Search Cars → Change your itinerary Pickup Auckland Wellington Nelson Christchurch Queenstown Dunedin Drop Off Auckland Wellington Nelson Christchurch Queenstown Dunedin Choose trip duration --- 3 Days 5 Days 7 Days 10 Days 14 Days Want to change the duration of your journey? Change trip duration 3Days 5Days 7Days 10Days 14Days 7Days Christchurch to Franz Josef to Christchurch in 7 days Driving Tour Happy days! You’ve got a 7-day break and you have decided to explore the South Island starting off in the Garden City – Christchurch. If you’ve never been to Christchurch before, it’s definitely worth spending a few hours exploring the South Island’s largest city, however, we’re going to get you straight on the road and hopefully leave enough time at the end of this 7-day itinerary for you to explore some of the delights in and around Christchurch – for now, though it’s time to hit the road. Let’s GO! If you’re still in the planning stage of your trip, make sure you check out the great deals on car rental in Christchurch – we’re not one of New Zealand’s favourite rental car companies for no reason! Contents Route map with key locations Recommended vehicle for this trip Trip itinerary Christchurch Greymouth Franz Josef Franz Josef to Queenstown Around Queenstown Wanaka Lake Tekapo Book a vehicle for this trip We recommend: 4WD SUV Ford Everest Titanium Get a Quote Seats 5 seats Large Bags 4 Small Bags 6 Transmission Auto trans 1Christchurch to Greymouth via Arthur’s Pass (242kms – 3 hours 19mins) So, you’ve picked up your shiny new GO Rentals hire car and you’ve got a 7-day adventure ahead of you which is going to include glaciers, rugged beaches and the adventure capital of the world – sounds pretty epic already! Christchurch Complete Guide Heading out of Christchurch your journey today is going to take you all the way from the East to the West Coast via the spectacular Arthur’s Pass. This is the only road to take if you want a real road trip and what better way to start this journey. The pass rises up to over 900 metres as you cross into the Arthur’s Pass National Park with stunning scenery on all sides. The road itself is an engineering marvel as it cuts through the Southern Alps. One of the most popular ways to travel the route from Christchurch to Greymouth is on the Tranz Alpine Rail Service and the road runs alongside the rail tracks for much of the journey. Arthur’s Pass Village is a great stop-off point on your journey and a great chance to stretch your legs. Although this 7-day itinerary does not allow time for a stop, there are plenty of places to stay up here if you fancy heading out for a hike. There is time for you to do the 1-hour leg stretching loop to the Devil’s Punchbowl Falls before you start to head down towards the West Coast. Punakaiki pancake rocks (45.1km – 37 mins) Hmmmm pancakes as Homer would say! Although your day is going to end in Greymouth, we highly recommend a detour north to end your day. These 30-million-year-old limestone formations are nothing to be scoffed at. They’re towering cliffs of rock which really do look like a sky-high layer of grey pancakes stacked one on top of the other. We reckon Homer would be pretty happy with these bad boys. With a well-maintained path leading out to the best spots, this is a great chance to see the huge waterspouts that blast out towards the sky from blowholes. Greymouth It may be late by the time you arrive in Greymouth depending on what time you hit the road in Christchurch and despite this being a popular transit stop for those taking the Tranz Alpine, there is still plenty to see and do in the area and probably the most popular is the Monteith’s brewery tour and tasting. Monteith’s is one of NZ’s most famous exports and the master brewers will talk you through the process of creating multi-award winning beers…and then you’ll get to try them for yourself. Winner. On yer bike! Adventures also offer some fantastic off-roading fun in their quads, go-karts, argo and hagglunds through amazing rainforest trails and flowing creeks. If you still haven’t checked out the gold mining history in these parts, GO Play partner, Shanty Town, offer a 5% discount for a tour back in time – definitely worth a look. 2Greymouth to Franz Josef (173km – 2 hours 17 mins) After arriving in Greymouth pretty late the night before, you can take the time to do some exploring around the town and maybe squeeze in one of the activities you may not have had time for the previous evening. It’s then time to hit the road heading south down the famous rugged West Coast. Hokitika (83km – 1 hour 10 mins) Hokitika (what a great name… go on, say it again!) is the last ‘big’ town you’ll pass on the drive south from Greymouth but make sure you don’t just drive on by. Hokitika is NZ’s major centre for the working of greenstone. Why not get involved yourself and try some jade carving at the Just Jade Experience? Lake Mahinapua You and the GO Rentals car should be getting to know each other by now so before you know it, you’ll come across Lake Mahinapua which offers a fantastic stop-off point for a picnic and a stretch of the legs. Once a coastal lagoon it’s a lovely place for a swim and the water is surprisingly warm. A great place for families, there is a suitable wading area for young children and bigger kids love jumping off the jetty or launching a canoe to explore. For the twitchers out there, you’re likely to see black swans and mallard ducks and if you’re extremely fortunate you could also spot a magnificent white heron or the rare fern bird if that floats your boat. There are a number of short walks or if you have the time try the two-hour Mahinapua walkway which traverses