We are traveling to New Zealand in Feb 2026 for 5 weeks. With two days to get there and one to return it is really 32 days. We are renting a van for the majority of the trip. Our two options are round trip from Auckland ore one way from Christchurch. I am leaning towards the one way to minimize our time retracing our travels and one day on the ferry vs two. We get to Auckland early enough to transfer to Christchurch the same day. Would it be better to spend the first few days in Auckland or getting to Christchurch and spending a few days there possibly with a rental car. Is 28 days with the van enough to see both Islands and if so how should we split the days?
Posted by
Kamarooka
537 posts
We recently returned from a 3 week North Island roadtrip and we did a 3 week South Island roadtrip a year ago. I have posted something of a trip report on both. I am heading out shortly but will respond to your post properly later.
Posted by
Kamarooka
537 posts
Easiest to just give you a quick rundown on our 2 recent visits, my 3d and 4th visits to NZ.
South Island. Flew into Christchurch. Picked up as prearranged by Jucy (van hire) and collected our van from depot 5 mins from airport. 20 min drive to a campground for our first night.
We then headed to the Southern Alps via Geraldine, Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki.
We visited various places along the Eastern side of the Alps while heading southward.
We reached the small Fiordland town of Te Anau and did coach and cruise tours of Doubtful Sound and Milford Sound.
From Te Anau we back tracked north for a bit then headed along the Western side of the Alps and along the West Coast.
We then headed East over Arthurs Pass and back to that first campground (Spencer's Beach) 20 mins out of Christchurch.
We only really spent one day in Christchurch itself the day before our morning return flight.
This trip took us 3 weeks total. I would describe 17 of the days as spectacular scenery wise.
We skipped a lot of the island. The North, the East Coast and the deep south. 3 weeks is just not enough time to get around the whole island.
North Island. Flew into Auckland, prearranged shuttle to RV Super Centre and picked up van (Hippie HiTop from Apollo). A bit late so stayed in a cheap airport motel first night.
From Auckland headed South then East. Brief visit to the Coramandel Peninsula. A visit to Hobbiton and south to Rotorua. Then Tongariro NP then west to Whanganui, up the West Coast to the Taranaki and then back through Auckland to the beaches NW of the city then up the NW before heading east to the Bay of Islands. We did a brilliant cruise from Paihia.
Then back down the N. East Coast. We spent our last night at a beach about an hour out of Auckland. Dropped the van off next morning and shuttled to the airport to fly home.
Not as consitantly dramatic and spectacular as the South but a ton of fun and a very enjoyable 3 weeks.
We again missed a fair chunk of the island. I would love to have done a full loop of the Coromandel but you have to make hard choices sometimes. We had pencilled in travelling all the way north to Cape Reinga but again not enough time.
Personally I wouldn't encourage much time being spent in either Auckland or Christchurch. Personal bias but I go to NZ to see the amazing wild beauty not pleasantly attractive cities. Many would disagree I am sure.