Trip Overview
Dates: March 20 β April 6, 2026 Travelers: 2 people
Hour-by-Hour Itinerary
| Time | Sun Mar 22 π Auckland | Mon Mar 23 π§ Waitomo / Hobbiton | Tue Mar 24 ποΈ Christchurch / Tekapo | Wed Mar 25 ποΈ Mt Cook | Thu Mar 26 ποΈ WΔnaka / Te Anau | Fri Mar 27 β΅ Milford / Key Summit | Sat Mar 28 β΅ Doubtful Sound | Sun Mar 29 πΏ Queenstown | Mon Mar 30 π Glenorchy | Tue Mar 31 πΏ Queenstown / Arrowtown | Wed Apr 1 π Haast Pass | Thu Apr 2 π§ Franz Josef | Fri Apr 3 πͺ¨ Punakaiki & Hokitika | Sat Apr 4 π² Arthurs Pass | Sun Apr 5 βοΈ Fly Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 3 | πΌ Sky Tower Β· β΅ Viaduct Waterfront Β· π Recovery Sleep | β¨ Spellbound Caves Β· π§ Hobbiton | π Lake Tekapo Β· βͺ Good Shepherd Β· π Stargazing | π Lake Pukaki Sunrise Β· π₯Ύ Hooker Valley Track Β· π΄ Rest at Hermitage | π₯Ύ Diamond Lake Β· π³ WΔnaka Tree Β· π Crown Range Drive | β΅ Milford Cruise Β· π₯Ύ Key Summit Β· πΆ Milford Walks | β΅ Doubtful Sound Cruise Β· π Lake Manapouri Β· ποΈ Wilmot Pass | π‘ Gondola + Luge Β· π Bob's Peak Sunset Β· π½οΈ Queenstown Dinner | π Glenorchy Lagoon Β· π Paradise / LOTR Β· π Queenstown Bay Sunset | π¦ Deer Park Heights Β· π Arrowtown Fall Foliage Β· β¨οΈ Onsen Hot Pools | π§ Blue Pools Β· πΏ Ship Creek Walk Β· π Haast Pass Drive | π§ Glacier Heli-Hike Β· π² Lake Mapourika Β· π West Coast Drive | πͺ¨ Pancake Rocks Β· π§ Hokitika Gorge Β· π² Treetop Walk | π§ Devil's Punchbowl Β· πͺ¨ Castle Hill Β· π² Arthurs Pass Village | βοΈ CHC β AKL β JFK |
| 5:00 AM | βοΈ Lands Auckland | π Wake up (5:15 AM) | Morning | ||||||||||||
| 6:00 AM | π Immigration | π To Waitomo (2.5 hrs) | Morning | π Lake Pukaki Sunrise | π³ Breakfast β Hermitage | Morning | Breakfast | β° DST ends tomorrow | π Wake up Β· πΏ Botanic Gardens (opt.) | ||||||
| 7:00 AM | π Car Rental | π Drive to Mt Cook Village | π To WΔnaka (Lindis Pass) | π To Milford Sound (7:00) | Breakfast | Breakfast | π Depart Queenstown | π Heli-Hike Check-in | Breakfast | Breakfast | π Check out / To Airport | ||||
| 8:00 AM | π Drive to Hotel | π³ Breakfast β Hotel Indigo | π¨ Arrive Mt Cook | π Glenorchy Lagoon (Still) | Breakfast | π³ WΔnaka / WΔnaka Tree | π§ Glacier Heli-Hike | π To Punakaiki | π To Arthurs Pass | π Return Car / Check-in | |||||
| 9:00 AM | π Sleep (do not skip) | β¨ Spellbound Caves (9:30) | π Airport / Return Car (EZU) | π Arrive WΔnaka | β΅ Milford Cruise (9:45) | π³ Late Breakfast | π¦ Glenorchy / Animal Farm | π¦ Deer Park Heights | π Haast Pass Drive | πͺ¨ Arrive Punakaiki | π Otira Gorge | π Security | |||
| 10:00 AM | Rest | π Domestic Terminal | π₯Ύ Hooker Valley Track | π₯Ύ Diamond Lake Walk | π To Manapouri | πͺ¨ Pancake Rocks & Blowholes | π² Arthurs Pass Village | βοΈ CHC β AKL (10:20) | |||||||
