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Complete New Zealand itinerary: 88 days, hotels and bookings

88 days sequenced Morning / Afternoon / Evening / Hotel.

Sequenced by Kylian Updated on 20 September 2026

The Auckland skyline and the Sky Tower at sunset, yachts moored in the bay
  • 88 days
  • 203 places
  • 87 nights
  • sustained pace
Start
Auckland (Auckland Airport)
End
Christchurch (Christchurch Airport)
Main transport
Rental car on both islands, one domestic flight Auckland to Christchurch on day 42, six ferry crossings and a seven-day cruise in Fiordland
Recommended season
Departure December to March: the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, the Milford Track and the Abel Tasman Coast Track only line up in the southern summer, and the Great Walks season runs from late October to late April

What you get

  • The complete itinerary: 88 days sequenced Morning / Afternoon / Evening / Hotel
  • The card of every hotel, with the address and a direct booking link
  • Quota tickets, fixed-date tickets and surcharges flagged in advance
  • The country quick guide: weather, transport, formalities, budget
  • A PDF file of 182 pages

What the price does not include

  • Flights
  • Hotel nights
  • Tickets and admission fees
  • Travel insurance
  • On-the-ground assistance during your trip

The travel book preview

The free day in full, with its hotel card. This is the sample.

Day 46

At the foot of Aoraki

Morning

Lake Pukaki and the drive to Mount Cook Village

An hour and a half going up the western shore of Lake Pukaki, milkier still than Tekapo, with the summit of Aoraki straight ahead for fifty kilometres. Purpose-built lookout at the south of the lake.

Afternoon

Hooker Valley Track

Ten kilometres there and back, three hours, almost flat: the finest easy walk in the country. The track goes up the valley crossing three bridges suspended above the torrents and comes out at Hooker Lake, where blocks of ice broken off the glacier float, with Aoraki Mount Cook, 3,724 metres, standing at the far end. The summit lost ten metres in 1991, when a rockfall took its point away.

Good to know

The White Horse Hill car park is paid, the start of the Hooker Valley Track: 2.50 NZD per half hour or 25 NZD for the day, by card only, free under twenty minutes. Allow the whole day.

Hotel · Night 46

The Hermitage Hotel Mt Cook

The historic hotel of the national park, opened in 1884 and rebuilt twice, after a flood then a fire. A unique position facing Aoraki, panoramic restaurant, Sir Edmund Hillary centre with a planetarium. It is also from here that the day 48 cruise leaves.

Address
· 89 Terrace Road, Mount Cook Village, Aoraki 7946
Website
· hermitage.co.nz (new tab)
Check-in
3:00 PM · Check-out 10:00 AM
Book this hotel (new tab)

Buy this itinerary

€119 incl. tax

that is €1.35 per day of travel

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Itinerary corrected within 7 days, or refunded in full. Terms in article 12 of the T&Cs, on top of the legal warranty (new tab)

€119 incl. tax · 88 days

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A question before buying? Email Kylian, reply within 48 working hours.