board-walked wetlands and forest following a historic logging tramway. The final pitstop before you hit Franz Josef should be at Ross (27.2km – 22 mins from Hokitika) which was made famous in 1909 when NZ’s largest-ever gold nugget was mined weighing in at an impressive 2.807kgs. Your drive from here cuts back inland, passing many beautiful lakes before finally arriving at Franz Josef (107km – 1 hour 23 mins). West Coast Complete Guide Franz Josef The Glacier was first explored in 1865 by Austrian Julius Haast and it has been advancing and retreating ever since and now it’s your chance to get up close and personal with a variety of activities to tickle your fancy. There are several ways to explore the glacier from independent walks to heli-hikes but however you choose to take in the sights and sounds of the stunning glacier, make sure you pack your bag for all weather as things can change quickly up at the glacier. Arriving mid-afternoon will give you plenty of time to book your excursion for tomorrow when you will have a full day to explore the glacier however you want. Get a good feed and a good night’s sleep as tomorrow is going to be a busy day! 3Exploring the Franz Josef Glacier Hopefully, you booked your excursion when you got in last night and you will be up at the crack of sparrows to head up to the ice but it is going to be an awesome day we promise! Independent walks There are a number of independent walks you can make which provide great viewpoints of the glacier. The best is probably Sentinel Rock which is 10 minutes from the car park or the Ka Roimate o Hine Hukatere walk which is a more energetic 40-minute walk that leads to the terminal of the glacier. Guided walks GO Snap Happy Photo Opportunity Without a doubt, the best way to experience the glacier is to walk on them. Small group walks with experienced guides and equipment provided (amazing socks!) can be booked in the town of Franz and offer half or full-day trips up onto the glacier. We cannot recommend highly enough taking the full day hike as this will allow you to get further up the glacier with the chance to find new routes or even undiscovered ice caves. With your crampons on and your ice picks at the ready, this is another great snap for Facebook to show you as the true ‘explorer’ so don’t miss out on this one. Franz Josef Glacier Guides are also a partner of GO Play, offering a 10% discount for guided tours on the ice – cool! 10% off Use your GO Play card here Franz Josef Glacier Guided Walks Heli-hikes For those with a few more dollars to spare, a heli-hike offers two fantastic opportunities; see the sheer scales of the glacier from the skies but also get onto the glacier much higher up where the ice is much purer. Here you’ll get the chance to discover blue-ice caves, seracs and pristine ice formations and let’s face it, a trip in a helicopter is pretty cool. Skydiving There are so many cool places to go skydiving in New Zealand and Franz Josef is definitely up there with the best of them. If you are looking for bragging rights over your mates, Franz Josef is definitely the place for you. Home of New Zealand’s highest skydive at 19,000ft, Franz Josef is also one of the most scenic places in the world to skydive as you soar down over the spectacular glacier with Mount Cook in the backdrop. Great news for anyone renting with GO Rentals is that Skydive Franz are an exclusive GO Play partner and will give you $30 off when you show your GO Play card. Awesome! Aoraki Mount Cook Taking things one step further, Aoraki Mount Cook is within reach of Franz by helicopter with a number of companies running tours to see the highest peak in NZ. These tours can often be combined with a heli-hike on either Franz Josef or Fox glacier and are the ultimate Southern Alps experience. If you do head out on one of these amazing trips, be sure to let us know so we can all be super jealous in the office! There really is no better opportunity to snap yourself the perfect photo for our GO Snap Happy competition, looking all adventurous with your ice axe and crampons! 4Franz Josef to Queenstown (350km – 4 hours 43 mins) After a day on the glacier, today is going to be about the driving and some spectacular scenery (don’t worry, these GO Rentals hire cars love a good run out!). The drive to Queenstown takes you down the West Coast before cutting inland along the Haast Pass towards Queenstown. There are some spectacular viewpoints on the way but be sure to pick one or two or you may never arrive in Queenstown! Lake Matheson (27.8km – 27 mins from Franz Josef) As you head out of Franz Josef, one stop that cannot be missed is a detour to Lake Matheson. If you’re looking for a photo to put on Facebook to make all your friends jealous, then this is it. Better still, send your photo in to our GO Snap Happy competition for a chance to win back the cost of your rental – can’t say fairer than that! Take the road west at the popular Fox Glacier township and you’ll be rewarded with views that take your breath away and make you question why you ever want to go back to whatever it is you do when you’re not touring around NZ’s South Island. Famous for reflecting a near-perfect image of Aoraki Mount Cook in its waters, Lake Matheson was formed around 14,000 years ago when the Fox Glacier retreated from its last major advance towards the sea. If we had to guess, we reckon you’ll end up with 39 photos give or take on your camera – the best view is always just around the corner! GO Snap Happy Photo Opportunity As you carry on down the Haast Pass, there are loads of forest and lakeside walks you can take along the way depending on how you’re doing for time. Lake Paringa offers a