New Zealand Honeymoon Road Trip: North & South Islands - 14 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Auckland, Dinner at Ahi Restaurant

Welcome to New Zealand! You've landed in Auckland, a city surrounded by volcanoes and situated between two harbors, the sparkling Waitemata and the brooding Manukau. More than 500,000 sailboats and yachts have nicknamed it the "City of Sails."  While it's not the capital, this is New Zealand's largest city, so it's a great place to start your romantic adventure. Upon arrival, a driver will be waiting to transfer you to your accommodation. Drop your bags and decide how to spend your free afternoon. In Auckland, you can choose between joining the energy of city life or escaping into nature.

For supreme views of Auckland, scale the 1,075-foot (328 m) Sky Tower with its dizzying observation deck, explore the city parks, or make your way to Mount Eden, one of the city's 48 volcanic cones. This evening, you'll taste the best of seasonal New Zealand cuisine at Ahi, a chic restaurant that honors passionate suppliers and growers from across New Zealand. Savor a handful of ever-changing dishes paired with wine, each telling an authentic food story of Aotearoa (the Māori name for New Zealand).

Day 2: Drive to Rotorua via Hobbiton Movie Set Tour

This morning, you'll pick up a rental car and hit the road as you make the 2.5-hour drive south to Rotorua. Pass the Waikato region's rolling farmlands and rich dairy pastures, then turn inland to pass by Matamata, home to the Hobbiton Movie Set. Set over a 12-acre (4.8 ha) family sheep farm, you'll take a two-hour guided walk where you'll hear stories about filming and visit intricate sets. Visit the Shire's iconic Hobbit Holes and the Mill, and stop at the Green Dragon Inn for a Southfarthing ale, cider, or ginger beer.

Continue to Rotorua while watching for signs of geothermic activity as you get closer to the Pacific Rim of Fire. You'll have free time to explore at your own pace in the late afternoon. Choose to experience the natural wonders of this active volcanic region or for a hike in the surrounding redwood forests. You can also get an adrenaline boost at Velocity Valley Adventure Park, with options for static skydiving or riding a giant swing.

Day 3: Visit Wai Ariki Spa, Te Pa Tu Maori Cultural Experience

After breakfast, it's time to relax. Nestled on the foreshore of Lake Rotorua, Wai Ariki Spa offers a restorative journey grounded in te ao Māori principles, Ngāti Whakaue culture, and traditional healing practices. Under the guidance of the local iwi (tribe), you'll move from heat to cool, mud to water, and air to steam to maximize the therapeutic benefits of this two-hour multisensory, immersive progression.

Finally, this evening, you'll be invited as a manuhiri (guest) to Te Pā Tū (Tamaki Māori Village) for a three-course feast and celebration of dancing, music, and storytelling. The themes change according to the maramataka (Māori lunar calendar), but the night always kicks off with an opening ceremony while you're served kai horotai (appetizers). Listen to stories and songs in the forest amphitheater, then follow your Māori guide to your three-course hākari (feast).

Day 4: Visit Wai-O-Tapu, Mountain Jade Workshop, Drive to Taupo

Start your day exploring more of Rotorua's famous geysers, bubbling mud holes, steaming vents, and sulfurous pools at Wai-O-Tapu. Choose between short walks showcasing the distinctive landscapes and volcanic activity, including the famous Mud Pool. Learn about the Lady Knox Geyser with a guide, then watch it erupt to huge heights. After, meet New Zealand jade artists in their studio. Gain an in-depth introduction to pounamu—the art of carving jade—with a private visit covering jade's rich history and cultural significance.

Later on, get back on the road for the easy hour's drive south to Taupō. This scenic route takes you into the heart of the Central North Island volcanic plateau, cutting through the Waimangu Volcanic Valley. Taupō is nestled at the edge of Lake Taupō, New Zealand's largest lake, and surrounded by a volcanic caldera formed 25,600 years ago. On arrival, check into your accommodation for the evening and find dinner in town.

