New Zealand road trip: Auckland to Christchurch by ferry
The 2867 km route through New Zealand covers the key attractions of both islands: from Sky Tower in Auckland via ferry to the North Island to Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu, Wanaka and the Church of the Good Shepherd on the South Island. The journey includes a visit to Christchurch and picturesque landscapes that form the image of the country that is called "the edge of the world".
- Distance
- 2867.2 km
- Mode
- route
- Start
- Real estate and moving to Cyprus
- End
- Picton
- Stops
- 12
- Video author
- travmap
- Updated
Stops on this route
- Real estate and moving to Cyprus — A Mediterranean island with a developed real estate market, attracting expats due to its climate, tax incentives and European standard of living.
- Ferry to the North Island — An inter-island waterway connecting New Zealand's two main islands and providing scenic views of the Cook Strait.
- Sky Tower is the symbol of Auckland — The 328-meter-high TV tower dominates the city's skyline and offers panoramic views of the surrounding area from the observation deck.
- Architecture of Auckland — A combination of colonial buildings, modernist skyscrapers and volcanic basalt slopes that create New Zealand's unique urban landscape.
- Queenstown — Resort town and starting point for the southern island journey; location for price comparisons and initial impressions.
- Lake Wakatipu — Major lake near Queenstown featured in the journey.
- South Island — First major section of the journey traversing New Zealand; features alpine scenery comparable to Swiss Alps and Scottish highlands.
- Christchurch — City that experienced a major 6.3 magnitude earthquake in 2011; undergoing reconstruction with street art renaissance; features historic trams and Church Bar.
- Queenstown Airport (Kingtown) — Legendary and dangerous airport known for complex landing procedures requiring special pilot training.
- Wanaka — Town home to the famous photographed tree on the southern island.
- Church of the Good Shepherd — Most cinematographic church in New Zealand.
- Picton — Port town serving as departure point for ferry crossing to North Island.
Useful for your trip
- Avoid
- Strict sanitary rules at entry: any products (fruits, vegetables, meat, sausages, eggs, cheese) are prohibited. Fine 400 NZD for violation. Also a fine for dirty shoes.
- Transport
- Queenstown Airport is one of the most difficult to land in the world. Pilots undergo special training. Landing is often blind through a narrow gorge. It is recommended to choose Auckland or Wellington if you are afraid of the floor
- Food
- Flat White coffee with a double shot costs around €3.60 – cheaper than in Europe and Cyprus. Prices are lower than European ones.
- Food
- Local milk is of high quality, cows graze on grass all year round without mixed feed. Hotels may have fresh farm milk in minibars.
- Transport
- Route through both islands: Queenstown → South Island → ferry across Cook Strait → North Island → Auckland. The total distance is about 1500 km.
- Tip
- Lake Wakatipu: The water rises and falls by 10 cm every few minutes. The length of the lake is 35 km, the depth is 392 m.
- Tip
- The most photographed tree in the world is Waka (willow) in the lake. It is located about 40 minutes from Queenstown. It looks more beautiful in summer than in winter.
- Avoid
- Do not approach fur seals closer than 20 m. Never stand between the seal and the ocean - it will regard it as an attack and attack. They look harmless, but dangerous.
- Tip
- Church of the Good Shepherd is part of the world's dark sky sanctuary with perfect night darkness and fantastic stargazing.
- Tip
- Christchurch is recovering from the 2011 earthquake. There are historic restored wooden trams in the city.
- Timing
- It is now winter (July) in New Zealand. In the highlands of the South Island, it is cold and gray. On the coast, winter is brighter. In summer, trees and lakes look more beautiful.
- Transport
- The Cook Strait ferry connects the South and North Islands, passing between Picton and Wellington.
Video on this route
Is New Zealand the most beautiful country in the world? We drove through it all!