New Zealand is by far one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. From picturesque mountains, vibrant glacier lakes, and waterfall filled fjords, New Zealand’s landscape is truly breathtaking. While you could definitely spend weeks exploring New Zealand, 8 days is the perfect amount of time to fully explore Queenstown and a few more must-see South Island spots like Milford Sound, Lake Tekapo, & Mt Cook.

Best Time to Visit: New Zealand is a great place to visit all year round, but keep in mind since it’s in the Southern hemisphere the seasons are opposite. We planned our trip around the lupins, which bloom between mid-Nov to mid-Dec in late Spring/early Summer. This was such a beautiful timeframe to see the flowers everywhere, but it did feel quite chilly some days still. If you’re more interested in water activities I’d recommend waiting until late Dec/Jan to visit. Queenstown is also a World famous ski area, so it’s extremely popular during the winter season as well.

Cost Estimate: New Zealand is definitely a bit on the pricier side compared to some of the countries we have visited (similar in price to Australia though). Our total trip cost was probably close to $4000, not including airfare, as we used our Amex points to cover our flight. Dusten and I stayed at nice mid-tier hotels and cabins during our stay and spent about $2000 USD on accommodations. There are definitely more luxurious places that could increase your cost, as well as very affordable hostels available to lower your cost.

Safety: The crime rate near Queenstown and Lake Tekapo is extremely low, however it’s always smart to use caution, lock up belongings, etc.

Transportation: It’s fairly easy to get a cab or uber within the cities, but if you plan on traveling around the island a rental car is recommended. There’s also tons of tour companies that will do day trips to more remote areas that are within a few hours drive.

Things to Know Before You Go:

-If you’re visiting during the heavy tourist seasons (Summer and Winter) you’ll likely need reservations for most things. A lot of the popular restaurants and activities fill up quickly (like the onsen hot pools) so I would recommend reserving things several weeks out.

-In NZ they drive on the left side of the road. As long as you have an English driver’s license you do not need an international driver’s license to drive there.

DAY 1

After a long day of travel, spend your first day relaxing near the water in queenstown and grab a cocktail or two at the famous floating boat bar, Perky’s. This was one of our favorite spots to hangout at during our trip. They have a full cocktail menu and allow you to bring your own food, making this a great spot to get takeout dinner and watch the sunset.

For our first night we just opted for a cocktail and then headed to Nest for a 3-course menu with a stunning view of Lake Wakatipu. They have an elevated set-menu, allowing you to choose from 4-5 options for each course. I opted for the fresh salmon, wagyu steak, and dolce de leche dessert and was very impressed with the presentation and flavors.

DAY 2

After resting up for a night, rent a car and head north to Lake Tekapo. We primarily went to Lake Tekapo to see the fields of lupins, however this was such a beautiful area that I would definitely recommend visiting even without the lupins. The drive is incredibly scenic, so plan to make a few stops along your route. If you do happen to visit during lupin season, one of the best lupin fields we found was actually on the way, right along the highway near Lindis Pass (pictured above).

Once arriving into town, we headed straight for Lake Tekapo to enjoy the beautiful views of the lake and Mt Cook. In the summer months this is also a great spot to go for a swim or some water activities. Lake Tekapo is also a dark sky reserve area, making this one of the best spots in the world for star-gazing (and seeing the Southern lights!). There is an actual observatory you can visit, as well as several star gazing tours that include professional photos to capture the stars on camera.

DAY 3

Head to town in Lake Tekapo to grab breakfast before spending the day at Mt Cook National Park. Our favorite local breakfast spot was The Greedy Cow. We read about their famous cinnamon rolls, however both mornings they were already sold out by 10am, so you’ll need to get there early to try. The eggs Benedict and meat pies were another great option though.

After breakfast make the scenic 1.5 hour drive to Mt Cook. Along the way you’ll pass by some stunning views of Lake Pukaki. We opted to do the Hooker Valley Track hike, which took about 3 hours roundtrip to complete and ends at a beautiful glacier lake. There aren’t any drastic elevation changes, so this is a fairly easy hike to complete. It is a bit long though, so definitely make sure you bring water and snacks. The views on this hike were incredible and it was definitely a highlight of our trip.

If you’re lucky enough to have an accommodation with a hot tub, relax your sore legs by taking a night time soak and stargazing. There are also a few public hot springs in Lake Tekapo as additional options.

Day 4

Grab breakfast in town and if you happen to be visiting during lupin season, head out to find some fields of lupins before making the drive back to Queenstown. When we visited in Dec 2023, some of the best spots were along the lakefront of Lake Tekapo and along the highway across from the Lake Pukaki visitor center (just after the dam).

If you’re looking to check out some wineries, there are plenty of great spots along the drive back as an option. You can also stop by Arrowtown and Wanaka for quick day trip visits along the route. We stopped at a few scenic lookouts before heading back to get settled in Queenstown.

