6 days, 5 nights, ~1,300 km of the most spectacular scenery on Earth. Bungy jumps, fiords, dark skies, and glowworm caves.
✈️ Land CHC — Tue 7 Apr, early morning✈️ Depart CHC — Sun 12 Apr, 15:005 Nights · All Booked ✓🚗 Kia Stonic · $380 AUD · Booked ✓
Accommodation Summary
Night 1 · North South HP, CHC$114
Night 2 · Haka House, Tekapo$552
Night 3 · QT Top 10, Queenstown$192
Nights 4+5 · Tasman, Te Anau$382
Total accom (NZD)$1,240
✅
Sunday logistics are sorted. 15:00 departure from CHC means leaving Te Anau at 8:30am — a very comfortable wake-up and checkout. Arrive CHC ~1:30pm with 1.5hrs to spare. No early-morning panic.
🚗
Rental car sorted — Kia Stonic, $380 AUD total (already booked). Pick up from CHC Airport on Tue 7 Apr morning, return Sun 12 Apr by ~1pm. All other prices on this site are in NZD unless stated otherwise.
Key Stats
📅
6
Days
🗺️
~1,300
KM Driven
🎯
12+
Activities
🪂
134m
Nevis Drop
🌟
1
Dark Sky Reserve
The Route
✈️
Christchurch
Tue 7 Apr
3 hrs
⭐
Lake Tekapo
Wed 8 Apr
3.5 hrs
🏔️
Queenstown
Thu 9 Apr
2 hrs
🌊
Te Anau
Fri 10 Apr
Day trip
🚢
Milford Sound
Fri 10 Apr
2 hrs back
🪲
Te Anau
Sat 11 Apr
5 hrs
✈️
Fly CHC
Sun 12 Apr
Budget Breakdown
🏕️ Accommodation
Night 1 · North South HP$114
Night 2 · Haka House Tekapo$552
Night 3 · QT Top 10$192
Nights 4+5 · Tasman Te Anau$382
Total accommodation (NZD)$1,240 ≈ $413 pp
🎯 Activities (per person)
Nevis Bungy~$275
Milford Sound Cruise~$200
Dark Sky Stargazing~$179
Glowworm Caves~$149
Skyline Gondola + Luge~$75
Onsen Hot Pools~$60
Activities Total (NZD, per person)~$938
🚗 Transport + Other (pp est.)
Kia Stonic — $380 AUD ÷ 3~$127 AUD pp
Fuel ~1,300km ÷ 3~$90 NZD pp
Food (stocked + eating out)~$200
CHC Tram + Punt~$75
Misc / parking / incidentals~$50
Grand Total pp (NZD + AUD mixed)~$1,900 NZD equiv.
Day-by-Day Plan
01
Day
Tuesday 7 April — Christchurch
Arrival, City Explore & Ibra Pickup
Land early morning · Collect car · CHC city activities · Pick up Ibra at midnight
0 km
No driving
✈️
Land CHC & Collect Kia Stonic
Early morning arrival. Head straight to the car hire desk to collect your pre-booked Kia Stonic ($380 AUD total — already sorted). Have your booking reference ready. Compact SUV — plenty of room for 3 lads and bags.
Before 9amCar pre-booked ✓ · $380 AUD
🛒
Pak'nSave — Big Grocery Shop
Do this before anything else. Buy all breakfasts, lunches, snacks and supplies for the full trip. NZ's cheapest supermarket. Don't skip this — food en route is expensive and choices are limited past Tekapo.
Budget saverStock up for 5 days
🚃
Christchurch Tram Tour
Hop-on hop-off vintage tram through 18 stops of CHC's beautifully rebuilt city centre. Full circuit is 50 minutes. Buy the tram + punt combo ticket for a discount. Great intro to the city.
