5-Day South Island New Zealand Itinerary for First-Time Visitors

5 days is just enough time to get a taste of the South Island.

While you certainly can’t see everything in 5 days, you can see a lot if you know where to focus your time.

I’m here to help with this 5-day itinerary for New Zealand’s South Island, the place I’m lucky to call home. 

This itinerary focuses on two key places: the Queenstown area and Fiordland National Park (including Milford Sound). 

By keeping your trip to two main bases, you’ll get to enjoy some absolutely breathtaking places without feeling rushed.

You’ll experience gorgeous alpine landscapes, go on beautiful hikes, eat delicious food, and drive some of the South Island’s most scenic roads.

Get ready for an incredible time, and let me warn you that you’ll probably be dreaming about when you can return as soon as your trip is over!

A heads-up: this blog is reader-supported, and this post may contain affiliate links. If you make a booking through one of my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for helping me continue to write, take photos, and share my favourite places in New Zealand!

Where to hire a car for your road trip

🚙 I use Discover Cars to compare prices on car rentals in New Zealand, and I’m also a big fan of Apex Rentals.

Map of 5-Day South Island New Zealand Itinerary

5-Day South Island New Zealand Itinerary Day-by-Day

Day 1: Queenstown

Morning: fly into Queenstown & explore town

Welcome to Queenstown!

On a clear day, the flight into Queenstown is so incredibly stunning. Book a window seat if you can, because the views are 100% worth it!

After arriving in Queenstown and picking up your rental car, head into the Queenstown town centre, which is located around a 10-minute drive from the airport.

Park up and explore the town centre on foot, beginning with brunch!

For a delicious brunch in Queenstown, I recommend Bespoke Kitchen, Odd Saint, or Vudu. All of these spots have excellent food and coffee.

Once you’ve fuelled up with brunch, go for a walk around town. 

The Queenstown Gardens are a gorgeous place for a stroll, and they also happen to be completely free to visit. 

Another nice thing to do is to take the Skyline Gondola up to Bob’s Peak, where you’ll get sweeping views over Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu. The luge at the top of the gondola is a lot of fun, too.

Afternoon: visit Arrowtown

Arrowtown is a historic gold-mining village packed with charm. It takes just about 20 minutes to drive from Queenstown to Arrowtown, and the drive itself is quite scenic.

Once you arrive in Arrowtown, go for a walk down Buckingham Street, Arrowtown’s main street. 

There are quaint cafes and shops lining the street, and it’s just a nice spot for a wander.

If you’re up for a longer walk, I highly recommend heading down to the Arrow River to the Arrowtown Millennium Walk, an easy 1-hour return walk that follows the banks of the river. 

The walk leads you through a forest that’s so pretty and peaceful.

Evening: drinks, dinner & maybe a hot pool

Before driving back to Queenstown, enjoy the wonderful dining scene in Arrowtown.

I love Slow Cuts or the Fork and Tap for a casual meal and craft beer. For something special, drive over to Ayrburn for a meal, or even just to check out their stunning grounds.

Consider booking the Onsen Hot Pools this evening—they’re easy to get to along the drive back to Queenstown, and are a very relaxing way to end your first day in the South Island!

Where to stay in Queenstown

• Budget-friendly: Tahuna Pod Hostel
• Mid-range: The Alexis Motel
• Luxury: Queenstown Park Boutique Hotel

Day 2: Queenstown + day trip to Glenorchy

Today, head out on a day trip to Glenorchy, a small village at the head of Lake Wakatipu.

The drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy is one of the most scenic roads in all of New Zealand, following the shores of Lake Wakatipu with epic mountain scenery.

While the drive itself takes just about 45 minutes (one way), there’s so much to explore along the way. There are hikes, scenic lookouts, and Lord of the Rings filming sites to stop at. 

Pack snacks, and plan on a full day to make the most of the drive!

Morning: drive to Glenorchy

After a quick grab-and-go breakfast (I like Fergbaker or Brunch on Church), hit the road towards Glenorchy.

On the way to Glenorchy, a couple of excellent stops are Bob’s Cove and the Bennetts Bluff Viewpoint.

Once you arrive in Glenorchy, check out the wharf and famous red boat shed. If you’re keen for an easy walk, the Glenorchy Lagoon walk is lovely.

