How to Spend 14 Days in New Zealand 🇳🇿 - Ultimate Road Trip Itinerary 🚙

We embarked on an unforgettable 14-day road trip through the stunning landscapes of New Zealand! In this ultimate travel guide, we'll take you on a step-by-step journey from the North Island to the South Island, sharing insider tips and must-visit destinations along the way.
Discover how to plan the perfect itinerary, including the best scenic drives, national parks, and charming towns to explore. From the magical town of Hobbiton to the breathtaking fjords of Milford Sound, we'll show you how to experience the diverse wonders of New Zealand.
Dates visited: Dec 2022 - Jan 2023
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
1:22 Day 1 - Auckland
1:39 Day 2 - Hobbiton
2:49 Day 3 - Rotorua
3:45 Day 4 - Tongariro
4:40 Day 5 - Martinborough / Wellington
5:21 Day 6 - Nelson
6:03 Day 7 - Abel Tasman
6:52 Day 8 - West Coast
7:23 Day 9 - Arthur's Pass / Christchurch
8:07 Day 10 - Lake Tekapo / Pukaki / Ohau
9:35 Day 11 - Aoraki / Mt. Cook
10:34 Day 11.5 - Wanaka
11:45 Day 12 - Queenstown
12:16 Day 13 - Milford Sound
13:11 Day 14 - Queenstown again
13:54 Common Questions
If you want to check out the rest of our New Zealand road trip:
* Hobbiton - • Journey to Middle-Eart...
* Rotorua Christmas - • Best of Rotorua | Epic...
* Tongariro - • North Island's Must Do...
* Wine Country - • Tour of New Zealand's ...
* Abel Tasman - • Hiking the Coastal Par...
* Hidden Gems - • Hidden Gems in New Zea...
* Hooker Valley - • New Zealand’s Best Day...
* Roy's Peak - • Hiking the Sunrise of ...
* Queenstown - • The Perfect 3 Days in ...
* Food Tour - • Must Eat Foods in New ...
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#newzealand #roadtrip #howto

[@didibryan]

Many of you have asked us for an itinerary so we've put together a condensed version for our trip here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Dfc6zRMLBJVyQb_CVv4UmJWzsoo3rTW97JrXqnUYXm8/edit?usp=sharing For more detailed videos about each location, don't miss out on the rest of our videos: * Hobbiton - kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3WyoIqvnLOqq8U * Rotorua Christmas - kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGXQfnl_fLutfs0 * Tongariro - kzbin.info/www/bejne/baeQdKSOg9p9iMk * Wine Country - kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYXSmYSIaaqlq5Y * Abel Tasman - kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpyUoqaqot5ngbs * Hidden Gems - kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYSyapeqarh6pNE * Hooker Valley - kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYLLm2Swf9CCh7M * Roy's Peak - kzbin.info/www/bejne/naS4oYGapc-dm80 * Queenstown - kzbin.info/www/bejne/eWqzmaCNoJ5ohZY * Food Tour - kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZWWh5iLn7SFhqc

[@wez130]

I live in New Zealand, and i've watched plenty of road trip videos for New Zealand, but this is probably the best one i've seen, you've shown places that even I hadn't even heard of! The clay cliffs, etc! Nice job :)

[@didibryan]

Thank you!!

[@bogormoment4211]

Watch ferry rahmat bro

[@Red-Revolution708]

It’s a shit-hole !

[@mahmoodalmasri2871]

Hello brother, I live in Australia and I want to go to New Zealand. Is there work there? Is the cost of living expensive like Australia? Is it easy to get a job?

[@ivorvandermerwe9934]

Phew. Canada, Norway & Switzerland - all in 1

[@didibryan]

Never thought about it that way, but that's a good comparison!

[@jonowebster]

Excellent video - very authentic and you nailed all your travel choices. Your flight tip is spot on as the bus to see Milford Sound does indeed take a full day both ways.

[@user-mx2lf3vg2n]

Thank you for sharing. What a great trip. Loved it!

[@rgrandberry1234]

Beautiful!!!! Thank-you!!!!!

[@stephanie8764]

What a spectacular video!!!💖 Thanks a lot for sharing!

[@catherinelindsay1570]

Thank you so much for this video. Beautifully shot and the perfect amount of information.

