The Ultimate 3 Week New Zealand Itinerary

Planning for a trip to New Zealand is no easy task, and as I was planning my own trip, I was overwhelmed with all the choices and places that we could go.

[{"selector":"#anim-8218736b-37c1-4064-a9fe-10c82768d306","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9a545f0a-4429-473f-afde-48ecb4d668e7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -185.50134%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b644c4c0-19e6-4ff0-ab2d-9705d3129136","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-de8b3f79-2a0e-488a-8669-eea252650a76","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.8265%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

This travel guide is meant to get down to the details of what you need to know to plan your own Middle-Earth-sized 3-week New Zealand itinerary.

[{"selector":"#anim-963bc6ce-45d1-4c84-83d8-48f7741e6919","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(-540deg) scale(0.1)","none"],"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"fill":"both","iterations":1}] Learn more

Day 1 – Goodbye Sydney, Hello Queenstown

[{"selector":"#anim-b4f57f46-f9eb-472a-96a1-93dd3382d502","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cbcc99c7-885a-412d-920b-0fd1323362e0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -168.25401%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e4ab8c86-8071-45e0-9c74-82fcca66b65f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":450,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a5e4a7d9-ba5e-4b57-924d-7f06daf4b115","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 327.70652%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":450,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Your first day mainly consists of getting settled in and then exploring the downtown streets of Queenstown, so take the time to get to know the city and walk everywhere. Learn more

Day 2 – Horseback Riding in Glenorchy

[{"selector":"#anim-5c6d5423-bee5-45a2-aa52-ddee622a4427","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-be6054bf-f2dd-4ef8-964f-d407e6d552eb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.14196%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-711fcd6c-2f75-4973-9f5e-2330ea2f1421","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":450,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-10d951a9-16c7-4800-81e8-a092fb29b27a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 380.01714%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":450,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The best way to take in the landscape around Glenorchy is either on foot or by car. It’s by horseback, and that’s why the early morning start is needed. Learn more

Day 3 – Milford Sound

[{"selector":"#anim-4cdd5920-566c-42cb-bb46-8ae6f54e9b46","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":450,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1ac86548-03b1-44cd-b99d-81eeebf82a49","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.2078%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":450,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fb9ff12e-6fa4-4674-8b1e-1b4281c6af9a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ad4e2822-2980-4c8c-9480-a2a7775f7f33","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.66667%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Carved by glaciers millions of years ago, this is a sight you have to see in person and one of those places that if you missed it, you’d have serious FOMO. Learn more

Day 4 – Thrills in Queenstown

[{"selector":"#anim-e16f3435-da28-4d9e-989e-0974f25e6648","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5edbe1f3-f2b7-4d5c-ba6c-d0cef61340a3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -249.6484%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-758f3c71-0271-480d-8bb0-4a4c44c81775","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":450,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-db88d0c4-b3c5-4744-ae7d-dac27325ef1c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.28663%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":450,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Instead of a flat white to start your day, head straight to Shotover Canyon for what has to be the most ridiculous boat ride known to man. Learn more

Day 5 – The Start of the Reverse Traverse

[{"selector":"#anim-3444521e-7e41-4727-85be-0e589ea6fc23","keyframes":[{"offset":0,"transform":"translate3d(0, -301.13168%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.29,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.45,"transform":"translate3d(0, -84.67822841600001%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.61,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.71,"transform":"translate3d(0, -28.788188608000002%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.8,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.85,"transform":"translate3d(0, -10.810627312000001%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.92,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.96,"transform":"translate3d(0, -4.697654208%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":1,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"}],"delay":0,"duration":1200,"fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0edb9271-0698-4210-b60d-ff6be6cc6998","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(-540deg) scale(0.1)","none"],"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"fill":"both","iterations":1}] Take your time, gather your bags, check out, and head into downtown. The only challenge you’ll have is that you’re going to be travelling around with your bags. Learn more

Day 6 – Boundary Creek to Fox Glacier

[{"selector":"#anim-0679149f-3cd2-49b1-b5a6-4f1714fd1dbf","keyframes":[{"offset":0,"transform":"translate3d(0, -293.9484%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.29,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.45,"transform":"translate3d(0, -82.65829008%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.61,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.71,"transform":"translate3d(0, -28.10146704%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.8,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.85,"transform":"translate3d(0, -10.55274756%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.92,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.96,"transform":"translate3d(0, -4.585595039999999%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":1,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"}],"delay":0,"duration":1200,"fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c47395d1-c387-4f5c-ada5-a7303b50f5dc","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(-540deg) scale(0.1)","none"],"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"fill":"both","iterations":1}] Visit Blue Pools, Thunder Creek Falls, Ship Creek, try whitebait in Haast. Stay at the Fox Josef Top 10 Holiday Park ca bin. Learn more

More amazing travel inspiration in the blog post!

Next steps Visit Now!