~$40pp10am–midday
🚣
Avon River Punting Cruise
30-minute guided punt from the Antigua Boat Sheds along the beautiful Avon River. Giant eels, weeping willows, ducks and entertaining commentary. Classic CHC experience — buy the combo with the tram to save.
~$35ppAfternoonTram combo deal
🍜
Dinner & Explore Christchurch
Wander the revitalised city. Riverside Market on the Avon or Little High Eatery for dinner — both are excellent and not too pricey. Chill evening before the big week ahead.
Evening
🌙
Pick Up Ibra — CHC Airport (Midnight)
North South Holiday Park is only 5 minutes from the airport. Quick airport run, then everyone crashes. Easy.
Midnight5 min from camp
🏕️ North South Holiday Park, Christchurch · $114 total · Booked ✓
02
Day
Wednesday 8 April — Lake Tekapo
Alpine Drive & Dark Skies
Late start (Ibra just landed) · 3hr drive · Lavender farm · Stargazing at night
~300 km
~3 hrs
☕
Slow Start — Depart ~10–11am
Ibra landed at midnight so let everyone sleep in. Grab breakfast at the park or a quick café in Christchurch. It's only 3hrs to Tekapo so there's no rush.
Depart ~10–11am
💐
NZ Alpine Lavender Farm — Pitstop
On the Mt Cook Road near Lake Pūkaki — perfectly en route. Lavender ice cream ($10), honey tasting, open fields with dramatic alpine views behind them. Only 30 mins, completely worth it.
Free entry$10 ice creamOn the route
⛪
Church of the Good Shepherd + Lake Tekapo
NZ's most photographed church, sitting on the turquoise shore of Lake Tekapo. Try to arrive around 3–4pm for warm afternoon light — fewer tourists too. Walk along the lakeshore.
Free~3–4pm
🍴
Dinner — Cook at Haka House or The Greedy Cow
Haka House has a huge shared kitchen — cook something from your Pak'nSave supplies. Or grab food from The Better Batter food truck just up the road for fish and chips with a view.
Evening
⭐
Dark Sky Project — Stargazing Tour
One of the best things you'll do in NZ. Guided telescopic stargazing in the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve — one of the world's largest. The Milky Way is visible to the naked eye on a clear night. Walk from Haka House. Book ahead and check the forecast on the afternoon of — they may cancel/reschedule for cloud.
~$179ppBook nowNight — walk from Haka House
🏕️ Haka House Lake Tekapo · $552 total · Booked ✓ — Lakefront, floor-to-ceiling lake views
If anyone is up early, the Mt John walkway starts right next to Haka House. 1hr return, 360° alpine views at dawn. Completely optional — skip it if the stargazing was a late one.
FreeEarly optional
🚗
Drive Tekapo → Queenstown via Lindis Pass
Head south through the Mackenzie Basin and over the Lindis Pass. Stunning the entire way. Allow 3.5hrs. Aim to arrive in Queenstown by 1–1:30pm to give time for the Nevis.
Depart ~9–10amArrive QT ~1pm
🪂
NEVIS BUNGY — 134m Drop · 8.5sec Freefall
The 5th highest bungy in the world. AJ Hackett's Nevis bus leaves from Queenstown town centre — allow 45min each way plus the jump itself. Budget 3.5hrs total. This will be the most terrifying and memorable thing you've done. Already confirmed. Make sure your slot is booked for ~1:30–2pm arrival.
~$275ppConfirmed ✓Must book slot time in advance
🚡
Skyline Gondola + Luge
Cable car to Bob's Peak (450m) with panoramic views over Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables. Add the luge — 3 rides is the sweet spot, genuinely great fun. Do this while still buzzing from the bungy.
Private cedar hot tubs overlooking the Shotover River gorge. Literally a 2-minute drive from QT Top 10. Perfect post-bungy muscle recovery. Book the 7–8pm evening slot to get that last light on the river. Rated 4.7 stars — this place is special.
