New Zealand | New Zealand in 10 days

Before you leave

Book Hobbiton tickets about 3 months ahead, especially if a particular time matters — the tour with the buffet lunch is worth it
Book a Milford Sound day tour from Queenstown — we used Pure Milford through GetYourGuide because it was the only one that included lunch
Reserve dinners ahead where needed — Bali Nights in Auckland requires a reservation, and Khu Khu Thai recommends one
Buy Skyline Gondola and luge tickets online if you are travelling in a busy season
Rain jacket, warm layers and good walking shoes — it was winter (June) for us, and trails get muddy
Motion-sickness medicine for the winding road to Milford Sound
Snacks for Day 1, in case there is no time for lunch before the glowworm caves

Day 1 — Auckland to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves

Arrive at Auckland airport and pick up the rental car.

Two Qantas planes parked on a grey, overcast apron, seen through the terminal windows at Auckland airport.

Arriving at Auckland airport.

Drive to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, in the village of Waitomo, just over 2 hours from the airport. In winter, the last tour starts at 4:45 pm.
Tip: If time is scarce, stock up on food, snacks and drinks at the airport.
The cave entrance is a couple of miles past the village. In Google Maps, use the actual address from the caves’ website — searching for “Waitomo Caves” takes you somewhere else.
The tour is informative and beautiful, but short. Loading onto a boat in total darkness and staring up at the ceiling for 15 minutes while the boat loops around a small underground lake is magical — a once-in-a-lifetime experience, as caves like this only exist in a few parts of New Zealand. No photos are allowed inside.

His dad walking down a lantern-lit wooden boardwalk through dense ferns and trees towards the cave entrance.

The walk to the entrance of the Glowworm Caves.

Optional: If time and daylight allow, visit Marokopa Falls and the Mangapohue Natural Bridge, close to Waitomo.
After the caves, drive another 90 minutes to Matamata for dinner. We recommend Indian Tadka — cozy vibes and homey food.

The front of Indian Tadka Restaurant & Bar in a covered arcade, with wooden picnic tables outside.

Indian Tadka in Matamata.

Where we stayed: a cozy cottage on a horse farm near Matamata. There are hotels and Airbnbs throughout the area.

Day 2 — Hobbiton and the Blue Spring

Drive to the Hobbiton Movie Set parking area.
Tip: Buy Hobbiton tickets about 3 months ahead, especially if a particular time is important to you. We highly recommend the tickets with the buffet lunch — the food is mouth-watering and incredibly varied, with vegetarian and vegan options.

A hobbit hole with a round yellow door and round window set into a grassy hillside, with a vegetable garden and a wooden chair in front.

One of the many hobbit holes in Hobbiton.

Pick up your tickets and check in at the office. Have coffee and breakfast at the Shire’s Rest café, with a view of the rolling hills of the Shire.
Enjoy the Hobbiton Movie Set tour and lunch. Wear good walking shoes and bring rain gear, as the paths get muddy when wet. June weather was still pleasant enough with a jacket.

Green rolling hills and gardens around a small lake, with the large Party Tree in the middle distance.

The view from the trail around Hobbiton.

His dad sitting at a writing desk inside a hobbit hole, surrounded by wooden shelves, books and red curtains.

Inside a hobbit hole.

Drive to the Blue Spring at Putaruru. In Google Maps, use the Leslie Road address, which leads to a parking area close to the spring.
A short walk through temperate rainforest brings you to the spring. It is at its best in sunny weather. The water is unbelievably clear, with bright green plants swaying underneath. The trail continues up a hill to a waterfall.

A clear, green-tinted stream winding through a valley of ferns, cabbage trees and bush.

The Blue Spring from the trail.

Our son in a red puffer jacket standing on the boardwalk beside the spring, with bright green water plants visible below the surface.

The view from the boardwalk.

Drive back to Auckland.
For dinner, try Bali Nights for an amazing variety of Indonesian food — vibrant flavors and textures, though the portions are small. A reservation is required. Park in the Woolworths parking garage next door.

The glowing front window of Bali Nights restaurant at night, with diners inside under woven lampshades.

Bali Nights.

Where we stayed: Voco Auckland City Centre. Valet parking was about $80 a night.

Day 3 — Auckland city

Breakfast at the hotel.
Walk to the Viaduct Harbour and the Auckland waterfront. Enjoy views of the skyline, the harbour and the marina.

Auckland’s skyline and the Sky Tower rising above a marina full of boats, under a clear blue sky.

