, geothermal scenery, volcanic scenery, and alpine scenery.
How Big is New Zealand?
NZ is a large country compared to Europe. It is the size of the UK or Italy and half the size of the province of Alberta, Canada.
Booking Accommodation
NZ only has 5 million people. The South Island has only one million people. So why is the South Island so busy during the summer peak season? Too many tourists go to the same famous places — what I call name recognition. Fewer people are available to work in the hospitality industry for the short tourist season. So there is a lack of accommodation.
If you are going during the Christmas peak season, most Kiwis are on the summer holidays from around December 20th to January 20th. You need to book your places at least 5 months ahead.
The best value places were family-run B&Bs (not Airbnb’s), fully-equipped cabins and tent sites at campgrounds. Use Agoda or Booking to find places within your price range. Verify the quality by the more reliable Google Maps Rating.
When is the Best Time to Visit?
Compared to Nordic countries, NZ is perpetual spring even in the “winter” (Jun-Aug) months in the North Island and the north of South Island. It is warmer and sometimes hot in the summer (Dec-Feb). Due to global climate change, the weather is unpredictable.
The south of South Island and alpine regions will be uncomfortably cold in winter. We do not recommend this season because there can be black ice and snow on the roads. There can be road closures, especially on the Milford Sound and West Coast roads. NZ does not use winter tires; so you have to put chains on your tires.
Coromandel Weather
Here are the average high temperatures and monthly rainfall at Coromandel, NI by season. The month groupings were based on weather similarities, not calendar seasons.
Jun-Aug is the coolest at 14.4°C and rainiest (136.7 mm 5.4″). That is much less rain than in the South Island or many other countries. Clearly, this is an all-season destination.
| Season | Mean High Temp | Avg Rain per Month |
|---|---|---|
| Dec-Mar | 20.9°C 69.6°F | 89.5 mm 3.5″ |
| Apr-May | 18.0°C 64.3°F | 114.5 mm 4.5″ |
| Jun-Aug | 14.4°C 57.9°F | 136.7 mm 5.4″ |
| Sep-Nov | 16.4°C 61.5°F | 93.3 mm 3.7″ |
Milford Sound Weather
Here are the average high temperatures and monthly rainfall at Milford Sound by season. Milford Sound is one of the wettest places in the world. There is not much to choose from, as basically it is either cool or cooler. The plus in the winter is that there is less rainfall, but then there may be fewer waterfalls. While the high temperatures are barely OK in the winter, the average low temperature is 1°C (30.2°F).
| Season | Mean High Temp | Rain per Month |
|---|---|---|
| Dec-Mar | 18.2°C 64.8°F | 582.1 mm 22.9″ |
| Apr-May | 14.0°C 57.2°F | 557.3 mm 21.9″ |
| Jun-Aug | 10.0°C 50.0°F | 415.6 mm 16.4″ |
| Sep-Nov | 14.3°C 57.7°F | 579.3 mm 22.8″ |
New Zealand FAQ
The New Zealand FAQ post answers Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) such as:
- Where should I go in NZ?
- What is the best season for travel?
- How much time do I need for NZ?
- How safe is NZ?
Abbreviations
asl = above sea level
DOC = Department of Conservation = Parks NZ
Max Elev = Maximum Elevation above sea level
Kiwi = New Zealander, or a nocturnal flightless bird
NP = National Park
NZ= New Zealand
NZD = New Zealand Dollar
NI = North Island
OW = One Way
RT = Round Trip
SI = South Island
USD = United States Dollar
Terra Encounters 
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