~$60ppBook ahead2 min from campsiteConfirmed ✓
🏕️ Queenstown TOP 10 Holiday Park, Arthur's Point · $192 total · Booked ✓
04
Day
Friday 10 April — Milford Sound
The Crown Jewel of the Trip
⚠️ EARLY START 7am sharp · 4hr drive via Te Anau · Full day fiord cruise · Return Te Anau
~290 km
~4 hrs each way
⏰
Wake 6am · Depart 7am Sharp
This is the most time-critical day. QT → Te Anau is 2hrs, Te Anau → Milford Sound is 2hrs. You need to be at Milford by 11am for the cruise. No delays — pack bags the night before and have breakfast in the car or at a petrol station.
6am wake up7am departure
🌿
Milford Road Stops — Do NOT Skip
The Te Anau to Milford drive is one of the best in NZ. Key stops: Mirror Lakes (glassy reflections, 10min), The Chasm (dramatic gorge walk, 20min return), Homer Tunnel (avalanche-carved, one-lane — worth pulling over for). Budget 30min extra for these. Every single one is free.
All freeAllow 30min extra
🚢
Milford Sound — Full Day Cruise
This is the one. 1,200m sheer fiord walls, Mitre Peak, Stirling Falls (you can walk under them), fur seals on rocks, dolphins. Get a full-day cruise not the budget 2hr tourist boat — you spend much more time deep in the sound. Rain actually makes it better: more waterfalls, dramatic mist, fewer visitors. BOOK THIS NOW — it sells out.
~$200ppBook now — sells out~11am–4pm
🚗
Drive Back to Te Anau
2hrs back down the Milford Road — you'll see everything differently on the return. Arrive Te Anau ~6:30–7pm. Check into Tasman Holiday Parks. Friday night — manager Mike sometimes does a BBQ roast for guests. Ask when you arrive.
Depart Milford ~4:30pmArrive Te Anau ~6:30pm
🏕️ Tasman Holiday Parks, Te Anau — Night 1 of 2 · Part of $382 booking · Booked ✓
05
Day
Saturday 11 April — Te Anau
Glowworm Caves & Last Night
Chill morning · Glowworm Caves afternoon · Final dinner in Te Anau · Early night
~0 km
Stay local
🌊
Morning — Lakefront, Breakfast & Hot Tubs
Lake Te Anau is right across the road. Morning walk along the lake shore, grab breakfast in town (Kea Café is great), use the park's hot tubs one final time. You've earned a slow one.
FreeMorning
🪲
Te Anau Glowworm Caves — Afternoon Tour
Guided 2.5hr experience: boat across Lake Te Anau, then into a living limestone cave system. Inside the cave, you board a silent punt under a ceiling of thousands of living glowworms — pitch black except for the glow above you. A completely unique and genuinely magical experience. Book the 1–2pm departure slot.
~$149ppBook ahead~1pm slotConfirmed ✓
🍽️
Late Afternoon — Explore Te Anau Town
Te Anau is a lovely little town. Lakefront walk, grab a beer, browse the shops. Miles Better Pies does award-winning pies that are worth the detour. Top up fuel and snacks for Sunday's drive.
~4pm
🎉
Final Dinner Out in Te Anau
Last proper dinner of the trip. Redcliff Restaurant is the best in town — book ahead. Or keep it casual at the Sandfly Café. Have a proper last night together — you're driving home tomorrow.
Final nightTe Anau restaurants
😴
Early Night — Big Drive Tomorrow
Te Anau to CHC is 5hrs. You need to be on the road by 8:30am for a 15:00 flight. Set alarms for 7am. Bags packed tonight.
