Kia Ora! (Hello in Māori-language) We just spent three weeks driving a campervan around New Zealand’s South Island with our 2-year-old son.
And before you ask, yes, we survived. More than survived! It was one of the best trips we’ve ever taken as a family, and we’ve taken quite a few together.
This post is the itinerary I wish I’d had before our trip. It would have saved me so much time… I’m going to walk you through our journey day by day, with the budget, campervan tips, toddler tips, and the places that we loved.
One thing I’ll say upfront: the best nights of this trip weren’t at holiday parks. They were at DOC campsites and freedom camping spots. There’s nothing like waking up next to a lake or on a coastal cliff with nobody else around. That’s what a campervan trip in New Zealand should feel like. We learned that halfway through our trip, and were able to change our initial plan accordingly.
⚡ Quick Reference
Trip length: 21 days (13 January – 2 February 2025)
Route: Christchurch → Kaikoura → Hanmer Springs → Lake Tekapo → Lake Pukaki → Mount Cook → Wanaka → Queenstown → Te Anau → Milford Sound → The Catlins → Nugget Point → Dunedin → Oamaru → Akaroa → Christchurch
Total distance: ~2,900 km
Travelers: 2 adults + 1 toddler (2 years and 3 months old)
Campervan: Wendekreisen, Koru Star 4 Freedom
Camping split: ~30% holiday parks, ~40% DOC campsites, ~30% freedom camping
Best for: Families, couples, nature lovers, first-time NZ visitors
Our Route on the Map
The route is a large loop that starts and ends in Christchurch. North to Kaikoura first, then inland through Hanmer Springs, south through the lakes and mountains, all the way to Milford Sound, to the east coast through the Catlins and Dunedin, and finishing in Akaroa.
It’s a logical route, but it took a lot of time and consideration to determine whether this would be the perfect loop or not.
Looking back at it afterwards, I felt we made the right decision by taking this route. I’ll explain later on.
You never feel like you’re backtracking (although some roads you have to and there is a short part between Kaikoura and Christchurch), and the drives between stops are rarely more than two or maybe three hours, which is key when you have a toddler in the back of course.
So, below is the route we took in 3 weeks:
Note: The trip says 2300km, and while we thought we would drive something like that this does not include all day trips of course which is why the total stretch was almost 3000 km's (1864 miles).
Planning Strategy
Going to New Zealand is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many, at least it is for us. And so, we’ve been planning a lot for this trip, and I mean a lot! In all my years of traveling, I’ve actually never planned/booked/researched so much as for this trip (the amount of open tabs on my screen…!)
Let’s dive into everything we researched and learned for this trip:
Choosing a Campervan
This is probably the biggest decision you’ll make for this trip. There are a ton of campervan rental companies in New Zealand, and the price differences are huge. We spent sooo many days looking for the perfect camper until it drove us mad.
After emailing several companies for questions, I got a response from Wendekreisen. They responded super fast, super kind, and super helpful (Btw, this post is not sponsored by them in any way). Even my emails that weren’t really related to the camper, like “Should we book camper sites to spend the night in advance?” Got a quick and helpful response. (Yes, you should book some in advance during peak season, especially around Queenstown, for instance.)
So we went with Wendekriesen, the Koru Star 4 Freedom (7,5 meters long) with 2, 2-person beds.
With a toddler, you want a campervan that’s big enough to move around in when it’s raining (and it will rain). But you also don’t want something so massive that you’re stressed parking it or navigating narrow mountain roads.
We went with this one because it has a small kitchen, fridge, a heater, and enough storage. The heater was non-negotiable. Even in January (summer), nights can get surprisingly cold, especially around Mount Cook and Te Anau.
The Koru Star 4 Freedom is a Volkswagen Crafter Van, transformed into a Campervan.
There are pros and cons to this:
- Pros:
The engine is strong and solid, which is something you really want on such a long trip, and on steep and often unpaved roads. - Less chance of the engine breaking down and needing to go to the garage
- It’s quite a bit cheaper than a campervan
- Cons:
It’s a bit narrower than a regular Campervan (But it makes parking slightly easier) - There is no 2-person bed above the driver’s seat
- A bit less space/storage overall than a campervan of the same length
After thinking about this for a long time, we went with it because of the price and engine pros, and boy, did we make a good choice. During our trip, we spoke to several people who either had to go themselves or people they met to the garage, and couldn’t continue their trip for 1 or 2 days…
That would have been such a disaster, having your entire itinerary messed up during such an expensive trip!
Why we chose Wendekreisen and were also happy we did afterwards:
No hidden costs, this was a major plus for us. Some rental companies have a limit on the maximum number of miles/kilometers you can drive, or you have to pay extra for chairs and a table (I found that so annoying). Wendekreisen didn’t have any of that, which made things just way more clear when we were ploughing through a forest of rental companies.
Other companies have some roads that are off-limits; again, how am I supposed to know where these roads are? Can we still go to all the places we want to see? As someone visiting New Zealand for the first time, these kinds of things made planning not easy. Luckily, Wendekreisen had no limitations for any roads or places, so again, it just made things much easier. Overall:
- Fast response to questions via email
- Helpful
- Great price
- Great reviews
Why were we still happy with them after our trip?
During our trip, the electric heater broke down. We called them, and they said we could buy a new one and that they would refund us. I loved that quick and easy solution.
We had a few things, like a baby seat we brought with us, and a big bag that we didn’t need, so we were able to leave it at the office until we came back.
Pick-up and drop-off of the camper was quick and easy, and the staff was super kind.
One crucial thing before you book: make sure your campervan is certified self-contained. Almost all are, but it is smart to check. This is what allows you to camp in New Zealand. Without that certification, you’re limited to paid campsites only, and you’d be missing out on the best part of campervanning here.
⚡ Quick Tip: Book your campervan as early as possible. January is peak season in New Zealand, and prices go up a bit if you wait. We booked in May for our trip in January…
If you’re planning to do a road trip only on the South Island, you’ll likely have to transfer somewhere. The most common city to transfer to is Auckland. But we chose to fly to Singapore and go straight to Christchurch from there. We spent 3 days in Singapore, which was nice to kick off the holiday.
Holiday Parks vs. DOC Sites vs. Freedom Camping
New Zealand has three main options for overnight stays in a campervan, and getting the mix right is one of the most important decisions for your trip.
Holiday parks (Top 10, Kiwi Holiday Parks, etc.) are the most comfortable. Powered sites, hot showers, kitchens, laundry, and often playgrounds. They cost around $45-80 NZD per night. Great for doing laundry and when you need a proper reset. But! Most of them (not all) feel like parking lots with power outlets. You’re just lined up next to other campervans. Not exactly the ‘waking up in nature’ experience.
DOC campsites are the best spots to get that remote-adventure feeling. Run by the Department of Conservation, these are usually very basic, just a toilet and maybe a dump station, but many of these campsites are in incredible locations. Next to rivers, or cliffs, or the beach, and they cost $8-20 NZD per stay. So the trade-off is no showers and no power, but when you’re driving a self-contained vehicle, it doesn’t really matter for a few nights.
Freedom camping is free, and some of the spots are absolutely stunning. Your campervan needs to be certified self-contained, and you can only park in designated areas. You’ll also have to arrive early, like 2 or 33 pmto get a spot in high season. It’s another trade-off because it means your time to drive that day is limited.
My recommendation: aim for roughly 30% holiday parks, 40% DOC sites, and 30% freedom camping. Use holiday parks strategically, like every 3-4 days, for laundry, showers, and recharging devices. Spend the rest of your nights in nature. That’s what you came here for! (And the pies, of course 😉 )
⚡ Quick Tip: Download the CamperMate app. It shows every campsite, freedom camping spot, dump station, and public toilet in New Zealand. We used it every single day. Filter by Free sites to find the hidden gems.
Booking in Peak Season
January is peak summer in New Zealand. Schools are out, Kiwis are on holiday, and every campervan in the country is on the road.
And one of the things I noticed (and you might have seen that as well on Google Maps) is that on the South Island, there aren’t that many roads to choose from. So what happens is that all the visitors use the same road and are driving a similar route. For instance, if you’re going from Christchurch to Milford Sound, there is just one way to drive.
When going back, you can either go the same way back, go over the west coast, or go over the east coast. What I’m trying to say is that yes, New Zealand is big and can definitely feel remote, but it is not as vast and widespread as Canada or the US, for instance. So some (camping) spots can easily become crowded.