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Day 5: Drive to Tongariro National Park, Guided Sunset Walk

Today, after breakfast, make your way 75 minutes south to Tongariro National Park. New Zealand's first national park was created after the three sleeping volcanic peaks were gifted by Te Heuheu Tukino IV, paramount chief of the Tuwharetoa people, to the people of New Zealand in 1887. Use your day to hike the two-hour Wha Kapapanui Walk, a forest walk that follows the Whakapapanui River; or the two-hour Soda Springs trail that takes you to a spring originating from a lava flow.

In the evening, you'll enjoy a relaxed guided hike at sunset. Set out with a local guide to explore the spectacular mountain terrain that falls around the Tongariro volcanoes. You'll hike for just over an hour, learning about the local geography, geology, and cultural history, before stopping for a glass of New Zealand bubbly as you watch the sunset. The route will depend on the group's ability, but you'll likely walk the Taranaki Falls loop track or start on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing track and return via Sunset Ridge or Meads Wall.

Day 6: Drive to Wellington, Free Time

Rise early to stretch ahead of today's 3.5-hour scenic drive to Wellington, which is North Island's southernmost city and the nation's capital. Lonely Planet once called the city "the coolest little capital" in the world, and today, you can find out why. Set on the edge of a stunning harbor and surrounded by rolling hills, there's loads to explore around Wellington. For instance, take a cable car ride to the Wellington Botanic Garden and the Carter Observatory for a vantage point with excellent views of the city.

After, visit Te Papa, New Zealand's bold and innovative national museum to discover the country's geology and natural environment and learn about the stories of New Zealand's Indigenous people, the Māori. Walk past The Beehive, the executive wing of the parliament house, then stroll the city streets for a delicious meal at one of the many inner-city cafés where you can soak up some of Wellington's famous café culture.

Day 7: Fly to Queenstown, Drive to Te Anau, Glowworm Caves

When you fly to Queenstown today, you'll swap the North Island for the South Island. First, drop off your rental car before taking the domestic flight to New Zealand's adventure capital. On arrival, collect another rental car and start the 2.5-hour drive to Te Anau, the gateway to the Fiordland National Park. Te Anau is located on a lake of the same name, Lake Te Anau, which reaches depths of 1,368 feet (417 m). The town is the starting point for many walking and hiking trails, including the Milford Track and the Kepler Track—plus it's home to a limestone grotto of glowworms, which you'll explore today.

This afternoon, you'll cruise across Lake Te Anau aboard a luxury catamaran, disembarking on the western side to enter special glowworm caves through Cavern House. Read displays sharing the story of this 12,000-year-old underground cave network. Then, follow your guide along a limestone path as they point out whirlpools, intricate rock formations, and a staggering underground waterfall. Board a small boat to glide through darkness, surrounded by the blue-white pinpricks of thousands of glowworms on the cave walls.

Day 8: Full-Day Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise

Today, you'll visit the lesser-known Doubtful Sound during a special cruise. This sound is a more isolated fjord that's much longer than Milford Sound / Piopiotahi and has a surface area that's much larger. With its dramatic peaks, lush rainforest, and secret inlets, the natural wonder will take your breath away. There's no road access, so to reach the sound, you'll first cruise across the picturesque Lake Manapouri, followed by a bus ride over Wilmot Pass, which is often considered New Zealand's most scenic road.

Take an opportunity to look over the rainforest and Doubtful Sound before boarding the Patea Explorer for a three-hour cruise. As you sail across the teal waters, your captain will provide commentary on the area and its history, pointing out landmarks like Browne Falls, a waterfall that continuously crashes 2,030 feet (619 m) into the sound. Look out for bottlenose dolphins, fur seals, and Fiordland crested penguins along the way. 

Day 9: Drive to Queenstown, TSS Earnslaw Cruise & Barbecue Dinner

Depart beautiful Lake Te Anau this morning and take the scenic drive to Queenstown, passing trout fishing rivers and high country scenery en route. Pause at the small towns of Mossburn and Lumsden or stretch your legs at Kingston, the home of a remarkable vintage steam train. The route then skirts along the shore, between Lake Wakatipu and the sheer faces of The Remarkables mountain range, to the resort town.​ In Queenstown, you can enjoy hair-raising thrills, go wine tasting in the Central Otago, visit historic gold-mining towns, or simply relax.