| 11:00 AM | βοΈ Air NZ AKL β CHC (11:00) | πΆ Milford Walks + Lunch | β΅ Return Pearl Harbour (11:30) | π Paradise / LOTR | β½ Makarora | π¨ Peak Blowhole (11:14) | π§ Devil's Punchbowl | βοΈ Arrive AKL (11:45) | |||||||
| 12:00 PM | π½οΈ Lunch β Krishna / Ras Vatika | π½οΈ Lunch near Waitomo | π Arrive CHC (12:30) | Lunch | Lunch β WΔnaka lakefront | π Back to The Divide | β΅ Boat β Lake Manapouri | π To Queenstown direct | Lunch | π§ Blue Pools Walk | Lunch | Lunch in Hokitika | Lunch | π Intl Check-in | |
| 1:00 PM | πΌ Sky Tower / Waterfront | π Pick up SNAP rental | π₯Ύ Kea Point / Tasman Glacier | π Crown Range β Queenstown | π₯Ύ Key Summit (1:45) | π Wilmot Pass | π Back to Glenorchy | π§ Fantail / Thunder Falls | π To Hokitika Gorge | π² Optional walk | π« AKL Departures | ||||
| 2:00 PM | πΆ Wynyard Quarter | π Shire's Rest Shuttle | π To Lake Tekapo (SH72) | β΅ Doubtful Sound Cruise | π¨ Arrive + Check in | Lunch | π To Arrowtown | ποΈ Gates of Haast | π² Valley Walk / Mapourika | π§ Hokitika Gorge | π Depart Arthurs Pass | ||||
| 3:00 PM | π Groceries | π§ Hobbiton (2:40 or 3:40) | Lunch (Geraldine) | π Through Queenstown β Te Anau | πΆ Explore Queenstown | π Back to Queenstown | π Ford of Bruinen (LOTR) | π Knight's Point | π To Greymouth | π² Treetop Walk | πͺ¨ Castle Hill | ||||
| 4:00 PM | π΄ Rest at Hermitage | π Back to Te Anau | Dinner on board | πΎ Bob's Cove / 12 Mile Delta | π Arrow River Gorge | πΏ Ship Creek Walk | π Greenstone / Beach | π To Christchurch | βοΈ AKL β JFK (4:30) | ||||||
| 5:00 PM | Back to hotel | π½οΈ Dinner β Hamilton (rush hour) | Arrive Te Anau | π Return Te Anau | π‘ Gondola + Luge (5 runs) | Rest at hotel | π Back to Queenstown | β½ Fox Glacier Fuel | Arrive Greymouth | π Back to Greymouth | Arrive Christchurch | ||||
| 6:00 PM | Dinner | π Arrive Lake Tekapo | π Return to Te Anau | π Viewing platform / Sunset | Dinner | π¨ Arrive Franz Josef | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | ||||||
| 7:00 PM | π Good Shepherd / Stargazing | Arrive Te Anau | Dinner | π Queenstown Bay Lakefront | Dinner | Sleep | |||||||||
| 8:00 PM | π Drive Auckland / Arrive | Check in | Check in | Dinner | Dinner | β¨οΈ Onsen Hot Pools (7:45) | |||||||||
| 9:00 PM | Sleep | Sleep | Sleep | ||||||||||||
| Stay | Hotel Indigo | Hotel Indigo | Grand Suites Lake Tekapo | The Hermitage | Kingsgate Te Anau | Kingsgate Te Anau | π’ Overnight Cruise | Holiday Inn Express | Holiday Inn Express | Holiday Inn Express | Rainforest Retreat Franz Josef | Greymouth | Greymouth | Christchurch | βοΈ Flying home |