During our last trip to New Zealand, we headed out on a week-long road trip across South Island, which was the experience I will never forget. At the heart of this trip was one simple decision: To rent a car ourselves. It was what made the whole journey possible and gave us a chance to go through the entire process first-hand and share everything we learned along the way.
Thus, my guide to renting a car in New Zealand was born! I hope it answers all the questions you might have concerning this subject. Get your seatbelt on, turn the volume up, and let’s hit the road!
Article contents
- The basics of renting a car in New Zealand
- Do you need a car at all?
- Where to rent a car in New Zealand?
- And how much does it cost?
- Who can rent a car in New Zealand
- How to choose a rental car?
- Tips for renting a car
- Car insurance
- Tips for driving in New Zealand
- How to move between North and South Islands?
- Parking issues in New Zealand
- New Zealand during the winter
- Other things to know about driving in New Zealand
- Our itinerary
- What about other means of transportation?
- How many weeks is enough for New Zealand?
- When to go?
The basics of renting a car in New Zealand
 |
 |
During the first few stages of planning your trip to New Zealand, the question of renting a car is the one that comes up most often. What do you do? You turn to the Internet, coming up with a slurry of identical advice that doesn’t quite give you the whole picture of the matter at hand. I will start off the same as any other outlet, giving you some basic info first.
What you need to know about renting a car in New Zealand, key tips:
- You might feel the urge to tick off every possible insurance option that is suggested on the website you use for renting a car, but I advise you not to follow this instinct. I’ll explain more later, but it’s better to sort out this thing UPON airport rental pick-up (if you decide to start your journey right after landing)
- Before you happily drive off into the sunset, you have to check your vehicle at pick-up for any damages that, if go unnoticed, might be charged at drop-off on your credit card. Document the inside and the outside of the car, and don’t be ashamed of taking your time and being thorough – it’s your money, after all!
- When it comes to actually driving the car, don’t forget that Kiwis drive on the left side of the road. That’s the most crucial thing for you to remember that will save you from getting into an accident as soon as you leave the parking lot.
There are plenty more tips I have up my sleeve about the whole renting and driving process, hold on tight and try not to miss a thing!
Do you need a car in New Zealand?
Okay, before you actually commit to getting a rental car in New Zealand, first you need to figure out if it’s the best course of action for you. Some activities in the country require you to be as free and flexible in your movements as you possibly can.
So, why rent a car in New Zealand?
✔️ Taking a road trip in New Zealand is the most popular way to explore the country, hands down. You can, of course, hitchhike, but it’s more about chance encounters than a planned out itinerary.
✔️ There are places to visit in New Zealand’s countryside that can be accessed only by car (I see you, Omarama Clay Cliffs). What are the places you plan to check off your travel bucket list when in New Zealand? If they include Queenstown, Auckland, Milford Sound, Gibbston Valley, or Stewart Island, then you can make do without renting a car – these places are easily accessible by tour buses, planes, or even ferries. However, if you want to drive out to the Franz Josef Glacier or explore the entirety of the Catlins (the experiences you definitely should not miss in New Zealand), then you have to get yourself a four-wheeled friend, stat!
After you weigh out your options and finally choose on renting a car, then you’re faced with the distance. How much ground do you expect to cover during your road trip in New Zealand? Obviously, the number varies greatly depending on whether you plan to explore the North and South Islands together, or focus your time on getting to know just one part of the country.
To give you an idea, here’s what our itinerary looked like:
- We spent 7 days roadtripping around South Island
- We covered around 1800 km total, driving approximately 300 km a day; leaving one rest day to explore Queenstown
- The longest travel day we had was our trip to Milford Sound (it went for 400 km – from Invercargill to Milford Sound and finally settling in Te Anau for the night). The shortest day we spent driving followed the previous one – we covered 170 km going from Te Anau to Queenstown
- We spent US$250 on gas alone during our road trip
- The bulk of our expenses though was the actual car rental: We rented a Mitsubishi Outlander (SUVs were surprisingly cheaper) on Discovercars for six days in high January season. The whole package cost us US$470: $290 for the car and $30 a day for the insurance with zero franchise. The price was also dependent on the fact that I booked our car one and a half months in advance
Now that you got familiar with some basic things to know about renting a car in New Zealand, let’s dive a little deeper into the guide I’ve created to make your overall experience as smooth and pain-free as possible.