The day-by-day rundown

81 stops, 5,470 km as the crow flies

Days 1–11 Auckland and Northland · 11 days
  1. Day 1 Auckland, from the top of the city down to the port Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  2. Day 2 Waiheke by bike, vines and marine reserve Mudbrick Vineyard and Restaurant Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  3. Day 3 Rangitoto, the new volcano Rangitoto, the new volcano Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  4. Day 4 Whales of the gulf and the eastern bays Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  5. Day 5 South of the city and a volcanic cone Rainbow’s End Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  6. Day 6 The Domain, Parnell, then the car Auckland War Memorial Museum Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  7. Day 7 West coast, black sand and gannets Omanawanui Track, at Whatipu Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  8. Day 8 Tiritiri Matangi, the forest replanted by hand Tiritiri Matangi, the forest replanted by hand Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  9. Day 9 Matakana, sculpture and a coastal sanctuary Sculptureum and its galleries Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  10. Day 10 Poor Knights Islands and Rikoriko cave Poor Knights Islands and Rikoriko cave Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  11. Day 11 Bay of Islands, Russell and Waitangi Cruise to the Hole in the Rock and Urupukapuka Island Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
Days 12–21 Far North, Waitomo and Taranaki · 10 days
  1. Day 12 Cape Reinga by Ninety Mile Beach Cape Reinga by Ninety Mile Beach Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  2. Day 13 The kauri coast and Hokianga Drive from Mangonui to Waipoua Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  3. Day 14 Down to the Waikato Drive from Dargaville to Hamilton Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  4. Day 15 Hobbiton and the Waikato hills Hobbiton movie set Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  5. Day 16 Waitomo, down into the Black Abyss Black Abyss, Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  6. Day 17 The three caves and the Marokopa road Waitomo Glowworm Caves Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  7. Day 18 Towards Taranaki and Dawson Falls Towards Taranaki and Dawson Falls Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  8. Day 19 Around the Mountain, first day Around the Mountain, first day Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  9. Day 20 The western flank to Holly Hut The western flank to Holly Hut Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  10. Day 21 Back to Dawson Falls, drive to Wellington Back to Dawson Falls, drive to Wellington Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
Days 22–31 Wellington, Tongariro and Taupo · 10 days
  1. Day 22 The heights of Wellington Wellington Cable Car and Cable Car Museum Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  2. Day 23 Power, stone and Cuba Street New Zealand Parliament and the Beehive Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  3. Day 24 War memory and the national museum Pukeahu National War Memorial Park and the national memorial Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  4. Day 25 Miramar, cinema and the south coast Weta Workshop Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  5. Day 26 Cape Palliser and the Wairarapa Cape Palliser lighthouse and seal colony Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  6. Day 27 Pukaha, then the climb to Tongariro Pukaha Mt Bruce Wildlife Centre Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  7. Day 28 The Tongariro Alpine Crossing The Tongariro Alpine Crossing Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  8. Day 29 Back to Whakapapa via Waihohonu Back to Whakapapa via Waihohonu Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  9. Day 30 Taupo, steam and rapids Drive to Taupo and Craters of the Moon Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  10. Day 31 The lake and the carvings of Mine Bay Taupo Museum and Art Gallery, town centre and lakefront Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
Days 32–41 Rotorua and the Coromandel · 10 days
  1. Day 32 From Taupo to Rotorua by the thermal valleys Lava Glass Glassblowing Studio Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  2. Day 33 The 1886 eruption, on its trail Waimangu Volcanic Valley and cruise on Lake Rotomahana Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  3. Day 34 Te Puia, Whakarewarewa and the Redwoods Te Puia and the Pohutu geyser Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  4. Day 35 The Edwardian spa town Rotorua Museum, Government Gardens and Blue Baths Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  5. Day 36 Hot mud and river Hell’s Gate Geothermal Reserve and Mud Spa Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  6. Day 37 Luge, ZORB and a panoramic dinner Skyline Rotorua, gondola and luge Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  7. Day 38 White Island and the summit of Tarawera White Island and the summit of Tarawera Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  8. Day 39 Karangahake gorge and the gold of Waihi Karangahake Gorge, Windows Walk and tunnel Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  9. Day 40 Cathedral Cove, Hot Water Beach and New Chums Cathedral Cove Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  10. Day 41 The Pinnacles, then back to Auckland Pinnacles walk Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
Days 42–52 Christchurch, Mount Cook and Otago · 11 days
  1. Day 42 Flight to the South Island and first steps Auckland to Christchurch flight Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  2. Day 43 The city and its earthquakes Cathedral Square and Christchurch Cathedral Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  3. Day 44 Akaroa and the Hector's dolphins Akaroa and the Hector's dolphins Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  4. Day 45 Up to the Mackenzie and the starry sky Up to the Mackenzie and the starry sky Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  5. Day 46 At the foot of Aoraki Lake Pukaki and the drive to Mount Cook Village Free
