There’s something timeless about a New Zealand road trip. The way the landscape shifts from alpine peaks to wild coastline, from glacier-blue lakes to quiet rural towns.

If you’re planning your first New Zealand South Island road trip, expect more than spectacular scenery. Expect stillness. Freedom. The kind of travel where you linger a little longer, take the detour, and discover places most people pass by.

Here are some of our favourite South Island highlights and off-the-beaten-track gems, each easily woven into one of our self-drive itineraries.

Explore the Tasman Glacier (Aoraki/Mt Cook)

Experience 500-year-old icebergs up close on the Aoraki Mt Cook terminal lake. The Glacier Explorers tour is the only one of its kind in New Zealand, and one of only three in the world.

Very few glaciers terminate into lakes, and even fewer can be reached safely. Step aboard a specially designed boat and glide among floating icebergs as you look up at the towering ice cliffs of the Tasman Glacier, New Zealand’s largest.

Rock Peak Track (Crown Range Summit)

Your South Island road trip might begin in Queenstown, but before you descend toward Wānaka, stop at the top of the Crown Range Saddle.

From the carpark, follow the sign for Rock Peak Track, a moderate climb along an old 4WD trail that leads to panoramic views over Queenstown, the Gibbston Valley, and the Cardrona Valley.

Few travellers stop here; most head straight for the crowded Roys Peak Track near Wānaka. But this short hike rewards you with solitude and 360-degree alpine views. Walk as far as you like, or continue the full 7.9 km return (about 3 hours) to the summit at 1,490 m.

(Tip: The track crosses private land in places, stay on the trail and bring sun protection.)

Road Trip Itinerary (100% Customisable): South Island Spectacular | 15 Day Road Trip

Blue Pools & Thunder Creek Falls (Haast Pass)

Driving the Haast Pass is a journey through waterfalls, rainforest, and mountain mist, one of the most scenic corridors in any road trip New Zealand.

Pull over for Thunder Creek Falls, a 28-metre ribbon of water that plunges into a turquoise pool. It’s even more striking in rain, when mist curls through the beech trees.

Further along the pass, stop at the Blue Pools Track, a gentle 15-minute walk through native forest to glass-clear pools fed by glacial meltwater. Bring your camera; the colour seems lit from within.

Road Trip Itinerary (100% Customisable): New Zealand Grand Tour | 14 Day Road Trip

Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise (Fiordland’s Quiet Heart)

Where Milford Sound is dramatic, Doubtful Sound is deeply peaceful, an untouched world of waterfalls, forested peaks, and mirror-still water.

Reach it by crossing Lake Manapouri, then travel over Wilmot Pass to board your overnight cruise. As dusk falls, the only sounds are the hush of water, birdsong, and dolphins playing beside the bow.

It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, far from crowds and phone reception. The kind of stillness that stays with you long after you’ve returned home.

TranzAlpine Rail Journey (Across the Southern Alps)

Rated one of the world’s greatest train journeys by Condé Nast Traveler, the TranzAlpine is a spectacular way to see the heart of the South Island.

It runs between Christchurch and Greymouth, crossing the Canterbury Plains, winding through Arthur’s Pass National Park, and passing over viaducts with jaw-dropping views.

Many travellers include the TranzAlpine in their road trip itinerary, starting with the train one way, then pick up your car and explore at your own pace on the other end.

Road Trip Itinerary (100% Customisable): South Island Discovery Road Trip | 14 Days

Plan Your Own South Island Road Trip

A New Zealand South Island road trip can be many things: a family adventure, a journey of reconnection, a long-awaited bucket list escape. However you travel, the joy is in the freedom, knowing that someone’s thought through the logistics so you can simply enjoy the road.

At New Zealand Self Drive Tours, our local experts create personalised itineraries that match your interests, from luxury stays to hidden walks, scenic drives to authentic local experiences.

Every itinerary is flexible, every detail cared for. You just sit back and enjoy the journey; we handle the rest.

🚗 Start Planning Your Custom Dream New Zealand Road Trip