[@chandankumarsahoo1100]

This is called life... Pure enjoyment in nature❤❤

[@Kelvin-cd9kv]

What an epic adventure! Thank you for sharing your amazing trip 👍😍

[@didibryan]

It was! You're very welcome!

[@ccgnoix]

Thanks for sharing!

[@barrywalker1288]

Brilliant video, and what an amazing place NZ is.

[@Zerobar78.]

Great video with lots of good info!! Thanks!

[@user-rf5bo7rm5o]

That was really informative and inspiring, didnt think i'll enjoy it so much as stumbled on it by chance! Thank you

[@karenlaw]

thanks for sharing! it's very helpful for me to plan my trip!

[@evruffles7447]

That was really informative and inspiring, didnt think i'll enjoy it so much as stumbled on it by chance! Thank you👍

[@anthonyp-gx3mk]

Thanks, this really helps me decide whether it’s worth going. And it is!

[@xxxnini]

Thank u for this detailed vlog!😊

[@chardonnay4360]

Looks fantastic! We’re heading to the North Island soon, can’t wait, starting in Wellington and making our way up to the Bay of Islands. We’ve travelled the South Island a couple of times, can’t recommend it highly enough, absolutely beautiful.

[@DaveSnoddy73]

thank you for this very useful review and great advice

[@VTravel07]

Amazing

[@yaochen9713]

Thank you for sharing,Ill be there next month

[@diyanaroslan8240]

New Zealand natural is so beautiful perfect amazing

[@slhaksan]

that's a great video. Details, quality, transparency, even the lessons learned part at the end, thanks guys.

[@didibryan]

You're welcome! 😁

[@marleneborrero328]

This video is incredible. Thank you so much for making it.

[@didibryan]

You're very welcome!

[@user-mg3ff9kj9c]

Thank you for putting this together and the printed itinerary!

[@didibryan]

You're welcome!

[@kristielebaron5626]

Thanks for being up front with costs and sharing your experiences. We're heading to NZ in February, still finalizing details and this was helpful! 👏

[@didibryan]

You're welcome and hope you have a wonderful time!

[@ghoulfr13nd]

the lakes are so pretty! the sunrise is so cool… and kiwis are one of my favorite animals, i’m so jealous you got to see them 🥹

[@didibryan]

The kiwis were super cute! We wish we could have filmed them to show everyone, but they're nocturnal so we didn't want to disturb them with bright lights.

[@tsunamis82]

Many visitors think they have seen kiwi during the day. What they have see is weka, another native bird. If you visit Stewart Island there are many free roaming Kiwi you can see at night. Hamner Springs is near Kaikoura and it to has outdoor adrenal rush activities and the hot springs.

[@verlynseverson3784]

This was an excellent video covering a lot of cool places in the south island New Zealand as well as the north. It’s great because I am heading there in November and I’m glad to see that it’s accessible.

[@didibryan]

Hope you have a wonderful trip!

[@oliverpetersen8478]

Cooler Vlog. Ich freu' mich schon auf mehr...

[@BaconIsNotBiceps]

So beautiful. This is one of my dreams, Switzerland being #1 on my list. Thank you very much for sharing your trip. Love from America.

[@didibryan]

You're very welcome!!

[@manofdream69]

Trust me, Switzerland is wonderful, however, for nature, New Zealand is 10x more interesting. If you are on the other hand looking for a culturally diverse trip, Switzerland being in the heart of Europe will help.

[@FLIGHT2013]

Woooow amazing 👏 😍

[@jiteshgoel9058]

Really amazed to see your video 👌🏻👍🏻

[@TravelwithBobbyChannel]

I reside in New Zealand, and I've seen numerous road trip videos about our country, but yours is undoubtedly one of the finest I've come across. You've highlighted locations that I wasn't even aware of, such as the clay cliffs, and I must say, excellent job!