great pitstop location for lunch with some stunning scenery in all directions. The highway then makes its way back out to the coast at Bruce’s Bay and a stunning drive awaits. Monro Beach (125km – 2 hours 8 mins) Enjoy the views along the rugged coastline as this is your last chance to take in the splendour of New Zealand’s West Coast – it’s soon time to turn east and head inland towards the lakes and mountains. Be sure to stop off for the walk down to Monro Beach just before you hit the Haast Pass going east where between July and December it’s possible to see the tawaki (Fiordland crested penguin). Make sure you cover up though as the venomous sand flies can be brutal at most times of the year. From here, your GO Rentals beast should be singing along as the road takes a meandering route through the Mt Aspiring National Park and on to Wanaka. Blue Pools (78km – 1 hour 30 mins) Just north of the Makaroa Tourist Information Centre is a hidden gem (not so hidden since it made it into the top 10 things to do in NZ list!) for Kiwis and tourists alike. The Blue Pools walk can be accessed directly from the Haast Pass and is well signposted along the route. Follow the track into the forest where you’ll find a series of crystal clear pools that have been carved out of the rocks by centuries of erosion. The glacier-fed water in these deep pools is the colour of deep azure blue, and so clear that you can see right to the bottom. Jumping in looks tempting but it’s not advised as it will be a particularly cold shock to the system as well as upsetting the resident brown trout and you don’t want to mess with a brown trout unless you like a wet face slap. From here you still have around 140kms ‘til you hit Queenstown which will take you around 2 hours. Queenstown Complete Guide 5Queenstown and around Unless you’ve been living under a rock up until now, you will have heard all about Queenstown and its reputation as the adventure capital of NZ, if not the world. Well, that’s certainly true and for you adventure junkies out there, there’s certainly plenty to get your pulse racing. Here are just a few of our highlights: AJ Hackett Nevis Bungy AJ Hackett was the pioneer of Bungy across the world, and the Kawarau Bungy was the first commercial bungy in the World. However, it’s the Nevis Bungy which is like no other. The Nevis is Australasia’s Highest Bungy with a 134m (440 feet) drop and 8.5 seconds of freefall the ground rush is like no other. Getting there is an adventure in itself with a 40-minute drive off-road through a sheep station and then you find yourself dangling on a high wire cable across a large valley – for true adventure junkies, this is the ultimate thrill. $5 off Use your GO Play card here AJ Hackett Nevis Swing Skippers Canyon Jet Get ready for the thrill of a lifetime with New Zealand’s world-famous Skipper Canyon Jet – the ultimate jet boat experience. Reaching speeds of up to 85mph, feel your adrenalin surge as you accelerate into the towering Shotover River Canyons. You may think that the driver is a lunatic, but rest assured, he is an expert and will have you skimming over the shallows, doing 360-degree spins and take you closer to the edge of the high sided canyon walls than you would think is possible! Skippers Canyon Jet is also a GO Play partner. Bonus! Coronet Peak Ski Resort Coronet Peak is New Zealand’s top Ski Resort. Whether you’re a seasoned downhill pro that would give James Bond a run for his money, or a mere novice who wouldn’t know a snowboard from a surfboard, you’re sure to have a ball here. It’s only a 25-minute drive from Queenstown so give it a go. The Apres-Ski can be good fun too! Ben Lomond Accessible from the town centre is the 4+ hour walk to the summit of Ben Lomond. With awesome views of the lake and mountains as well as the summit of Mount Aspiring, this walk is perfect for those who have just landed and want to get an idea of the geography of the area. If you’re fit, consider hiking to the top of Ben Lomond’s summit for an extra-special panorama. Don’t forget the camera! Skyline Gondola GO Snap Happy Photo Opportunity For those who want the best of both worlds, give the Skyline Gondola a go. The luge is a fantastic place to take the kids, grab a picnic and let the racing commence! We also reckon the top of the gondola is one of the best places to take a date – amazing views which will blow them away – go on, give it a go! Arrowtown (20.1km – 22 mins) Hop in your GO Rentals car and in less than half an hour, you’ll find yourself in historic Arrowtown. It was the heart of gold rush territory in the south and a true step back in time. At the heart of Arrowtown is Buckingham Street, a tree-lined step back in time dotted with shops, bars and great places to eat with no international chain store in sight. If you want to get out and stretch your legs, there are some great walks and biking tracks which can be accessed from the town centre. Nightlife At the end of a busy day, Queenstown is a great place to unwind with a huge range of bars to suit everyone. Depending on the time of year, you will either be welcomed into a roaring fire or sit out enjoying the sun setting over Lake Wakatipu. Related Blog Posts 15 Fun Things to Do in Queenstown with Kids When do you need snow chains in New Zealand? 8 Scenic Drives From Queenstown The 10 Great Walks of NZ (with photos from Instagram!) 