The Top Three South Island Road Trips
New Zealand's South Island is a great place for a road trip, and there are a lot of routes to choose from. Here, we've picked three that showcase some of the island's most beautiful scenery.
You can drive each route as a standalone trip or combine all three. In this guide, we'll cover how to get to each one, what to see along each route, and how to link them together into the ultimate South Island road trip.
Key Takeaways
Three of the best road trips on the South Island are the Milford Road, the Mount Cook Road, and the Great Coast Road.
You can fly into either Christchurch or Queenstown to access all three.
Each drive can be done as a day trip or a multi-day itinerary, depending on your pace and starting point.
If you'd prefer not to drive, tour options are available for all three routes.
The most efficient way to combine all three into one trip is a loop starting and ending in Christchurch.
Getting to the South Island
Most visitors to New Zealand's South Island fly into either Queenstown or Christchurch, where you can hire a car and drive from there. For each of the road trips below, we've explained the route from both cities so you can start from whichever suits you best.
The Milford Road
The Milford Road between Te Anau and Milford Sound is widely considered one of the most scenic drives in the world.
Starting from Te Anau, the closest town to Milford Sound, the 119km route takes you through Fiordland National Park, past mountains, lakes, waterfalls, and native rainforest before reaching Milford Sound itself.
Getting There
Queenstown is around 2.5 hours from Te Anau, while Christchurch is around 8-9 hours away, so if you're starting from Christchurch, it's best to break the journey over a couple of days.
Wherever you're starting from, we recommend staying at least one night in Te Anau before driving the Milford Road. As the closest town to Milford Sound, it makes for a much more relaxed day than trying to drive all the way from Queenstown to Milford Sound and back.
The drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound takes about 1 hour 45 minutes without stops, or around 3 hours 45 minutes if you allow time for the main scenic stops.
What to See
Along the Milford Road, don’t miss Mirror Lakes, Eglinton Valley, Monkey Creek, and the Cleddau Valley after the Homer Tunnel. These are the classic Milford Road photo stops and are easy to visit from the roadside.
If you have the time, add in one or two of the short walks along the Milford Road. Lake Gunn Nature Walk takes about 30 minutes, Marian Falls is a 20–30 minute return walk, and The Chasm is a short but dramatic walk through sculpted river rock.
Things to Do in Te Anau
If you're spending a night or two in Te Anau, there's plenty to keep you occupied. The Te Anau Glowworm Caves tour is a highlight, taking you across Lake Te Anau to a network of underground caves.
The Kepler Track, one of New Zealand's Great Walks, starts and finishes in Te Anau, with several day-walk options if you don't want to do the full multi-day hike.
The town also has a range of cafés and restaurants, and a lakefront walk.
Camping Along the Milford Road
If you're travelling in a campervan, there are several DOC campsites along the Milford Road. These are basic campgrounds with toilets and communal cooking shelters but no power and no drinking water, so you'll need to bring your own food, cookware, and water.
If You'd Rather Not Drive
The Milford Road is narrow and winding, and can be difficult for drivers not used to New Zealand roads.
If you'd prefer to leave the driving to someone else, Milford Sound day tours are available from both Te Anau and Queenstown.
The Mount Cook Road
The Mount Cook Road is known for its unforgettable views of New Zealand’s highest mountain, Aoraki/Mount Cook, rising above Lake Pukaki.
Starting from State Highway 8 just outside Twizel, the 55km route takes you along the shores of Lake Pukaki, through the Mackenzie Basin, and into Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, ending at Mount Cook Village.
Getting There
From Christchurch, the drive is about 4.5 hours one way via Lake Tekapo, so many people break the trip up by staying a night in either Tekapo or Twizel.
From Queenstown, it's about 3 hours via the Lindis Pass. The actual Mount Cook Road takes about 45 minutes to drive without stops.
Many people do Mount Cook as a day trip from Queenstown, but staying overnight, either in Tekapo, Twizel, or Mount Cook Village itself, is well worth it if you have the time.
The area has some of the darkest skies in the world and is officially a Dark Sky Reserve, which makes for spectacular stargazing.
What to See
The main stop on the Mount Cook drive is Peter's Lookout, above Lake Pukaki, where you get a view of the road stretching toward the mountains. There are also plenty of pull-over spots along the road where you can stop for photos or take in the views.
Closer to Mount Cook Village, two detours are worth exploring. One leads to the Hooker Valley Track, and the other takes you through the Tasman Valley to see Tasman Lake and the lower Tasman Glacier.
The New Hooker Valley Bridge
The Hooker Valley Track is one of New Zealand's most popular short hikes, and it now features a brand new suspension bridge that opened in July 2026.
The 189m bridge crosses the Hooker River and is now the longest suspension bridge in New Zealand, replacing the previous one that was damaged during storms in April 2025.
Unlike a traditional swing bridge, the new bridge is designed to be more stable underfoot, so you won't experience the same amount of movement when crossing.
The full Hooker Valley Track is around 10km return and takes about 3 hours. It's mostly flat and ends at the Hooker Lake with a great view of Mount Cook rising above the ice-filled water.
