New Zealand Campervan Itinerary: 2 Weeks, Both Islands

Two weeks is the most common length of time international visitors spend in New Zealand — and with a campervan, it's enough to see both islands properly, without rushing. The key is to resist the temptation to see everything. New Zealand has an enormous amount packed into two islands; the travellers who come home happiest are the ones who picked a route and followed it at a pace that let them actually stop when something caught their eye. This itinerary covers the highlights of both islands with the ferry crossing as the mid-point. It's designed for two people in a 2-berth compact, or a family of four in a 4-berth. Adjust the pace to suit — some legs can be extended, others skipped if your interests lie elsewhere. Pickup is from Auckland, where we do a full walkthrough and airport transfer on Day 1. Days 1 and 2: Auckland and Coromandel. Collect your camper on Day 1, stock up at a supermarket, and head east to the Coromandel Peninsula (2.5 hours from Auckland). Day 2 is for Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach — arrive at the beach 1–2 hours before low tide to dig your own hot pool in the sand. Sleep at Hahei Holiday Resort or a freedom camping spot on the coast.

Days 3 and 4: Rotorua and Lake Taupo. Head inland to Rotorua — a 2-hour drive from the Coromandel. The geothermal parks (Wai-O-Tapu, Te Puia) are worth half a day each. A Māori cultural performance and hangi dinner at Te Puia is one of those experiences that needs no qualification — just do it. Day 4, move south to Lake Taupo: walk the Huka Falls, cruise out to see the Māori rock carvings, and freedom camp on the lakeshore. Days 5 and 6: Tongariro and Wellington. Day 5 is the Tongariro Alpine Crossing if conditions allow — book the shuttle from the Whakapapa car park the night before and check the weather. It's a 6–8 hour walk; allow the full day. Day 6, drive south to Wellington: the capital is compact, walkable, and genuinely great for an evening — Te Papa museum, the waterfront, and some of New Zealand's best coffee. Sleep at Hutt Park in Lower Hutt, 20 minutes from the ferry terminal. Day 7: ferry from Wellington to Picton. Check in at Aotea Quay terminal 60 minutes before sailing. The crossing takes 3–3.5 hours through Cook Strait and into the Marlborough Sounds — pack snacks and spend time on deck for the Sounds section. Arrive in Picton by early afternoon.

Days 8 and 9: Marlborough and Nelson. Drive the Queen Charlotte Drive from Picton — one of New Zealand's most scenic coastal roads — then continue to Nelson, a relaxed arts-and-food town that makes a great base. Abel Tasman National Park is an hour from Nelson: take a water taxi to a remote beach and walk back along the coastal track, or simply explore Marahau. Days 10 and 11: West Coast. Drive the Haast Pass — genuinely one of the most dramatic roads in New Zealand — past rainforest and waterfalls to reach the West Coast. Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers are accessible by guided walk or helicopter; both are retreating but still extraordinary. Okarito Lagoon DOC campsite is nearby and unforgettable. Days 12 and 13: Wanaka and Queenstown. Wanaka is quieter and more relaxed than Queenstown but just as beautiful — Roy's Peak walk is hard but the views are worth it. Queenstown is for adventure (bungee, jet boat, gondola) or simply for the food scene, which has improved dramatically. Freedom camping is not permitted in central Queenstown — use a holiday park or DOC site nearby. Day 14: Milford Sound. The 3.5-hour drive from Queenstown to Te Anau, then through Fiordland to Milford Sound, is one of the great drives of the world. Take a cruise on the fiord — the scale of the cliffs only becomes real from the water. If you can, stay one night at the Milford Sound Lodge Rainforest Campervan Park and see the fiord at dawn. From Milford, head back to Queenstown for a domestic flight home, or back to Picton and Wellington to return north — the road is the same, but somehow it looks different on the way back.