6Queenstown to Wanaka (68.6km – 1 hour 12 mins) A short drive awaits your penultimate day of this South Island adventure and although Wanaka offers many of the same adrenaline-fuelled adventures as Queenstown, from snowboarding to mountain biking, it’s also the perfect place to relax and chill out by the side of the lake. Rob Roy Glacier If you do fancy a stretch of the legs, however, there are over 750km of walking tracks in and around Wanaka whether you want a short stroll or a full day hike. About an hour’s drive from Wanaka is Rob Roy Glacier, an ideal entry point to the Mt Aspiring National Park. From the Rasberry Creek car park, you will find a stunning walk up the valley that brings you outstanding views of Rob Roy Glacier. It’s about a 4 hour round trip so this one is not for the faint-hearted. Puzzling World A trip to Wanaka is just not the same without a trip to Puzzling World and it’s a definite favourite of the GO Rentals team. With 1.5km of passages in the ‘Great Maze’, it’s a great place to get lost for a few hours and act like a big kid as your race your mates to the four corners and back to the middle. It’s also really funny when someone gets themselves lost! Throw in a few weird and wonderful illusions like water running uphill (what’s that all about?!) and this makes for the perfect start to any day. Wanaka Beerworks Beer fans take note! For something a bit different, why not have a drive out to the Wanaka Beerworks where you can sample the local beers and ales as well as take a tour and find out about the history of beer making (it’s actually harder than you think!). Make sure you take home a sample selection to keep you going throughout the rest of your trip. Cinema Paradiso This small classic movie theatre located in Wanaka is a real find. With comfy old sofas and 3 seats in an old Morris Minor, this is a truly quirky place to spend a few hours unwinding. There is a cafe and bar serving delicious meals before, during or after the movie, homemade ice cream and some world-famous hot cookies baked fresh for every intermission. Expect a warm and friendly welcome from the staff to boot. Mercure Oakridge Resort After another full-on day, it’s great to relax and unwind and there’s no better place than the Grand Mercure Oakridge resort where you can make the most of the heated outdoor rock pools and spa complex. We’ve heard this sort of thing goes down really well with the ladies so why not treat the special one in your life to a day pass (you can always take the beer tour!) or even better, splash out and stay the night. Win-win. Speight’s Ale House A perfect place to grab a bite to eat is at the Wanaka Speight’s Ale House. A traditional Kiwi experience awaits along with the full range of Speight’s ales. Highly recommended come the fish and chips served in a traditional paper bag washed down with a pint of Speight’s Summit Lager – delicious! You wanted the full-on Kiwi experience – it doesn’t get much more Kiwi than that. 7Wanaka to Christchurch (427km – 5 hours 51 mins) Heading out of Wanaka you’ll first head east before taking SH8 up towards Lake Tekapo. This final day gives you the opportunity to give your GO Rentals car a run on the winding roads of Canterbury to your final destination of Christchurch and by the end of the day, you will have no doubt come up with a name for your faithful beast. Mt John Observatory/Lake Tekapo (200km – 2 hours 40 mins from Wanaka) Stargazers all over the world know Mt John and Lake Tekapo, in the Aoraki/Mount Cook Mackenzie region, as one of the absolute best places to look at the stars (and even catch a glimpse of the Southern Lights – Aurora Australis). Lake Tekapo is also famous for its unique turquoise colour, as well as its beautiful starry nights – if you can park here for the night, you will not regret it. Mt John, just above the Tekapo township, is considered one of the most accessible observatories in the world, home to 6 telescopes, including New Zealand’s biggest telescope, which can observe 50 million stars each clear night (yes, you read that right). Akaroa (280km – 4 hours 10mins from Lake Tekapo) Located 75km south of Christchurch and known by locals as the ‘Riviera of Canterbury’, Akaroa is a great stop off as you head north towards Christchurch. This village is located on the Banks Peninsula within a harbour of the same name and is considered “the most French town” in New Zealand, as it was the only French settlement in the country. Spend some time exploring the small town and then head to the harbour for the best fish and chips meal of your life (at least that’s Akaroa’s claim so you be the judge and let us know). There is also an opportunity to tick off one of the things that appear on many people’s bucket lists – swimming with dolphins. Black Cat Cruise offers the chance to swim with the very rare Hector dolphins which are only found in these waters and with a GO Play discount of 10%, you’d be a fool not to! The final leg of the journey today will take you 81.3kms to Christchurch via Lyttelton. On the approach to Christchurch, a stop off at Lyttelton is well worth the detour and it’s a great place to grab some dinner if you’re arriving late in the evening. Hit by the earthquakes, Lyttelton has now rebuilt and is a thriving village with lots of bars and cafes – there’s a great road over to Lyttelton which offers you some fantastic views looking down to the city and the harbour as well as down to the Southern Alps – a great way to end your road trip. International Antarctic Centre Before you drop off your GO Rentals car, one thing we can definitely recommend is the International Antarctic Centre which is located a stone’s throw from the airport. Wrap up warm and experience a true Antarctic storm in the specially designed room which even features a snow slide before heading off to see the cutest little penguins you will have ever seen in the penguin encounter. Finish your visit off with a hagglund ride and you can be sure this will be a trip not to forget. Brrrrrrrr. Book a vehicle for this trip We recommend: 4WD SUV Ford Everest Titanium Get a Quote Seats 5 seats Large Bags 4 Small Bags 6 Transmission Auto trans