[@didibryan]

Thank you so much! Really appreciate hearing this from a resident 😄

[@shanewood3984]

Omg yes! I've already planned a 2 week road trip. This footage was spectacular 😍. North Islanders have no idea what they're missing out on. The best nature has to offer is only a few hundred kilometers from most Kiwis. So beautiful 😊

[@motalebless7043]

Can you send me invitation am planning to come with my wife

[@godofgenjutsu69]

Beautifull ....your video was fantastic❤

[@dennislim5597]

Thanks for sharing. I spent almost a month on both north & south and still wished for more. Certainly warrants many return trips

[@didibryan]

We know the feeling! We definitely would have loved to have stayed longer than 2 weeks as well

[@gregcranham]

Thank you for sharing your amazing trip! I am hoping to visit this amazing country soon, so this video is really helpful. Looks beautiful there 😊

[@didibryan]

Glad it was helpful! We hope you can visit soon as well!

[@amj2022]

Fantastic work with this video, very informative and well-edited. Especially appreciated seeing the route on the map, the cost breakdown, and what you would have done differently. I can’t say you’ve convinced me to bungee jump though!! 😆

[@craigsmith6446]

Great video, thanks for sharing. It gave me many ideas as I am planning a road trip on NZ too, around Christmas! I can't agree more it looks like the southern island is where I want to spend most of my time. Brilliant in its simplicity is the one way car rental. No backtracking! Efficient. Excellent video and I subscribed.

[@didibryan]

Thank you! Hope you have a wonderful time as well! Yes - going one way was the only way we could pack so much into the schedule. 😁

[@juliameils9896]

Wow… so happy you guys enjoyed your adventures. I just moved to NZ and can’t wait to explore all your suggestions!!!

[@didibryan]

Congrats on your big move!! You'll definitely have some amazing adventures ahead of you!

[@bretlenhart8280]

We did this but started in Queenstown and ended in Auckland. Also did the opposite coast. Trip of a lifetime

[@richarddavis4954]

very nice relaxing video thank you

[@didibryan]

You're welcome!

[@JB_FLYA69669]

great video you have inspired me to go here

[@JesusJimenez-pf3sr]

You did the exact same activities, love new zealand!!!

[@didibryan]

Great minds think alike! 😁

[@GLN14659]

Wonderful video

[@ahmedawan3370]

i definitely want to come to new zealand amazing country beautiful people like it

[@OyoDin-mt4jd]

Very beauty😮😮😮

[@didibryan]

Yes absolutely!

[@Charlie_He]

This is really good. Very helpful interesting information. I will more or less do the same in the near future ❤❤❤

[@mrtallas]

Amazing Trip for you Both! spent 2 years over there and did not see a quarter of what you saw, well done,x

[@didibryan]

Thank you!! I can totally imagine that while you're living there, you expect to have all the time to explore the country, but in the end don't haha

[@2631Fred]

Kaikoura, one of my fav places as well as Milford sounds and Marlboro sounds. NZ is such a beautiful country. I prefer the south Island. Well done with the video mate. a Job well done.

[@didibryan]

It is such a lovely place - thank you!!

[@chriscoughlan5221]

Ive done NZ twice!! 1st time in 1992, i spent about 2 months there, mixing hitch-hiking with kiwi experience! plus a bit of wwoof. 2nd time was in 2002, i basically rented a 2nd hand bicycle, as i couldnt find/afford a new one, and took the trains from Aukland to Invecargill, then cycled all the way back!! staying in youth hostels. this trip took me 6 weeks to complete, inc a few days in aukland with a few mates.

[@exploreearth6275]

Very nice itinerary of New Zealand video

[@didibryan]

Many thanks!

[@fishinganddiywithcarter5812]

I live in New Zealand since really cool

[@scenicjunkies3467]

Really great video, thank you. We are planning to go to NZL in 9 wks!!!

[@didibryan]

Awesome - we hope you have a great time!

[@SANGJAGATLAWU]

jos rekk pantaine

[@margaretvanson3601]

Glad you enjoyed yourself. Hope you come back.

[@didibryan]

Thank you! We definitely plan on it someday!!

[@jaymd3264]

You made my day.. i feel so relieved after i watch your video.. its like breathtaking adventure.. after my long review class for new zealnd..❤❤❤.. hoping to migrate to new zealnd soon

[@didibryan]

Thank you! We're really glad you enjoyed it and hope you have the opportunity soon!

[@spsingh6109]

Superb video & details. I also had trip of 18 days in New Zealand in 2019

[@didibryan]

Thank you! Hope your trip was wonderful as well!

[@xXMCRpwnsXx]

Great editing and voice over. Good job!!

[@didibryan]

Thanks so much!

