You’ve heard it on the news. Singapore is officially lifting up many of the covid restrictions and measures. And beginning this year, many other countries are also reopening their borders. Particularly, we’re looking at Australia and New Zealand.
Most of you must already be aware that New Zealand is opening in phases, and by May 1 2022 international travellers that do not require VISA are welcomed. And yes, that’s us!
So if you’re already itching to visit these few countries, now is the time to start planning and you’ve just come to the right place. I’ve already assembled an itinerary for you that you can it apart and customise it however that fits your preferences.
Note: It is by no means a fix itinerary, but do note that some splits of the drive are longer than others. Thus, harder to alter those driving routes unless you’re routing through another pass.
Without further ado, let’s hop right into the itinerary shall we?
When and where are we going?
A lot of the attractions are based off South of New Zealand. And so is my itinerary. I’ve not explored the North yet, but truthfully, there’s just too many things to cover and do in the South. And I ain’t done with it yet!
Compared to my previous trip to New Zealand, this new itinerary is, in my opinion, much more optimised and well-routed.
Some locations may seem familiar to you and that’s because they are just too good to pass. Every time you go New Zealand, it almost always seems like you ain’t done with that same place yet, you know.
Starting right off Christchurch, we’re heading upwards through Arthur’s Pass and circling down on the West Coast of New Zealand.
Why? It’s a new route I’ve yet to go, and rather than going inland, coasting along the shores most certainly sounds more fun don’t you think?
Oh! And yes, we’re going right at the end of October and that means we’ve got a very pleasant weather to boot!
Dates: 16 Oct to 24 Oct
What’s the flight timing and the airline we’re flying with?
The next you’re probably going to ask is, what is the flight timing and which airline are we flying with?
It is none other than our beloved Singapore Airlines! In my opinion, it’s not too often to find decent prices with Singapore Airlines as there are competitions from Emirates, Qantas and other airlines that typically offered better prices.
The only airline that seems to always be much more expensive than even Singapore Airline, is none other than their own Air New Zealand. And I’ve absolutely no idea why. Do you know?
The flight timing, as seen in below screenshot on the day that I did this research, offers a near-perfect timing. Near-perfect because if it’s just a tad bit later for the departure, most of us could’ve saved 1 more day of Annual Leave right?
But the arrival time and the departure time on the last day is extremely good in my opinion. Not too early where nothing is opened or available, but not too late where most of the day is already gone.
Airline: Singapore Airlines
Flight Time: 19:50 to 10:30(+1) and 11:50 to 17:40
And what’s the theme of the Trip?
Oh this excites me! A LOT! It will be a road trip touring around South of New Zealand but what’s the next level of a road trip? A Motor Home trip.
Imagine not having to lock yourself at one location, but the absolute freedom to explore any time, anywhere as you deem fit? The Campervan-ing experience offers the best of both world – Freedom to explore and Roadtripping.
Tell me if that doesn’t excite you much. What elevates this experience even further is, how much New Zealand advocates and support this concept of exploring their homeland.
And if all of these doesn’t get you motivated to book your next trip immediately, then I’m sure the only concern left is pricing. What if I tell you that Campervan trips will almost certainly always cost you the same as booking AirBnB, if not cheaper?
Read on to find out how this entire itinerary works out and its pricing per person. Trust me, you’re going to love it.
Route we are taking and duration of each drive
So you saw the planned route in from above. Now you’re wondering, what are the splits and duration for each location.
Don’t worry, I’ve worked it all out for you below!
From Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass will take approx. 2.5hrs
From Arthur’s Pass to Franz Josef will take approx. 3.5hrs
From Franz Josef to Wanaka will take approx. 4hrs
From Wanaka to Queenstown will take approx. 2hrs
From Queenstown to Manapouri will take approx. 2.5hrs
From Manapouri to Milford Sound will take approx. 2hrs
From Manapouri to Mount Cook will take approx. 6hrs
From Mount Cook to Christchurch will take approx. 5.5hrs
It’s important to note that in this itinerary, there are a few splits that are considerably long drive of more than 4 hours. If you aren’t traveling solo, you should consider doing a driver-rotation so that none of you are exhausted by the end of the drive.
I mean, you still want to play and enjoy on-location after drive right?
Because of it’s sensitivity, I’ve briefly worked out the timing to ensure that within the day itself you can reach the destination and still have some time left to explore the area.
Important timing and splits to take note of
These are the 3 particular splits that are really long drives, so your departure timing becomes extremely crucial.
Departing from Franz Josef to Wanaka at 10am latest after a chill breakfast
Arrive at Wanaka to replenish stocks, rest and lunch. You can then depart at 3pm onwards to Queenstown
If all goes well, you will reach Arrow Point in time for a beautiful sunset at 6 to 7pm
Depart from Queenstown to Manapouri at 10am latest and you will reach in time for lunch and rest
Depart from Manapouri to Milford Sound at 2pm latest to reach the top at 4pm. Enjoy the scenery and the drive, but start departing by 5/6pm to arrive back in town by 8pm.