Where to rent a car in New Zealand?
- Personally, I found our week-long companion through Discovercars
- But I also searched other car rental services, like Economybookings
These are the top places to look into when met with the problem of finding a car to rent in another country. The difference is that the first service works with more agencies, so sometimes it can offer lower prices.
The whole process was pretty easy as long as you know what rental cars cost in New Zealand and aren’t intimidated by car-rental terms like excess, deposit, and CDW.
How much does it cost to rent a car in New Zealand?
The cost of getting a car rental in New Zealand varies greatly depending on what type of car you’re getting, during which season you plan your travels, and which city you pick as your starting-off point. The “big three” of New Zealand (the most popular cities for starting a road trip) are Auckland, Queenstown, and Christchurch.
I’ve compiled a little table, so you can visually comprehend the difference in prices. The following numbers are counted in US dollars per day, if you plan of renting a car for a week.
| Car type | Season (January/July) | Auckland | Christchurch | Queenstown |
| Economy | High season | from $35 | from $33 | from $28 |
| Low season | from $11 | from $10 | from $12 | |
| Midsize | High season | from $40 | from $38 | from $38 |
| Low season | from $15 | from $16 | from $17 | |
| Campervan | High season | from $200 | from $195 | from $210 |
| Low season | from $40 | from $45 | from $80 |
Who can rent a car in New Zealand?
This part is too formal and dry to give it such a prime spot, but still, the information is super valuable for people who are planning to rent a car in New Zealand, so here we go.
Who can rent a car in New Zealand?
- You must be at least 21 years old, some companies take a surcharge if you’re under 25 or over a certain age.
- You must hold a valid driver’s license. If your license isn’t in English, you’ll have to get it translated and authorized by your country’s embassy or consulate; and get an International Driving Permit (IDP). If you’re a proud owner of an English-language driver’s license, then you don’t need to stress over acquiring an international driver’s license to rent a car in New Zealand.
- Most car rentals require you to have a credit card in your name for a security deposit. Even if you won’t need your credit card for this particular reason, cash in New Zealand is almost obsolete; so it’s still nice to have a working card during your travels.
That’s pretty much it for renting a car in New Zealand requirements, now let’s move on to more engaging topics for discussion.
How to choose a rental car?
 |
 |
Choosing the website, the specific car rental, as well as the actual car, are the most important steps to consider when planning a trip to the Kiwi land. Let’s look into cars first.
Here are my tips for getting a car rental in New Zealand:
- Before you settle on a rental car in New Zealand, you need to check these things first: A total price of full-coverage insurance, any potential hidden costs, is the mileage unlimited, are the company’s reviews positive; and other details, like any fine print that comes up when you read the terms and conditions.
- In the search results, you’ll see plenty of Toyotas, Mazdas, Suzukis, and Mitsubishis. Japan is much closer to New Zealand, so that’s why Japanese cars are so common here.
- The quality of New Zealand roads is up to standard, and many destinations have pretty accessible driveways, with plenty of parking space. Come to think about it, you don’t need 4WDs to navigate smooth (albeit narrow) New Zealand roads. A small car will be just fine.
- Petrol prices in New Zealand can be quite successful at slimming down your wallet (NZD$3,5 per liter / US$2), so turn your gaze to fuel-efficient vehicles to spend the saved money on other experiences.
Of course, my recommendations on which car type to choose are totally flexible. If you feel safer in a giant Volkswagen jeep, go ahead! The better you feel during your travels, the more open you are to new exciting experiences.