For lunch, head to Mrs Woolly’s General Store for a pie or homemade baked goods, or get delicious Mexican food from Tacos Jaguar.

Afternoon: explore beyond Glenorchy

Once you’ve explored Glenorchy, hop back in the car and continue driving past Glenorchy towards Mount Aspiring National Park via the Glenorchy-Routeburn Road.

The scenery becomes even more magnificent as you get closer to the mountains. I’ve driven out here more times than I can count and it still never ceases to take my breath away.

There’s also a famous Lord of the Rings filming site out here—the Isengard Lookout—which you’ll see as you drive across a bridge over the Dart River.

While you can simply go for a scenic drive without hiking, I recommend doing a hike if you’re up for it. 

My favourite easy trail in the area is the Lake Sylvan Track, a gentle track through a beautiful beech forest.

Alternatively, if you’re a keen hiker, you might want to do a day hike on the Routeburn Track to either Routeburn Flats (4 hours return) or Routeburn Falls (6 hours return). In that case, though, I’d skip my other suggestions above and head to the trailhead early in the day to start your hike.

Evening: have a relaxed dinner back in Queenstown

After enjoying the drive to Glenorchy (and beyond), make your way back to Queenstown for a relaxed evening.

You might be tired after all of that driving and hiking, so a casual meal might sound best. 

One option is to queue up for a famous Fergburger, which I do think is worth the hype. I like to take my burger onto Perky’s Floating Bar, or enjoy it at Queenstown Bay Beach.

Or you could head to Steamer Wharf for dinner and drinks. I recommend Saigon Kingdom, Wharf Bar, or Atlas Beer Cafe.

Day 3: Te Anau

Today, you’ll head south to Te Anau, a small lakeside town known as the gateway to Milford Sound.

Te Anau makes the perfect base for a two-night stay, with a day trip to Milford Sound on Day 4 of this itinerary. 

Morning: drive to Te Anau

The drive from Queenstown to Te Anau is a straightforward one, although the first 45-ish minutes are quite winding as you make your way along Lake Wakatipu.

This stretch of road is known as the “Devil’s Staircase,” and while the name sounds a bit intimidating, it’s not too bad if you take it slow and use pullouts to let faster traffic pass by.

You’ll get gorgeous views of Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables as you drive the Devil’s Staircase and before you know it, you’ll reach the southern end of the lake.

From here, the drive becomes easy, with rolling farmland and mountain scenery to keep you company.

One quick stop I always make is Garston, where you’ll find public toilets, the Coffee Bomb, and the Hunny Shop (a great place to pick up some local honey). 

Other than that, there aren’t many other stops I recommend making—I’d just try to get down to Te Anau with enough time to enjoy a full afternoon there.

Afternoon: explore Te Anau

While most visitors use Te Anau as a place to stay for visiting Milford Sound, there are actually a lot of things to do in Te Anau itself.

My favourite thing to do in Te Anau is to go on a day hike on a section of the Kepler Track, one of New Zealand’s Great Walks. 

The trail sections from the Control Gates to Brod Bay and Rainbow Reach to Shallow Bay are both fantastic options, with gentle trails winding through dense beech forest to reach peaceful bays on Lake Te Anau and Lake Manapouri, respectively.

Another popular activity in town is taking a cruise to see the Te Anau Glow Worm Caves, which would be a relaxing way to spend the afternoon.

Evening: Fiordland Cinema & dinner

This evening, pop into Fiordland Cinema to catch the short film Ata Whenua – Shadowland, a gorgeous documentary about Fiordland National Park.

Then it’ll be time for dinner. I like Redcliff Cafe for a special meal, and Ditto for casual dining (their bao buns are delicious!).

Where to stay in Te Anau

• Budget-friendly: a cabin at the Te Anau Lakeview Holiday Park
• Mid-range: Lakefront Lodge
• Luxury: Fiordland Lakeview Motel & Apartments

Day 4: Te Anau + day trip to Milford Sound

Today is all about making the most of a day trip to Milford Sound, an incredible fiord surrounded by mountains, and filled with inky blue water and abundant marine life.

Taking a cruise on Milford Sound is a hugely popular activity, and one you should definitely do. That said, my favourite part of visiting Milford Sound is actually the drive to get there!

The drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound is, quite honestly, the most scenic road in all of New Zealand. 