7Days Christchurch to Franz Josef to Christchurch in 7 days Driving Tour Happy days! You’ve got a 7-day break and you have decided to explore the South Island starting off in the Garden City – Christchurch. If you’ve never been to Christchurch before, it’s definitely worth spending a few hours exploring the South Island’s largest city, however, we’re going to get you straight on the road and hopefully leave enough time at the end of this 7-day itinerary for you to explore some of the delights in and around Christchurch – for now, though it’s time to hit the road. Let’s GO! If you’re still in the planning stage of your trip, make sure you check out the great deals on car rental in Christchurch – we’re not one of New Zealand’s favourite rental car companies for no reason! Contents Route map with key locations Recommended vehicle for this trip Trip itinerary Christchurch Greymouth Franz Josef Franz Josef to Queenstown Around Queenstown Wanaka Lake Tekapo Book a vehicle for this trip We recommend: 4WD SUV Ford Everest Titanium Get a Quote Seats 5 seats Large Bags 4 Small Bags 6 Transmission Auto trans 1Christchurch to Greymouth via Arthur’s Pass (242kms – 3 hours 19mins) So, you’ve picked up your shiny new GO Rentals hire car and you’ve got a 7-day adventure ahead of you which is going to include glaciers, rugged beaches and the adventure capital of the world – sounds pretty epic already! Christchurch Complete Guide Heading out of Christchurch your journey today is going to take you all the way from the East to the West Coast via the spectacular Arthur’s Pass. This is the only road to take if you want a real road trip and what better way to start this journey. The pass rises up to over 900 metres as you cross into the Arthur’s Pass National Park with stunning scenery on all sides. The road itself is an engineering marvel as it cuts through the Southern Alps. One of the most popular ways to travel the route from Christchurch to Greymouth is on the Tranz Alpine Rail Service and the road runs alongside the rail tracks for much of the journey. Arthur’s Pass Village is a great stop-off point on your journey and a great chance to stretch your legs. Although this 7-day itinerary does not allow time for a stop, there are plenty of places to stay up here if you fancy heading out for a hike. There is time for you to do the 1-hour leg stretching loop to the Devil’s Punchbowl Falls before you start to head down towards the West Coast. Punakaiki pancake rocks (45.1km – 37 mins) Hmmmm pancakes as Homer would say! Although your day is going to end in Greymouth, we highly recommend a detour north to end your day. These 30-million-year-old limestone formations are nothing to be scoffed at. They’re towering cliffs of rock which really do look like a sky-high layer of grey pancakes stacked one on top of the other. We reckon Homer would be pretty happy with these bad boys. With a well-maintained path leading out to the best spots, this is a great chance to see the huge waterspouts that blast out towards the sky from blowholes. Greymouth It may be late by the time you arrive in Greymouth depending on what time you hit the road in Christchurch and despite this being a popular transit stop for those taking the Tranz Alpine, there is still plenty to see and do in the area and probably the most popular is the Monteith’s brewery tour and tasting. Monteith’s is one of NZ’s most famous exports and the master brewers will talk you through the process of creating multi-award winning beers…and then you’ll get to try them for yourself. Winner. On yer bike! Adventures also offer some fantastic off-roading fun in their quads, go-karts, argo and hagglunds through amazing rainforest trails and flowing creeks. If you still haven’t checked out the gold mining history in these parts, GO Play partner, Shanty Town, offer a 5% discount for a tour back in time – definitely worth a look. 2Greymouth to Franz Josef (173km – 2 hours 17 mins) After arriving in Greymouth pretty late the night before, you can take the time to do some exploring around the town and maybe squeeze in one of the activities you may not have had time for the previous evening. It’s then time to hit the road heading south down the famous rugged West Coast. Hokitika (83km – 1 hour 10 mins) Hokitika (what a great name… go on, say it again!) is the last ‘big’ town you’ll pass on the drive south from Greymouth but make sure you don’t just drive on by. Hokitika is NZ’s major centre for the working of greenstone. Why not get involved yourself and try some jade carving at the Just Jade Experience? Lake Mahinapua You and the GO Rentals car should be getting to know each other by now so before you know it, you’ll come across Lake Mahinapua which offers a fantastic stop-off point for a picnic and a stretch of the legs. Once a coastal lagoon it’s a lovely place for a swim and the water is surprisingly warm. A great place for families, there is a suitable wading area for young children and bigger kids love jumping off the jetty or launching a canoe to explore. For the twitchers out there, you’re likely to see black swans and mallard ducks and if you’re extremely fortunate you could also spot a magnificent white heron or the rare fern bird if that floats your boat. There are a number of short walks or if you have the time try the two-hour Mahinapua walkway which traverses board-walked wetlands and forest following a historic logging tramway. The final pitstop before you hit Franz Josef should be at Ross (27.2km – 22 mins from Hokitika) which