14 Day New Zealand South Island Itinerary [April Edition] -

The Ultimate 14-Day New Zealand South Island Campervan Itinerary

We spent April 13–27 road-tripping around the South Island in a 7-meter self-contained campervan, covering about 31 hours of total drive time — a very adventurous and beautiful road trip.

April (fall in New Zealand) ended up being the perfect time to visit:

🍂 Crisp mornings + cool sunny days
🍁 Beautiful fall foliage (especially in Wanaka)
👥 Fewer crowds almost everywhere
🌌 Incredible starry skies

The only real crowds we ran into? Hooker Valley Track and Queenstown — but even those felt manageable.

Here’s our full, personal, tried-and-tested 2-week South Island New Zealand campervan itinerary.

Be sure to check out: 10 Must See Spots on New Zealand’s South Island

Day 1: Arrive in Christchurch → Lake Tekapo → Mount Cook

Drive time: 4 hr 45 min

We flew into Christchurch, picked up our campervan (we used CamperCo and had an amazing experience), and immediately had to adjust to driving on the left side of the road — which is humbling, to say the least.

First Stops:

Grocery run (highly recommend doing this before leaving Christchurch)
Church of the Good Shepherd – Pretty lake views, quick stop. Not a must-do, but scenic.
Continue to Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park

📍We stayed at White Horse Hill Campground (very basic: toilets + water only, no power, no showers). It’s right at the trailhead for Hooker Valley Hike.

After a long travel day, keep it simple. Cook dinner, soak in the mountain views, and rest up.

Day 2: Hooker Valley Track → Omarama

Drive time: 1 hr 10 min

Wake up early (even though we did not start the hike until noon, oops) for the iconic:

🥾 Hooker Valley Track

6.2 miles (10 km) round trip
3–4 hours
Easy trail
Glacier views + swing bridges

It’s one of the most popular hikes in New Zealand — go early for fewer people.

On the drive to Omarama, you’ll pass:

Lake Pukaki — we pulled over multiple times. The color looks fake.

📍Stay at Omarama TOP 10 Holiday Park and enjoy a relaxed campervan evening (we brought out the chairs and wine — 10/10 vibes).

Day 3: Omarama Hot Pools → Wanaka

Drive time: 2 hrs

Start the morning at Omarama Hot Tubs (private wooden tubs overlooking the lake — very peaceful).

Optional stop:

Clay Cliffs (cool, but skippable if short on time)

Arrive in Wanaka, which in fall is a beauty.

Things We Did in Wanaka:

Beacon Point (quiet, peaceful lake views)
Walk along Ardmore Street (lake views, cafés + restaurants)
See “That Wanaka Tree”
Sunset cruise on Lake Wanaka, book with Lake Wanaka Sunset Cruise

📍Stay at Wanaka TOP 10 Holiday Park (Tasman Holiday Park)

Day 4: Relax in Wanaka

We originally planned to hike Roy’s Peak, but cloudy skies made us pivot — and honestly, I’m glad we had a slow day.

Coffee at Velo Café near Glendhu Bay
Hung out at the campground (a cat literally joined us inside the van 🐱)
Movie night at Cinema Paradiso — quirky, cozy, and absolutely worth it

Sometimes not rushing is the best travel decision.

Day 5: Roy’s Peak → Te Anau

Drive time: 3 hrs

4:00 AM wake-up call. Headlamps on. Stars overhead.

🥾 Roy’s Peak Track

10 miles (16 km)
5–7 hours
Very steep, nonstop incline
Bring hiking poles (we wished we had some)

Sunrise at the top? Unreal.
The descent? Our knees were destroyed.

📍After the hike, drive to Te Anau and stay at Te Anau Lakeview Holiday Park.

Optional activity: Te Anau Glowworm Caves (we skipped this but it looks like a cool experience).

Days 6–7: Milford Sound

Drive time: 1 hr 50 min

📍Stay at Milford Sound Lodge — rainforest vibes, moody weather, cozy energy. The powered sites at the campsite fill up quick, so book these early!

It rained most of our time here — which makes Milford even more beautiful because waterfalls appear everywhere.

We: