driving from Queenstown to Christchurch
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Driving from Queenstown to Christchurch

ByDua

New Zealand is home to gorgeous native forests, crystal clear lakes, coastal landscapes and an alpine range that covers most of the South Island. So driving from Queenstown to Christchurch will take you along some of the most scenic landscapes that New Zealand is famous for. There is so much to see, eat and experience along the drive and I don’t want you missing out on any of it. So welcome to this article written by a local kiwi – this will be your one-stop guide to everything you need to know when you do the Queenstown to Christchurch drive. Use the article navigation below to get to all the essential details you need to know.

If you’re visiting the South Island, click here to check out my other articles as part of your research.

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Route Options for the road trip from Queenstown to Christchurch

Here are the 3 routes you can take to get to Christchurch from Queenstown:

1) Route 1 – Queenstown to Christchurch via Tekapo (Inland Route)

Non-stop drive time for this route: 5hr 55 min
Distance from Queenstown to Christchurch: 482 Km

driving from Queenstown to Christchurch route 1
Option 1: Inland Route

Things to see/do along route 1:

Queenstown to Cromwell:

  1. Lake Hayes – there is also an easy Loop track that you can do here called the Lake Hayes walkway
  2. For all of the Lord of the Rings fans, there is a 4WD tour you can go on that will take you to all the filming locations around Queenstown and nearby Arrowtown. The tour also includes gold panning and afternoon tea. Click here for more information.
  3. Highlands motorspot and tourism park is perfect for those that love a speedy hoon. They offer outdoor go-karting experiences which you can learn more about here.
  4. Roaring Meg lookout is a stunning spot to stop and just take in the changing landscapes as you head into the central Otago region.
  5. White Water Surfing along the Kawarau River. Click here for more information.
  6. Kawarau Gorge is a stunning spot to visit. The location is famous for it’s popular bungy jump and zip ride experiences. Click here for more info.
  7. Take a photo with the iconic Cromwell + fruits sign (you’ll see it as you drive into Cromwell). Taking a photo at every iconic welcome sign in NZ is a great way to document your adventures.
  8. Take a walk along Lake Dunstan. Or better yet, bike around the popular cycle trails alongside Lake Dunstan Find more information about it here.

Cromwell to Tekapo:

  1. Mackenzie Country is a dark sky reserve and one of the best spots to go stargazing
  2. Hot pools and guided star gazing tours. Click here for more info.
  3. The iconic Church of the good Shepard is an old historic church at the base of Lake Tekapo. The church is famous for it’s views of Mt Cook from it’s doorstep.
  4. The Clay Cliffs
  5. If you’re visiting in summer, the lupins will be in full bloom and are well worth visiting

Tekapo to Christchurch:

  1. NZ Alpine Lavender a beautiful lavender farm to experience. Click here for more info.
  2. Burkes Pass – A unique recreation of a town in the 1950s.
  3. Trout/Salmon Fishing Canals
  4. Fairlie bakery is an iconic pie shop. It’s famous in New Zealand and lines are usually out the door. Important to note that all their meat is halal! For more halal eats/muslim friendly travel in the South Island, click here.


Detours around route 1

  1. Lake Coleridge – Stunning lake with views of the Southern Alps
  2. Rakaia Gorge – Beautiful gorge with fishing, hiking and jet boating experiences available.
  3. Mount Hutt – Popular mountain for snowsports lovers.
  4. Lake Pukaki – Home to some of the bluest water you will ever see.
  5. Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park : Must-visit detour along this route

Aoraki/Mt Cook is the tallest mountain in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. It’s an essential spot to visit on your trip to New Zealand so if you have the time, I would take the detour and visit the area on your drive up to Christchurch. For a more in-depth article on what to do and see in Mt Cook National Park, Click here.

2) Route 2 – Queenstown to Christchurch via Haast Pass (West Coast Route)

Non-stop drive time for this route: 9hr 32 min
Distance from Queenstown to Christchurch: 735 Km

driving from Queenstown to Christchurch route 2
Option 2: West Coast Route

Things to see along route 2:

This route will take you through Arthurs Pass. For a more in-depth article on camping options in Arthurs Pass, click here.