Before renting our trusted Mitsubishi Outlander, I did a simple math of car costs and gas prices. This car was much cheaper than other ones provided by the rental company (even though it was practically brand-new); so I figured it was still more profitable than renting a more expensive small car that would be more fuel efficient. So, we were left with this beast of a car that looked particularly impressive in front of New Zealand’s epic roadside views.
As I mentioned above, I got our car through the Discovercars website, from EZI Car Rental company. EZI rental is one of the best car rentals in New Zealand for those who prefer newer cars as most of their vehicles are late models, built no later than three years ago.
Tips for renting a car in New Zealand
While in the country, you can come across plenty of things and problems you feel like you should have known before getting a rental car in New Zealand. It was definitely a case for us – after hitting another road block (figuratively, since the roads in New Zealand are as smooth as butter) I decided to list all the possible answers to the questions you might have if it’s your first trip to New Zealand.
Booking your rental car in advance
One of the more obvious but nonetheless critically important tips for renting a car in New Zealand is doing it well in advance. Not only will you save the unnecessary stress of doing something last minute, but you will also create a lesser dent in your budget.
Take it from our experience: I booked a car for US$50 per day a month and a half before our upcoming trip. When checking the website 10 days before we set off on our journey, I couldn’t find anything cheaper than US$90 per day. Same cars and same companies, but putting off your decision will cost you a pretty penny.
Wondering how to save money on your rented car? Apart from the main rule of planning way ahead of time:
- The biggest money-saving tip is trying to plan your trip in a way that your car’s pick-up and drop-off happens in the same city. Personally, we picked Queenstown and its airport to be our point zero. Christchurch also feels like a good choice, a lot of budget-friendly offers fall onto this city!
- As I mention Queenstown’s Airport, take it as a rule of thumb that picking up your car at the airport is more often than not cheaper than in the city itself. This fact may vary company to company, but let’s face it – it’s way more convenient to start and end your journey at the airport, without having to worry about shuttle services.
- Consult with the company whether you should drop off the car with a full tank or not. Your attention is understandably way less sharp closer to the end of your journey, and nobody wants to pay a fee for something they weren’t aware of.
- Be vigilant about the length of time you want to have a car for. It’s good to know that most rental car companies count days you’re supposed to pay for as 24-hour periods. So, if you take the car for 25 hours, you will get charged for two whole days.
- The ultimate way to save money on transportation in New Zealand is making use of rental car relocation options. Let me explain: Some car rental companies provide an option for you to relocate a given car from one city to another at a reduced price. While this option is an amazing hack for finding the cheapest prices for car rentals in New Zealand, it might not be for everybody – the time you’re given to relocate is limited, so you might feel rushed and not get as much out of your road trip as you want to. Plus, you need to literally hunt down the options across many websites, since they get snagged super fast!
Car insurance
Car rental insurance in New Zealand can be tricky for a first-time traveler. I figured out the best course of action through lots of trial and error.
As I’ve already mentioned, I booked our car through Discovercars. If you have ever come across a car rental website, you know that it gives you the options to “tweak” your car insurance plan. I’ll explain how it works as before coming to New Zealand, we learned our lesson with insurance in Australia.
It goes something like this – when you arrive to pick up your car, you are made aware of the fact that the rental car company doesn’t acknowledge your full coverage insurance from the platform you’ve booked this car through (and that you’re paying $15 per day for). No, they give you two options:
- You either take out another full-coverage plan from the company itself for an extra of NZD$30 per day
- Or you leave with your $15 per day aggregator’s insurance, but put down a deposit of NZD$1,500 with the company.
In the last case, all of the car repair expenses will be exclusively your problem. For the compensation, you will have to reach out to aggregator yourself. That’s why you read the fine print.
I learned all of these details during our car rental experience in Australia, so I cancelled this insurance before our New Zealand trip and bought the local company’s insurance upon pick-up – zero deposite, zero excess, all good!