The skyline from the harbour.

Back at the hotel, pick up the car and drive across the Harbour Bridge to Little Shoal Bay, a small bay with a parking lot, a kids’ play area and views of the city.

Our son bending down at the water’s edge while his dad takes a photo, with moored boats and the Harbour Bridge behind them.

Little Shoal Bay.

Drive to the Wintergardens at the Auckland Domain. Walk through the glasshouses to see orchids, tropical flowers and many other plants.

A round pond of water lilies inside a white-framed Victorian glasshouse, with hanging baskets above.

A path through a glasshouse lined with dense beds of yellow flowers, ornamental cabbages and grasses.

The Wintergardens.

Walk over to the fountain, shaded by large trees, to find a cozy café.
For lunch, try Khu Khu Thai, a vegan Thai restaurant with amazing, fresh flavors. A reservation is recommended.
Our experience: We spent a few hours here with family who live in the city. Most people should head straight to the next stop after lunch.
Drive to Achilles Point and enjoy the views from the edge of Auckland.

A quiet sandy beach curving below a bush-covered cliff, with calm water stretching to the horizon at dusk.

The view from the lookout at Achilles Point.

Spend some time at St Heliers Beach or Mission Bay Beach. Both have plenty of parking, food, cafés and shops nearby. Their wide sandy beaches are ideal for walking in winter and swimming in summer.
Drive to Mount Eden. In Google Maps, enter directions to the Mount Eden parking area (or café), not just “Mount Eden”.
Walk up the hill from the parking area and follow the trail around the crater for stunning views of the Auckland skyline and surrounding green spaces.

Auckland’s city lights and the illuminated Sky Tower spread out below a dusky sky, seen from the top of Mount Eden.

The view from Mount Eden at night.

Return to the hotel and walk to dinner to avoid parking fees. We recommend Saravana Bhavan, a short walk from the hotel. It is a popular South Indian chain from Chennai, India. We don’t have one in our city, so we thoroughly enjoyed this dinner.

Day 4 — West Auckland beaches and hikes

Breakfast at the hotel.
Drive to the Karekare Beach parking lot. To reach the beach, walk out of the parking lot towards the road, then turn right until a path appears, and take that path to the beach. Walk along this scenic beach, which has an extremely long stretch of sand. Swimming is not recommended here, especially in winter, because of the high surf.

Our son in a red jacket walking across wide, dark sand towards a towering rock outcrop at Karekare Beach.

Karekare Beach.

Cross the street and walk up the road to the trailhead for Karekare Falls. The waterfall is gorgeous and far from the crowds.

Me standing beside the pool at the base of Karekare Falls, which pours down a cliff covered in green bush.

Our son smiling in front of Karekare Falls.

Karekare Falls.

Drive to the Mercer Bay Loop trailhead, which has a good-sized parking lot. The trail is about 1.4 miles with about 600 ft of elevation gain. It is downhill all the way to the viewpoint, so the climb comes on the way back.

Our son leaning on the railing at a clifftop lookout, with the Tasman Sea and a long surf beach stretching behind him.

The Mercer Bay Loop.

A steep, bush-covered cliff dropping into the surf, with yellow gorse flowers in the foreground.

The view from the lookout.

For lunch, the Piha Store has great freshly made pies, warm and flaky, plus drinks and vegan options.

The dark wooden front of the Piha Store, with windows along a ramp and a bright blue sky above.

The Piha Store.

Drive to Piha Beach and spend some time exploring this scenic black-sand beach, with its interesting rock formations and paths. There is plenty of parking, and restrooms near the Piha Store and at the beach.
Tip: Have a picnic of pies on the beach if the wind isn’t too wild.

A black-sand beach with rolling surf, framed by a headland on the left and Lion Rock and smaller rocks on the right.

Piha Beach.

Drive to Kitekite Falls. Park in the lot near the restrooms, which is closer to the trailhead. This area is away from the crowds. The gorgeous 1.7-mile trail winds through lush temperate rainforest on a boardwalk before becoming rocky and occasionally muddy. AllTrails lists only about 200 ft of elevation gain, but it felt like more.

Our son and I standing together on the trail, with the long white ribbon of Kitekite Falls in the rainforest behind us.

Kitekite Falls.

A wet wooden boardwalk winding through tall tree ferns and native rainforest.

The trail to Kitekite Falls through the rainforest.