Queenstown has a ton of great bars to check out, so if you’re someone who enjoys a few drinks head out for a few pre-dinner cocktails. We made a late reservation at Margo’s mexican restaurant and had a few spicy margaritas downstairs at their sister-bar Little Mez beforehand.

Day 5

Start your morning with brunch at the Boat Shed Cafe. This is slightly out of the downtown waterfront area and sits directly next to the marina on the water. This was the best brunch we had during our entire visit to New Zealand, so you definitely don’t want to miss it. I had the signature french toast dish, which has a texture similar to cake or french toast casserole, but it was amazing!

After brunch, continue on to Deer Park Heights. This is similar to a drive-thru safari in the states, but offers stunning views of Queenstown and some Lord of the Rings filming sites. You’ll need a car capable of driving up steep gravel roads and some coins to buy animal food. The entire park is unmanned except for the rare sighting of the caretakers. So prior to arrival you’ll need to purchase your admission online and will be given a one time code to get in and out of the park. The day we visited was extremely windy so we didn’t get to see quite as many animals as we had hoped for.

If you have time in the afternoon, head to Bob’s Cove for some beautiful nature trail views and an afternoon swim in the turquoise lake waters. It was unfortunately too cold for a swim during our visit, but all of the photos I’ve seen look stunning.

In the evening, head to Madam Woo for some delicious southeast Asian cuisine. Everything we had here was delicious, highly recommend trying the stir-fried pork belly, roast duck hawker roll, and the yellow curry. We loved everything so much we ended up back here for lunch the next day.

Day 6

Queenstown, NZ is known as the adventure capital of the world (and the birth place of bungee jumping) so spend the morning trying out some of their daredevil activities. From bungee jumping, jet boats, and submarine rides, there’s plenty to choose from. My husband decided to try out the tiktok-famous Canyon Swing while I opted to cheer him on from the side. It’s also extremely easy to book a tour for any of the adventure activities and be picked up from the downtown waterfront area so you don’t need to worry about driving.

Once your adrenaline wears off, grab lunch by the lake and then head to the Queenstown gondola. The gondola offers stunning views of the lake and mountains and has a luge ride on the mountain side that is actually so much fun. Dusten and I bought the package that included 2-3 luge rides but honestly would have gone more.

For dinner we visited Winnie’s Gourmet Pizza for some pizza and beer.

DAY 7

No trip to the south island is complete without visiting Milford Sound. It’s known to many as the eighth wonder of the world, and it definitely lived up to the hype. It does tend to rain most days of the year here, but honestly I feel like it makes it look more beautiful and majestic in the rain. We opted to do a day trip tour that we booked on TripAdvisor (the premium small group tour by Cheeky Kiwi) and it was a great choice with how long of a drive it was. If you plan to do the drive on your own, I would highly suggest staying the night at one of the nearby lodges, as we were pretty exhausted after our cruise.

Most of the tours take off from Queenstown pretty early, so stop by The Bakery downtown for some coffee and breakfast. They open at 6am, so we frequented this cafe quite a bit and were obsessed with the traditional steak & cheese meat pie. The tour itself consisted of a 5-hour van ride, making a few stops at some scenic lookouts, followed by a 2-hour cruise of Milford Sound, and a 4.5-hour van ride home. While this was definitely a long day, I can’t recommend it enough. My husband and I both agreed the cruise was our favorite part of the trip.

We made it back into Queenstown at around 7:00pm and opted to wait in line for Fergburger to take over to Perky’s floating bar for a casual sunset dinner. Fergburger is rumored to be the best burger in New Zealand and consistently had a wild line down the street everyday. While I’m not sure I would wait in the line more than once, my husband and I both enjoyed the burger and felt it was worth trying. We had also tried their competitor Devil Burger during our trip, and definitely preferred Fergburger.

Day 8

For your final day in Queenstown, head to the world famous Onsen Hot Pools for an hour long soak. I originally came across the Onsen spa on Pinterest and knew I wanted to visit during our trip, and it definitely lived up to the hype. The view is so incredibly stunning, the rooms are private and quiet, and they provide you with a beverage (including wine & ginger beer) and a snack to have during your soak.

After your spa session, head to Bespoke Cafe for brunch. This was voted as the best cafe in New Zealand and was highly recommended. The cafe is very aesthetic and is also very health-focused, offering plenty of dairy-free and gluten-free options. For brunch I opted for the eggs Benedict and honey latte.

After brunch, spend the afternoon leisurely strolling the downtown area, shopping, and enjoying the waterfront by the lake. For dinner, we opted to try Flame, which is a South African steak house that came highly recommended from our Milford Sound tour guide. This place is definitely a must visit and was one of the best meals of our entire trip. Highly recommend the Flame Mixed Grill Platter (literally a board with steak, ribs, and chicken) and the Mozambique Prawns.

For more New Zealand content, check out my Instagram and TikTok.

xoxo

Alicia