Set alarm for 7amDepart 8:30am Sunday
🏕️ Tasman Holiday Parks, Te Anau — Night 2 of 2 · Part of $382 booking · Booked ✓
06
Day
Sunday 12 April — Drive Home & Fly Out 15:00
The Long Drive Home
Depart Te Anau 8:30am · Lake Pūkaki pitstop · Arrive CHC ~1:30pm · Fly 15:00
~480 km
~5 hrs
⏰
Wake 7am · Breakfast · Checkout by 8:15am
Checkout from Tasman HP by 10am — but leave by 8:15am to give yourself time. Quick breakfast at the park. Bags should be packed from the night before. Leave by 8:30am absolute latest.
7am wake upDepart 8:30am
🚗
Drive Te Anau → Christchurch via SH8
Head north-east through Queenstown (bypass the town itself), then up SH8 through the Mackenzie Basin. 5hrs total — this is a big drive but the scenery is incredible the whole way. Take turns driving.
SH8 via Mackenzie~5hrs total
🏔️
Lake Pūkaki + Aoraki Mt Cook View — Pitstop
On the SH8 route — pull over at the Pūkaki lookout for a 10-minute stop. Milky-blue glacial water with Aoraki / Mt Cook (3,724m) filling the horizon directly ahead. One of the most jaw-dropping views in New Zealand and it won't cost you anything. Don't skip this.
FreeOn the route · 10 min
🚘
Return Rental Car — CHC Airport ~1:30pm
Drive straight to the airport car return depot. Allow 30 minutes for the return process and paperwork. Arrive at the terminal by ~2pm — 1 hour before your 15:00 departure. Grab airport food, check in, done.
Arrive CHC ~1:30pm1hr before departure
✈️
Depart CHC — 15:00
That's it. 6 days, 1,300km, 1 world-class bungy, 1 fiord, 1 dark sky reserve, glowworm caves, hot pools, and a lot of incredible scenery. Until next time, New Zealand.
15:00 departureComfortable timing ✓
Activities & Experiences
🪂Day 3
Nevis Bungy Jump
📍 QUEENSTOWN · AJ HACKETT
5th highest bungy on Earth at 134m — 8.5 seconds of pure freefall. The bus from town takes 45min each way. Budget 3.5hrs total. Confirmed must-do. Book your time slot for ~1:30pm arrival.
🚢Day 4
Milford Sound Full Day Cruise
📍 MILFORD SOUND · FIORDLAND
The crown jewel of the trip. 1,200m fiord walls, Mitre Peak, Stirling Falls, fur seals and dolphins. Get the full-day cruise — not the cheap 2hr tourist boat. Rain makes it better. Book immediately.
⭐Day 2 Night
Dark Sky Project — Stargazing
📍 LAKE TEKAPO · DARK SKY PROJECT
Guided telescopic stargazing in one of the world's largest dark sky reserves. Clear night = full Milky Way with the naked eye. Weather-dependent — check the forecast day-of. Walk from Haka House.
🪲Day 5
Te Anau Glowworm Caves
📍 TE ANAU · REALNZ
2.5hr guided cave tour. Boat across Lake Te Anau, then a silent punt under thousands of glowworms illuminating the cave ceiling in total darkness. Magical and completely unique. Book the 1pm slot.
🚡Day 3
Skyline Gondola + Luge
📍 QUEENSTOWN · SKYLINE
Cable car up Bob's Peak for panoramic views of QT, Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables. Add the luge — 3 rides is the sweet spot. Do this directly after the Nevis while you're still buzzing.
♨️Day 3 Eve
Onsen Hot Pools
📍 ARTHUR'S POINT, QUEENSTOWN
Private cedar hot tubs above the Shotover River gorge. Perfect post-bungy soak. 2-min drive from QT Top 10. Book the 7–8pm slot for last light on the river. 4.7 stars.
🚃Day 1
Christchurch Tram Tour
📍 CHRISTCHURCH CITY
Hop-on hop-off vintage tram, 18 stops through CHC's fascinating rebuilt city. Full loop 50min. Buy tram + punt combo for a discount. Great intro to Christchurch.
