Southern Splendour: New Zealand & Australia Alpine Self-Drive

Welcome to New Zealand! Collect your rental car at Queenstown Airport and drive to Queenstown. Explore Lake Wakatipu, boutique shops, cafés, restaurants and the waterfront. If time permits, ride the Skyline Gondola.

Drive: 8 km (15 min). Overnight: Queenstown.

Breakfast at hotel. Drive through Fiordland National Park via Te Anau to Milford Sound, stopping at Mirror Lakes, Monkey Creek, The Chasm, viewpoints and Homer Tunnel. Optional cruise. Return to Queenstown.

Drive: 575 km (8–9 hrs). Overnight: Queenstown.

Breakfast at hotel. Enjoy Queenstown at your own pace. Visit Queenstown Gardens, Lake Wakatipu, boutiques or cafés. Optional jet boating, bungee jumping, wine tasting or helicopter flight. Arrowtown and Gibbston Valley are nearby.

Overnight: Queenstown.

Breakfast at hotel. Drive via Cromwell, Wānaka and Haast Pass through mountains, rainforest, rivers and waterfalls to Franz Josef Glacier. Explore the alpine village or relax.

Drive: 350 km (5 hrs 30 min). Overnight: Franz Josef.

Breakfast at hotel. Cross the Southern Alps via Lake Pukaki and Lake Tekapo, with views of Aoraki / Mount Cook and the Church of the Good Shepherd. Continue across the Canterbury Plains to Christchurch.

Drive: 530 km (7 hrs 30 min). Overnight: Christchurch.

Breakfast at hotel. Return your rental car at Christchurch Airport and fly to Sydney (flight not included unless stated). Collect your new rental car and explore Circular Quay, The Rocks or Darling Harbour.

Drive: Christchurch 12 km (20 min); Sydney 15 km (25 min). Overnight: Sydney.

Breakfast at hotel. Drive to the UNESCO-listed Blue Mountains. Visit Echo Point and the Three Sisters, explore Leura and Katoomba, and enjoy views from Wentworth Falls over the Jamison Valley. Drive: 115 km (2 hrs). Overnight: Blue Mountains.

Breakfast at hotel. Explore the Blue Mountains at your own pace. Visit Scenic World, Govetts Leap Lookout, Blackheath and scenic walking trails among eucalyptus forests and dramatic escarpments.

Drive: 50–80 km (flexible). Overnight: Blue Mountains.

Breakfast at hotel. Drive via Bells Line of Road through orchards and country towns to the Hunter Valley. Enjoy boutique wineries, Semillon wines, gourmet produce and vineyard scenery.

Drive: 250 km (3 hrs 45 min). Overnight: Hunter Valley.

Breakfast at hotel. Explore the Hunter Valley with visits to wineries, cheese producers, chocolate boutiques, cafés, Hunter Valley Gardens, galleries and specialty food stores. Relax among the vineyards.

Drive: 30–60 km (flexible). Overnight: Hunter Valley.

Breakfast at hotel. Return to Sydney through the New South Wales countryside. Return your rental car at Sydney Airport and check in for your onward flight.

Drive: 200 km (2 hrs 45 min). End of Services.