[@md.shimul6868]

We want more and more Bangladeshi people in Newzealand. Love you all from dhaka Bangladesh. 👍🥰🇧🇩

[@didibryan]

Love you all too!!

[@curashag]

welcome to New Zealand, I lived there for a year! But now I am Canadian. I missed being there!

[@NZRainbow]

This is wonderful! Thank you for showing the world our beautiful little country. I came here 50 years ago and I could never live anywhere else. Next time you should visit Northland, the Bay of Islands and Cape Reinga. There is life further North than Auckland!

[@didibryan]

Definitely will! There were so many amazing places we didn't get a chance to visit including all the places north of Auckland

[@MuhammadAli-se4ut]

Hi! Hw is the weather like in early June? (: Will it be snowing?

[@pankajvkbansal]

If you are planning to travel to Australia or New Zealand for tourism purpose - do let me know. Thanks!

[@jameslast3192]

Your quite right about missing out the city’s. Maybe if you fly into Auckland have a day but yes NZ countryside is where it’s at.

[@yipmabaruya1148]

Good afternoon from Papua New Guinea. I enjoyed watching your contents. Great contents.

[@didibryan]

Welcome and thank you!!

[@yipmabaruya1148]

@@didibryan thank you for responding to my comments. May God bless you.

[@lobo1990]

I am so happy you chose Nelson, my home town! 🙏 I am heading to Nelson February/March 2024 and your itinerary has highlighted "must see and do" places while I'm there. I also can't wait to tuck into the seafood! 😋

[@didibryan]

Thank you! We loved Nelson! Definitely one of the highlights for our trip!

[@tageeru]

చాలా...బాగుంది

[@justanotherartist206]

love to see at least some youtubers visating my home land

[@didibryan]

It was so amazing!

[@MonmayBhowmik-us8kn]

😊😊

[@MonmayBhowmik-us8kn]

😍😍osm

[@michelelima3989]

You amazing😊

[@shijojv9320]

🙏🏻

[@user-gj5cg8rz2c]

I miss my trip to new zealand

[@yvonnecranson3019]

Next time if you want to g o to nz go to the 77 cafe it’s a cafe that has climbing walls

[@madhavprasadaryal4580]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@razkaku7851]

Mt. Taranaki/Egmont also a good place to go

[@didibryan]

It is! We chose to skip it since it would be right after the Tongariro Alpine Crossing and we wanted some more rest after that hike.

[@razkaku7851]

@@didibryan​​⁠​⁠​⁠ That’s true, last time I went directly to Waikite Valley hot spring after spending a few days hiking & ski there 😄😄

[@Willard-tn8bh]

Well done video! Thanks for pointing out the 'must sees' in New Zealand.

[@didibryan]

Our pleasure!

[@diyanaroslan8240]

OMG New Zealand

[@rhodrilumba3338]

I love your drone footage. Are there any restrictions, or special requirements needed to fly a drone?

[@edovanvliet8119]

Hello, this ia a great video with some good tips and idea's. I see a few drones shots here and there: as I plan to bring my drone to New Zealand soon I wonder, is this very difficult to arrange?

[@yorkieinnz4648]

Looks like you had an amazing trip but I'm curious as to how your aerial drone shots were obtained considering most of the locations do not allow it. ie. Lake Tekapo, Wanaka. Did you obtain permission or just ignore the warning signs.

[@eranovadya658]

very usefull. thanks for sharing. what if you had 4 weeks instead of 2 ? can you detail about places to sleep ? it seems that you spent at least3hours a day driving . isit so ?

[@jasonlimjianyung1753]

Hey guys thanks for sharing!! Can you share more about the private plane adventure ? Was it to Milford Sound ? From where and How do you book?

[@didibryan]

We booked through one of the tour websites, but the flight company is Glenorchy Air. It included a round flight to Milford Sound + the boat cruise.

[@AshviniWijesena]

I am in New Zealand 🇳🇿 😊

[@didibryan]

Hello! 👋

[@user-uj4ui6es3f]

Where did you stay and how did you choose your accommodations? Thank you for the great video!

[@didibryan]

We stayed at a combination of hotels and Airbnbs. We generally chose them based on a combination of location, reviews, and price.

[@user-uj4ui6es3f]

@@didibryan Thank you!