Rented car or a camper van?
 |
 |
Are you conflicted about your inability to decide whether to get a rented car or a camper van? Having your own vehicle is the best thing you can do if you want to have plenty of flexibility and freedom of movement around the country. New Zealand is the face of roadtripping movement, so renting four wheels is a must here.
| Car | Campervan |
| Requires a normal parking spot, usually doesn’t look suspicious when you “freedom park” | Needs more space to park; plus you’ll spend more on a powered site to get electricity you need to charge things |
| Normal price range | More expensive than an ordinary car |
| Can’t sleep inside (at least somewhat comfortably), requires you booking accommodation for every night of your trip | Sometimes has more than two full-length sleeping places, can sleep here every night |
| Showering can be done only in a hotel | Can shower in a campervan, if the water tank is full and the gray water system is up and running. Requires some finessing, but possible to take a shower here often |
| Cheaper toll road fees and ferry tickets | More expensive toll road fees and ferry tickets |
| Can pack a small number of things, limited storage | Can bring half of your apartment if you want to |
| Have to rely on eating out for your every meal | Can have groceries and even cook inside! |
| Feels familiar and a little mundane, isn’t great when traveling with children | Ultimate family-friendly way of traveling: Kids will be stocked about the overall sense of adventure (similar to that of camping) |
Tips for driving in New Zealand
I found roadtripping around New Zealand a quite pleasurable experience; that is, if you’re well-prepared with valuable info. Don’t worry if you feel like a novice, I am more than happy to help – here’s everything you need to know about driving in New Zealand:
- If you only get one thing out of this whole article, let it be this one: Always, and I mean ALWAYS, check whether you need to fill up the tank when driving through towns – gas stations are few and far between in the countryside. Gasoline prices in New Zealand are NZD$3,5 / US$2 per liter.
Pro tip: Look out for the popular supermarket chain PAK’nSAVE; they have self-service gas stations that have slightly cheaper fuel.
- Food stores and cafes are also a rarity when you’re on the road, so stock up on as much snacks as you possibly can.
- Another thing you need to think of before you hit the road in New Zealand is offline maps. Service here can be spotty at best, so don’t count on your prepaid SIM card’s internet or e-sim to cruise you throughout your entire journey. Be well-prepared with maps of places you want to explore.
- What are the speed limits for driving in New Zealand?
❗️In urban areas, it’s 50 km/h
❗️In rural areas – 80 km/h
❗️Motorways and expressways – 100 km/h
 |
 |
- Other aspects that can sometimes alter your driving speed, apart from speed limits, are heavy crosswinds (especially in the coastal areas, where even grass grows sideways from the wind’s sheer force) and one-way bridges where you and the upcoming car need to decide who goes first, since there’s no traffic light.
- As for the toll roads in New Zealand, we didn’t encounter any. It’s not by sheer luck though, since there are only three toll roads in the country, all of them located in the North part of North Island. If you do find yourself needing to drive on one of the toll roads, rest assured, they are very well-maintained and not that expensive (ranging from NZD$2,1 to NZD$2,6 per car).
- Don’t know what else you might need during your road trip? My practical advice includes a USB cable for charging your phone (cars here rarely have a lightning port), and a car phone holder (very useful for the unfortunate situations of when the car doesn’t have CarPlay and you don’t want the person riding shotgun to hold your phone up for you throughout the entire trip).
How to move between North and South Islands?
If your planned route takes you across the North and South Islands, you’ve got a real choice on your hands. Do you take the rented car on a ferry across the Cook Strait or do you ditch your car on one island, fly onto another island, and get a new car there?
While the ferry journey itself takes longer than flying, once you factor in getting to and from the airport and picking up another rental car, the total travel time is actually pretty similar.