  6. Day 47 Sealy Tarns and Mueller Hut Sealy Tarns and the Mueller Hut Route Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  7. Day 48 Icebergs of the Tasman, then the coast Cruise on Lake Tasman with Glacier Explorers Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  8. Day 49 Victorian Oamaru and its penguins Victorian Precinct, Steampunk HQ and the Opera House Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  9. Day 50 Moeraki, the peninsula and the albatrosses Moeraki Boulders Beach Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  10. Day 51 Dunedin, the Edinburgh of the South Baldwin Street Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  11. Day 52 Port Chalmers, Tunnel Beach, heading south Port Chalmers Maritime Museum Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
Days 53–64 The Catlins, Stewart Island and Fiordland · 12 days
  1. Day 53 Nugget Point and the waterfalls Nugget Point and Roaring Bay Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  2. Day 54 Cathedral Caves and the southern point McLean Falls Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  3. Day 55 Crossing to Rakiura, the kiwi island Bluff, Stirling Point and the ferry to Oban Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  4. Day 56 Back by North Arm Back by North Arm Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  5. Day 57 Te Anau, the eve of boarding Road from Invercargill to Te Anau Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  6. Day 58 Preservation Inlet Discovery Expedition (jour 1 sur 7) Preservation Inlet Discovery Expedition Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  7. Day 59 Preservation Inlet Discovery Expedition (jour 2 sur 7) Preservation Inlet Discovery Expedition Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  8. Day 60 Preservation Inlet Discovery Expedition (jour 3 sur 7) Preservation Inlet Discovery Expedition Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  9. Day 61 Preservation Inlet Discovery Expedition (jour 4 sur 7) Preservation Inlet Discovery Expedition Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  10. Day 62 Preservation Inlet Discovery Expedition (jour 5 sur 7) Preservation Inlet Discovery Expedition Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  11. Day 63 Preservation Inlet Discovery Expedition (jour 6 sur 7) Preservation Inlet Discovery Expedition Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  12. Day 64 Preservation Inlet Discovery Expedition (jour 7 sur 7) Preservation Inlet Discovery Expedition Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
Days 65–76 Milford Track, Queenstown and the glaciers · 12 days
  1. Day 65 Milford Track, from Glade Wharf to Clinton Hut Milford Track, from Glade Wharf to Clinton Hut Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  2. Day 66 The Clinton valley up to Mintaro The Clinton valley up to Mintaro Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  3. Day 67 Mackinnon Pass and Sutherland Falls Mackinnon Pass and Sutherland Falls Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  4. Day 68 Sandfly Point and the fjord Sandfly Point and the fjord Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  5. Day 69 Arrival in Queenstown Road from Te Anau to Queenstown Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  6. Day 70 Glenorchy, Routeburn and Paradise Glenorchy, Routeburn and Paradise Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  7. Day 71 Bungy, gold rush and hot pools Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge and bungy jumping Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  8. Day 72 Wanaka and Roy's Peak Road to Wanaka and the Roy's Peak walk Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  9. Day 73 Rob Roy Glacier and the Haast Pass Matukituki Valley and Rob Roy Glacier Track Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  10. Day 74 The west coast and Lake Matheson Road from Haast to Fox Glacier, Ship Creek and Knights Point Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  11. Day 75 Heli-hike on Fox Glacier Heli-hike on Fox Glacier Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  12. Day 76 Franz Josef, valley and kiwi Franz Josef Glacier Valley Walk and Peters Pool Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
Days 77–88 Arthur's Pass, Golden Bay and Kaikoura · 12 days
  1. Day 77 Hokitika and the climb to Arthur's Pass Hokitika Gorge and Hokitika Beach Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  2. Day 78 Cave Stream, Castle Hill and the Hawdon Castle Hill Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  3. Day 79 Punakaiki and the Pancake Rocks Pancake Rocks and Blowholes Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  4. Day 80 Cape Foulwind, Denniston and Karamea Cape Foulwind Walkway and Tauranga Bay Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  5. Day 81 Honeycomb Hill and the Oparara arches Oparara Basin Arches and Moria Gate Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  6. Day 82 The long drive to Golden Bay The long drive to Golden Bay Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  7. Day 83 Golden Bay, springs and the end of the world Rawhiti Cave Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  8. Day 84 Abel Tasman Coast Track Abel Tasman Coast Track Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  9. Day 85 Nelson, aviation and the vineyards of Marlborough Nelson Provincial Museum, Queen's Gardens and the cathedral Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  10. Day 86 Queen Charlotte Track and Marlborough Sounds Queen Charlotte Track and Marlborough Sounds Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  11. Day 87 Kaikoura, between mountain and ocean trench Road from Picton to Kaikoura and the Ōhau Point lookout Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  12. Day 88 The whales, then the journey home Whale watching with Whale Watch Kaikoura Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF

