Queenstown to Christchurch

So, you’ve arrived in the adventure capital of the world with 6 days to get yourself up to Christchurch – that sounds like the perfect amount of time to have a great adventure in the lower South Island!. Arriving in Queenstown with only 1 day to explore can be quite daunting as there’s so much to do whether you’re an adrenaline junkie or you’re looking for a relaxing first day but fear not – we have pulled together our top three things to do for adventure and relaxation (we know, you can thank us when you drop the car off!) Anyway, enough of this – let’s GO! If you’re still in the planning stage of your trip, make sure you check out the great deals on car rental in Queenstown or our hire cars in Christchurch – we’re not one of New Zealand’s favourite rental car companies for no reason!

Contents

1. Route map with key locations
2. Recommended vehicle for this trip
3. Trip itinerary
   • Queenstown and Around
   • Milford Sound
   • Queenstown to Wanaka
   • Wanaka to Christchurch
   • Kaikoura
   • Christchurch

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Trip Itinerary

1Queenstown and around

Adrenaline fuelled adventure

GO Snap Happy Photo Opportunity

For those who have headed to Queenstown for adrenaline-fuelled adventure, these are our highlights of things to do in a day:

1) AJ Hackett Nevis Bungy – Australasia’s highest bungy at 134m, this is not for the faint-hearted – 8.5 seconds of freefall will have you screaming like a lunatic!

2) Skipper Canyon Jet – reaching speeds of up to 85mph this ride up the tight Shotover Canyon is sure to get your pulse racing. The 360-degree spins will get you closer to the wall than you feel comfortable with! Skippers Canyon Jet is also a GO Play partner. Bonus!

3) Coronet Peak ski resort (in season) – fantastic resort for pros and beginners alike, Coronet Peak is a GO Rentals favourite in the winter where lots of fun can be had on and off the slopes

Something a bit more…relaxing

We know that jumping off mountains and flipping jet boats is not everyone’s cup of tea but there’s more to Queenstown than adrenaline-fuelled adventure. Here are our top three things for the more laid back traveller:

1) Ben Lomond – a 4-hour walk giving you some awesome views of Queenstown, the lake and surrounding mountains

2) Skyline gondola – take the gondola up Bob’s Peak and enjoy some award-winning cuisine and some amazing views. If you want to get down a bit quicker, the luge is a lot of fun!

3) Arrowtown (22.1km – 22mins) – head out in your new GO Rentals hire car and check out this small town which was at the heart of the NZ gold rush. There are lots of nice shops, bars and places to eat as well as relaxing walks.

Queenstown Complete Guide

Nightlife

At the end of a busy day, Queenstown is a great place to unwind with a huge range of bars to suit everyone. Depending on the time of year, you’ll either be welcomed into a roaring fire or sit out enjoying the sun setting over Lake Wakatipu.

2Milford Sound (303kms – 4 hours 25 mins)

Described by Rudyard Kipling as the eighth wonder of the world, Milford Sound is THE MUST DO for anyone visiting the South Island. A great chance to give the GO Rentals hire car a good run out, the 4+ hour drive from Queenstown is well worth the early start to check out the magnificence of this most spectacular fjord carved out by glaciers during the ice age (that’s a long time ago by the way!).

Boat trip

Hop out of your GO Rentals hire car and straight onto a boat as this is a must once you get down there. With a number of companies offering day or night cruises, you’ll not be short of options for exploring the water when you arrive. Find yourself ‘ooooing’ and ‘ahhhing’ at the spectacular waterfalls, some of which are over 1000 metres high so be sure to pack the camera but also make sure you pack your wet weather gear as inevitably it rains down at Milford Sound. Some say this makes the waterfalls even more spectacular but we’re not too sure about that one!

Kayaking

GO Snap Happy Photo Opportunity

For those wanting a more hands-on experience of Milford Sound, why not give kayaking a go. There’s nothing quite like taking to the open water and paddling yourself out into one of the most inspiring places on planet earth. GO Play partner Real Journeys offer a 4-5 hour trip out onto the water taking in the serene Harrisons Cove and the magnificent Mitre Peak offering some spectacular views up to the Pembroke Glaciers.

Milford Discovery Centre and Underwater Observatory

Due to its unique underwater environment, Milford Sound is home to species of black coral usually found at depths of 500m or more, including magnificent 300-year-old ‘trees’ and the best way to check these old-timers out is at the Milford Discovery Centre and Underwater Observatory.

The Discovery Centre will send you on a journey back through the history, geology and wildlife of the Sound where you will also learn about the culture and heritage of this awe-inspiring place from local guides.

If you don’t fancy the drive down to Milford (it can be a very long day), GO Play partner Real Journeys offer a bus and fiord cruise trip which will take you from Queenstown to Milford and includes a boat cruise. Oh yeah, they will also give you a 10% discount. Awesome.

3Queenstown to Wanaka (68.6km – 1 hour 12 mins)

After all the excitement and adrenaline of Queenstown and the ‘road trip’ to Milford Sound, it’s going to be time to hit the road but thankfully for you, it’s a short trip in your new best friend to your next stop off in Wanaka. Although Wanaka offers many of the same adrenaline-fuelled adventures as Queenstown, from snowboarding to mountain biking, it’s also the perfect place to relax and chill out by the side of the lake.