Taking a ferry across the Cook Strait from Wellington to Picton is an experience in and of itself. As you sail off from the Wellington shores, take one last look at its architecture and green-covered hills, then head back to explore the ferry’s interiors: There are movie rooms, outdoor and indoor seating areas, cafes, and cabins. Even though the trip takes under 4 hours, renting a cabin might not be such a bad idea: You can lie down a little, lulled to sleep by waves.
- The ferry is quite expensive: The cheapest ticket can cost you NZD$252 / US$144 per person and per car (if it’s small, bigger cars and campervans have their own rates).
We are definitely team ferry crossing, since you get a more unique travel experience without having to go through a slew of additional paperwork and changing your four-wheeled companion half-way through your trip.
One drawback of a ferry crossing is that sometimes, if the weather is too stormy, the sailing can be cancelled. The companies try to notify you beforehand, but that’s New Zealand weather for you!
Parking issues in New Zealand
Arguably one of the most important things to know before visiting New Zealand is its long-lasting parking problem in bigger cities… When taking off on a road trip, you will have to worry where to leave your car when you stop by some restaurant or when you sign off for the night at one of the hotels or hostels (that might not provide parking spaces).
Let’s look at parking in New Zealand based off the different areas:
- The general Auckland area, and CBD in particular, become very crowded during the day. You have almost zero chance at snagging a free, or at least cheap parking spot, unless you wake up at the break of dawn to get the Early Bird special. Street parking in cities in New Zealand has a very convenient option of “Pay by plate”, where you type in your plate number into the machine, as well as the time you’re planning to stay at that spot, and then pay immediately, most often by a credit card.
- Queenstown’s parking question definitely gave us a fair bit of migraines. The city’s steep and narrow roads don’t make it easy to find a parking spot. Hotels and hostels rarely have vast parking spaces, so if you don’t want to spend time on driving around the city, you can go straight to our personal hostel choice – Southern Laughter Backpackers. The amenities are quite basic, but they even have parking spots for bigger cars, like ours.
One of the cheaper city car parks is Recreation Ground Carpark. It’s NZD$4 per hour / US$2,3; and is free after 6 p.m. You have to be lucky to find a free spot here though, as the park is filled to the brim most of the time.
- When it comes to popular tourist attractions outside city limits in New Zealand, they all mostly have free parking. One place got us heated with rage though: The parking area at Milford Sound had the tourists pay NZD$10 per hour / US$5,7! What a rip-off, considering it’s quite a long drive and most tourists are too tired to argue, so they just end up being taken advantage of. We actually found the solution (too little too late) to this problem: There actually was free parking by Milford Sound here, within a 20-minute walk to the cruise terminal.
As you might’ve guessed, figuring out how to rent a car in New Zealand is only half the battle, since there are still fuel costs, parking, ferries, and other practicalities to think about once you hit the road. I hope our advice has made the whole process easier for you; you know what they say: Forewarned is forearmed!
New Zealand during the winter
New Zealand’s South Island is famous for its breathtaking views, with snow-capped mountains in the distance. And while this part of the country is home to world’s last remaining glaciers, winters here are more rainy than snowy. Still, I have some tips for driving in New Zealand during winter months, in other words, its off-season:
✔️Icy road parts usually have some clear signs signaling you to be more careful on the road. If the road gets too icy, it gets closed. To have some peace of mind, avoid driving in icy conditions that fall onto the area at night and early in the morning.
✔️Some areas of New Zealand’s South Island do see some snow. After heavy snowfall, the roads are usually closed, with some main highways reopening in just a couple of hours, after the road crew clears the snow off the road.
✔️In general, don’t forget to ask for snow chains when renting a car in winter. They can come in handy, especially if you’re planning on hitting the Crown Range Road.
✔️Driving in winter in New Zealand can be quite enjoyable: It’s off-peak season on the islands, meaning there’s not a lot of travelers and less traffic on the roads. Don’t get reckless though: Speeding on an empty road can still lead to you getting a traffic fine.