was made famous in 1909 when NZ’s largest-ever gold nugget was mined weighing in at an impressive 2.807kgs. Your drive from here cuts back inland, passing many beautiful lakes before finally arriving at Franz Josef (107km – 1 hour 23 mins). West Coast Complete Guide Franz Josef The Glacier was first explored in 1865 by Austrian Julius Haast and it has been advancing and retreating ever since and now it’s your chance to get up close and personal with a variety of activities to tickle your fancy. There are several ways to explore the glacier from independent walks to heli-hikes but however you choose to take in the sights and sounds of the stunning glacier, make sure you pack your bag for all weather as things can change quickly up at the glacier. Arriving mid-afternoon will give you plenty of time to book your excursion for tomorrow when you will have a full day to explore the glacier however you want. Get a good feed and a good night’s sleep as tomorrow is going to be a busy day! 3Exploring the Franz Josef Glacier Hopefully, you booked your excursion when you got in last night and you will be up at the crack of sparrows to head up to the ice but it is going to be an awesome day we promise! Independent walks There are a number of independent walks you can make which provide great viewpoints of the glacier. The best is probably Sentinel Rock which is 10 minutes from the car park or the Ka Roimate o Hine Hukatere walk which is a more energetic 40-minute walk that leads to the terminal of the glacier. Guided walks GO Snap Happy Photo Opportunity Without a doubt, the best way to experience the glacier is to walk on them. Small group walks with experienced guides and equipment provided (amazing socks!) can be booked in the town of Franz and offer half or full-day trips up onto the glacier. We cannot recommend highly enough taking the full day hike as this will allow you to get further up the glacier with the chance to find new routes or even undiscovered ice caves. With your crampons on and your ice picks at the ready, this is another great snap for Facebook to show you as the true ‘explorer’ so don’t miss out on this one. Franz Josef Glacier Guides are also a partner of GO Play, offering a 10% discount for guided tours on the ice – cool! 10% off Use your GO Play card here Franz Josef Glacier Guided Walks Heli-hikes For those with a few more dollars to spare, a heli-hike offers two fantastic opportunities; see the sheer scales of the glacier from the skies but also get onto the glacier much higher up where the ice is much purer. Here you’ll get the chance to discover blue-ice caves, seracs and pristine ice formations and let’s face it, a trip in a helicopter is pretty cool. Skydiving There are so many cool places to go skydiving in New Zealand and Franz Josef is definitely up there with the best of them. If you are looking for bragging rights over your mates, Franz Josef is definitely the place for you. Home of New Zealand’s highest skydive at 19,000ft, Franz Josef is also one of the most scenic places in the world to skydive as you soar down over the spectacular glacier with Mount Cook in the backdrop. Great news for anyone renting with GO Rentals is that Skydive Franz are an exclusive GO Play partner and will give you $30 off when you show your GO Play card. Awesome! Aoraki Mount Cook Taking things one step further, Aoraki Mount Cook is within reach of Franz by helicopter with a number of companies running tours to see the highest peak in NZ. These tours can often be combined with a heli-hike on either Franz Josef or Fox glacier and are the ultimate Southern Alps experience. If you do head out on one of these amazing trips, be sure to let us know so we can all be super jealous in the office! There really is no better opportunity to snap yourself the perfect photo for our GO Snap Happy competition, looking all adventurous with your ice axe and crampons! 4Franz Josef to Queenstown (350km – 4 hours 43 mins) After a day on the glacier, today is going to be about the driving and some spectacular scenery (don’t worry, these GO Rentals hire cars love a good run out!). The drive to Queenstown takes you down the West Coast before cutting inland along the Haast Pass towards Queenstown. There are some spectacular viewpoints on the way but be sure to pick one or two or you may never arrive in Queenstown! Lake Matheson (27.8km – 27 mins from Franz Josef) As you head out of Franz Josef, one stop that cannot be missed is a detour to Lake Matheson. If you’re looking for a photo to put on Facebook to make all your friends jealous, then this is it. Better still, send your photo in to our GO Snap Happy competition for a chance to win back the cost of your rental – can’t say fairer than that! Take the road west at the popular Fox Glacier township and you’ll be rewarded with views that take your breath away and make you question why you ever want to go back to whatever it is you do when you’re not touring around NZ’s South Island. Famous for reflecting a near-perfect image of Aoraki Mount Cook in its waters, Lake Matheson was formed around 14,000 years ago when the Fox Glacier retreated from its last major advance towards the sea. If we had to guess, we reckon you’ll end up with 39 photos give or take on your camera – the best view is always just around the corner! GO Snap Happy Photo Opportunity As you carry on down the Haast Pass, there are loads of forest and lakeside walks you can take along the way depending on how you’re doing for time. Lake Paringa offers a great pitstop location for lunch with some stunning scenery in all directions. The highway then makes its way back out to the coast at Bruce’s Bay and a stunning drive