New Zealand family holiday: campervan & car combo

Itinerary in brief:

• 9 nights Campervan hire on South Island
• 2 nights Wellington
• 2 nights Tongariro
• 1 night Taupo
• 2 nights Rotorua
• 1 night Auckland

Days 1 & 2: Depart UK

Depart the UK from your chosen airport.

Included: International flight

Day 3: Arrive Christchurch

To give you time to catch up on your sleep after such a long flight, we’ve included one night at a hotel near Christchurch airport, before you collect your campervan the next day.

Included: Airport hotel

Days 4-13: Campervan hire - Christchurch to Queenstown

We’ve included 10 days’ campervan hire to take you from Christchurch to Queenstown in the South Island. We’ve based this itinerary on a 4 berth campervan, but would recommend upgrading to a 6 berth if your budget allows for the extra space and comfort.

The South Island is yours to explore – we would be happy to suggest an itinerary for you, and can also pre-book powered sites where you can overnight, or supply open-dated vouchers.

Highlights to consider including on your trip are:

• Blenheim, Nelson and Abel Tasman at the top of the South Island
• Glaciers on the West Coast
• Wanaka and Fiordland ending in Queenstown
• Wildlife enthusiasts will enjoy the East Coast towns of Oamaru and Dunedin for Blue Penguins, fur seals and native birds.

Included: 10 day campervan hire

Days 14 & 15: Wellington

Today you’ll drop off the campervan and fly over to Wellington in the North Island. We’ve included 2 nights here – it’s a cool capital city, and very compact so everything is close by. We’d recommend a visit to Te Papa – the national museum of New Zealand –and it's free!

If the family are fans of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, a visit to the Weta Workshop is highly recommended, as well as a tour of the local filming locations.

We’ve arranged for you to pick up your hire car on your second day here.

Included: Domestic flight & hotel

Days 16 & 17: Tongariro

Head north to the centre of the North Island. You’ll immediately understand why the region was chosen as the backdrop for the Lord of the Rings trilogy; the park’s three dormant volcanoes, immortalized in the films, rise high above the clear waters of Lake Taupo.

There’s a range of hiking and touring options to explore this stunning location. The Tongariro Crossing is regarded as one of the best one-day walks in the world.

Included: Car hire & hotel

Day 18: Taupo

Make your way to Taupo today, home to the largest lake in New Zealand and located just south of one of New Zealand’s premier tourist spots, Huka Falls, where more than 220,000 litres of water thunder over the cliff face every second.

Included: Car hire & hotel

Days 19 & 20: Rotorua

The city of Rotorua sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, so there’s evidence of volcanic activity everywhere you look. Explore the geothermal areas and discover the unique culture of New Zealand’s Maori people. Rotorua is entertaining in any weather, at any time of the year.

There is so much to see and do in Rotorua. If you are keen to visit a thermal park Wai-O-Tapu is about a 30-minute drive from town and is one of the most colourful. Or further afield The Hidden Valley of Orakei Korako which is accessible by boat offers bubbling hot springs, geothermal caves and geysers in a completely natural environment. In town, you can visit Te Puia, maybe the most famous of all the thermal parks – we’d highly recommend a private guide here.

Included: Car hire & hotel

Day 21: Rotorua to Auckland, via Waitomo

On your way up to Auckland, we suggest stopping off in Waitomo for something completely different – it’s less than a 2-hour drive from Rotorua.

Under the green hills of Waitomo lies a labyrinth of caves, sinkholes and underground rivers. The easiest way to see the caves is with a walking or boat tour. If you’re into adventure, try the unique experience of blackwater rafting – you could crawl, swim or float through the caves on a rubber tube. Or you could abseil or zip-line through the darkness.

Included: Car hire & hotel

Day 22: Depart Auckland

Make the most of your last day and head to Hobbiton in Matamata – just over an hour from Waitomo and on the way up to Auckland where you’ll fly out of. After a chance to do a movie set tour and enjoy a drink in the Shire, you can head up to Auckland airport where you’ll drop off your hire car in time for your onward flight.

Included: Car hire & International flight

Day 23: Arrive UK

Why not add in a stopover in Singapore on the way?

Singapore Stopover Package

4 days, From ££310 pp

Excludes flights