Drive to Bethells Beach. From the parking lot, take the alternate path to the beach — the original path was rerouted after weather-related erosion. The beach feels like a hidden gem, as mostly locals seem to visit. Stay for sunset if you can.

A sandy track through grassy dunes towards a wide beach and steep green hills, in late-afternoon light.

Bethells Beach.

Head back to Auckland for dinner near the hotel.

Day 5 — Queenstown and the Skyline Gondola

Drive to Auckland airport and return the rental car.
Fly to Queenstown and pick up a new rental car.
Optional: If you arrive in Queenstown in the morning or early afternoon, drive up to Deer Park Heights, a drive-through wildlife park with stunning views and some friendly deer.
Drive to the Skyline Gondola and Luge. There is a parking garage towards the back. We bought tickets at the booth without much of a wait; in busier times, buy them online ahead of time. Choose your ticket based on how many luge rides you want.
Take the gondola up the mountain, enjoying magnificent views of Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu.

Me and our son making a hand sign inside a gondola cabin, with Queenstown and snow-dusted mountains in the window behind us.

Riding the Skyline Gondola.

Tip: Whenever the photographers offer to take your photo here, say yes. At the end of your visit you can download the photos from machines and send them to your phone or email for free. They come with special backgrounds, and include photos of you on the luge.

The three of us in a souvenir photo with a Skyline “Fifty years of fun” background of gondolas and the lake.

One of our free photos from the Skyline photographers.

Ride the luge as many times as you like while taking in the spectacular surroundings.

Two of us in helmets riding the chairlift back up to the luge track, with mountains and a valley behind.

Heading up to ride the luge in freezing weather.

When you get hungry, the café at the top has good options.
Take the gondola back down the mountain.
Walk to Fergburger, a Queenstown institution. Leave the car in the gondola parking lot — it is a 5–10 minute walk.
Tip: Pick up pastries, baked goods or pies from Fergbaker next door for breakfast or a snack. You won’t regret it!

The busy front of Fergburger at night, with people eating at outdoor tables under heaters.

Fergburger.

After dinner, walk to the harbour to see the buildings along the shore lit up in the evening. There are lots of souvenir shops and local brands for shopping enthusiasts.
Walk to Patagonia Chocolates, a must for chocolate lovers. The cakes, chocolates and ice cream are all divine.

A chocolate-dipped ice cream bar, a cup of ice cream and a slice of chocolate hazelnut cake on a wooden table.

At Patagonia Chocolates.

Walk back to the car in the gondola parking lot and head to your accommodation.

Day 6 — Milford Sound day tour

Wake up early for the Milford Sound day cruise.
Our experience: We booked the Pure Milford cruise, with bus transport from Queenstown, through GetYourGuide — it was the only one we found that included lunch. It is a great tour if you don’t want to drive yourself and spend an extra night in Te Anau. It picked us up at the Sherwood, close to our Airbnb, where there is a small parking area above the bus stop. If you are staying outside central Queenstown, the Frankton bus terminal has parking and pick-ups for most tours.
Bus pick-up outside central Queenstown is around 7:15 am.
The bus stops in Te Anau for breakfast.
It then makes about 4 more photo stops in Fiordland National Park.

Mist drifting across the foot of forested mountains above a wide, golden grassy valley.

Morning mist on the road to Milford Sound.

Forested mountains reflected in the still water of Lake Gunn, with green bush in the foreground.

Lake Gunn.

A sunlit alpine valley of tussock and a rocky stream bed, with a snow-capped peak between steep mountains.

Monkey Creek.

Next, the bus drops you at the terminal for the Milford Sound cruise.
Tip: Grab a spot in the inside area — once the boat leaves the harbour, you can move around freely. The scenery is picturesque in every direction, especially when the weather is cloudy, rainy and moody. Some days are full sun, like ours, and it looks quite different from what you might expect.
Lunch is served on board, based on the preferences you give at pick-up.

Steep, dark fiord walls rising from the water on a hazy, sunlit morning, with a thin waterfall in the distance.

On the Milford Sound cruise.

Our son and his dad smiling at the stern of the boat, with the fiord and the boat’s wake behind them.

On deck.

A tall waterfall plunging down a mossy green cliff straight into the fiord.

One of the many waterfalls along the Milford Sound cruise.

After the cruise, return to the bus.

Mitre Peak and the neighbouring mountains in silhouette against a bright sky, above the shimmering water of Milford Sound.

Mitre Peak, from the end of the cruise.