🚣Day 1
Avon River Punting
📍 CHRISTCHURCH · ANTIGUA BOAT SHEDS
30-min guided punt along the beautiful Avon River. Giant eels, willows and great commentary. Buy the tram combo ticket for a discount. Classic CHC experience.
🎬Day 3 — If time
Glenorchy LOTR Scenic Drive
📍 QUEENSTOWN → GLENORCHY
45-min drive to Glenorchy through "Paradise" — LOTR filming locations: Lothlórien, Isengard. Free to self-drive or book Pure Glenorchy for a guided tour with costumes and exclusive private sites.
Booking Priority
🔴 Book Right Now
Nevis Bungy — time slot
Milford Sound Cruise
Dark Sky Stargazing
Kia Stonic — CHC Airport ✓ Done
🟡 Book This Week
Glowworm Caves — 1pm slot
Onsen Hot Pools — 7pm slot
Skyline Gondola (or just show up)
🟢 Book When Ready
CHC Tram + Punt combo
Glenorchy LOTR tour
Redcliff Restaurant, Te Anau (Sat)
Day 1 of 6
Christchurch
Tuesday 7 April
Stops & Activities
Key Distances
CHC → Tekapo225km · 3hrs
Tekapo → Queenstown250km · 3.5hrs
QT → Te Anau170km · 2hrs
Te Anau → Milford120km · 2hrs
Te Anau → CHC (Sun)480km · 5hrs
5 Nights · All Booked
✅
All 5 nights are booked and confirmed. Total accommodation: $1,240 NZD for the room · ~$413 NZD pp. Rental car (Kia Stonic) is separately $380 AUD total. All other prices on this site are in NZD unless marked AUD.
Night 1
TUE 7 APR
📍 Christchurch
$114
total · ~$38pp
✓ Booked
North South Holiday Park ⭐ 4.3 stars
📍 530 Sawyers Arms Rd, Harewood · 5 min from CHC Airport · northsouth.co.nz
Winner of the 2025 NZ Holiday Park Large Park Development Award. Perfectly placed 5 minutes from CHC Airport — ideal when Ibra arrives at midnight and you just need beds. Heated pool, sauna, BBQ, free unlimited WiFi. Cabin sleeps 3 with shared kitchen and clean bathrooms.
5 min from airportAward winning 2025Heated pool + saunaFree WiFiIbra midnight pickup ✓
📍 5 Motuariki Lane, Lake Tekapo · Right on the lakefront · hakahouse.com
The splurge night — and it earns it. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the lounge look straight across turquoise Lake Tekapo to the Church of the Good Shepherd. Private en-suite rooms that work perfectly for 3. Massive shared kitchen. Walk out the back door and you're on the lake. The Dark Sky Project is on the same road — walk to your stargazing tour.
Lakefront viewsPrivate en-suite roomsWalk to Dark Sky ProjectHuge shared kitchenBest view on the trip
📍 70 Arthurs Point Rd, Arthur's Point · 7 min from town · qtowntop10.co.nz
Set in beautiful Arthur's Point with the Shotover River alongside and mountain views in every direction. Free shuttle into Queenstown town centre, or $4 public bus. Self-contained cabins that sleep 3. Located literally next to the Onsen Hot Pools — walk there after your post-bungy soak. Hot tub on site too.
4.5 starsFree shuttle to townMountain viewsWalk to Onsen Hot PoolsHot tub on site
NZ's only 5-Star Qualmark holiday park in Te Anau. Right beside the lake with a 2-minute walk to town. Hot tubs overlooking Lake Te Anau, underfloor-heated bathrooms, sauna. Night 1: arrive back from Milford Sound (~6:30pm), Mike sometimes does a Friday BBQ roast for guests. Night 2: full day in Te Anau, Glowworm Caves afternoon, last dinner out. Check out Sunday morning by 8:30am for the drive home.
5-Star QualmarkHot tubs + saunaUnderfloor heated bathrooms2 min walk to town2-night minimum satisfied ✓