During our trip, we often saw the same people from a campsite the night before or a few nights before.
So, book your campsites for the popular spots in advance. Mount Cook’s White Horse Hill campground books out already weeks ahead. Close to Milford Sound and anything near Queenstown also fills up fast. For DOC sites, some take bookings through the DOC website, and others are first-come, first-served (arrive before 33 pmto get a good spot on the free camp sites).
What to do if you can’t find a spot? Honestly? I don’t know! For me personally, one of the downsides of doing a campervan trip in New Zealand is that you’re not allowed to go wild camping, unlike in Oman or countries in Scandinavia, for instance. I totally understand it tho, but planning these campsites can be a bit of a nuisance.
Travel Insurance
Before we started our trip, we got travel insurance. I honestly rarely buy travel insurance… but being away for so long, driving a lot of miles, and with our child we felt like it was a smart idea to get travel insurance.
Like many of you, you’ve also probably researched the best travel insurance, and it can be tough to make the right decision. In the end, we went with SafetyWing. We chose it for a few reasons:
- Fast response via email when we asked a few questions
- Good reviews/experiences from others, including some friends
- Clear policy
I have seen some negative reviews, but after digging into them, they were all about folks not having read the policy beforehand. Assuming that just because Safetywing is a travel insurance policy, everything related to travel or during your trip is covered is a mistake. Please read the policy to understand what you’re getting!
That said, we didn’t have any issues along the way, but I did make a mistake when I bought the insurance. I made a spelling error in my last name (I guess it was because I had 100 tabs open looking for the best campervan…), so I had to email them to ask them to change it. They responded quickly and practically, solving the issue.
So my advice: please think about getting travel insurance because unforeseen things can happen during a 3-week-long road roadtrip through an unfamiliar country.
Week 1
Alrighty, the itinerary!
This is the itinerary I’d actually recommend based on our three weeks on the South Island. I made two small changes, which I’ll tell you about later, and I learned everything else along the way.
Day 1: Christchurch — Arrival (13 January)
We landed in Christchurch in the afternoon after a long trip from Seoul via Singapore. The plan was: get to the hotel, explore Christchurch with the little energy we had left, sleep, and save all the excitement for tomorrow.
You probably read this on other sites as well, but it truly is smart not to start your road trip the same day you arrive. You’ll likely be tired from the flight, so it’s smart to take it easy one day, explore Christchurch (one day is enough to see most of the things).
We stayed at the Ibis Christchurch, which is perfectly fine for one night. Clean, central, and Christchurch isn’t that big, so it took 15 minutes to get to where we’d pick up the campervan the next morning. Don’t overthink your Christchurch accommodation, you’ll be out exploring the town, and the good stuff is the day after.
If you arrive earlier in the day, the Botanic Gardens are a nice place to walk after a flight, and the old Tram running through the city is quite fun.
Pro tip: There is a really cool playground in Christchurch, in case you’re traveling with kids.
Stay: Ibis Christchurch (hotel — last real bed for a while!)
Day 2: Christchurch → Kaikoura (14 January)
This is where our trip really started. We picked up the campervan in the morning, which took about an hour with all the paperwork and the walkthrough. Then straight to Pak’n Save for the big grocery shop.
Load up that campervan like you’re preparing for the apocalypse! 😉
Eating out in New Zealand can be expensive. A basic burger and fries will cost $20-25 NZD. A dinner for two costs easily $80-100 NZD. But groceries are reasonable, and every campervan has a kitchen. We cooked 90% of our meals, and it saved us hundreds of dollars. Btw, the quality of the vegetables and fruit is so good, that was really refreshing compared to Seoul.
Here’s what we bought on Day 1: pasta, rice, canned tomatoes, eggs, bread, peanut butter, bananas, frozen veggies, chicken, mince, cereal, milk, coffee, and healthy snacks for our son.
See the ticket and our cart:
Around 3 pm, we were on the road heading north to Kaikoura. The drive is about three hours, and after the first hour, it’s gorgeous, you’re riding through a landscape that already has that ‘Lord of the Rings’ vibe.
We did a quick stop at the Cathedral Cliffs View Point, an epic view and a nice spot for a quick stop.
There are a few one-lane sections that feel interesting in a campervan, but the road to Kaikoura is totally manageable.
