Christchurch to Queenstown Road Trip Itinerary 13 BEST Places to Stop


The Christchurch to Queenstown Drive New Zealand's best road trip

A Christchurch to Queenstown road trip is a journey through some of New Zealand's most spectacular landscapes. From dramatic mountains to the bluest lakes, charming towns, infinite fields and starry skies, this adventure has it all.


Christchurch to Queenstown Road Trip Itinerary 13 BEST Places to Stop

Direct route: Christchurch to Queenstown Use this map to spot the highlights and interesting stops along the six-hour drive. All Stops route: This option highlights all stops including some amazing sites that require a bit of extra driving to see. If you do it all, the total drive time will be nearly ten hours.


Best places to stop on a road trip from Christchurch to Queenstown, NZ

A non-stop drive from Christchurch to Queenstown is 481.8km, and should take just under 6 hours to complete. Of course, driving for 6 hours straight is unsafe and with so many amazing places to stop along the way, there's no excuse not to turn this drive into a full-blown, 5-day road trip covering 647km of road.


Queenstown to Christchurch 15 Best Stops My Queenstown Diary

23 December 2022 New Zealand's South Island is a road tripper's paradise. The drive between Christchurch and Queenstown is one the most scenic and enjoyable drives in the country, and one of the most popular road trips among international visitors.


Queenstown to Christchurch 15 Best Stops My Queenstown Diary

The scenic drive from Queenstown to Christchurch is a whopping 493.5 kilometer-long trip (306.6 miles), filled to the brim with iconic spots like the Gatorade-blue waters of Lake Pukaki, the highest mountain in New Zealand (Mount Cook), and much, much more.


Christchurch to Queenstown Road Trip Itinerary 13 BEST Places to Stop

Distance: 483 kilometers (300 miles) Time: 6 hours minimum (5 days ideally) Recommended for: Those not visiting the Gibbston Valley while in Queenstown or if you're going to Wanaka after Queenstown. The route via Cromwell is the shortest route possible (not by much) and also drives through the Gibbston Valley (one of my stops).


Christchurch to Queenstown road trip 1 week itinerary CK Travels

This Christchurch to Queenstown road trip itinerary takes in the absolute highlights of New Zealand's South Island, the turquoise lakes, towering snow-covered mountains and fields of vibrant purple lupin. These are views that New Zealand is famous for and the places that everyone, tourist or local, must visit in New Zealand.


Christchurch to Queenstown road trip 1 week itinerary CK Travels

February 7, 2022 by Jen Lyons The drive from Christchurch to Queenstown on New Zealand's South Island can easily be completed in one day, just under six hours if you don't make any stops. But where's the fun in that!


Christchurch to Queenstown Road Trip (28) Polkadot Passport

Starting in the country's oldest city, Christchurch, passing through some of the most divine glacial lakes, seeing the nation's tallest mountain to ending in the adventure capital of the world, Queenstown. We've spent the last few weeks exploring New Zealand's south island, and our favourite part: the Christchurch to Queenstown drive.


Christchurch to Queenstown Road Trip (25) Polkadot Passport

Christchurch to Queenstown at a glance ⏰ 4 days 🚗 480 kilometres 🏠 Stay the night in Tekapo, Mount Cook Village, and Wanaka 🔝 Highlights: Lake Pukaki, Hooker Valley Track, Omarama Clay Cliffs Christchurch to Queenstown itinerary overview Day 1: Christchurch to Lake Tekapo Day 2: Lake Tekapo to Mount Cook Village Day 3: Mount Cook Village to Wanaka


Christchurch to Queenstown road trip 1 week itinerary CK Travels New zealand south island

A Christchurch to Queenstown Road trip is one of the best you can do in New Zealand. It's a short road trip, you can do it in 5 hours if you want to visit Queenstown, but there are a lot of places to see on the way. Driving from Christchurch to Queenstown is one of the most underrated journeys in New Zealand!


The Christchurch to Queenstown Drive New Zealand's best road trip

Day 1: Christchurch to Lake Tekapo. Drive time: 2 hours 50 minutes (226 km) Driving from Christchurch to Lake Tekapo is the first part of your road trip. Even though the driving time is under 3 hours, factor in extra travel time for stops along the way. The first place on your itinerary is the Rakaia Gorge, approximately a 1-hour drive from.


Christchurch to Queenstown road trip 1 week itinerary CK Travels

The drive from Christchurch to Queenstown is easily one of New Zealand's most epic road trips. While driving between Christchurch and Queenstown, you'll encounter some of the South Island's finest scenery: towering snow-capped mountain ranges, bluer-than-blue glacial lakes, braided rivers, thick beech forests, and golden tussock fields.


Christchurch to Queenstown Road Trip Itinerary (3, 5, or 7 days)

55 kms (34 miles) 50 minutes. Arrowtown. Arrowtown to Queenstown. 20 kms (12 miles) 21 minutes. Queenstown. Estimates only; times will vary based on traffic and road conditions. If you were to do this drive non-stop, it would take about six hours to complete the journey.


Christchurch to Queenstown A 7 Day road trip Lake Pukaki, NZ

The Queenstown to Christchurch drive is, without doubt, one of the most incredible quick-drive vacation offerings for visitors to New Zealand. With amazing scenery, adrenaline-inducing adventures, immersive nature and world-renowned Kiwi hospitality, a South Island road trip really is the pinnacle of any trip to Aotearoa.


10Day New Zealand South Island Itinerary for an Awesome Road Trip Elysian Moment Personal

Christchurch to Queenstown road trip This short road trip takes you through some of the most beautiful places in New Zealand's South Island, before finishing in spectacular Queenstown. Think deep, blue lakes, rolling countryside, and pretty towns, all with the majestic Southern Alps in the background.