[@teepatchong5668]

It seems that every tourist in New Zealand has eaten the Fergburger. It must be the most popular and wealthiest business in New Zealand.

[@didibryan]

Definitely successful enough to open a bakery, bar, and dessert shop!

[@alertstillness592]

Great video to watch. Enjoyed it so much that I have now saved $5,400USD in travel costs

[@didibryan]

Aww thank you haha we still think it's absolutely worth it to visit in person 😅

[@jakubsramek3842]

Awesome. I like your road. How big was your budget guys? Thank you

[@shioam9]

Amazing video, informative and well put. Can you suggest which car rental company did you do?

[@didibryan]

We used Hertz, but we would actually recommend Avis if you plan to go to both islands since Hertz actually has a $1000 fee if you return the car to a different island.

[@shioam9]

@@didibryan Thank you for the reply. Yeah I checked hertz and they do charge extra amount. Anything else we should know about apart from the usual when travelling to New Zealand?

[@larrywee25]

Hi, great video and thanks for sharing. I realized one issue for most KZbinrs, you guys don’t indicate the exact date of your travel. Is your travel date on 21/6/2023 as indicated? If not, may I know what exactly was your date of travel? Because that will give us an idea of the season scenic views and what to do at different periods. Appreciate your reply and thanks again for the great video.

[@didibryan]

We visited Dec 2022 - Jan 2023. Thanks for the feedback. We added a note to the description so hopefully that helps others out as well

[@larrywee25]

@@didibryan .. Thank you so much for your reply.

[@sabhanisar7333]

Can anyone tell me what is weather like in end May in newzealand ? What outfits should i bring?

[@xrr654]

Terrific video...14 days in 14+ mins.! Since you rented a sedan and not a camper van, I assume you stayed at a hotel or BNB at every stop. Could you give recommendations on where to spend the night at each place? Thanks!

[@didibryan]

Yes that is correct. One challenge we found with camper vans was even though there's freedom camping, we probably wanted to stay at a campsite and those were all booked when we went. We stayed at hotels and bnbs for the entire trip. TBH there's a bunch of great options in all the locations so it's really up to you what your needs are we. We chose a combination of high ratings, price, and location.

[@Dendenmushi96]

Thinking of doing similar destinations but would you recommend getting a rental car? What did you do for transportation and for hotel/lobbying?

[@didibryan]

Yes rental car (or camper van) is definitely the way to go. Things are quite spread apart so I'm not sure how you would really get around without a car For hotels, we stayed at a mix of hotels and Airbnbs in each of the locations depending on what we could find.

[@SeattlePoPolsku]

Great video and inspiration. Could you share how much in advance you booked the ferry that the daytimes were sold out?

[@didibryan]

We booked in mid November for the December ferries that were nearly all booked up.

[@SeattlePoPolsku]

​@@didibryan thank you for taking time to respond, I appreciate it!

[@camandjames18]

Great video!! We plan to visit NZ in two months time! What company did you guys rent your car from?

[@didibryan]

We rented from Hertz, but warning there's a fee if you return your car to the other island so wouls recommend Avis if you plan to visit both islands.

[@MICHALMALACHOVSKY]

SUPERBE

[@irenes8134]

Great video thanks! In what hotel did you stay that helped you organise the Tongariro National Park hike? And what is the name of the hike please!

[@didibryan]

We stayed at Adventure Lodge and Motels: goo.gl/maps/B7c9K1dgu1zYaDuq5 and also booked the shuttle from the hotel. The name of the hike we did was called the Tongariro Alpine Crossing

[@irenes8134]

Thank you!

[@kaminipandey406]

Hi, Awesome video. I observed that you took some drone shots....was any permit required?

[@samarkataria3405]

Awesome video and super useful for my upcoming trip to NZ. Can you give details on your car rental - how did you book, cost, insurance, deposits, etc.?

[@didibryan]

We booked Hertz via my credit card so had insurance that way. But as we've mentioned in other comments, Hertz has an additional fee if you return the car to a different island so we would actually recommend looking into Avis if you plan to drive both islands.

[@suzyturquoiseblue-]

Lived in Christchurch my whole life, 36 years, and I think you saw more of NZ it in 2 weeks than I ever have. Also, you think sheep are harmless? Go watch the 2006 NZ more "Black Sheep". :P