Tag: Wellington

New Zealand Road Trip - New Zealand Beaches: Makarora to Fox Glacier. An MSR tent sits in a grassy field, with a rustic fence and wild grasses beyond. New Zealand's West Coast mountain range is visible in the distance, and a helicopter flies overhead under blue skies and bright clouds.

Kiwi New Zealand: Things to do in New Zealand South Island

This 5 Day South Island Itinerary has you flying in to Queenstown and then out of either Picton or Wellington, depending on domestic and international connections, rental car arrangements, and your time frame and schedule. It’s a fair amount of driving, but you’ll get a good combination of urban and rural, with landscapes ranging from sub-tropical and coastal to inland and mountainous.

The number nine engraved on the center of a metal-spoked wheel, a relic from the coal mining site of Brunner, New Zealand.

The Best New Zealand South Island Itinerary 7 Days

This 7 Day South Island Itinerary has you flying in to Queenstown and then out of either Picton or Wellington, depending on domestic and international connections, rental car arrangements, and your time frame and schedule. If you only have 5 days, check out our 5 Day Itinerary from Wellington to Dunedin, flying out of Queenstown.

A view of the mountains and river near Haast, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Best New Zealand Itinerary 2 Weeks

We’ve planned the best 14 Day New Zealand Itinerary so you don’t have to! Check out each of the days below to put together your own holiday around the South Island and Wellington, or customize a trip if you’ve only got a few days or a week. (Check out our “Itineraries” in the main menu for other, shorter itineraries from New Zealand and other countries, as well).

The historic Wharf Offices and Harbour Board on Wellington, New Zealand's waterfront at Lambton Harbour. Early morning golden light illuminates the building.

What’s on Wellington: Things to do in Wellington

Wellington has something for everyone. The city boasts numerous green spaces like the sprawling botanical gardens at the top of the famous cable car route and the hiking paths near Matairangi and the Mount Victoria Lookout. Miles of shoreline include sandy beaches, piers, and self-guided tours near downtown. Trendy restaurants serve up fresh takes on classic dishes. Public art fills the streets and the broad, walled canvases of downtown buildings.

A young girl leans against the glass of a large fish tank in the EcoWorld Aquarium & Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Picton, New Zealand. Two large fish swim by the glass.

New Zealand Cities: Picton New Zealand

We set aside day seven of our 14-Day New Zealand Itinerary for the scenic drive through Nelson wine country to Picton and the ferry docks and the ferry ride to Wellington. There is a lot to do along the Northernmost stretch of the South Island, and you could easily add an extra night or two in wine country at an AirBnB or other local accommodations. Blenheim and Nelson and the region are rapidly developing the region’s vineyards, and the growth is obvious; new vineyards connect the more established estates all along route 6, almost until the hills leading into Picton.