10 Day New Zealand Itinerary Without a Car

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Why You Should Visit the South Island in New Zealand

If you’ve ever seen Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, or the Chronicles of Narnia, you’ve seen hours of stunning landscapes filmed in New Zealand! Many of those locations were on New Zealand’s South Island, which with its stunning Alps, beautiful shores, and lush landscapes in between, you do not want to miss. From taking a helicopter tour to some of the most remote glaciers in the world, surfing giant waves, and spotting the world’s smallest penguin, there is something for everyone on the South Island.

A 10 day New Zealand itinerary is not nearly long enough to see everything the breathtaking country has to offer, but this itinerary will offer you some incredible highlights of the South Island, all accessible without a car.

What You Need to Know Before You Go to New Zealand

General

New Zealand is on the continent of Oceania, along with Australia and many Pacific Islands. New Zealand was first discovered and settled by the Maori people, and there is an effort to revive both Maori culture and language in New Zealand today. Before you go to New Zealand, even if you are from a visa-exempt country, you have to fill out a electronica travel form. It's basically like a tourist tax, but you need to do it before you depart. The link can be found here.

Money

New Zealand’s currency is the New Zealand Dollar (NZD), and while credit cards are widely accepted, most terminals have a fee for using a card or “paywave” (AKA tap to pay in the United States). If you’re on a budget or looking to save 3% per transaction, plan on paying in cash.

Language

English is the primary language in New Zealand, though many signs are also in Maori. In bigger cities, you might also find signs in languages such as Chinese or Japanese.

Safety

I felt very safe in New Zealand. The vibe, especially in larger cities, is very much the same as the United States. Walking around Christchurch felt a lot like walking around Denver to me, and walking around Queenstown felt a lot like walking around Breckenridge. Dunedin totally gave off Scotland vibes, and it was probably my favorite city on our entire trip!

Tips for Travelers with Anxiety in New Zealand

If you’re not comfortable driving on the opposite side of the road and opposite side of the car, you can still get around, but the public transportation system in New Zealand is about the same as it is in the United States: some places are good, others are bad. It’s not like Europe where you can hop on a train or a tram and zip around. Having a car is definitely helpful here, and I really wish we had rented one. Instead, we Ubered most places, which limited us in both time and flexibility from getting from place to place. Thankfully, Ubers are abundant, and there are many organized tours that will take you to the highlights of each area.
If you are doing a water tour and you get anxious or seasick, bring seasick bands or Dramamine.
New Zealand does not allow you to bring fruit, nuts, or seeds into the country. If you pack snacks for the plane, make sure they are prepackaged protein bars or something similar that meets their entry requirements.

How to Get to the South Island in New Zealand

Depending on where you are flying from will change your arrival route, as well as which airline you choose to take to New Zealand. For our 10 day New Zealand itinerary, we flew on Air New Zealand and booked the infamous sky couches! More on that in another post. From the United States, you’re most likely going to fly into Auckland if you fly Air New Zealand, which means you will have to connect in Auckland to either Christchurch or Queenstown. If you’re flying from the United States and choose an airline like Qantas, you’ll likely stop somewhere in Australia before going to either Christchurch or Queenstown. Either option is fine, and as you read the itinerary below, you’ll see that you can start from either city and still have an amazing trip.

When to Plan Your South Island New Zealand Trip

Shoulder seasons are my favorite seasons to travel because they are cheaper, less crowded, and the weather is still decent in most places. Our 10 day New Zealand itinerary was in November, and while I had to wear a jacket most days, the sun shone and it was nice to be outside so long as I layered up. New Zealand is in the Southern Hemisphere, meaning that the seasons are opposite to the Northern Hemisphere. So in November, it was late spring in New Zealand, whereas it was late fall in the United States. Queenstown especially starts to get busy in late November and early December, with schools in both Australia and New Zealand letting out for the holidays. Queenstown also gets busy during the winter months (June - August) with its lush ski slopes. TLDR: September - November and February - May.

Where to Stay on the South Island of New Zealand

Christchurch

The Observatory Hotel Christchurch is in the heart of the city, situated in the Arts Center in Christchurch. This 33-room boutique hotel is everything you could want: old-world charm, soft beds, luxurious bathrooms, and modern amenities including a self-serve coffee machine, gym, and a lobby filled with books about local history and culture. It’s walkable to shops, malls, and restaurants, which means you won’t sacrifice comfort for convenience. Each room is unique in this converted observatory (yes, they used to host physics and astronomy classes there!), and with friendly, welcoming, staff, you’ll be loath to leave for other cities in New Zealand’s South Island.

Dunedin

The Victoria Hotel Dunedin is perfectly situated, close to the big shopping and dining street and only a short walk to the famous railway station. Dunedin is definitely a college town, so expect to see lots of students popping in and out of the hole-in-the-wall restaurants nearby. The food is fantastic and cheap around there, which is definitely a bonus! The beds are soft and comfortable, and if you’re like me and love to sleep with a ton of pillows, opt for a room with double beds. There is still enough room for two people, and you get extra pillows! The hotel also offers a coin laundry facility, which means you can pack lighter knowing that you have a place to wash your clothes on a long trip. The gym, restaurant, and concierge service all make the Victoria Hotel a top-notch place to stay.