Tip: The roads are very winding. Be careful with food on the way back, especially if you plan to look at a phone or device — it can lead to some unforeseen situations related to motion sickness.
The bus stops at the same visitor center in Te Anau for snacks and restrooms.
Grab dinner, or pick up something to enjoy at your accommodation.

Day 7 — Glenorchy and Paradise

Breakfast at the accommodation.
Drive to Bob’s Cove for a short walk along Lake Wakatipu. You can walk a short distance to the lake, or continue along the path around it. It is a peaceful spot to enjoy the lake and mountains.

Our son and his dad walking along a rocky lakeshore under bare trees, with mountains across the water.

Bob’s Cove.

Drive to Glenorchy. Visit the Glenorchy wharf and walk around the lake to the right of it to see the red shed. Following the lake in this direction gives interesting views of Lake Wakatipu and the mountains. There is a large parking area.

Our son and I in front of a small red wooden shed with a “Glenorchy” sign, with bare trees and mountains behind.

The red shed at Glenorchy.

Our son and his dad on the Glenorchy wharf, with turquoise water and snow-capped mountains behind them.

Lake Wakatipu from the Glenorchy wharf.

Drive to Mrs Woolly’s General Store to pick up pies for lunch.
Tip: We had the best vegan pie of the entire trip here. They also have sandwiches, wraps, sweets and lots more. Everything was so good — we highly recommend it.
Look up the Isengard lookout in Google Maps. We stopped just before the bridge over the Dart River, where there is a parking lot and an easy walk to the river. This area was apparently a filming location for Ithilien and Isengard in the Lord of the Rings films.

His dad standing on rocks at the edge of a wide braided river, looking towards a valley of mountains under clouds.

Looking towards Isengard (maybe).

A wide, pale stony riverbed stretching towards forested hills and snowy peaks.

The view around the river.

Optional: If you are Lord of the Rings fans like us, drive to the Lothlórien filming site near Paradise (search “Lothlorien” in Google Maps). The beech forest here played the Elven realm of Lothlórien in the films.

A sunlit beech forest with mossy trunks and a carpet of fallen leaves.

Lothlórien — the beech forest near Paradise.

Optional: The very popular Routeburn Track trailhead is about 30 minutes from Paradise. The track is about 20 miles long, but you can hike a few miles in and turn around.

A golden tussock valley below steep mountains and snowy peaks, under a blue sky.

The view on the drive from Paradise to the Routeburn Track.

Stop at the Twelve Mile Delta, also known as Wilson Bay. This is said to be Ithilien, where Frodo, Sam and Gollum watched the battle with the Oliphaunts. We couldn’t find the exact spot, only the general area.

Our son standing on the lakeshore, with Lake Wakatipu and the mountains behind him.

The Twelve Mile Delta, as Google Maps has it.

Look for the Seven Mile Point track lookout, said to be Amon Hen in the forest of Parth Galen, where the Fellowship broke. Google Maps took us somewhere random, but we stopped at a parking lot overlooking Lake Wakatipu with the Remarkables behind it, and the view was spectacular anyway.

Lake Wakatipu and jagged brown mountains under a cloudy sky, with a green lawn in the foreground.

The view from a parking lot just up the road from the Twelve Mile Delta.

Optional: If Lord of the Rings filming locations aren’t your thing, drive to Arrowtown instead — an interesting village with restaurants, cafés and boutiques for some upscale food and shopping.
Optional: For hardcore Lord of the Rings fans, we recommend a guided tour of the filming locations in this area.
Spend the rest of the day souvenir shopping in Queenstown.

Shelves of colourful New Zealand soap boxes with illustrated landscapes in a gift shop.

Souvenir shopping.

Walk around the harbour, enjoying the twinkling lights on the buildings in the evening.

Queenstown’s lakefront lit up at dusk, with boats moored at the wharf and dark mountains behind.

Queenstown harbour in the evening light.

For dinner, we recommend The Bull. It serves Indian vegetarian food from all over India, including street food, Indo-Chinese and tandoori specialties. It was a great food experience in Queenstown.

The lit-up front window of The Bull restaurant on a quiet street at dusk, with an “Open” sign.

The Bull, an Indian vegetarian restaurant.

Day 8 — Haast Pass and Wanaka

Drive to the Kawarau Bridge Bungy centre. It has a viewing area where you can watch the jumpers, and is the best place to bungy jump in the Queenstown area.

The turquoise Kawarau River flowing through a rocky gorge, with a yellow raft below.

