12 days in South Island & North Island Itinerary
12 days in South Island & North Island Itinerary
Created using Inspirock New Zealand trip planner
Route & dates
12 days in South Island & North Island Itinerary
Start: Kuala Lumpur
Fly + bus:
18h 30min
1
Te Anau
— 2 nights
Find places to stay »
bus:
3h 15min
2
Queenstown
— 2 nights
Find places to stay »
Fly:
3h 15min
3
Wellington
— 1 night
Find places to stay »
Fly:
3h
4
Rotorua
— 1 night
Find places to stay »
Drive:
2h 45min
5
Auckland
— 1 night
Find places to stay »
Drive:
3h
6
Paihia
— 3 nights
Find places to stay »
Fly:
16h 45min
End: Kuala Lumpur
Edit
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2
nights
Te Anau
2
nights

Set among the picturesque peaks and glacially carved fiords of Fiordland National Park, Te Anau offers those wishing to explore the park a great place to stay and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of a small town in an enviable location.Step out of Te Anau with an excursion to Bowen Falls in Milford Sound--about 1h 05 min away. On the 10th (Sun), hike the day away at Routeburn Track. Next up on the itinerary: contemplate the waterfront views at Milford Sound, identify plant and animal life at Doubtful Sound, hike along The Chasm Walk, and explore the fascinating underground world of Te Anau Glowworm Caves.
To find other places to visit, reviews, where to stay, and other tourist information, use the Te Anau online trip itinerary maker .
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Te Anau is an approximately 18.5-hour combination of flight, bus, and taxi. You can also do a combination of bus, flight, and taxi; or do a combination of train, flight, bus, and taxi. You'll lose 4 hours traveling from Kuala Lumpur to Te Anau due to the time zone difference. Finish your sightseeing early on the 11th (Mon) to allow enough time to take a bus to Queenstown.
Things to do in Te Anau
Side Trip
Bowen Falls
Find places to stay Mar 9 — 11:
Highlights from your plan

Milford Sound
12:00pm, Sat Mar 9

Routeburn Track
10:30am, Sun Mar 10

Doubtful Sound
2:30pm, Mon Mar 11
2
nights
Queenstown
2
nights

Shallow Bay
Sheltered in an inlet of Lake Wakatipu, the resort town of Queenstown enjoys a strong reputation for its adventuring and skiing opportunities.Start off your visit on the 12th (Tue): get your game on at Skyline Queenstown, then browse the exhibits of Silver Fern Gallery, and then get some thrills on the water with a speed boat tour. Keep things going the next day: get your game on at Dark Ride, get interesting insight from Tours, then relax and rejuvenate at some of the top local wellness centers, and finally see the world from above with a helicopter tour.
To find traveler tips, reviews, where to stay, and other tourist information, you can read our Queenstown trip planner.
Getting from Te Anau to Queenstown by bus takes about 3.5 hours. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 13th (Wed) to allow time to travel to Wellington.
Things to do in Queenstown
Find places to stay Mar 11 — 13:
Highlights from your plan

Skyline Queenstown
10:00am, Tue Mar 12
©
Speed Boats Tours
2:30pm, Tue Mar 12
©
Adrenaline & Extreme Tours
11:00am, Wed Mar 13
1
night
Wellington
1
night

Harbour Capital
Wellington, the world's southernmost capital city and New Zealand's second most populous urban area, combines the nation's rugged history and nature with its modern and cosmopolitan present.Kick off your visit on the 14th (Thu): catch a ride on Wellington Cable Car, admire the natural beauty at Wellington Botanic Garden, then get engrossed in the history at The Great War Exhibition, and finally examine the collection at Museum of New Zealand (Te Papa Tongarewa).
For ratings, more things to do, maps, and other tourist information, go to the Wellington trip itinerary builder site .
Traveling by flight from Queenstown to Wellington takes 3.5 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of bus and flight; or do a combination of car and ferry. In March in Wellington, expect temperatures between 22°C during the day and 16°C at night. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 14th (Thu) early enough to travel to Rotorua.
Things to do in Wellington
Side Trip
Wellington Botanic Garden
Find places to stay Mar 13 — 14:
Highlights from your plan

Museum of New Zealand (Te Papa Tongarewa)
4:30pm, Thu Mar 14

Wellington Botanic Garden
11:00am, Thu Mar 14

Wellington Cable Car
10:00am, Thu Mar 14
1
night
Rotorua
1
night
©
Sulphur City
Surrounded by lakes and featuring impressive areas of geothermal landscape, the city of Rotorua offers an otherwordly landscape and a welcoming, peaceful environment, with the culture of the native Maori people very much in the foreground.Start off your visit on the 15th (Fri): take a peaceful walk through Redwoods, Whakarewarewa Forest, take a pleasant ride with a tour on horseback, then witness a stunning natural landmark at Te Puia, and finally take in the natural beauty of Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland.
To see more things to do, traveler tips, where to stay, and other tourist information, read our Rotorua road trip website .
You can fly from Wellington to Rotorua in 3 hours. Other options are to do a combination of flight and bus; or drive. Traveling from Wellington in March, expect nights in Rotorua to be about the same, around 18°C, while days are somewhat warmer, around 26°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 15th (Fri) to allow enough time to drive to Auckland Central.
Things to do in Rotorua
Find places to stay Mar 14 — 15:
Highlights from your plan
©
Horseback Riding Tours
12:00pm, Fri Mar 15

Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland
4:30pm, Fri Mar 15

Te Puia
1:30pm, Fri Mar 15
1
night
Auckland
1
night

City of Sails
The largest and most populous city in New Zealand, Auckland combines a rich history and thriving contemporary culture in an abundance of museums, art galleries, and performance venues.On the 16th (Sat), admire the masterpieces at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, then learn about all things military at Auckland Museum, and then take in panoramic vistas at Sky Tower.
To find reviews, traveler tips, where to stay, and tourist information, refer to the Auckland Central trip planner .
Getting from Rotorua to Auckland Central by car takes about 3 hours. Other options: fly; or take a bus. Traveling from Rotorua in March, you will find days in Auckland Central are a bit cooler (22°C), and nights are a bit warmer (22°C). Finish up your sightseeing early on the 16th (Sat) so you can travel to Paihia.
Things to do in Auckland
Find places to stay Mar 15 — 16:
Highlights from your plan

Sky Tower
4:00pm, Sat Mar 16

Auckland Museum
12:00pm, Sat Mar 16

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki
10:00am, Sat Mar 16
3
nights
Paihia
3
nights

The main tourist town in the Bay of Islands area, Paihia gives visitors a good range of accommodations, a convenient town center, long sandy beaches, and interesting architecture.Start off your visit on the 17th (Sun): identify plant and animal life at Paihia Harbour, then admire the natural beauty at Waitangi Treaty Grounds, and then get a dose of the wild on a nature and wildlife tour. Keep things going the next day: fly like a bird with a parasailing or paragliding tour, take a tour by water with Boat Tours & Water Sports, and then get close to the beloved marine mammals with a swim-with-the-dolphins experience.
To see traveler tips, more things to do, ratings, and other tourist information, read Paihia online sightseeing planner .
Do a combination of flight and taxi from Auckland Central to Paihia in 3 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a bus. You will have some time to spend on the 19th (Tue) before leaving for home.
Things to do in Paihia
Find places to stay Mar 16 — 19:
Highlights from your plan

Paihia Harbour
9:30am, Sun Mar 17

Waitangi Treaty Grounds
1:00pm, Sun Mar 17
Scuba & Snorkeling
11:00am, Mon Mar 18
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