The best road trips in New Zealand
27 drives, from the famous ones to the ones locals keep for themselves. Each with the stops in order and where to sleep.
The classics
- Queenstown to GlenorchyLakeside drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy (about 45 km) with Lord of the Rings scenery.45 km · 1 day
- Otago PeninsulaA short loop from Dunedin to Taiaroa Head, Larnach Castle and Sandfly Bay.60 km · 1 day · Loop
- Desert Road and the Central PlateauSH1 across the Rangipo Desert past Tongariro volcanoes, highest state highway pass.70 km · 1 day
- Crown Range RoadQueenstown to Wānaka over the Crown Range, the highest sealed road in New Zealand.100 km · 1 day
- Surf Highway 45New Plymouth to Hāwera on SH45, around Cape Egmont with surf beaches and Mount Taranaki views.105 km · 1 day
- Cape Reinga and the Far NorthKaitaia to Cape Reinga: the northern tip of New Zealand along the Aupōuri Peninsula.110 km · 2 days
- Milford RoadTe Anau to Milford Sound on SH94: 119 km through the Eglinton Valley and the Homer Tunnel.119 km · 2 days
- Banks Peninsula LoopChristchurch to Akaroa via the Port Hills, Lyttelton and the Summit Road.170 km · 2 days · Loop
- Around Mount TaranakiA drive around Mount Taranaki / Egmont, using the park's access roads.180 km · 2 days · Loop
- Coromandel Pacific Coast HighwaySH25 from Thames to Waihi via Coromandel Town, Whitianga and the east-coast beaches.231 km · 3 days
- Arthur's PassChristchurch to Greymouth on SH73, over the Southern Alps via Arthur's Pass (920 m).231 km · 2 days
- Napier–Taupō Road and Thermal ValleySH5 from Tīrau to Napier through Rotorua's thermal area and the Napier–Taupō road.262 km · 2 days
- Mackenzie Country and Lindis PassSH8 from Timaru past Lake Tekapo, Pukaki and Twizel to Cromwell.300 km · 2 days
- Alps to Ocean by RoadAoraki Mount Cook to Oamaru along the Waitaki Valley, the route of the cycle trail.300 km · 2 days
- Kaikōura CoastChristchurch to Picton via the Kaikōura coast, seals, whales and crayfish.330 km · 2 days
- Southern Scenic RouteQueenstown to Dunedin the long way: Fiordland's edge, Southland's south coast and the Catlins.610 km · 5 days
- West Coast and Haast PassGreymouth to Queenstown on SH6: glacier towns, the wild coast and over Haast Pass to the lakes.630 km · 4 days
Lesser-known drives
- Queen Charlotte DrivePicton to Havelock through the Marlborough Sounds on a winding coastal road.35 km · 1 day
- Golden Bay and Tākaka HillRichmond to Collingwood on SH60, over Tākaka Hill into Golden Bay.116 km · 2 days
- Forgotten World HighwayStratford to Taumarunui on SH43, three saddles and a self-declared republic. Fully sealed since 2025.148 km · 1 day
- Cape Palliser and WairarapaWellington to Cape Palliser: Martinborough, the lighthouse and fur seals.150 km · 2 days
- Waitomo and Marokopa CoastWaitomo caves and out to the wild Marokopa coast.150 km · 2 days
- Lake Waikaremoana RoadSH38 from Waiotapu to Wairoa through Te Urewera and Lake Waikaremoana, with about 74 km unsealed.195 km · 2 days
- Catlins CoastA slow drive through the Catlins: waterfalls, lighthouses and wildlife.200 km · 3 days
- Hokianga and Kauri CoastSH12 from Ōhaeawai to Brynderwyn through Hokianga Harbour and Waipoua Forest, kauri country.217 km · 2 days
- Lewis Pass and Hanmer SpringsWaipara to Greymouth over Lewis Pass on SH7 with a Hanmer Springs detour.272 km · 2 days
- East Cape RoadŌpōtiki to Gisborne via the Pacific coast on SH35: pōhutukawa beaches, marae and the country's easternmost lighthouse.334 km · 3 days
Looking for stops rather than a route? See road trip stops in New Zealand, or plan your own drive with the road trip planner.
Plan the drive, not just the stops
Roadtrip works out what the drive costs in fuel for your car, splits it into days with the best stops and places to sleep, and finds the cheapest fuel on the way.
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