Christchurch to Queenstown via Aoraki Mount Cook - Apollo

Seven nights and 709 kilometres from Christchurch to Queenstown in a campervan, through the Mackenzie Basin in short daily drives.

The Rakaia Gorge comes first across the plains, where the braided river runs milky blue between terraces, then Lake Tekapo, with the Church of the Good Shepherd on the shore and a dark sky reserve overhead that is among the largest in the world.

Lake Pukaki follows, where Aoraki stands at the head of the water, then Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, where the Hooker Valley track crosses three swing bridges to a glacial lake below the highest mountain in the country. Omarama comes next, known for its gliding, then Wanaka over the Lindis Pass, tussock country that turns gold in low light, and Arrowtown, a preserved gold town with the remains of its Chinese miners’ settlement along the river, before Queenstown.

The camper and the day-by-day plan come from Apollo, and the hire is priced live per vehicle rather than per person; campsites, fuel, ferries, park fees and activities are all extra, with a nil-excess insurance pack available at booking. Eight days for 709 kilometres means short legs and time for the walks, which is the right balance in this part of the country. The Hooker Valley track is the best short walk in New Zealand and better done early in the day. This is a one-way hire, so a relocation fee is worth checking at booking. Aoraki is the stop worth two nights if the dates allow, since the valley walk and the night sky each want their own evening.