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Itineraries/Oceania/NZ Both Islands

14 Days NZ Both Islands

The canonical first-time New Zealand family trip — Auckland harbour, Rotorua geothermal country, Wellington and Te Papa, then south to Queenstown adventure, an overnight on Milford Sound, and Wanaka's lakeside calm. Both islands, all the icons, 14 nights.

14 nights
Family of 4
~A$13,195
6 stops
Auckland2n
Rotorua2n
Wellington1n
Queenstown4n
Milford Sound1n
Wanaka4n
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Your stop-by-stop itinerary

6 stops across 14 nights. Each one chosen so you experience a different side of NZ Both Islands.

1

Auckland

2 nights
Fly into Auckland Airport (AKL), pick up hire car

Highlights

  • Sky Tower (optional skywalk for brave families)
  • Auckland Museum free entry and Māori cultural performance
  • Waiheke Island ferry day trip (vineyards and beaches)
  • Rangitoto Island volcanic hike
  • St Heliers Beach afternoon

Local tips

  • 💡Pick up the hire car straight from the airport — you'll need it for the whole North Island leg
  • 💡Waiheke Island is 35 min by ferry and feels like a different world
  • 💡Book the Māori cultural performance at Auckland Museum ahead — session times are limited
Suggested stay: Family hotel near Viaduct Harbour
2

Rotorua

2 nights
Drive from Auckland (2.5 hrs)

Highlights

  • Te Puia geothermal park and kiwi sanctuary
  • Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland
  • Hobbiton movie set day trip from Matamata (~1 hr drive)
  • Skyline Gondola and Luge Rotorua
  • Redwood Forest walking or mountain biking

Local tips

  • 💡Two nights is tight — prioritise Te Puia and one other geothermal site, then Hobbiton
  • 💡Book Hobbiton online weeks ahead — it sells out year-round
  • 💡The town smells of sulfur — totally normal and the kids will find it hilarious
Suggested stay: Family lodge near the geothermal parks
3

Wellington

1 night
Drive from Rotorua via Taupō (5 hrs) — or fly AKL → WLG (1 hr) and collect car in Wellington

Highlights

  • Te Papa Museum of New Zealand (free, world-class)
  • Weta Workshop guided tour (Lord of the Rings props)
  • Mount Victoria lookout
  • Wellington Cable Car
  • Cuba Street food scene for an early dinner

Local tips

  • 💡One night is a transit stop before flying south — prioritise Te Papa and an early dinner
  • 💡Drop the North Island rental car in Wellington and collect a new one at Queenstown Airport
  • 💡Book the Weta Workshop tour ahead — limited places and unmissable for any film fan
Suggested stay: Family hotel on the waterfront
4

Queenstown

4 nights
Fly Wellington → Queenstown (1h 20m), pick up South Island hire car

Highlights

  • Skyline Gondola and luge runs (kids adore the luge)
  • Lake Wakatipu cruise on TSS Earnslaw
  • Arrowtown heritage gold-rush village day trip
  • Shotover Jet or Kawarau Bridge for the brave
  • Fergburger — mandatory stop

Local tips

  • 💡Book accommodation well in advance — Queenstown fills up year-round
  • 💡The luge at Skyline is worth every dollar — allow 2+ hours
  • 💡Use Queenstown as the base for day trips to Arrowtown and Glenorchy
Suggested stay: Family apartment in central Queenstown
5

Milford Sound

1 night
Drive from Queenstown via Te Anau (4 hrs)

Highlights

  • Overnight cruise on the sound
  • Kayaking beneath waterfalls
  • Mitre Peak at sunrise with no other tourists
  • Underwater Observatory
  • The stunning Homer Tunnel drive

Local tips

  • 💡Staying overnight is transformational — you get the sound to yourself at dawn
  • 💡Check road conditions — winter snow can close the Homer Tunnel
  • 💡Fill the petrol tank in Te Anau before continuing — very few stations past it
Suggested stay: Milford Sound Lodge
6

Wanaka

4 nights
Drive from Milford Sound via Te Anau and Queenstown (4-5 hrs)

Highlights

  • Lake Wanaka and the iconic 'That Wanaka Tree' photo stop
  • Puzzling World illusions museum (brilliant for kids)
  • Roys Peak hike — do the first lookout if the full peak is too much
  • Mount Aspiring National Park day walks
  • Lakefront dinners and gentle wind-down days

Local tips

  • 💡Wanaka is quieter and more relaxed than Queenstown — a perfect final stop
  • 💡Puzzling World is a must-do with children — allow 2 hours
  • 💡Drop the rental car at Queenstown Airport on departure day (1 hr drive)
Suggested stay: Holiday cottage on the lake

Good to know

Estimated cost

The ~A$13,195 estimate covers accommodation across all 6 stops. Flights, daily spending, activities, and transport are additional — use SaveToRoam’s savings planner to track it all.

What’s included

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