It was a month-long journey spanning both North and South Islands, beginning in late December and wrapping up at the end of January. We started in Auckland, warmed up with island hikes and city wanders, then road-tripped through classic North Island highlights—Waitomo glowworms, Napier wine country, and Rotorua—before pausing in Wellington. Flying south to Queenstown set the tone for alpine scenery and fiord adventures, followed by marine wildlife in Kaikoura, penguins in Oamaru, big-mountain time at Aoraki/Mount Cook, culture and coastline in Dunedin, and a sunny finish in Christchurch. The trip blended urban strolls, volcanic landscapes, vineyards, alpine hikes, and coastal wildlife—capturing New Zealand’s range from city charm to wild nature.
Trip Summary
✈️ Day 0+1: Fly to Auckland
📷 Day 2: Walking in Auckland
📷 Day 3: Rangitoto Island hike
🧺 Day 4: Prepping for the road trip (Auckland)
🚘 Day 5: Northland drive to Baylys Beach
🚘 Day 6: Heading south to Waitomo
📷 Day 7: Glowworm caves (Waitomo)
🚘 Day 8: North Island road trip to Napier
📷 Day 9: Wine tasting in Hawke’s Bay (Napier)
🚘 Day 10: Geothermal sights (Rotorua)
📷 Day 11: Hobbiton visit (Rotorua)
🚘 Day 12: On the road again to Wellington
📷 Day 13: Easy day in Wellington
📕 Day 14: Reading day (Wellington)
✈️ Day 15: Fly to Queenstown
📷 Day 16: Kiwi bird and sunny mountains (Queenstown)
🚘 Day 17: Transit to Te Anau
📷 Day 18: Fiordland cruise day (“False Sound”) from Queenstown
🚘 Day 19: Long road to Kaikoura
📷 Day 20: Whales, dolphins, seals, and birds (Kaikoura)
🚘 Day 21: Wine and penguins (Oamaru)
🚘 Day 22: Glacier country (Aoraki/Mount Cook)
🥾 Day 23: Hiking Aoraki / Mount Cook
🚘 Day 24: To Dunedin
📷 Day 25: Museum day (Dunedin)
📷 Day 26: Taieri Gorge train—there and back (Dunedin)
✈️ Day 27: Travel to Christchurch
📷 Day 28: Exploring Christchurch
📷 Day 29: Hiking around the city (Christchurch)
✈️ Day 30+: The long way home via Auckland
👉 Google Map Lists of places we visited on the trip
Day 2: Walking Auckland
December 29, 2017
Auckland 🇳🇿
Day 3: Rangitoto Island
December 30, 2017
Auckland 🇳🇿
Day 4: Prepping for the road trip
🧺
Day 4: Prepping for the road trip
December 31, 2017
Auckland 🇳🇿
Day 5: meeting the trees
🚘
Day 5: meeting the trees
January 1, 2018
Baylys Beach 🇳🇿
Day 6: driving south
January 2, 2018
Waitomo 🇳🇿
Day 7: glowworm caves
January 3, 2018
Waitomo 🇳🇿
Day 8: North Island road trip
🚘
Day 8: North Island road trip
January 4, 2018
Napier 🇳🇿
Day 9: Wine, wine and more (New Zealand) wine
📷
Day 9: Wine, wine and more (New Zealand) wine
January 5, 2018
Napier 🇳🇿
Day 10: smelly affair
January 6, 2018
Rotorua 🇳🇿
Day 11: Hobbits!
January 7, 2018
Rotorua 🇳🇿
Day 12: On the (New Zealand) road again 🎶
🚘
Day 12: On the (New Zealand) road again 🎶
January 8, 2018
Wellington 🇳🇿
Day 13: Laziness is good
📷
Day 13: Laziness is good
January 9, 2018
Wellington 🇳🇿
Day 14: Reading
January 10, 2018
Wellington 🇳🇿
Day 15: Fly like it’s 1999
✈️
Day 15: Fly like it’s 1999
January 11, 2018
Queenstown 🇳🇿
Day 16: Kiwi bird and sunny mountains
📷
Day 16: Kiwi bird and sunny mountains
January 12, 2018
Queenstown 🇳🇿
Day 17: The transit town of the South Island
🚘
Day 17: The transit town of the South Island
January 13, 2018
Te Anau 🇳🇿
Day 18: The False Sound
January 14, 2018
Queenstown 🇳🇿
Day 19: The wheels on the bus go round and round...
🚘
Day 19: The wheels on the bus go round and round...
January 15, 2018
Kaikoura 🇳🇿
Day 20: sperm whales, dolphins, seals and a whole lot of birds
📷
Day 20: sperm whales, dolphins, seals and a whole lot of birds
January 16, 2018
Kaikoura 🇳🇿
Day 21 - Wine and Penguins
🚘
Day 21 - Wine and Penguins
January 17, 2018
Oamaru 🇳🇿
Day 22: Glacier
January 18, 2018
Aoraki 🇳🇿
Day 23: Aoraki / Mount Cook
🥾
Day 23: Aoraki / Mount Cook
January 19, 2018
Aoraki 🇳🇿
Day 24: Done-EEE-Din
January 20, 2018
Dunedin 🇳🇿
Day 25: Gray + Museum
January 21, 2018
Dunedin 🇳🇿
Day 26: all aboard the there and back train
📷
Day 26: all aboard the there and back train
January 22, 2018
Dunedin 🇳🇿
Day 27: Hello Christchurch
✈️
Day 27: Hello Christchurch
January 23, 2018
Christchurch 🇳🇿
Day 28: It’s summer again ☀️
📷
Day 28: It’s summer again ☀️
January 24, 2018
Christchurch 🇳🇿
Day 29: sweaty affair
January 25, 2018
Christchurch 🇳🇿
Day 30+: The long way home
✈️
Day 30+: The long way home
January 26, 2018
Auckland 🇳🇿
Our best of 2018 New Zealand
👌
Our best of 2018 New Zealand
January 27, 2018
