My Full New Zealand Roadtrip – North & South Islands

New Zealand is incredible. From Hobbiton to the Southern Alps, here’s everywhere I stopped, what I loved and a few tips if you’re planning your own trip.

📍North Island highlights:

• Auckland (food, museums)

• Hobbiton (very touristy, very worth it)

• Rotorua (mud pools, Maori culture, hot springs)

• Huka Falls + Lake Taupō (great scenic stops)

• Tongariro NP (aka Mordor)

• Wellington (so much good food)

📍South Island highlights:

• Abel Tasman NP (hikes that lead to beaches)

• Punakaiki + Cape Foulwind (coastal gems, very windy)

• Franz Josef + Fox Glacier (no helicopter needed)

• Lake Matheson (mirror lake)

• Bruce Bay (so serene) 

• Wanaka + Queenstown (beautiful places) 

• Milford Sound (all day trip but worth it)

I added a full map of the route so you can plan your own version. You can also check my other posts for more in depth information about each stop. 

Save this post if NZ is on your bucket list 🇳🇿