Note: Later departure pass 7pm can get dangerously dark. If you aren’t familiar with overseas driving and night driving, I strongly recommend to ease into it first by having a day with a maximum of 30mins night driving.
Which town are we staying in and for how long?
The routes we took from above, should hint at where we’re staying over the night. But beyond just optimising the route for best use of the daylights, it’s also important to pick a location that fits the activities we want to do and of significant interest.
Here’s how we’re splitting our days of rest across all the locations.
17 Oct, 2D1N in Franz Josef
18 Oct to 19 Oct, 3D2N in Queenstown
19 Oct to 20 Oct, 2D1N in Te Anau / Manapouri
20 Oct to 23 Oct, 4D3N in Mount Cook
23 Oct to 24 Oct, 2D1N in Christchurch
Not too bad eh? The general idea is to spend more time on specific locations where we’re picking out more activities or intense ones like Hiking at Mount Cook. This way, not only do you get ample rest but also more time on-location to enjoy its beauty.
If you’ve seen our previous guides before, you would notice that there are a few similar locations in this itinerary. And that’s because they stand out as widely recognised travel destinations as well as offering greater variety of family-friendly activities.
Keen to take a look at our previous itinerary suggestion? Here’s the link to it.
Franz Josef would be a new location for us. While it’s arguably within the proximity of Mount Cook, many would attest that it’s worth going and gives a different experience as well.
What’s more important is, the deliberate de-route from the usual path to Mount Cook takes us through Arthur’s Pass and driving along the coast instead. This also provides a completely fresh experience for the itinerary as compared to inland roads.
Where are we camping at with our campervan?
If you’re already familiar with camper vans, you would know that there are designated parks or lots for these vehicles. And yes, you aren’t supposed to just park anywhere.
The general misconception is, with a camper van I could stop and rest anywhere I want anytime I prefer. But that’s only half of the reality. I could be wrong, but as far as I’m aware the guideline of most laws ensure that as long as you and your vehicle do not pose any obstructions or dangers to other users, it isn’t an offence.
Having said that, it also seems like a blurred line saying that you can park anywhere as long as you don’t cause danger or obstruction, and you must park at designated lots. Anyone knows what are the clear definition and proper way of doing this?
Anyhow, to be on the safe side, I’ve picked a legal campsite for camper vans on each location. Again, it’s by no means definitive option so you’re free to pick whichever campsite you prefer.
Franz Josef: Franz Josef Top 10 Holiday Park
Queenstown: 4 Cemetery Road, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
Manapouri: Manapouri NZMCA
Mount Cook: White Horse Hill Campsite, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park 227 Hooker Valley Road, Canterbury 7999, New Zealand
Christchurch: Spencer Beach Holiday Park
Note: There are also free campsites that do no charge. They often provide only minimal facilities though. More importantly, not every camper van can park at these free parking lots. Only Camper vans that are self-contained certified (CSC), like Maui, are allowed to use these free parking spaces.
Important: If you’re doing freedom camping, please use these places responsibly and respect the environment. Such freedom were given to us to provide unique and memorable experience, but misusing this privilege would only result in more regulation and lesser freedom in future.
See references here: https://www.wilderness.co.nz/blog/freedom-camping-in-nz-how-does-it-work
What is the total cost of the trip and per person?
Last but not least, I’m sure most of you are curious how much it costs per person for this itinerary. And I’m glad you asked. Here’s a gentler breakdown of each categorised expenditures, but feel free to break it down further if you must.
| Flights | $1,300 to $1,500 per pax |
| MotorHome | $300 to $800 per pax |
| Petrol | $250 avg for 75L tank @ $2.89/L |
| Campsite Fees | $100 @ $20 per pax on each Campsite |
| Grocery | $350 to $600 avg per pax |
| Activities | $250 per pax |
| Expenses | $300 to $1,000 avg per pax |
| Total | $2,850 per pax |
It ain’t that bad huh? Oh, the camper van used in this calculation is for 4 pax vehicle (CSC). Naturally, if you’ll have to adjust the cost accordingly to the number of persons.
I would comfortably place the range of costs between $2,500 to $3,500 per person. It’s still a wider range because of activities and the urge to splurge a little on restaurants, but yet a workable assumption for accurate planning.
Final Thoughts
New Zealand is a very popular destination for many of us. When you visit a place so often, you may want to do things differently. And camping might just be one of them.
But living in a camper van or tent is so very different from your standard itinerary with hotels and Airbnb. In fact, you may also hear or read about many horrors of camping out there.
The reality of having just the space of a van for 2 persons or more, can get really really shockingly bad experience – because we’re all so used to having spaces for everything. Having to clear your own waste, managing grey water, smells and all, really isn’t something for everyone.
So before you start planning a camper van trip, ask yourself if you and your group are people who are totally ok with such a travel style, and are they outdoorsy or pure city folks who needs everything within reach and get done by others.
Alright, that’s it! I hope you enjoyed this itinerary and if you really went ahead with one similar to this, let me know how it went! Leave your comments below and also let me hear your thoughts on where you wish to see us go next!
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