Queenstown

With the breathtaking landscapes surrounding Queenstown, you definitely want a hotel with a view. The Dairy Private Hotel even has a hot tub where you can relax after a long day of exploring with stunning views of the mountains! Note that you’ll need to book it in advance. The style of the hotel is funky and eclectic, and there is a daily happy hour with free wine and beer where you can mingle with other guests at the boutique hotel. It’s also steps away from the main pickup spot for tours in Queenstown, so you won’t have to wake up extra early just to walk there! Not that you will want to leave your bed, as they are very comfortable, with ultra-soft sheets and cozy pillows.

10 Days in the South Island of New Zealand Itinerary

While our itinerary was slightly different, I’ve modified it so you’ll maximize your time in NZ, leaving more time for you to enjoy everything the country has to offer! I make the mistakes so you don’t have to 😁 . If you’re nervous about driving on the opposite side of the road, you’re definitely going to want to follow this 10 day New Zealand itinerary!

How to Travel from Place to Place in New Zealand

New Zealand's public transport is about on par with the United States’ public transport, so with everything being so spread out, a car is definitely helpful. If you do not want to rent a car, you can fly between each of these cities, which is what we did. However, there is a bus that runs between Dunedin and Queenstown that only takes about 3 1/2 hours. So what I recommend doing is flying into Christchurch, then flying down to Dunedin, then taking the bus to Queenstown, then flying back to Christchurch and onward home.

Christchurch (Days 1 - 4)

Willowbank Wildlife Reserve

You can easily Uber to the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve from your hotel in Christchurch, and there will be someone available to drive you the other way. The Willowbank Wildlife Reserve is the ONLY place on this 10 day New Zealand itinerary where you can see a Kiwi, so if that is on your bucket list, you can’t miss this spot. There is a special habitat constructed for the nocturnal Kiwi, and you must be quiet and not use your phone or camera while inside the building. The low, red lights provide just enough brightness to make out their little running forms, and you’ll most likely hear them before you see them. Use your senses to guide you!

The reserve boasts hundreds of animals ranging from your typical barnyard friends to native wildlife like the Kiwis and alpine parrots. You can even see some wallabies hopping about! If you want to interact with the animals, I recommend buying a bag of food when you purchase your tickets. The llamas, cows, and sheep will eat right out of your hands. Expect to spend about two hours wandering the reserve.

Beaches

View from trails at Taylor’s Mistake Beach

We Ubered to two beaches near Christchurch: Sumner Beach and Taylor’s Mistake Beach. Sumner Beach is definitely more popular, and you’ll find dogs fetching sticks, children making sandcastles, and others swimming in the water here. Stop by one of the beach bars for a coffee or hot chocolate to warm up! Taylor’s Mistake Beach is like a hidden cove, surrounded by volcanic rock, and definitely off the beaten path. The road to get down to it is insane! It’s quieter, and there are nearby hiking trails where you can discover breathtaking views of the landscape. We spent about half a day exploring these two spots before heading over to Lyttleton for lunch. It was honestly one of the most fun days on our 10 day New Zealand itinerary!

Akaroa Penninsula Tour

While we had this Akaroa Peninsula tour booked for our first full day in New Zealand, we didn’t actually get to do it because our first flight was delayed and we weren’t able to fly to New Zealand until the following day. We were very much looking forward to this tour, though, so I had to mention it! If you love wildlife and want to appreciate New Zealand’s natural beauty, you don’t want to miss seeing the peninsula.

Rooftop Bars

While Christchurch itself may be flat, it is surrounded by mountains, and what better way to view them than from a rooftop bar? We tried two different ones while we were there: Mr. Brightside and The ONE in the Christchurch City Hotel. They have totally different vibes, but the view from both is fantastic. If you want an elegant, upscale feel, check out The ONE. If you want a funky, fun bar with an eclectic drink menu, check out Mr. Brightside. Their story is fantastic as well, so make sure you check it out while you’re looking for a drink!

Dunedin (Days 4 - 7)

Larnach Castle

If you want to visit New Zealand’s only castle on your ten-day New Zealand itinerary, you have to go see Larnach Castle! While it is quite a ways away from the city center, you can book this tour. Not only does it get you to and from the castle, but it also gets you to some of the other highlights of the area like the world’s steepest street, epic viewpoints, the railway station, and more. Russ, our guide, was absolutely fantastic, and we were lucky enough to have the tour all to ourselves. The gardens around the castle, especially in the spring, are absolutely stunning, and it's definitely a must-see while in Dunedin!

