South Island 10-Day Campervan Loop from Christchurch

Quick summary: This is the classic South Island campervan and motorhome loop, covering the island’s greatest hits in ten days and returning to Christchurch. You travel through the Mackenzie Country to Aoraki/Mount Cook, over the Lindis Pass to Wānaka and Queenstown, down to Milford Sound, then north over the Haast Pass to the West Coast glaciers and back across the Southern Alps on Arthur’s Pass. It covers around 1,920 km.

At a glance
Trip length	10 days
Pick up and drop off	Christchurch (loop)
Total distance	Around 1,920 km
Total driving time	Around 26 hours
Longest driving day	Day 8, around 260 km over the Haast Pass
Highlights	Lake Tekapo, Aoraki/Mount Cook, Wānaka, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Haast Pass, Franz Josef and Fox glaciers, Arthur’s Pass
Best for	Travellers flying in and out of Christchurch who want the full South Island circuit

Why choose the 10-day loop?

It is the most complete South Island trip you can do in a week and a half, combining the dry, golden east with the wet, green west. You see lakes, mountains, fiords, glaciers, rainforest and two alpine passes, and you finish where you started, which suits return flights. The days are full but balanced, with shorter driving days around the big experiences.

Day 1: Christchurch to Lake Tekapo

Distance: around 225 km, around 3 hours of driving.

Collect your motorhome in Christchurch, stock up and drive south-west via Geraldine and Fairlie into the Mackenzie Country. Walk to the Church of the Good Shepherd in the late afternoon.

Experiences: stargazing at Lake Tekapo or a soak in the lakeside hot pools.

Overnight: Lake Tekapo.

Day 2: Lake Tekapo to Aoraki/Mount Cook

Distance: around 105 km, around 1 hour 20 minutes of driving.

Follow Lake Pukaki to Mount Cook Village. Walk the Hooker Valley Track in the afternoon light, around 3 hours return.

Experiences: a scenic flight with a glacier landing or a Tasman Lake iceberg boat trip.

Overnight: White Horse Hill Campground or a holiday park in Twizel.

Day 3: Aoraki/Mount Cook to Wānaka

Distance: around 210 km, around 2 hours 40 minutes of driving.

Drive via Twizel and Omarama over the Lindis Pass, stopping at the Clay Cliffs and the summit lookout.

Experiences: a lake cruise to Mou Waho Island or a walk up Mount Iron.

Overnight: Wānaka.

Day 4: Wānaka to Queenstown

Distance: around 70 km via the Crown Range, around 1 hour of driving.

Cross the Crown Range Road to Arrowtown, then continue to Queenstown. (The route via Cromwell is gentler if you prefer.)

Experiences: jet boating on the Shotover River, the gondola and luge, or bungy at the Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge.

Overnight: Queenstown.

Day 5: Queenstown to Te Anau

Distance: around 170 km, around 2 hours 15 minutes of driving.

Drive south along Lake Wakatipu and across to Te Anau. Fill up with fuel and supplies.

Experiences: the Te Anau glowworm caves by evening boat trip.

Overnight: Te Anau.

Day 6: Milford Sound

Distance: around 240 km return from Te Anau, around 4 hours of driving.

Drive the Milford Road, stopping at the Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes and The Divide, then through the Homer Tunnel to Milford Sound.

Experiences: a Milford Sound cruise or kayak trip.

Overnight: Te Anau or a DOC campsite in the Eglinton Valley.

Day 7: Te Anau to Wānaka

Distance: around 240 km via the Crown Range (around 275 km via Cromwell), around 3 hours 15 minutes of driving.

Head back towards Queenstown and on to Wānaka, via either the Crown Range or Cromwell and Lake Dunstan, with a stop in the Gibbston Valley.

Experiences: a Gibbston wine tour or the Bannockburn cellar doors if you go via Cromwell.

Overnight: Wānaka or Lake Hāwea.

Day 8: Wānaka to Fox Glacier over the Haast Pass

Distance: around 260 km, around 3 hours 45 minutes of driving.

The longest day, and one of the most beautiful. Follow Lake Hāwea and Lake Wānaka to Makarora, walk to the Blue Pools, stop at Fantail and Thunder Creek falls, then descend through the rainforest to Haast and north along the coast to Fox Glacier.

Experiences: sunset at Lake Matheson.

Overnight: Fox Glacier.

Day 9: Fox Glacier to Hokitika via Franz Josef

Distance: around 160 km, around 2 hours 15 minutes of driving.

Visit Lake Matheson at dawn for the mirror reflections, then drive the short distance to Franz Josef.

Experiences: a glacier heli-hike or scenic flight with a snow landing, then the glacier hot pools. Continue to Hokitika in the afternoon.

Overnight: Hokitika.

Day 10: Hokitika to Christchurch over Arthur’s Pass

Distance: around 240 km, around 3 hours 15 minutes of driving.

Visit Hokitika Gorge or the pounamu galleries in the morning, then cross the Southern Alps on Arthur’s Pass, stopping at the Otira Viaduct lookout, Arthur’s Pass village, Castle Hill and Cave Stream. Return the motorhome in Christchurch.

How can you adjust this itinerary?

To slow it down: add a second night at Aoraki/Mount Cook and in Queenstown, turning it into the South Island in 14 days.
To skip the return to Christchurch: finish in Queenstown and see our South Island in 7 days.
To reverse it: the loop works just as well clockwise, starting with Arthur’s Pass and the West Coast.

Do you need to book campsites ahead for a South Island RV loop?

In summer, it pays to book holiday parks in Lake Tekapo, Queenstown, Wānaka and Te Anau, along with any bookable DOC campsites. Outside the peak season, you can usually book a day or two ahead, which keeps the loop flexible around the weather.

Which route guides does this itinerary use?

Start this trip from Christchurch

Compare campervan and motorhome hire in Christchurch

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 10 days enough for a South Island campervan loop?

Yes. Ten days is enough for the classic loop from Christchurch via Lake Tekapo, Aoraki/Mount Cook, Queenstown, Milford Sound, the Haast Pass, the West Coast glaciers and Arthur’s Pass, though some days are long.

How far is the South Island loop from Christchurch?

The classic loop described here covers around 1,920 km, or around 26 hours of driving, over ten days.

Which direction is best for a South Island loop?

Both work. Anticlockwise, as here, visits the Mackenzie Country first and finishes over Arthur’s Pass. Clockwise starts with the West Coast. Choose based on weather forecasts and any bookings you have.

What is the longest driving day on this itinerary?

Day 8, from Wānaka over the Haast Pass to Fox Glacier, is around 260 km and around 3 hours 45 minutes of driving, with many worthwhile stops along the way.

Can you see the glaciers on a 10-day South Island trip?

Yes. This itinerary spends Day 8 and Day 9 at Fox Glacier and Franz Josef, with time for Lake Matheson and a heli-hike or scenic flight.

Do you have to return to Christchurch on this itinerary?

This is a loop that returns to Christchurch over Arthur’s Pass. If you prefer to fly out of Queenstown, a one-way trip saves the return journey.