Rob Roy Glacier

If you do fancy a stretch of the legs, however, there are over 750km of walking tracks in and around Wanaka whether you want a short stroll or a full day hike. About an hour’s drive from Wanaka is Rob Roy Glacier, an ideal entry point to the Mt Aspiring National Park. From the Raspberry Creek car park, you will find a stunning walk up the valley that brings you outstanding views of Rob Roy Glacier. It’s about a 4 hour round trip so this one is not for the faint hearted.

Puzzling World

A trip to Wanaka is just not the same without a trip to Puzzling World and it’s a definite favourite of the GO Rentals team. With 1.5km of passages in the ‘Great Maze’, it’s a great place to get lost for a few hours and act like a big kid as you race your mates to the four corners and back to the middle. It’s also really funny when someone gets themselves lost! Throw in a few weird and wonderful illusions like water running uphill (what’s that all about?!) and this makes for the perfect start to any day.

Wanaka Beerworks

Beer fans take note! For something a bit different, why not have a drive out to the Wanaka Beerworks where you can sample the local beers and ales as well as take a tour and find out about the history of beer making (it’s actually harder than you think!). Make sure you take home a sample selection to keep you going throughout the rest of your trip.

Mercure Oakridge Resort

After another full-on day, it’s great to relax and unwind and there’s no better place than the Grand Mercure Oakridge resort where you can make the most of the heated outdoor rock pools and spa complex. We’ve heard this sort of thing goes down really well with the ladies so why not treat the special one in your life to a day pass (you can always take the beer tour!) or even better, splash out and stay the night. Win-win.

Speight’s Ale House

A perfect place to grab a bite to eat is at the Wanaka Speight’s Ale House. A traditional Kiwi experience awaits along with the full range of Speight’s ales. Highly recommended come the fish and chips served in a traditional paper bag washed down with a pint of Speight’s Summit Lager – delicious! You wanted the full-on Kiwi experience – it doesn’t get much more Kiwi than that.

4Wanaka to Christchurch (427km – 5 hours 51 mins)

Heading out of Wanaka you will first head east before taking SH8 up towards Lake Tekapo. This is a day to really give your new GO Rentals car a run on the winding roads of Canterbury to your final destination of Christchurch and by the end of the day, you will have no doubt come up with a name for your faithful beast.

Akaroa (280km – 4 hours 10mins from Lake Tekapo)

Located 75km south of Christchurch and known by locals as the ‘Riviera of Canterbury’, Akaroa is a great stop off as you head north towards Christchurch. This village is located on the Banks Peninsula within a harbour of the same name and is considered “the most French town” in New Zealand, as it was the only French settlement in the country. Spend some time exploring the small town and then head to the harbour for the best fish and chips meal of your life (at least that’s Akaroa’s claim so you be the judge and let us know). Depending on your plans when you hit Christchurch, Black Cat Cruise offer the chance to swim with the very rare Hector dolphins which are only found in these waters and with a GO Play discount of 10%, you’d be a fool not to!

The final leg of the journey today will take you 81.3kms to Christchurch via Lyttelton.

Christchurch Complete Guide

On the approach to Christchurch, a stop off a Lyttelton is well worth the detour and it’s a great place to grab some dinner if you’re arriving late in the evening. Hit by the earthquakes, Lyttelton has now rebuilt and is a thriving village with lots of bars and cafes – there’s a great road over to Lyttelton which offers you some fantastic views looking down to the city and the harbour as well as down to road trip.

5Kaikoura (180km – 2 hours 35 mins)

Although you have only just arrived in Christchurch which will be your final destination for this trip, it is well worth heading out on Day 5 to tick off one of those things that appear on so many to-do lists – swimming with dolphins!

Cellar View Café and Restaurant

Kaikoura is one of New Zealand’s best locations for seeing marine life including whales and dolphins. It is also the home to the Cellar View Cafe and Restaurant. This place serves up some pretty amazing dishes matched only by the stunning views out to the pacific. It’s easy to let an afternoon drift by, enjoying the delicious food and admiring the endless view. Nice.

6Day 6 – Christchurch (180km – 2 hours 35 mins)

Christchurch is the South Island’s largest city with plenty to see and do. Take the time on your final day to explore the ‘Garden City’ and check out some of the beautiful gardens or relax by the river.

Earthquakes

Christchurch has unfortunately made headlines in recent times for a string of earthquakes that caused serious damage to the city – but its charm remains untouched and the city is rebuilding. Check out the several Gap Filler projects that volunteers have created to temporarily “activate” sites left empty by the earthquakes – you’ll be able to see some unique and really creative work that is proof of Christchurch’s charm and resilience.

Garden City

The tree-lined Avon River and Christchurch’s many parks and gardens give the city its reputation as the Garden City so make sure you check out the botanical gardens and the beautiful parks. For something a bit different, why not take a trip down to the picture-perfect Antigua boatsheds and try your hand at punting – we bet you have a few crashes if our own experience is anything to go by!

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