The view from the viewing area at the bungy centre.

Drive to Arrowtown. Walk around the main street and enjoy the cafés and shops in a beautiful setting.

A deep blue lake framed by bush in the foreground and steep brown mountains, with clouds on distant peaks.

The view on the drive towards Wanaka.

We picked up pies for lunch from Kai Pai Pies, but don’t recommend it — the vegetarian options weren’t good.
Drive to Thunder Creek Falls in Mount Aspiring National Park, passing Lake Hāwea on the way. There is parking at the trailhead and a short paved trail to the waterfall lookout.

Thunder Creek Falls dropping in a single tall stream down a forested cliff into a rocky river.

Thunder Creek Falls.

Drive to Fantail Falls. There is a good-sized parking area, but the trail isn’t paved all the way. When the falls come into view, leave the trail and walk down to the river over the rocky shore.

His dad standing on river stones with his back to the camera, looking at Fantail Falls fanning down a rock face.

Looking at Fantail Falls.

Drive to the Haast Pass Lookout trailhead. The trail is about 1 mile with about 340 ft of elevation gain. There is parking at the trailhead but no restrooms. The path is covered in ferns and moss, with some shade and views above the treetops — and the views from the lookout are so beautiful.

His dad smiling on a narrow trail through moss-covered banks and trees.

The moss-covered trail to the Haast Pass Lookout.

Our son and his dad at the wooden railing of the lookout, with forested mountains and clouds behind them.

Haast Pass from the lookout.

Drive to the Blue Pools Track. The trailhead has a large parking area and restrooms. The trail is 2 miles with 270 ft of elevation gain. It follows a gorgeous blue river, with stunning views of canyons and bridges along the way. Swimming is allowed in some parts where the current is low.

Bright turquoise water rushing between grey boulders in a forested gorge.

The river from the bridge.

Our son and I hugging on a gravel bank beside the turquoise Blue Pools, with a swing bridge above.

The Blue Pools.

Drive to Lake Wanaka. Park in the large lot near the lake and walk the short distance to “That Wanaka Tree”.

The lone willow known as That Wanaka Tree growing out of still water, silhouetted against a soft dusk sky.

That Wanaka Tree.

If there is still daylight, walk to the pier to enjoy the scenery and spot eels in the water below.
For dinner, try Amigos Wanaka. The Mexican food was great — we loved the salsas and the tacos.

A busy, warmly lit restaurant with diners at wooden tables and a colourful shelf of jars behind the bar.

Amigos in Wanaka.

Check in to your accommodation for the night.

Day 9 — Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park

Have breakfast in Wanaka. We recommend Scroggin Coffee and Eatery for great drinks and pastries, with parking right out front.

The counter at Scroggin, with a pastry cabinet, an espresso machine and handwritten menu boards above.

Scroggin Coffee and Eatery.

Drive to Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.
Drive past Lake Pukaki, stopping at overlooks along the way, weather permitting.
Route 80 has a clear view of Aoraki/Mount Cook, with the road winding towards it. If the weather is clear, stop at one of the pullouts for the perfect shot.

A straight road leading towards snow-capped mountains across a golden tussock plain, with pink clouds at sunset.

The view from the road into Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.

Ideally, head straight to the Tasman Glacier View Track, also known as the Blue Lakes Track. The parking lot is medium-sized with restrooms, but it is a busy trail.

Our son and his dad smiling on a gravel path, with jagged snow-covered peaks behind them.

At the Tasman Glacier View Track trailhead.

Me and our son from behind, looking out over the pale turquoise Tasman Glacier lake to the mountains.

The view from the lookout over the Tasman Glacier lake.

Have lunch at the Sir Edmund Hillary Café & Bar. The menu has pizzas and sandwiches — standard national park fare.

A vintage ski plane suspended from the ceiling of a museum hall, with displays below.

The alpine museum just outside the café.

Walk the short path to the visitor centre. Interactive exhibits explain the surrounding land, the history of the park and the story of Sir Edmund Hillary in great detail.

A mannequin in an old tweed climbing outfit with goggles, rope and a canvas pack in a museum display.

A display of early alpinists in the visitor centre.

Drive to the parking area for the Hooker Valley Track. It is large, made up of many interconnected lots. Some lots are paid, with machines to pay at.

A low building at the end of a gravel road, with snow-covered mountains above the valley.

Near the Hooker Valley Track trailhead.

A swing bridge crossing a rocky glacial river below steep green and grey mountainsides.

