Best of the Central South Island - 6 nights, 7 days Queenstown to Lake Tekapo via Mount Cook

Itinerary created by

Ashley Elliott

What you’ll do

Have you only got a week to see the best that the South Island offers?
This 5 night, 6 day itinerary is my FAVOURITE road trip route in New Zealand and takes you through some of the best scenery NZ has to offer in the central South Island, adventuring from Queenstown, to Wanaka, to Mount Cook and Lake Tekapo before finishing. There will be lots of exploring the beautiful free nature of New Zealand with a few options for tourist activities.

Road Trip Prerequisites

The South Island towns and villages in this itinerary are some of the most popular destinations in New Zealand, particularly Mount Cook and Queenstown.

I highly recommend pre booking the activities, accommodations and eateries recommended in this itinerary to avoid disappointment.

Day Total

36.4 km (22.6 mi)

51 min

Welcome to Queenstown!

It's time to collect your rental car and spend a little bit of time exploring the tourist mecca of Queenstown. There is truly something for everyone in Queenstown and you could easily spend a week exploring here and its surrounds.

I've included a few of my favorite spots for you to choose from depending on your arrival time to Queenstown, interests and budget - Queenstown is expensive! You won't have time to do all of these, so choose carefully.

Then the late afternoon/evening is a great time to check into your hotel then wander the Queenstown lakefront and gardens before heading to dinner.

Choose the option that fits you the best

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Gobsmacking Views, Animals and Lord of the Rings Film Sites

Category

Activity

Est. Price

Est. Duration

1-2h

Direction

13.3 km (8.2 mi)

19 min

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Queenstowns bustling lakefront

Category

Area

Direction

524 m (0.3 mi)

3 min

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Beautiful Lakefront Park

Category

Park

Direction

You'll have no trouble finding a cuisine you like in Queenstown because it is PACKED with restaurants, but here are 3 of my favourites.
PS. Make sure you book in advance no matter where you decide to go.

Tanoshi - Some of the best Japanese I've had in New Zealand. This restaurant is very small and can be hard to find (it's a bit of a hidden gem) so make sure you book in advance.

Madam Woo - Delicious asian food great for sharing with rather strong cocktails.

Margo's - Really good mexican.

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Pour your own Wine Tastings

Category

Winery

Est. Price

Direction

If you're a hot pool fan I would recommend booking into Onsen Hot Pool for after dinner, particularly if you're visiting in Summer when the daylight stretches long into the evening. (I personally don't think it's worth doing in the dark, simply because you don't get the beautiful view which is half the price.)

This one is optional