13. A road trip from Christchurch to Fiordland

13. Drive from mountain peaks to sandy bays

The view from Nugget Point in Otago.

BY Pamela Wade

Last updated . 31 January 2022

Let us guide you through the best road trip experiences for your New Zealand holiday: here is No. 13 of our 101 Reasons To Stop Dreaming About New Zealand And Go.

Christchurch & Ōamaru

From towering peaks to sandy bays, this route takes you from culture to raw nature, with lots to see along the way. Heading south from Christchurch/Ōtautahi, your first real stop should be Ōamaru, for its Steampunk HQ, Little Blue Penguin-viewing Grandstand and the extraordinary huge, round Moeraki Boulders on the beach.

Oamaru’s Victorian Precinct.

Dunedin

Dunedin/Ōtepoti is proud of its Scottish heritage, from the statue of Robbie Burns in the Octagon, through to the gingerbread glory of the Railway Station, to the lovely Larnach Castle out on the peninsula, where you will find an albatross colony at the end.

The Catlins

Further south, in The Catlins, you’ll see rare yellow-eyed penguins/hoiho, sea lions/whakahao, cute Hector’s dolphins and the irresistibly photogenic Nugget Point, with its lighthouse and scattering of rocks known as The Nuggets. There’s a fossilised forest here, too, waterfalls, quirky museums, and a fascinating garden full of hands-on ‘gadgets and gizmos’. Spectacular Cathedral Caves are a must, as is Slope Point, the southernmost place in New Zealand; next stop Antarctica.

Tūātapere

Head inland now, and across to little Tūātapere on the coast, from where you can get up close with the scenery on the well-maintained three-day Hump Ridge Track, which has the option of a helicopter start and no luggage to carry. The limestone tors you’ll reach on the first day are stunningly memorable and well worth the climb up there.

Fiordland

Now you are in Fiordland, where luminous blue lakes are surrounded by high mountains. On the other side of the Homer Tunnel you’ll find the unmatched glory of Milford Sound/Piopiotahi, with its sheer-sided peaks and tumbling waterfalls.