Mount Cook Village
Mount Cook Village is small but has several accommodation options and a small café and pub. Even if you're just doing a day trip, it's worth stopping in the village for lunch or a coffee before heading back.
If You'd Rather Not Drive
If you'd prefer to leave the driving to someone else, see this day tour to Mount Cook from Queenstown.
The Great Coast Road
The Great Coast Road, on the South Island's West Coast, is a spectacular 100km section of State Highway 6 between Greymouth and Westport. It's one of New Zealand's most dramatic coastal drives, with rainforest-covered cliffs on one side and the Tasman Sea on the other.
Getting There
From Christchurch, you can drive across Arthur's Pass to Greymouth in about 3.5 hours.
From Queenstown, you'd drive north through Wanaka and Hawea, up over Haast Pass, and along the West Coast before reaching Greymouth. The drive is about 8 hours direct, but many people break this up with a night somewhere along the way.
What to See
The Great Coast Road takes about 90 minutes to drive non-stop, but plan for at least a few hours to take in the sights if you can. Some of the highlights include:
Punakaiki Pancake Rocks & Blowholes: layered limestone formations and powerful blowholes at high tide.
Cape Foulwind: an easy walk to a large New Zealand fur seal colony.
9 Mile Beach & 17 Mile Beach: excellent photo and beach stops.
Fox River: a quiet former gold-mining settlement with a historic bridge.
Charleston: home to Underworld Adventures and its glowworm cave tours.
Beyond Greymouth
The drive south from Greymouth takes you to Hokitika, known for its jade carving and pounamu, historic Ross, and Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers.
If You'd Rather Not Drive
If you'd prefer to leave the driving to someone else, tours are available here that cover the West Coast.
The Ultimate South Island Road Trip Itinerary
If you have the time and want to do all three of these road trips in a single trip, here's the most efficient way to link them into the best South Island road trip.
You can shorten or extend individual sections based on your interests and time available.
Day 1: Christchurch to the West Coast
Fly into Christchurch and pick up your rental car. Drive across Arthur's Pass to Greymouth. Stay a night on the West Coast.
Day 2: Great Coast Road
Drive the Great Coast Road, taking your time at Punakaiki Pancake Rocks, Cape Foulwind, and the beaches along the way. Return to Greymouth for the night, or stay somewhere along the coast.
Days 3-4: West Coast to Queenstown
Drive south through Hokitika, Franz Josef, and Fox Glacier, then over Haast Pass to Wanaka and Queenstown. This is a long stretch of driving, so most people break it up into two days with a night in either Franz Josef or Fox Glacier township.
Days 5-6: Queenstown and Milford Sound
Base yourself in Queenstown for a couple of nights. Take a day tour to Milford Sound to give yourself a break from driving. Use your other day to explore Queenstown itself.
Day 8: Queenstown to Mount Cook
Drive from Queenstown to Mount Cook via the Lindis Pass. Do the Hooker Valley Walk, then stay a night in either Mount Cook Village, Twizel, or Lake Tekapo.
Day 9: Mount Cook to Christchurch
Drive back to Christchurch to complete the loop.
A Note on Road Safety
New Zealand's roads can be quite different from what you might be used to. Many are narrow, winding, shared with a lot of other traffic in summer, and mountain passes can be affected by snow and ice in winter.
If you're not comfortable driving in these conditions, or you'd prefer to enjoy the scenery without focusing on the road, take advantage of the tours available in each location.
Between the Milford Road, the Mount Cook Road, and the Great Coast Road, you've got three of the South Island's most memorable drives. Whether you pick one or link all three together, you'll get to see some of the best of what the South Island has to offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best time of year for a South Island road trip?
The best time depends on your preferences and comfort driving New Zealand roads. For the best combination of long daylight hours, mild weather, and open roads, summer (December to February) is the peak season, though the roads can be busy with traffic.
Autumn (March to May) is also great, with cooler temperatures but quieter roads and still a good length of daylight hours. Winter (June to August) is stunning but requires more caution on mountain passes, and some routes may close temporarily due to snow.
Spring (September to November) is similar to Autumn, though snow and rain in places like Milford Sound can sometimes lead to road closures.
Is it easy to drive around New Zealand's South Island?
For the most part, yes. Roads are well-maintained, well-signposted, and relatively quiet outside of a few busy tourist areas in peak season. That said, most South Island roads are single-lane in each direction and can be narrow and winding, particularly in mountain and coastal areas.
Journeys often take longer than the distance suggests, so allow plenty of time. If you're not used to driving on the left, it’s important to take things slowly and build in extra buffer time.
Where should you start a South Island road trip?
Most people start their South Island road trip in either Queenstown or Christchurch, as these are the two main international airports on the island.
Queenstown is a good starting point if you want quick access to Fiordland, Central Otago, and the Southern Alps. Christchurch works well if you're planning to include the West Coast or the top of the South Island. The right choice depends on which parts of the island you want to see, and how much time you have overall.