awaits. Monro Beach (125km – 2 hours 8 mins) Enjoy the views along the rugged coastline as this is your last chance to take in the splendour of New Zealand’s West Coast – it’s soon time to turn east and head inland towards the lakes and mountains. Be sure to stop off for the walk down to Monro Beach just before you hit the Haast Pass going east where between July and December it’s possible to see the tawaki (Fiordland crested penguin). Make sure you cover up though as the venomous sand flies can be brutal at most times of the year. From here, your GO Rentals beast should be singing along as the road takes a meandering route through the Mt Aspiring National Park and on to Wanaka. Blue Pools (78km – 1 hour 30 mins) Just north of the Makaroa Tourist Information Centre is a hidden gem (not so hidden since it made it into the top 10 things to do in NZ list!) for Kiwis and tourists alike. The Blue Pools walk can be accessed directly from the Haast Pass and is well signposted along the route. Follow the track into the forest where you’ll find a series of crystal clear pools that have been carved out of the rocks by centuries of erosion. The glacier-fed water in these deep pools is the colour of deep azure blue, and so clear that you can see right to the bottom. Jumping in looks tempting but it’s not advised as it will be a particularly cold shock to the system as well as upsetting the resident brown trout and you don’t want to mess with a brown trout unless you like a wet face slap. From here you still have around 140kms ‘til you hit Queenstown which will take you around 2 hours. Queenstown Complete Guide 5Queenstown and around Unless you’ve been living under a rock up until now, you will have heard all about Queenstown and its reputation as the adventure capital of NZ, if not the world. Well, that’s certainly true and for you adventure junkies out there, there’s certainly plenty to get your pulse racing. Here are just a few of our highlights: AJ Hackett Nevis Bungy AJ Hackett was the pioneer of Bungy across the world, and the Kawarau Bungy was the first commercial bungy in the World. However, it’s the Nevis Bungy which is like no other. The Nevis is Australasia’s Highest Bungy with a 134m (440 feet) drop and 8.5 seconds of freefall the ground rush is like no other. Getting there is an adventure in itself with a 40-minute drive off-road through a sheep station and then you find yourself dangling on a high wire cable across a large valley – for true adventure junkies, this is the ultimate thrill. $5 off Use your GO Play card here AJ Hackett Nevis Swing Skippers Canyon Jet Get ready for the thrill of a lifetime with New Zealand’s world-famous Skipper Canyon Jet – the ultimate jet boat experience. Reaching speeds of up to 85mph, feel your adrenalin surge as you accelerate into the towering Shotover River Canyons. You may think that the driver is a lunatic, but rest assured, he is an expert and will have you skimming over the shallows, doing 360-degree spins and take you closer to the edge of the high sided canyon walls than you would think is possible! Skippers Canyon Jet is also a GO Play partner. Bonus! Coronet Peak Ski Resort Coronet Peak is New Zealand’s top Ski Resort. Whether you’re a seasoned downhill pro that would give James Bond a run for his money, or a mere novice who wouldn’t know a snowboard from a surfboard, you’re sure to have a ball here. It’s only a 25-minute drive from Queenstown so give it a go. The Apres-Ski can be good fun too! Ben Lomond Accessible from the town centre is the 4+ hour walk to the summit of Ben Lomond. With awesome views of the lake and mountains as well as the summit of Mount Aspiring, this walk is perfect for those who have just landed and want to get an idea of the geography of the area. If you’re fit, consider hiking to the top of Ben Lomond’s summit for an extra-special panorama. Don’t forget the camera! Skyline Gondola GO Snap Happy Photo Opportunity For those who want the best of both worlds, give the Skyline Gondola a go. The luge is a fantastic place to take the kids, grab a picnic and let the racing commence! We also reckon the top of the gondola is one of the best places to take a date – amazing views which will blow them away – go on, give it a go! Arrowtown (20.1km – 22 mins) Hop in your GO Rentals car and in less than half an hour, you’ll find yourself in historic Arrowtown. It was the heart of gold rush territory in the south and a true step back in time. At the heart of Arrowtown is Buckingham Street, a tree-lined step back in time dotted with shops, bars and great places to eat with no international chain store in sight. If you want to get out and stretch your legs, there are some great walks and biking tracks which can be accessed from the town centre. Nightlife At the end of a busy day, Queenstown is a great place to unwind with a huge range of bars to suit everyone. Depending on the time of year, you will either be welcomed into a roaring fire or sit out enjoying the sun setting over Lake Wakatipu. Related Blog Posts 15 Fun Things to Do in Queenstown with Kids When do you need snow chains in New Zealand? 8 Scenic Drives From Queenstown The 10 Great Walks of NZ (with photos from Instagram!) 