Day 10: Private Skippers Canyon 4WD Tour, Onsen Hot Pools

This morning, get ready to dive into Queenstown's surrounding landscapes with a private 4WD trip along Skippers Road, one of the most adventurous roads in the world. Your driver will take you high above the Shotover River, where you'll soak up the incredible scenery from high above the gorge. Once nicknamed the "richest river in the world," you can still find the precious metal there today. As you journey through the canyon, your private guide will stop by historic sites from the region's gold rush past.

End your evening gazing at the night sky while immersed in an onsen hot pool. Set high into a cliffside, each private pool overlooks the magnificent Shotover River Canyon. The experience is about unwinding and soaking up Queenstown's epic views as your mind and body surrender to the deep warmth and gentle massage of the private pools. 

Day 11: Drive to Lake Tekapo, Grand Traverse Scenic Flight

After breakfast, jump behind the wheel and set off for Lake Tekapo. You'll follow winding roads for three hours until you reach the expansive lake at the base of Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park. Climb the Lindis Pass, one of New Zealand's highest roads, and pass by Ōmarama, the gliding capital of New Zealand. Fans of "The Lord of the Rings" will love Twizel, a film location, and you should stop at Lake Pukaki to see Aoraki / Mount Cook from afar.

When you arrive, it's time to strap into a small plane for a spectacular scenic flight known as the Grand Traverse. You'll fly high above pristine lakes, golden landscapes, remote sheep stations, and river valleys. See New Zealand's highest mountains and largest glaciers, including the snowcapped Aoraki / Mount Cook, the Haupapa / Tasman Glacier, the Franz Josef / Waiau, and Westland Tai Poutini National Park.

Day 12: Kayak Tasman Lake, Tekapo Springs Stargazing Experience

This morning, after breakfast, you'll grab a paddle for a kayaking adventure that will bring you face-to-face with icebergs. The longest glacier in New Zealand makes its journey to the Southern Alps for nearly 20 miles (30 km) before culminating in Haupapa / Tasman Glacier's Terminal Lake. The transition from glacier to lake produces enormous icebergs on a regular basis, so keep your eyes open for big 'bergs as you paddle across the lake admiring the wonders of nature's creation.

This evening, you'll combine stargazing and relaxation at Tekapo Springs. Learn about the constellations in the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve as your guide combines astronomy and storytelling, then enjoy exclusive use of the 99°F (37.5°C) hot pool. You can even lie on a floating hammock!

Day 13: Drive to Christchurch, Tramway Restaurant

Rise early to hit the road for Christchurch, your final destination. Before leaving Lake Tekapo, photograph the famous Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake Tekapo, and the Collie Dog statue, then begin the three-hour journey. You'll first drive through Burkes Pass and into the farmland surrounding Geraldine. Continue across the vast Canterbury Plains and arrive in Christchurch by lunchtime. Spend the rest of the day exploring the country's second-largest metropolis, which is nicknamed "Garden City" due to its beautiful green spaces.

This evening, you'll board the country's only restaurant tram for a scenic urban tour while enjoying a four-course meal. This historic, colonial-style dining tram showcases the best of New Zealand cuisine while making the rounds of central Christchurch's top attractions. Enjoy the Botanic Gardens, the Canterbury Museum, and the Avon River / Ōtākaro from your window-side table as you dine on local gourmet fare.

Day 14: Depart Christchurch

Sadly, your adventurous two-week New Zealand honeymoon comes to an end today! If you have time this morning, go for a classic boat ride along the Avon River / Ōtākaro. A punter dressed in Edwardian garb will guide you quietly past trailing willows, woodlands, and the leafy banks of the Botanic Gardens or through the city center onboard a classic punt.

When the time is right, drive to the airport with enough time to return your rental car before your departing flight. Safe travels!