What does 10 days add over a 7-day South Island itinerary?

Mainly Te Anau and Dunedin. Te Anau turns Milford Sound into a short, easy day trip instead of a very long one, and Dunedin adds wildlife and one of New Zealand's most interesting small cities.

Can I do this whole itinerary without hiring a car?

Yes. Every driving leg listed is a route we run as a private transfer, so you can do the entire circuit door to door without anyone in your group driving.

When is the best time of year for this itinerary?

November to April gives the longest days and the most reliable road conditions. Winter is beautiful and quieter, but alpine passes can close in storms, so build in a little flexibility.

10-day South Island itinerary

South Island itinerary: 10 days without hiring a car

Ten days lets you slow the South Island down and add the two places the one-week version has to skip: Te Anau, the quiet gateway to Fiordland, and Dunedin's wildlife coast. Every leg is a route we drive regularly, so the whole trip works without anyone hiring a car.

Day by day, with real distances

Day 1
Christchurch → Lake Tekapo
226 km (141 miles)about 2 hr 51 min
Inland to the Mackenzie Country — turquoise lake, mountain backdrop, and some of the best stargazing on earth after dark.
Day 2
Lake Tekapo → Wānaka
201 km (125 miles)about 2 hr 26 min
Over the Lindis Pass into Central Otago. An evening on Wānaka's lakefront is one of the South Island's simple pleasures.
Day 3
Wānaka → Queenstown
67 km (42 miles)about 1 hr 4 min
A short drive over the Crown Range leaves most of the day free for Queenstown itself.
Day 4
Queenstown → Queenstown
A free day — gondola, lake cruise, Arrowtown, wineries, or something that involves jumping off a platform.
Day 5
Queenstown → Te Anau
171 km (106 miles)about 2 hr 4 min
South along Lake Wakatipu to Te Anau, the relaxed lakeside town at the edge of Fiordland. Sleeping here is the secret to an easy Milford day.
Day 6
Te Anau → Milford Sound (return)
117 km (73 miles)about 1 hr 54 min
Milford day — and from Te Anau it's a fraction of the Queenstown round trip, so you can take a morning cruise before the busiest part of the day and stop at the lookouts on the way back.
Day 7
Te Anau → Dunedin
288 km (179 miles)about 3 hr 25 min
Across Southland to Dunedin — Scottish heritage, a genuinely interesting city centre, and the Otago Peninsula's albatross and penguins on the doorstep.
Day 8
Dunedin → Dunedin
A free day for the Otago Peninsula wildlife, the railway station, the world's steepest street and a very good coffee scene.
Day 9
Dunedin → Christchurch
360 km (224 miles)about 4 hr 33 min
North up the coast to Christchurch, with the evening to enjoy the city's restaurants and riverside.
Day 10
Christchurch → Christchurch Airport
Fly home — or add the West Coast and glaciers if you can stretch to a fortnight.

Planning this trip without a car

Doing Milford Sound from Te Anau instead of Queenstown is the single best upgrade in this itinerary — same fiord, far less road time.
Dunedin's Otago Peninsula wildlife tours run to fixed times; book them first and let transport fit around them.
Ten days at this pace still includes two no-driving days. Resist the urge to fill them.

Every driving leg above is a route we run as a private transfer — fixed price agreed before you travel, your own driver, door to door. Tell us your dates and we'll map the whole trip for you.

FAQs

What does 10 days add over a 7-day South Island itinerary?: Mainly Te Anau and Dunedin. Te Anau turns Milford Sound into a short, easy day trip instead of a very long one, and Dunedin adds wildlife and one of New Zealand's most interesting small cities.
Can I do this whole itinerary without hiring a car?: Yes. Every driving leg listed is a route we run as a private transfer, so you can do the entire circuit door to door without anyone in your group driving.
When is the best time of year for this itinerary?: November to April gives the longest days and the most reliable road conditions. Winter is beautiful and quieter, but alpine passes can close in storms, so build in a little flexibility.

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.
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Arriving in New Zealand
First-time visitor guides to landing at Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown, Wellington and Dunedin.
Read the arrival guides
Island & 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.
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Visiting New Zealand
Driving on the left, kilometres to miles, money and tipping, the seasons, and travelling without a rental car.
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Airport shuttle alternative
Private airport transfers instead of a shared shuttle — your group alone, direct to the terminal, price agreed first.
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City taxi, upgraded
A fixed-price private car instead of the taxi rank — city-by-city guides across New Zealand.
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Suburb airport transfers
Local detail on the run to Auckland, Christchurch or Wellington Airport from your own suburb.
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Private 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.
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By-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 hire
Airport transfers
Flight-tracked pickups and drop-offs at every main New Zealand airport, door to door.
Airport transfers
Cruise port transfers & shore days
Met at the terminal in Auckland, Tauranga, Akaroa or Picton — back on board well before all-aboard time.
Cruise transfers
Ski field transfers
Winter-ready vehicles and alpine drivers for Queenstown, Wānaka, Mt Hutt and Ruapehu — gear included.
Ski transfers
Corporate & executive travel
Business accounts, client and staff runs, event movements and consolidated invoicing.
Talk to us
Groups, fleets & rental car alternative
Multiple vehicles on one booking for larger parties, or a driven alternative to hiring a car.
Rental car alternative
What 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 & costs
Weddings, balls & big occasions
Private transport for weddings, school balls, corporate events, funerals, large groups and accessible travel.
Occasion transport
Concerts & 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.