Peketa Camp Ground
We arrived at Peketa Camp Ground in the late afternoon. It’s a few minutes south of Kaikoura and right behind the beach. Nothing fancy, but the location is really cool.
You’re only meters away from the beach, and although it was raining heavily, it was a cool experience. I actually really liked the storm; it was such a dramatic film kind of scene to see:
We didn’t stay at Peketa Camp Ground for the camping itself, but to have that remote feeling right away at the start of our trip.
We actually went to Kaikoura because we booked the “Wings over Whales” flight, but unfortunately, due to the weather, it was cancelled. Was it a waste of time to go to Kaikoura? Not at all! We saw many seals, even right next to the road. The scenery and coastline are quite spectacular, and it’s a great start to the trip.
If you’re not planning to do a whale watching tour, then it might be a smart choice to go down South from Christchurch right away, but Kaikoura is the only place on the South Island where you can see wales.
Stay: Peketa Camp Ground (Book a beach view site)
Drive: 180 km — approx. 3 hours
Tip: Why did we book a flight and not a boat trip? The boat trips have a minimum age of 3, so our son was still too young.
Day 3: Kaikoura (15 January)
We chose to spend two nights here on this campsite to start the road trip easily and relaxed, and not have to pack up everything and start driving again.
When our whale-watching flight was cancelled, we had to find other options, so we spent the day on the beach and went for a coastal walk. The Peninsula Walkway is beautiful; you walk along cliffs and can spot seals just chilling on the rocks below. We also visited the ‘Te Ana’ Cave, which was a nice indoor alternative since it was raining a lot.
You might not see it very clearly in this photo below, but most of those brown ‘rocks’ are actually seals!
Stay: Second night at Peketa (or your coastal camping spot) and first time dumping the grey water and toilet at the dump station!
Day 4: Kaikoura → Hanmer Springs (16 January)
We took our time over breakfast at the campground, then headed inland toward Hanmer Springs.
The drive takes you through beautiful scenery. About three hours, and the roads are quiet. By early afternoon, we arrived at the Hanmer Springs Top 10 Holiday Park (Still raining!).
Hanmer Springs is a small alpine town that’s basically built around one thing: the hot pools. And they’re fantastic. The thermal pool complex has pools of different temperatures, and there’s a dedicated kids’ area that our son absolutely loved. After days of driving and setting up camp, sinking into a hot pool with mountain views was exactly what we needed.
This is one of the stops where a holiday park makes sense. You’ll want a shower after the hot pools, and the park is well-located for walking into town.
- Stay: Hanmer Springs Top 10 Holiday Park
- Drive: 130 km — approx. 3 hours
- Highlight: Hot pools with mountain views
- Toddler rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — warm water + splashing = peak toddler happiness
Attention: There are signs that say don't put your head underwater in the hot springs! I honestly did not know why; I thought it was because your head might cool off too much in the cold air. It turned out that it's because of a bacterium that could potentially be very dangerous. So please keep this in mind for yourself and for your kids!
Day 5: Hanmer Springs → Lake Tekapo (17 January)
This is a longer driving day (about 4.5 hours), but we timed it perfectly with our son’s nap, and he slept through most of it. Going straight to Tekapo would have been too long a drive, so we stopped in Geraldine. It’s a nice little town, but since we arrived around 5 pm everything was closed…
Groceries Stock up: Close to Christchurch, we stopped at a Woolworths in Hornby. Tip: There is also a Pak N Save there, but it was impossible to park there; the Woolworths has a bigger parking lot.
So, depending on whether you have kids or not, you might drive on to Tekapo and spend the night there or stay in Geraldine and go the next morning.
The next morning, we drove to Tekapo, which was only 45 minutes away.
The Canterbury Plains to Geraldine aren’t the most exciting scenery, but once you start approaching Tekapo, everything changes.
Lake Tekapo
This is where New Zealand starts to feel like… New Zealand!
The water has a super turquoise color that looks almost photoshopped, but it’s real. I’ve seen a lot of beautiful lakes, but Tekapo really, truly is beautiful.
The Church of the Good Shepherd is an iconic photo spot here. It’s a tiny stone church right on the lakefront with the mountains behind it. Get there early or late to avoid the crowds. When we arrived around midday, there were about 40 people trying to get the same photo, but it was still nice to visit it.