✔️The cheapest rental cars get even cheaper in winter months, making your budget-friendly dreams come true.
Winter time in New Zealand is no stranger to clear sunny days, so take any opportunity you can and drive to the beautiful destinations without hesitation! Drive safe and follow the rules, that’s the bottom line of having a good time here.
Other things to know about driving in New Zealand
 |
 |
Now that you’ve got your fair share of basic things to know about renting a car in New Zealand, here are some of my own observations/additional requirements:
What are the alcohol limits for driving in New Zealand?
The alcohol limit in New Zealand is 0.05% Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) if you’re twenty or older. If you’re under 20, your alcohol levels should be at zero at all times.
Traveling with kids in New Zealand – do I need a special seat?
Yes, if your child is under the age of 7, they’re supposed to have an appropriate-sized special seat in the car. Most rental car companies have the seat installed for you before pick-up, but it’s you who’s going to pay the fine in case they forget about it. A child’s seat always comes at an additional cost, so keep that in mind when figuring out your travel budget.
What’s the road situation?
Most of New Zealand’s cities are connected by narrow, single-lane roads. If you come from the States or Australia, you can forget about huge multi-lane highways and get used to driving more thoughtfully, taking in the roadside views as you go. Just because the roads are narrow doesn’t mean you’ll be sitting in traffic for hours. There simply aren’t enough cars on most stretches to cause serious congestion.
Even destinations that see 10 people a day, tops, have extremely nice driveways leading up to them. There are little to no gravel roads, and even so, all the tourist attractions have vast parking spaces.
Where are all the people?
Speaking of the amount of people on New Zealand roads, there really is not a lot of cars driving on them, even during peak day hours. Despite being a bucket list destination for many world travelers, New Zealand’s roads can look deserted at times. We found it especially odd when we embarked on our Southern Scenic Route journey and didn’t see a single car for almost an hour into the drive.
Are the roads in New Zealand dangerous?
South Island has a lot of serpentine roads that can be tricky to take on for a driver with little experience. All those sharp turns in Lindis Pass and on the Crown Range Road can make your head spin from pure adrenaline rush of attempting to take them. Serpentine roads are always signposted, so be careful and don’t speed on these stretches of the road.
Road signs in New Zealand
I was surprised to see the lack of speed limit signs across the country. In truth, there’s virtually no need for them: The roads are rarely going through cities or towns, so usually you drive at 100 km/h, slowing down a little before taking a turn (there would be a sign to remind you), and that’s it! However, there are tons of banners on the sides of the road telling you about the nearby lookout point or some other tourist attraction.
Side note: Since we spent quite some time in Australia before heading to New Zealand, we couldn’t help but compare the two in all the possible scenarios. In New Zealand, much like in the Aussie Land, you’re supposed to drive on the left. If the latter has plenty of signs reminding you to “KEEP LEFT”, the former is much more subtle in its cues, with simple arrows painted right on the road, nudging you to “keep left”.
What are some other peculiar driving observations?
Again, much like in Australia, Kiwis like their roundabouts (mind you, not regulated by STOP signs or traffic lights). The one rule of a roundabout is that everybody gives way to cars already driving on the inner circle. Pretty neat! As for other things, I realized we didn’t encounter a single traffic camera during our entire trip. This fact was as freeing as it was uneasy.
Is it hard to drive on New Zealand roads as a new driver? Yes and no, since the lack of traffic is perfect for those who don’t yet feel comfortable around other cars, but the narrow roads and serpentines can be quite challenging if it’s your first time driving on them. Overall, it takes a little time to get used to driving on the opposite side of the road from the one you’re so familiar with. After you get to know it though, nothing can stop you from embarking on an epic road trip around New Zealand!
What other car features are there? If a stick shift makes your skin crawl with fear, don’t worry: all of the rental car companies in new Zealand have huge fleets of automatic transmission cars. Don’t care about the type of car but feel strongly about its effects on the environment? Electric vehicles are provided at most of the car hires here.
