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Photo: Krzysztof Golik · CC BY-SA 4.0
Campervan road trip · 8–14 days
Queenstown southern loop
Fiordland, the wild Catlins coast, penguins and Aoraki, back to Queenstown.
FiordsWildlifeCoastal walksMountainsRoad-trip classics
- Trip length
- 8–14 days
- Distance
- ≈ 1,450 km
- Pick up
- Queenstown
- Drop off
- Queenstown
- Best time
- November–April; Milford Road can close for snow and avalanche risk in winter
Live prices from the big campervan companies · book online in minutes.
The route
10 days, 8 stops
The deep south most visitors miss. Leave Queenstown for Fiordland and the drive into Milford Sound, then head down to the Catlins, where sea lions sleep on the beaches and yellow-eyed penguins come ashore at dusk. Turn north through Dunedin and the Moeraki Boulders, cut inland to Aoraki/Mt Cook, and loop back to Queenstown. You'll drive every kind of road the South Island has, without a one-way fee.
Vans that suit this trip
Day by day
The plan, stop by stop
Paced for 10 days. Got less time? Merge two stops. Got more? Stay longer wherever you like it; it's your van. Drive times and distances are approximate, from road-routing data, without stops.
- 1
Day 1–2
Queenstown
Photo: grumpylumixuser · CC BY 3.0 Take the gondola up for the view, then a jet boat through the Shotover canyon, and drive out to Glenorchy along one of the best lakeside roads in the country.
- 2
Day 3
Te Anau
2.5 hrs · 170 km
Photo: rheins · CC BY 3.0 Gateway to Fiordland. Take a boat across the lake to the Te Anau glowworm caves, and start the Milford Road early the next morning.
- 3
Day 4
Milford Sound
1.5 hrs · 120 km each way
Photo: Bernard Spragg. NZ from Christchurch, New Zealand · CC0 Stop at the Mirror Lakes, go through the Homer Tunnel, then cruise out under Mitre Peak to the Tasman Sea. Sleep back in Te Anau or at a DOC campsite on the road.
- 4
Day 5–6
The Catlins
3 hrs · 240 km
Photo: Karora · Public domain See the petrified forest and Hector's dolphins at Curio Bay, the lighthouse at Nugget Point, Purakaunui Falls, and sea lions asleep on Surat Bay.
- 5
Day 7
Dunedin
1.5 hrs · 110 km
Photo: Nelson Pérez · CC BY-SA 3.0 Drive out along the Otago Peninsula to the only mainland royal albatross colony in the world, then into Dunedin for its street art and craft beer.
- 6
Day 8
Moeraki & Oamaru
1.5 hrs · 110 km
Photo: Annette Teng · CC BY 3.0 Walk among the round Moeraki Boulders at low tide, then watch blue penguins come ashore at dusk in Oamaru.
- 7
Day 9
Aoraki/Mt Cook
3 hrs · 210 km
Photo: A S · CC BY 2.0 Walk the Hooker Valley Track to the glacier lake, and stargaze in one of the world's largest dark sky reserves.
- 8
Day 10
Cromwell → Queenstown
2.5 hrs · 200 km, then 45 min · 60 km to Queenstown
Photo: Bernard Spragg. NZ · CC0 Stop for fruit at the Cromwell stalls and wine in the Gibbston Valley, and a final bungy if you're brave. Return the van in Queenstown.
Good to know
- Where to sleep
- Holiday parks, Department of Conservation campsites, and freedom camping on council land if your van is certified self-contained.
- One-way fee
- None. You pick up and drop off in Queenstown.
- Driver age
- Most operators need drivers aged 21+. A few take 18–20 year olds with a young-driver surcharge; tell us the youngest driver's age and we'll quote what fits.
- Recommended vans
- Best fits: the hi-top campervan; the 2-seater, 2-sleeper and the motorhome. Tell us how many of you are travelling and we'll match the size.
Free and low-cost places to park up on this route, with the local rules: free camping in New Zealand.
- Milford Road is a single road in and out with no fuel past Te Anau. Fill up there, and check NZTA road status in winter.
- The Catlins has gravel side roads. Most hire agreements allow well-kept gravel roads to attractions, but check yours; we'll flag it in the quote.
- Give wildlife space: stay at least 10 m from sea lions, keep well back from penguins, and never get between a sea lion and the sea.
- Queenstown to Queenstown means no one-way fee.
Tours worth adding
Boats, reefs, islands and 4WD tracks. Add them to your quote and we'll fit them around your drive.
Queenstown southern loop campervan FAQs
How many days do you need for a Queenstown southern loop in a campervan? +
Allow 8–14 days. This plan is paced for 10 days with 8 overnight bases. Short on time? Merge two stops. Got longer? Stay on wherever you like it.
Is there a one-way fee for a Queenstown southern loop? +
No. You pick up and drop off in Queenstown, so there's no one-way fee.
How old do I need to be to hire a campervan? +
Most operators require drivers to be 21 or older. A few accept 18 to 20 year olds with a young-driver surcharge. Tell us the youngest driver's age in the quote form and we'll only quote vans you can drive.
Which campervan suits a Queenstown southern loop? +
The best fits are the hi-top campervan; the 2-seater, 2-sleeper and the motorhome. Tell us how many of you are travelling and we'll quote the right size.
Ready to drive Queenstown southern loop?
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