If you’re visiting between November and January, you might see the famous lupins in bloom, with purple and pink flowers lining the lakeshore. We saw a few, though they were a bit past their peak by mid-January, I assume.
Hiking at Lake Tekapo
We did a lovely hike in a spot where there were barely any tourists, which I can highly recommend. Drive a bit further to the west side of the lake to the Tekapo Peninsula Walkway.
I personally really liked this hike because it’s an easy path, but it’s also off-the-beaten track and perfectly doable with a toddler, although there are 2 hills, which are still manageable. The view of the lake is really cool, and you get away from the crowds.
Lake Pukaki
But we didn’t spend the night in Tekapo, we went to Lake Pukaki because we read that it’s less crowded and just as beautiful, and it was! We went to our first free campsite: Lake Pukaki Overnight Campervan Parking. I highly recommend this one!
One of the best spots we stayed was because the sky was clear, and during the night, I was able to make this incredible photo.
Make sure to arrive early for a nice spot. We arrived around 44 p,m and it was already packed. We got lucky with our spot.
- Stay: Lake Pukaki Overnight Campervan Parking.
- Highlight: Hiking along the turquoise water. Seriously.
- Toddler rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Hike path was easy for him to walk)
⚡ Quick Tip: Lake Pukaki, about 30 minutes further south, is equally stunning and usually less crowded. If you have time, stop at both.
Days 6-7: Mount Cook / Aoraki (18-19 January)
Mount Cook! We’re finally there. New Zealand’s highest peak at 3,724 meters (12,218 feet), and one of the most famous spots on the South Island.
The road to Mount Cook is just amazing; that alone is worth the trip!
Hiking: We did both tracks, Hookey Valley Track (Half) and Kea Point, on one day.
Hooker Valley Track
The Hooker Valley track was only partially opened, and so we did the Kea Point track right afterwards. With a 14kg toddler on our back!
So that says something about the hiking track. We were actually prepared for a full day of hiking with hiking gear and everything, but honestly, it was more of a relaxed walk. The only thing that was a bit tough was carrying our son, but other than that, it was quite easy.
It surprised me to see kids, the elderly, and folks in flip-flops walking the track. I thought these were going to be really tough hikes, but it was very easy! No complaints, but just a bit of a surprise! (It was also a bit more easy since half of the Hooker Valley track was closed, of course…)
There’s a wobbly bridge on the hooker Vally track, so we carried him there.
About the wobbly bridge, it’s totally doable, but it can be a bit scary for some, especially when the wind is blowing hard.
Kea Track
We had a bit of trouble finding the start of the trail, but it turned out to be quite easy. It’s a pretty cool view of the lake. I personally liked the view better than from the Hooker Valley track because you get much closer to the peak.
But Hooker Valley track has the cool bridge and stream below it, so they both have their own cool features. The slope of the Kea track goes up by a few degrees, which I found a bit tough carrying a 14kg toddler on my back, but it makes the way back all the easier.
Parts of both hikes are great with a toddler; it’s mostly flat with a few ups and downs, and we carried our son in the backpack carrier for the steeper bits. He actually walked parts of it himself, which surprised us.
The views at the end are breathtaking. We got lucky with the weather, but this is one of those places where clouds can come in fast.
Stay: Free Campsite Lake Pukaki (Try to book Whitehorse Hill Campsite for one night)
Highlight: Hooker Valley Track, the best ‘easy’ hike in New Zealand
Toddler rating: ⭐⭐⭐
⚡ Quick Tip: White Horse Hill is a DOC campground and the closest to the trailheads. It's basic (toilets, water, no showers), but the location is unbeatable — you're right in the valley surrounded by mountains. Book weeks ahead for January. We wanted to stay there, but it was already booked full weeks ahead. So if you want to stay there, book early!
Btw, IF you don’t have the Whitehorse Hill campsite booked, and you’re arriving there in high season, you will most likely already see a long line of cars and campervans parked alongside the road.
We thought that the parking lot was so crowded that cars and campervans were forced to park along the road and walk 10 to 15 minutes. Which is what we did, we didn’t want to be stuck in a parking lot with our 7,5 meter long campervan.