Is there danger of colliding with animals on the road?
After Australia, we were ready to keep our eyes peeled on the road so as not to hit a kangaroo or an alligator. But the reality is, there aren’t many big animals in New Zealand that you can accidentally collide with. The only animals you can squash with your tires are possums, but Kiwis actually want you to kill as many of these creatures as possible. Why the whole possum Vendetta? Well, they are practically the only predators in New Zealand, and they terrorize the native kiwi birds, so the locals want them gone.
There are lots of differently colored sheep grazing the green New Zealand fields at all times, so you can catch signs that warn you that sheep might be on the road. Other than that, drive with confidence and not stress about possums.
Our itinerary for driving around New Zealand
 |
 |
Out of all the travel tips for first-time New Zealand visitors, I personally feel like highlighting the one of choosing the places you want to see first, and then creating your travel itinerary based on these places. Yes, you should always leave room to be spontaneous and flexible. But in my opinion, if you don’t have weeks off work and a trust fund that supports your travels, you have to boil down your destinations first.
I don’t know whether you want to explore both islands in full, or pay a little more attention to the natural beauties of South Island as opposed to the urban and cultural North Island. All I have is our personal itinerary that worked wonders for us. You can get some ideas from this list!
Our North Island itinerary:
- Auckland – most internationally acclaimed city of New Zealand (as well as the most populated); dive headfirst into this divergent cultural hub: Visit galleries and museums and marvel at the modern architecture!
- Piha Beach – an hour drive West of Auckland, this beach is as rugged as beaches can be. Enjoy a coastal walk through the native forest and see the black-sand beach views from above.
- Hobbiton – the tours of the area can feel a little rushed and crowded at times, but the behind-the-scenes look at the setting for the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy is a sight a die-hard fan absolutely must see! Green hills, small hobbit holes, and the little details of the village are great for taking pictures of!
- Waitomo Glowworm Caves – the labyrinth of caves and underground rivers is what makes Waitomo so desirable for the public. Countless glowworm caves offer tours into the dark tunnels filled with little glowing creatures. A bucket list destination!
- Rotorua – the geothermal area of North Island, includes tens of active geyser areas, like Orakei Korako (home of New Zealand’s only geothermal cave, the access to which is prohibited, but the lookout deck provides a nice view of this phenomenon) and Wai O Tapu (another thermal wonderland filled with steamy geysers and boiling mud pools). The differently colored pools might be a nice sight for the eyes, but the smell that floats in the air from the geothermal activity is definitely not for the faint at heart!
- Tongariro National Park – a classic New Zealand road trip destination, home to the country’s largest lake, longest river, and oldest national park! Set out on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing – one of the best day hikes that takes you through an active volcanic area with mind-blowing views of the mountains and the valleys.
Our South Island itinerary:
- Queenstown – the adventure capital of New Zealand; beautiful city sitting in front of a magnificent lake and snow-capped mountains. Tons of hiking trails around!
- Gibbston Valley – the wine region of South Island, best explored on a wine tasting bike tour. Get yourself a bottle of sauvignon blanc as a souvenir!
- Dunedin – a unique city in New Zealand, home to the world’s steepest street and the only castle in the country.
- Southern Scenic Route = one of the most scenic drives in New Zealand, with a starting off point in Dunedin and plenty of exciting stops along the way: Falls, lookouts, lighthouses, caves, and even a dinosaur-aged forest on the coast!
- Te Anau – glowworms. Need I say more?
- Milford Sound – the eighth wonder of the world, the most spectacular place we’ve ever visited. Taking a cruise in the sound and coming close to the mossy walls and waterfalls is an unforgettable experience!
 |
 |
- Mount Cook National Park – breathtaking mountain with plenty of hiking trails for travelers with varying levels of physical fitness (don’t forget your hiking boots)!