The first swing bridge on the Hooker Valley Track.

Hike the Hooker Valley Track. The whole track is about 6 miles long, and both swing bridges were complete and open as of August 2026. Even walking only as far as the first bridge gives unforgettable views of the valley. You will stop every few minutes for photos.

A valley of boulders and green shrubs leading to a glacier lake below a wall of snowy mountains.

The view just past the swing bridge.

If time permits, walk from the same parking area to the Kea Point Track. This short walk crosses a grassy plateau and goes over a ridge to amazing views of Aoraki/Mount Cook.

A dark ridge of tussock and rock at dusk, with the snowy tip of Aoraki/Mount Cook just visible behind it.

Aoraki/Mount Cook peeking out on the Kea Point Track.

Worth knowing

We checked the weather diligently, and sunny skies were forecast after 10 am. When we arrived at 10 am, the whole park was covered in fog — even Lake Pukaki was completely hidden the entire time we drove around it. We had lunch first and spent about 2 hours waiting it out, with no luck, so we walked to the visitor centre. Their specialised forecast suggested a window of clear weather around 3 pm. We drove towards the Tasman Glacier View Track just to take a chance and see a little more of the park. As we got close to the parking lot, the fog parted right in front of our eyes, and within 10 minutes it was gone. We got extremely lucky, but we had lost a good amount of daylight. We did as much as we could before sunset, then drove back to Lake Tekapo in complete darkness on foggy roads.

Low cloud lifting off snowy mountains beyond a wet, empty road across a tussock plain.

The fog lifting before our eyes.

For dinner, try Fishtail Indian in Lake Tekapo. The food was Nepali style, comforting and delicious. The same complex has several other restaurants and a grocery store.

A cosy dining room with a wood-panelled ceiling, glowing pendant lights and diners at wooden tables.

Fishtail Indian in Lake Tekapo.

Optional: Lake Tekapo has spectacular night skies. If you are interested, book a stargazing or night-sky photography tour.

Day 10 — Lake Tekapo to Christchurch

Breakfast at the Greedy Cow Café.

The stone front of the Greedy Cow café, with a small takeaway window and a sandwich board outside.

The Greedy Cow Café.

Drive to Lake Tekapo and park in the lot near the Church of the Good Shepherd.
Walk around and take photos of the lake and the church.

Our son and I sitting on rocks at the edge of Lake Tekapo, with hills and blue water behind us.

Lake Tekapo.

The sun blazing over Lake Tekapo, with a bright streak of light on the water and mountains on the far shore.

An insanely bright morning at Lake Tekapo.

Our experience: It was an extremely bright, sunny day, so the famous turquoise of Lake Tekapo looked like the deep blue of any other lake. The church was also closed for construction. We only spent about an hour here.
Drive to Christchurch and park downtown.
Walk around and explore the shopping in downtown Christchurch, with souvenirs and local and international brands.

A maroon and cream heritage tram marked “Christchurch” stopped on a city street.

The tram in Christchurch.

Optional: Instead of shopping, pick one or both of these:
- Punting on the Avon — a gentle, flat-bottomed boat ride along the Avon River through the city.
- The Christchurch Botanic Gardens.
Dinner at Riverside Market, a fabulous food hall with interesting vendors and cuisines.

Looking down from an upper floor of Riverside Market at woven pendant lights and food stalls below.

The view from the top floor of Riverside Market.

If you have an extra day: take a tour or drive yourself to Arthur’s Pass, stopping at Devil’s Punchbowl Falls and the Otira Viaduct Lookout.

Day 11 — Departing from Christchurch

Stay in a hotel close to the airport — from most areas of the city, it is about a 15-minute drive.
Visit the International Antarctic Centre, right next to the airport. The visit takes about 1.5 hours. It includes a ride in a Hägglund, an Antarctic all-terrain vehicle, around an obstacle course at the back of the property, plus exhibits, a husky encounter, a storm experience and films.

Our son and I wearing yellow ear defenders inside the cabin of the Hägglund vehicle.

Inside the Hägglund.

The three of us standing in front of the red Hägglund all-terrain vehicle outside the centre.

Ready for the ride in the Hägglund.

His dad in a padded jacket and hood beside two yellow snowmobiles in a snowy room lit blue.

The Antarctic storm simulation.

Head to the airport for an afternoon flight.

A long illustrated mural reading “Ōtautahi Christchurch” above rows of seats in the airport terminal.

Christchurch Airport.