New Zealand road-trip itineraries & journey guides
Planning a New Zealand trip from overseas? These guides give you real, verified distances and drive times — in kilometres and miles — and show how every trip works without hiring a car.
Itineraries
7 days · South Island
South Island itinerary: 7 days without hiring a car
A one-week South Island itinerary — Christchurch, Lake Tekapo, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Wānaka and Franz Josef — with verified distances and no rental car needed.
Read the itinerary10 days · South Island
South Island itinerary: 10 days without hiring a car
Ten days around the South Island — Christchurch, Tekapo, Wānaka, Queenstown, Te Anau, Milford Sound and Dunedin — with verified distances and no rental car needed.
Read the itinerary14 days · New Zealand
New Zealand itinerary: 14 days, both islands, no rental car
Two weeks across both islands — Auckland, Hobbiton, Rotorua, Wellington, Nelson, the West Coast, Tekapo, Queenstown and Milford Sound — with verified distances, no rental car needed.
Read the itinerary7 days · North Island
North Island itinerary: 7 days without hiring a car
A one-week North Island itinerary — Auckland, Bay of Islands, Hobbiton, Rotorua, Taupō and Wellington — with verified drive times and no rental car needed.
Read the itinerary5 days · North Island
North Island in 5 days: a short first-timer's itinerary
A short North Island itinerary from Auckland taking in Hobbiton, Rotorua and Lake Taupō, with verified drive times and private transfers instead of a rental car.
Read the itinerary5 days · South Island
South Island in 5 days: Christchurch to Queenstown and back
A short South Island itinerary from Christchurch through Lake Tekapo to Queenstown, Milford Sound and Wānaka, with verified drive times and no rental car needed.
Read the itinerary10 days · New Zealand
10 days in New Zealand: both islands, no rental car
A 10-day New Zealand itinerary across both islands — Auckland, Rotorua, Taupō, Wellington, the Cook Strait ferry, Christchurch, Tekapo, Queenstown and Milford Sound.
Read the itinerary8 days · New Zealand
A New Zealand road trip without hiring a car
How to travel New Zealand end to end without a rental car: which legs are easy, which are long, what it feels like, and how private transfers stitch the trip together.
Read the itinerary
Journey guides
Queenstown to Milford Sound
How far is Milford Sound from Queenstown, how long the drive really takes, and the easiest ways to get there without hiring a car — explained for overseas visitors.
Read the guideAuckland to Hobbiton
How far is Hobbiton from Auckland, how long the drive takes, and the easiest ways to visit the movie set without hiring a car — explained for overseas visitors.
Read the guideAuckland to Rotorua
How far is Rotorua from Auckland, how long the drive takes, and the easiest ways to get there without hiring a car — explained for overseas visitors.
Read the guideAuckland to Taupō
How far is Taupō from Auckland, how long the drive really takes via State Highway 1, and the easiest ways to get there without hiring a car.
Read the guideAuckland to Waitomo Caves
How to get from Auckland to the Waitomo glowworm caves without a car — honest drive times, tour timing tips, and the door-to-door private transfer option.
Read the guideAuckland to Paihia, Bay of Islands
How far is the Bay of Islands from Auckland, how long the drive to Paihia takes, and the easiest ways to get there without hiring a car.
Read the guideAuckland to Whitianga, Coromandel
How far is the Coromandel from Auckland, how long the drive to Whitianga takes, and the easiest ways to reach the peninsula without hiring a car.
Read the guideAuckland to Hot Water Beach
How to get from Auckland to Hot Water Beach without a car — drive time, the all-important tide window, and the door-to-door private transfer option.
Read the guideHamilton to Hobbiton
The closest city to Hobbiton: how far the movie set is from Hamilton, how long the drive takes, and the easiest ways to visit without hiring a car.
Read the guideAuckland to Tongariro National Park
How far is Tongariro from Auckland, how long the drive takes, and how to reach the Alpine Crossing trailheads without hiring a car.
Read the guideAuckland to Wellington
The big North Island drive: how far Wellington is from Auckland, how long it really takes on State Highway 1, and the smartest ways to do it without rushing.
Read the guide
Other services we offer
A private transfer is only part of what we do. The same NZTA-licensed drivers and vehicles cover tours, hourly hire, airport and cruise work, corporate travel and group bookings throughout New Zealand.
Private, luxury & multi-day travel
Private touring, chauffeur hire, honeymoon travel and a driver for your whole New Zealand trip.
Explore private travelArriving in New Zealand
First-time visitor guides to landing at Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown, Wellington and Dunedin.
Read the arrival guidesIsland & region guides
What each part of New Zealand is known for, how long the drives really take, and how to travel it without a rental car.
Explore destinationsVisiting New Zealand
Driving on the left, kilometres to miles, money and tipping, the seasons, and travelling without a rental car.
Read visitor infoAirport shuttle alternative
Private airport transfers instead of a shared shuttle — your group alone, direct to the terminal, price agreed first.
Compare the optionsCity taxi, upgraded
A fixed-price private car instead of the taxi rank — city-by-city guides across New Zealand.
See your citySuburb airport transfers
Local detail on the run to Auckland, Christchurch or Wellington Airport from your own suburb.
Find your suburbPrivate day tours & sightseeing
Keep the same driver for the day and shape the route around what you'd like to see in and around New Zealand.
See private toursBy-the-hour driver hire
A driver and vehicle held for a block of time — best when your travel starts and finishes in the same town.
Book hourly hireAirport transfers
Flight-tracked pickups and drop-offs at every main New Zealand airport, door to door.
Airport transfersCruise port transfers & shore days
Met at the terminal in Auckland, Tauranga, Akaroa or Picton — back on board well before all-aboard time.
Cruise transfersSki field transfers
Winter-ready vehicles and alpine drivers for Queenstown, Wānaka, Mt Hutt and Ruapehu — gear included.
Ski transfersCorporate & executive travel
Business accounts, client and staff runs, event movements and consolidated invoicing.
Talk to usGroups, fleets & rental car alternative
Multiple vehicles on one booking for larger parties, or a driven alternative to hiring a car.
Rental car alternativeWhat transfers and taxis cost
Plain answers on what moves the price of an airport run in New Zealand, and how a fixed total compares with a meter.
Fares & costsWeddings, balls & big occasions
Private transport for weddings, school balls, corporate events, funerals, large groups and accessible travel.
Occasion transportConcerts & event transport
Ride there and ride home for the big nights — concerts, festivals and events across New Zealand.
Event transport
Please note: by-the-hour driver hire is only suitable when your travel starts and finishes in the same town. If you're finishing somewhere else, book a private transfer or a day trip so your fare covers the driver's travel.