6Queenstown to Wanaka (68.6km – 1 hour 12 mins) A short drive awaits your penultimate day of this South Island adventure and although Wanaka offers many of the same adrenaline-fuelled adventures as Queenstown, from snowboarding to mountain biking, it’s also the perfect place to relax and chill out by the side of the lake. Rob Roy Glacier If you do fancy a stretch of the legs, however, there are over 750km of walking tracks in and around Wanaka whether you want a short stroll or a full day hike. About an hour’s drive from Wanaka is Rob Roy Glacier, an ideal entry point to the Mt Aspiring National Park. From the Rasberry Creek car park, you will find a stunning walk up the valley that brings you outstanding views of Rob Roy Glacier. It’s about a 4 hour round trip so this one is not for the faint-hearted. Puzzling World A trip to Wanaka is just not the same without a trip to Puzzling World and it’s a definite favourite of the GO Rentals team. With 1.5km of passages in the ‘Great Maze’, it’s a great place to get lost for a few hours and act like a big kid as your race your mates to the four corners and back to the middle. It’s also really funny when someone gets themselves lost! Throw in a few weird and wonderful illusions like water running uphill (what’s that all about?!) and this makes for the perfect start to any day. Wanaka Beerworks Beer fans take note! For something a bit different, why not have a drive out to the Wanaka Beerworks where you can sample the local beers and ales as well as take a tour and find out about the history of beer making (it’s actually harder than you think!). Make sure you take home a sample selection to keep you going throughout the rest of your trip. Cinema Paradiso This small classic movie theatre located in Wanaka is a real find. With comfy old sofas and 3 seats in an old Morris Minor, this is a truly quirky place to spend a few hours unwinding. There is a cafe and bar serving delicious meals before, during or after the movie, homemade ice cream and some world-famous hot cookies baked fresh for every intermission. Expect a warm and friendly welcome from the staff to boot. Mercure Oakridge Resort After another full-on day, it’s great to relax and unwind and there’s no better place than the Grand Mercure Oakridge resort where you can make the most of the heated outdoor rock pools and spa complex. We’ve heard this sort of thing goes down really well with the ladies so why not treat the special one in your life to a day pass (you can always take the beer tour!) or even better, splash out and stay the night. Win-win. Speight’s Ale House A perfect place to grab a bite to eat is at the Wanaka Speight’s Ale House. A traditional Kiwi experience awaits along with the full range of Speight’s ales. Highly recommended come the fish and chips served in a traditional paper bag washed down with a pint of Speight’s Summit Lager – delicious! You wanted the full-on Kiwi experience – it doesn’t get much more Kiwi than that. 7Wanaka to Christchurch (427km – 5 hours 51 mins) Heading out of Wanaka you’ll first head east before taking SH8 up towards Lake Tekapo. This final day gives you the opportunity to give your GO Rentals car a run on the winding roads of Canterbury to your final destination of Christchurch and by the end of the day, you will have no doubt come up with a name for your faithful beast. Mt John Observatory/Lake Tekapo (200km – 2 hours 40 mins from Wanaka) Stargazers all over the world know Mt John and Lake Tekapo, in the Aoraki/Mount Cook Mackenzie region, as one of the absolute best places to look at the stars (and even catch a glimpse of the Southern Lights – Aurora Australis). Lake Tekapo is also famous for its unique turquoise colour, as well as its beautiful starry nights – if you can park here for the night, you will not regret it. Mt John, just above the Tekapo township, is considered one of the most accessible observatories in the world, home to 6 telescopes, including New Zealand’s biggest telescope, which can observe 50 million stars each clear night (yes, you read that right). Akaroa (280km – 4 hours 10mins from Lake Tekapo) Located 75km south of Christchurch and known by locals as the ‘Riviera of Canterbury’, Akaroa is a great stop off as you head north towards Christchurch. This village is located on the Banks Peninsula within a harbour of the same name and is considered “the most French town” in New Zealand, as it was the only French settlement in the country. Spend some time exploring the small town and then head to the harbour for the best fish and chips meal of your life (at least that’s Akaroa’s claim so you be the judge and let us know). There is also an opportunity to tick off one of the things that appear on many people’s bucket lists – swimming with dolphins. Black Cat Cruise offers the chance to swim with the very rare Hector dolphins which are only found in these waters and with a GO Play discount of 10%, you’d be a fool not to! The final leg of the journey today will take you 81.3kms to Christchurch via Lyttelton. On the approach to Christchurch, a stop off at Lyttelton is well worth the detour and it’s a great place to grab some dinner if you’re arriving late in the evening. Hit by the earthquakes, Lyttelton has now rebuilt and is a thriving village with lots of bars and cafes – there’s a great road over to Lyttelton which offers you some fantastic views looking down to the city and the harbour as well as down to the Southern Alps – a great way to end your road trip. International Antarctic Centre Before you drop off your GO Rentals car, one thing we can definitely recommend is the International Antarctic Centre which is located a stone’s throw from the airport. Wrap up warm and experience a true Antarctic storm in the specially designed room which even features a snow slide before heading off to see the cutest little penguins you will have ever seen in the penguin encounter. Finish your visit off with a hagglund ride and you can be sure this will be a trip not to forget. Brrrrrrrr. Book a vehicle for this trip We recommend: 4WD SUV Ford Everest Titanium Get a Quote Seats 5 seats Large Bags 4 Small Bags 6 Transmission Auto trans
