South Island · 5 days · 4 nights

5 Day South Island Escape

Queenstown, Milford Sound & Wānaka

Five days in the South Island means choosing one corner and doing it properly. This is the Queenstown lakes and the road to Milford — the most concentrated mountain scenery in the country, without a single wasted hour behind the wheel.

Starts: Queenstown
Finishes: Queenstown
Days & nights: 5 days · 4 nights
On the road: 810 km · approx. 12 hrs

Major highlights

Lakefront & Queenstown GardensGlenorchyArrowtownGibbston ValleyTe AnauMilford SoundWānakaCrown Range Road

Where you sleep

Queenstown (2 nights) · Te Anau (2 nights)

Queenstown

Te Anau

Queenstown

Day numbers mark where you sleep · illustrated by I Love New Zealand

The journey, day by day

5 days, one route.

Day 01

Night 1 · Queenstown

Day 1

Arrive in Queenstown

MorningLand — the approach over the Remarkables is the first attraction.

1
Lakefront & Queenstown Gardensallow an easy afternoon
Walk the peninsula loop to shake off the flight, then find the lake edge at golden hour.

EveningDinner in town, then the Skyline gondola for the lights if you still have energy.

Don't miss

The view back over the lake from the gondola deck at dusk.

Night 1 · Queenstown

Rough cost · NZ$280–NZ$480

Explore Queenstown →Find & book things to do in Queenstown →

Day 02

Night 2 · Queenstown

Day 2

130 km · approx. 2.25 hrs driving

Queenstown → Glenorchy → Arrowtown → Queenstown

MorningThe Glenorchy road early, before the light goes flat. · leave 8:00am

1
Glenorchyallow half a day
Forty-five minutes of lake road that people fly across the world for. Walk the wharf and the lagoon boardwalk.
2
Arrowtownallow 2 hours
A gold-rush village of tiny cottages, with the Chinese settlement along the creek.

EveningBack to Queenstown for dinner.

Don't miss

Stopping at every pull-off on the Glenorchy road. Every single one.

Night 2 · Queenstown

Rough cost · NZ$260–NZ$460

Explore Queenstown →Find & book things to do in Queenstown →

Day 03

Night 3 · Te Anau

Day 3

175 km · approx. 2.25 hrs driving

Queenstown → Te Anau

MorningAn easy drive south through farmland and the Mararoa valley.

1
Gibbston Valleyallow 1 hour
A pinot noir tasting on the way out of town — the driver tastes tomorrow.
2
Te Anauallow afternoon
Lakefront town and the gateway to Fiordland. Quiet, and better for it.

EveningThe Te Anau glowworm caves by boat, or simply the lake and an early dinner.

Night 3 · Te Anau

Rough cost · NZ$280–NZ$470

Explore Queenstown →

Day 04

Night 4 · Te Anau

Day 4

240 km · approx. 5 hrs driving

Te Anau → Milford Sound → Te Anau

MorningLeave early. The Milford road is the drive, not just the way there. · leave 6:30am for a late-morning cruise

1
Milford Soundallow 2 hours on the water
A fiord walled by 1,200-metre cliffs. Take the cruise; two hours on the water is enough.
Book the cruise ahead — and check the road status before leaving.

EveningBack over the Divide to Te Anau, tired and quiet.

Don't miss

Mirror Lakes and the Chasm — both are five-minute stops on the way.

Good to know

ILNZ PickDrive it yourself with an early start and a late-morning cruise.
AlternativeCoach and cruise from Te Anau if the weather is poor — someone else takes the wheel.

Night 4 · Te Anau

Rough cost · NZ$300–NZ$520

Day 05

Day 5

265 km · approx. 3.75 hrs driving

Te Anau → Wānaka → Queenstown

MorningNorth through the Southland plains and over the Crown Range.

1
Wānakaallow 3 hours
Lake, mountains, and a slower pace than Queenstown. Walk to the willow tree, then the town beach.
2
Crown Range Roadallow 1 hour
The highest sealed road in the country — take it back to Queenstown for the descent into the Wakatipu basin.

EveningReturn the car in Queenstown.

Departs from · Queenstown

Rough cost · NZ$240–NZ$420

Explore Wānaka →Explore Queenstown →Find & book things to do in Queenstown →

What it costs.

approx. NZ$330–NZ$500 per person, per day — around approx. NZ$1,700–NZ$2,500 per person for the whole trip, twin share, mid-range.

AccommodationNZ$170–NZ$300 per night (twin share, mid-range)
Rental carNZ$70–NZ$130 per day
FuelNZ$150–NZ$200 for the route
FoodNZ$80–NZ$130 per person, per day
ActivitiesNZ$450–NZ$750 per person total

Practical notes.

Best time to go
October to April. June to September is superb for snow but adds chain requirements and shorter days.
What to book ahead
Milford cruise, Queenstown dinner, and all accommodation from December to February.
Longest driving day
Day 4 — around 5 hours in total, but broken by stops the whole way.
Road & weather
The Milford road closes for avalanche risk in winter. Never start it without checking conditions.
Fuel
Fill in Te Anau before Milford. There is no fuel on the road in.
Where to add a night
Wānaka — it deserves more than an afternoon.
Costs
Indicative only — always check current prices before booking.

(Book) — Experiences on this route

Book the experiences along the way.

Tours and activities around Queenstown and this route — check availability with our booking partner.

Check Availability ↓

Where to stay

Find & Book Stays →

Things to do on the way

Explore Experiences →

Make it yours

✦ Ask Aotearoa →

More itineraries.

Sources & useful links

Road conditions, closures and alpine passes change daily. Check the official journey planner on the morning you travel.

Last checked 21 August 2026