- Lake Pukaki – blindingly blue color of the water with lupine fields and mountains in the distance. Every travel photographer’s dream.
- Wānaka – #thatwanakatree, great coffee and even better beer. Grab yourself a cold one and enjoy the sunset over the lake.
- Omarama Clay Cliffs – another highly Instagrammable location, spiky rock formations make you feel like you’re walking in some no man’s land. Weird and exciting!
- Crown Range Road – the highest road in the country; if you’re lucky, you’ll get to drive through clouds!
- Glenorchy – another “Lord of the Rings” location; you can find your Paradise here. That’s all I’ll say, for now.
To learn more interesting facts about New Zealand’s South Island, check out my soon-to-be-published article about other places to visit here. All the best hiking trails, lookout points, and unique destinations (like beach caves, perfectly spherical boulders, and pancake walls) will blow your mind and want to move to New Zealand for good!
Other means of transportation
While New Zealand is a country that is better to be explored by car, I still believe there are plenty of amazing places here that you can reach via a pretty well-developed public transportation system.
As I mentioned before, ferries can be a totally mind-blowing experience, especially if it’s your first time on board one. A whole city on the water, you can go to a café, lay down in your cabin, or relax in the outdoor seating areas, taking in the views. The most popular ferry rides are between North Island’s Wellington and South Island’s Picton, as well as South Island’s Bluff and Stewart Island. The straits between the places have choppy waters, so take your seasickness medication in advance.
InterCity buses are New Zealand’s extensive bus network, covering almost the entirety of the country. Bus travel can be tiring, but if divided into manageable travel pieces, it becomes a pretty enjoyable experience! Buses are more flexible than other modes of transportation in New Zealand.
Domestic flights are great for people who don’t like to waste time: Covering long distances in a couple of hours is a godsend for the impatient. Domestic flights are, of course, cheaper than international ones, but flying across New Zealand is still one of the most expensive ways of traveling around the country.
The most decadent and movie-like way of seeing New Zealand is by train travel. North Island’s route from Auckland to Wellington is one for the books: Volcanoes, vast valleys, flourishing greenery. South Island’s Picton to Christchurch coastal route offers the experience that is definitely on par with its North cousin – mountains, beaches, and the never-ending horizon. This way of traveling is timeless, that’s for sure!
So, if you don’t have a personal chauffeur who will drive you places in New Zealand, look into these modes of transport for your future trip to Kiwi Land.
How many weeks is enough for New Zealand?
How many days is enough to visit New Zealand is not the correct way to pose this question. When it comes to New Zealand, travel time is counted in weeks, not days. My initial reaction is to answer as many weeks as you can afford without running completely out of money, but I need to be more reasonable and realistic.
Overall, if you want to graze the crème de la crème of popular tourist destinations across both islands, two weeks might be enough: One week to galavant around North Island’s culture hubs and another week to get closer to South Island’s awe-striking nature.
Depending on the time you can manage to spend driving, your trip can be shorter (for the impatient travelers) and longer, when you have no problem starting from the very North point and driving down to the very South. Ah, the dream!
When to go to New Zealand?
What is the best month to visit New Zealand? When it comes to driving, it’s better to consider summer months and their according shoulder seasons (general period between November and March is what you’re looking at), as these months have the prime weather conditions for hitting the road. Warm and sunny days are perfect for a road trip, there’s no denying it.
For a more experienced driver, winter months (from April to October) can be a diamond in the rough for a journey around the islands. There are less cars on the roads, no signs of crowds whatsoever, and the rare bad weather conditions (like ice and snow on the roads) are easily managed by snow chains and careful driving.
Depending on your driver abilities, pick the time you feel suits you best for embarking on your epic road trip around New Zealand.
I hope that the listed things to know about renting a car in New Zealand will make your whole experience as easy and struggle-free as possible! If you have any further questions on the topic of rental cars in New Zealand, feel free to leave them in the comments below. Kia Ora!