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Country quick guide and logistics

The essentials of the country, scannable in ten seconds.

Weather and when to go

  • Southern summer, seasons reversed: December to March is the warm season and the only window in which the three big treks of the route line up. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing falls on day 28, the Milford Track on days 65 to 68, Abel Tasman on day 84.
  • Four seasons in one day is a local expression, and a literal one. The Tongariro can go from full sun to blizzard in a few hours, even in February: waterproof, fleece and hat stay in the pack all year round.
  • The South Island is dry in the east and very wet in the west: Franz Josef and Fox get more than five metres of rain a year, and Lake Matheson only mirrors Aoraki in still air, early in the morning.

Transport and permits

  • Rental car on both islands: picked up in Auckland on day 6, returned on day 41, picked up again in Christchurch on day 42. Driving on the left, narrow winding roads, and the times the maps quote are optimistic.
  • Only one domestic flight, Auckland to Christchurch on day 42. Everything else is by road plus six ferries: Waiheke, Rangitoto, Tiritiri Matangi, Bluff to Oban for Stewart Island, and the Milford Track shuttles.
  • Petrol stations thin out in the Far North, on the Haast road and between Karamea and Golden Bay: fill up as soon as the tank drops below half.

Formalities and safety

  • Passport valid for at least three months beyond the date of departure. An NZeTA is compulsory for French and most European nationals, applied for online before travelling and valid two years, along with the IVL conservation and tourism levy.
  • Strict biosecurity on arrival: hiking boots cleaned and declared, no fresh produce, honey included. The checks are real and the fines immediate.
  • Three bookings govern the whole route: Milford Track places for the coming season are gone in a morning, the Preservation Inlet cruise (days 58 to 64) sails only a few times a year, and the Tiritiri Matangi ferry does not run every day.

Budget and meals

  • The New Zealand dollar, roughly €0.55 to 1 NZD. Everything takes contactless card, down to trailhead car parks. Tipping is not customary.
  • The heavy items beyond accommodation: the seven-day Preservation Inlet cruise, the Fox Glacier heli-hike on day 75, the White Island flight on day 38, the Waitomo Black Abyss on day 16 and the Kaikoura whale watching on day 88.
  • Milford Track and Rakiura Track huts are paid per night, at the same time as the permit. Car parks at the major trailheads are now charged and card only, with no cash accepted.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly do I receive?

Your Étaperia itinerary, available immediately in your customer account after payment: readable online with clickable booking links, and downloadable as a PDF for the trip. Every day is sequenced Morning / Afternoon / Evening, with the hotel for each night, its address and its booking link, and timed-entry tickets flagged in advance.

How is this better than what an AI gives me?

A generative AI composes a plausible list in seconds, without saying what was checked or when. At Étaperia, every itinerary is sequenced by hand, place by place, with the booking constraints spotted before it is too late to get them. The Method page says what is checked, against which source and on what date.

Can I adapt it to my dates and my pace?

Yes. The days are self-contained blocks: you can shift the departure, stretch a stage or skip a day without breaking what follows. Only timed-entry tickets require adjusting the dates accordingly, and they are all flagged.

What if a hotel or a place in the itinerary has closed?

Email contact@etaperia.com within 12 months of your purchase. If a hotel in the itinerary is closed or can no longer be found, or a place to visit has closed permanently, the itinerary is corrected in your customer account within 7 days, or you are refunded in full. A hotel fully booked on your dates, a seasonal closure or a change in opening hours or prices is not covered. This guarantee comes on top of the legal warranty of conformity; details in article 12 of the terms and conditions of sale.

Who is selling you this itinerary

  • Kylian, sole trader, SIRET 927 587 709 00035
  • Consumer mediator: ANM Consommation
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  • Publisher, not a travel agency: you book flights, hotels and tickets yourself

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