Between Queenstown to Hokitika (Haast Pass)

  1. Hokitika Gorge is a must visit. The gorge is known for it’s beautiful blue water but be aware that it will only be blue if there haven’t been any major storm events recently. If a huge rainfall has occurred, wait a few days to visit otherwise the water will be very murky when you go.
  2. Get a picture in front of the Hokitika stick sign on the beach
  3. Visit Lake Kaniere. You can have a little swim in the lake and watch sunset over the lake.
  4. Wanaka Lavender farm is a popular spot to visit in the Summer months.
  5. Lake Wanaka/Lake Hawea lookout spots. You can see the glacial striations along the mountains if you pay attention.
  6. Blue Pools is an iconic blue water swimming hole. Its a 20-25 minute walk from the carpark but it’s well worth it. Take your togs and some sand fly repellent!
  7. Haast pass lookout.
  8. Thunder Creek Falls is the tallest waterfall in Haast pass (96m high) and is definitely a must visit if you don’t stop at any of the other waterfalls in Haast pass.
  9. Monro beach.
  10. Lake Matheson is one of the most iconic road trip stops.
  11. There are many activities to enjoy in Fox Glacier. For example, you could do the helicopter flight with a snow landing.
  12. In Franz Joseph (another glacier area) you can go on a half day nature tour, learning all about the native flour and fauna as well as the geologic history of the area.

Between Hokitika to Christchurch (Arthurs Pass)

  1. Castle Hill (A lord of the rings filming location. Also a super epic spot)
  2. Devils Punchbowl waterfall (A really amazing waterfall where you can also have a swim)
  3. Otira viaduct lookout
  4. World famous Sheffield pies

Detours around route 2

  1. Mt Aspiring National Park
  2. Jackson Bay
  3. Rob Roy Glacier Trail Head
  4. Cardrona – Perfect detour during snow sports season.

3) Route 3 – Queenstown to Christchurch via Dunedin (East Coast Route)

Non-stop drive time for this route: 8hr 4 min
Distance from Queenstown to Christchurch: 639 Km

driving from Queenstown to Christchurch route 3
Option 3: East Coast Route

Things to see along route 3:

Between Queenstown to Dunedin

  1. In Spring, Alexandra host the popular “Blossom Festival”. It is well worth experiencing at least once! Click here more info.
  2. Visit Larnach Castle and experience some of the Scottish history that Dunedin is known for
  3. Dunedin is home to the world’s steepest road – Baldwin Street. You can walk, bike or drive up Baldwin Street, it’s quite the experience so make sure you visit it.
  4. Dunedin Railway station is an iconic piece of architecture dating back to 1906. It’s worth a stop for those fascinated by architectural history.

Between Dunedin to Christchurch

  1. Oamaru Blue penguin colony
  2. Fur Seal viewing walk
  3. Oamaru lookout point

Detours around route 3

  1. The Caitlins – frequent seal and penguin sightings
  2. Roxburgh – home to the famous jimmy pies (these are also halal).
  3. Slope Point – Southern Most point of New Zealand.


Car hire in New Zealand

Hiring a car and driving from Queenstown to Christchurch is the best option if you aren’t on a time crunch. There’s so much to see and explore along the drive so going at your own pace and stopping when you want is ideal. For cheap and reliable car hires in New Zealand, click here.

Best time of year to drive between Queenstown and Christchurch

Your road trip is going to be epic regardless of what time of year you do it in but there are a few logistics I urge you to take into account.

The high season in New Zealand is between December and February (summer in NZ) and although it’s a beautiful drive in summer, it’s also going to be really busy. So remember to add an extra hour to travel estimates in case of extreme traffic/congestion.

Low Season in New Zealand is considered to be between May and August (NZ winter). In the low season you shouldn’t face too much congestion along the drive but you do run the risk of road closures due to snow or the responsibility to use and drive with snow chains.

Autumn and Spring are the shoulder seasons so you can expect more temparate weather conditions and less people visiting the major spots in New Zealand.

Also, remember to check that your holiday plans don’t coincide with New Zealand school holidays. To plan with the New Zealand school holiday calendar in mind, click here.

Queenstown to Christchurch bus/train services

Although there isn’t a train that runs from Queenstown to Christchurch, there is a bus service that runs between the two cities.

The bus service is called the InterCity bus and it will transport you between both cities. Important to note that there will be no stops on the intercity bus as it’s sole purpose is to transport people between cities in New Zealand. The cost for the Queenstown to Christchurch route is $98 NZD. For more information on the InterCity bus, click here.


Alternative articles you might enjoy:

Queenstown day trip – Guide to visiting Queenstown
Complete guide to Christchurch

Dua is your local kiwi guide to all things New Zealand. Having grown up in NZ, Dua has made it her mission to find and share the best hidden gems, local secrets and bucket list adventures. Who better to guide you on your next New Zealand adventure than your very own kiwi guide!

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