Blue Penguin Experience

A group of five penguins wade out of the ocean and run of a beach in Dunedin New Zealand — Blue Penguins approaching their nests on the Otago Peninsula

Hands down my favorite part of the entire 10 day New Zealand interary was the Blue Penguin Tour. First, you will get picked up at your hotel, and begin your drive to the Otago Peninsula. Along the way, your guide will point out landmarks and other interesting facts about the area. The drive out to the blue penguin viewing location is kind of long, so you stop at several places along the way to look for albatross, sea lions, and seals. The whole peninsula is absolutely breathtaking, and as you're driving along at sunset, you will see some epic colors setting over the ocean in the distance.

Once you arrive at the blue penguin experience, you will sit for a talk about the local wildlife, including the penguins, and a little bit about the Trust that protects them. Then you will follow the guides to a viewing platform specially constructed for this experience. Make sure you have your camera ready and set up for low-light photography because it does get dark pretty quickly. When that first wave of penguins emerges from the ocean, everybody will race to the banister and try to get a glimpse of the little guys. We were very lucky and saw over 100 penguins the night we went! The tour doesn't start until late afternoon, see you arrive back at your hotel pretty late as well. The day you do this experience you could definitely do something in the morning too.

Stargazing Experience

The Otago Peninsula is one of the darkest places in New Zealand, so if you love the stars, you definitely should consider booking a stargazing tour! This one also offers insight into the Maori way of life and how they used the stars to navigate from the different islands in Polynesia and eventually end up in New Zealand. It gets cold pretty quickly at night, so wear a few extra layers! Blankets and hot chocolate/coffee/tea are also provided for you on this tour. The guide will even tuck you in to make sure that you get the best view of the stars without getting too cold.

Dunedin Railway Station

While the Dunedin railway station is not totally active any longer, its architecture is still breathtaking and worth visiting for that alone. On certain days of the month, you can book scenic train tours from the station. You can look on their website to find out the exact dates. Hopefully one coincides with your ten-day New Zealand itinerary!

Tunnel Beach

When we searched how long it would take to get to Tunnel Beach and back, we didn't realize that the half-hour walk estimate down to the beach was because the walk really does take that long. It is very, very steep and treacherous! Definitely need good shoes to get up and down these paths, and possibly an oxygen tank. 🤣 Dunedin also boasts the world’s steepest street in addition to these insanely steep paths to the beach, and after climbing one on the first day and another on the second day, I was done with leg day for about a month. 😅 Tunnel Beach gets its name from the literal tunnel that is built into the rock that leads down to the beach. It’s quite slippery when wet, and make sure you check the tides before going down it!

Queenstown (Days 7 - 10)

Helicopter Glacier Tour

While Queenstown may be the adventure capital of the world, that’s not all it has to offer. If you're not quite up for bungee jumping, skydiving, white water rafting, or anything else too crazy, you can take a helicopter tour to one of the nearby glaciers. Unfortunately, this tour is very weather-dependent, and they book out months in advance, so if you can, I recommend booking this for your first full day in Queenstown. Due to the weather, ours was canceled, but I can tell you from talking to guides on our other excursions that it is totally worth it. We might have to return to New Zealand just for this experience!

Wine Tour

a woman holds a glass of red wine at a wine tasting in a winery otago region new zealand — Wine tasting at Kinross Winery

If your helicopter tour gets canceled, what better way to drown your misery than in wine? The Otago Region of New Zealand is renowned for its wines, even though it is still a relatively new region for wine production. While it is known for its award-winning red wines, you'll also get to taste plenty of whites and roses as well! Small group tours are my favorite, and this one is limited to 12 people, so you'll get to spend the day drinking and getting to know your fellow wine lovers!

Lord of the Rings Tour

Just outside of Queenstown, several Lord of the Rings filming locations wait for you! Have you ever wanted to dress up and swing swords in the woods where Boromir died? Or lay in the spot where Sam and Frodo hid from the massive olyphants? Or how about getting a view of the infamous Isengard? You can see all of these places and more on this guided tour. Our guide was actually an extra in one of the scenes filmed at Isengard! Prepare to geek out for four hours while you take in breathtaking landscapes and learn about the filming of one of the world’s greatest franchises.

Milford Sound Tour

a misty rainy day at milford sound in new zealand causes waterfalls to flow over the cliffs by the hundreds and into the bright greenish blue water — Waterfalls on Milford Sound

Milford Sound is probably one of the most iconic locations in all of New Zealand's South Island. While it’s a very long drive from Queenstown, on this tour you will make multiple stops along the way to stretch your legs, take in the scenery, get a snack, and more. If it has been raining a lot before you go, you'll see thousands of waterfalls along the way. Seriously, I've never seen so many at once in my entire life! You’ll also see some wild Alpine Parrots, who love to attack cars as they enter and exit a tunnel through the mountains.

Unfortunately, the weather made the water a little choppy on the ferry, so I did end up having a panic attack, but if you aren't bothered by boats, you will be fine.

Final Thoughts on 10 Days in New Zealand’s South Island

A 10 day New Zealand itinerary is not nearly long enough to see everything such a beautiful country has to offer. And this itinerary didn't even cover half of the south island! I mentioned above that you can get around to each place without a car, I definitely think our trip would have been improved if we had rented one.