There’s jaw-dropping scenery along the entire drive, from mossy rainforests to huge mountains dripping with waterfalls. 

You’ll want to allocate a full day to do this drive so you can make lots of stops and fit in a hike if you’re up for it.

Morning: drive to Milford Sound & go on a cruise

My number one tip for today is to get an early start. 

And my second tip is to ensure you book your Milford Sound cruise in advance!

I personally like booking a late morning or midday cruise. This should give you enough time to drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound in the morning, then time for a post-cruise hike in the afternoon.

On the drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound, I’d make a couple of quick stops—Mirror Lakes and Monkey Creek are both great spots to get out of the car, stretch your legs, and soak up the views.

While there’s paid parking available at Milford Sound, I prefer to use the free Deepwater Basin Carpark, located an easy 20-30 minute walk from the Milford Sound cruise terminal. 

Then it’ll be time to hop on your cruise and enjoy the majesty of Milford Sound from the water!

There are many options for Milford Sound cruises, and you can’t really go wrong. They all take pretty much the same route, and most of them take around 1.5-2 hours. 

Can’t decide on a Milford Sound cruise?

🛳️ This Mitre Peak cruise is a fantastic option.

I like how they limit passengers to a smaller number than many of the other cruises, giving it a quieter, boutique feel.

Afternoon: go on a day hike

After your Milford Sound cruise, it’ll be time to start making your way back to Te Anau.

Instead of heading straight back, though, I’d plan on doing a hike this afternoon, because Milford Road is home to some of the best day hikes in the South Island!

Depending on how much time you have, you could go for a short walk or a longer day hike.

The Milford Foreshore Walk is an easy and gorgeous option, giving you great views of Mitre Peak and Milford Sound along a mellow trail. 

Another short, easy trail is the Lake Gunn Nature Walk.

For a longer day hike, the Key Summit Track is a fantastic choice. The track typically takes around 3 hours and while it requires moderate fitness levels, the track itself is well-maintained and easy to follow.

I like saving Key Summit for a clear day when you’ll get great views over Fiordland National Park from the top of the trail.

Evening: enjoy an evening in Te Anau

Once you get back to Te Anau, I’m guessing you’ll be pretty tired (I always am after a Milford Sound day!).

Keep things easy with a casual dinner and maybe a stroll along Lake Te Anau for sunset—the Marakura Wharf is a wonderful place to enjoy golden hour views over the lake.

Day 5: Back to Queenstown; depart

It’s time to head back to Queenstown today to catch your flight home or onto your next destination.

Before hitting the road, you might want to enjoy a sit-down breakfast in Te Anau at Sandfly Cafe, or grab a takeaway breakfast sandwich from the Blak Shak to enjoy by the lake.

Today’s drive is the same one you did on Day 3, but in reverse. 

One nice stop on the drive is the Devil’s Staircase lookout, where you can pull over to get a great view of the winding road alongside Lake Wakatipu.

If you arrive back in Queenstown with extra time before your flight, you could consider booking a visit to Deer Park Heights, where you can self-drive to see Lord of the Rings filming sites, feed friendly farm animals, and get incredible views over Queenstown.

Alternatively, it’s nice to park at Frankton Beach and go for a stroll along the lake to the Queenstown Marina, where you’ll find the excellent Boat Shed Cafe along with Altitude Brewing.

Hopefully you’ve had an incredible time and will return again someday!

The best time of year for this 5-day South Island itinerary

While you can follow this itinerary year-round, I wrote it with longer days in mind. 

Late spring, summer, and early-to-mid autumn will give you the longest daylight hours and less chance of ice and snow on the roads and trails.

That said, you can still follow the itinerary in winter, but do note that Milford Road sometimes closes in winter and early spring due to ice and avalanche risk.

If you’d like to visit the South Island in winter, I’d check out my Queenstown winter itinerary instead!

Thanks for reading my 5-day itinerary for New Zealand’s South Island!

I truly hope this has helped you plan your trip. 

As always, please leave a comment if you have any questions or feedback for me. I really love hearing from you!

More New Zealand itineraries for you

• Have less time? Check out my 4-day Queenstown itinerary.
• Have more time? This 7-day Christchurch to Queenstown road trip or this 7-day South Island itinerary will help you see even more of the South Island (including Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park).