BUT! Here’s the thing: when we were there, we saw that the parking lot wasn’t full at all!! Apparently, people were starting to park along the road to avoid parking fees. More and more people just parked behind those cars, and so a long line of cars started to pile up, which looked like a major traffic jam.
So here’s the tip, it might be worth it to drive all the way to the parking lot even though there is a long line of cars parked along the road. It could be worth it just to pay the parking fee and start walking from there, which saves you about 15 minutes!
Week 2
After this first week, well, the first few days actually, we really got used to living in the campervan. At first, it felt small, cramped, and we couldn’t find anything we needed. But we got the hang of it and started to enjoy campervanlife more and more.
Day 8: Mount Cook → Omarama (20 January)
Because we did 2 hikes that day, we didn’t want to drive for too long, so we drove to Omarama.
This was just to spend the night and continue our epic journey the next morning. It’s a holiday after all, so it’s nice to take it easy.
If you’re traveling with kids, the Top 10 Park is actually quite nice because of the playground; my son loved it.
Salmon Farm
On the road, you’ll drive by a Salmon Farm. It’s a nice stop for a break and some great salmon sushi and platters. There are live salmon swimming there, which visitors can feed with fishfood. Our son loved seeing the fish and ducks and feeding them.
Clay Cliffs
There isn’t much to do in Omarama besides visiting the Clay Cliffs. In all honesty, it was a pretty cool sight, and you can walk through the cliffs, but the road there took waaay longer than we thought it would. When you go off the main road, it’s only 7km, but it’s an unpaved road, and because our campervan was shaking like crazy, we had to drive super slow. If we had known this beforehand, we would have skipped it, but once we were there, it was quite nice.
From there, we drove back to the main road to continue to Wanaka. (The heavenly feeling when you’re on a paved road again after being shaken for an hour…!)
Stay: Omarama Top 10 Holiday Park
Highlight: Salmon Farm, Clay Cliffs
Toddler rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ awesome playground with one of those big air trampolines.
Days 9-10: Omarama -> Wānaka (21-22 January)
Wanaka was one of our favorite stops on the entire trip. It’s like Queenstown’s cooler, more relaxed younger version. Same mountain-and-lake vibes, but without the crowds and the tourist-trap energy.
The drive from Omarama to Wānaka takes about 1,5 hours and goes through the stunning Lindis Pass. It’s a nice scenic drive; I found it quite relaxing somehow to see the smooth hills going up and down as you drive over them.
Day 9: Tree & Town
We arrived in Wanaka in the early afternoon and went straight to the lakefront. After the dramatic peaks of Mount Cook, Wanaka feels like a relaxed retreat. The lake is calm, and the town is relaxed, and it wasn’t too crowded anywhere, although we did have some trouble finding a parking spot.
We chose to stay in Wanaka for 3 nights to really take it easy. Locals actually advised us to stay here 3 nights when we asked if we should stay 3 nights in Wanaka or Christchurch, and almost everyone said Wānaka.
That Wānaka Tree
First stop: That Wānaka Tree! The lonely willow tree growing out of the lake has been photographed a lot. Honestly? It really is worth seeing. The setting is genuinely beautiful, especially in late afternoon light. People had set up chairs and brought wine to enjoy the sunset.
Some people find it boring. I’ve seen those videos on Instagram, but I found it quite fascinating and beautiful to see this one tree growing against all odds.
I bumped into a friendly American and chatted about photography gear.
If you’re traveling with kids, the Roy’s Bay Recreational Reserve has a dinosaur-themed playground. It’s quite big, it’s creative, and our son had so much fun. We ended up spending many hours there, which gave us a chance to just sit by the lake with a coffee and relax.
Wānaka Sequoia
Right behind the Wānaka tree are a few giant Sequoias, which I found impressive.
Stay: Wanaka TOP 10
Drive: ~210 km — approx. 3.5 hours
Day 10: Blue Lakes – Rippon Winery
Day two in peaceful Wanaka:
Rippon Winery
In the morning, we did a wine tasting… not because we craved wine in the morning by any means…, but because all other time slots were booked full. Aside from this heavy breakfast, Rippon Vinery is an incredible location. Locals recommended it to us, and it did not disappoint. The view from the winery onto the lake with the little island in the center was like a fairytale view.
Blue Lakes
One of the day-trips we did was checking out the Blue Lakes. It takes about an hour to drive there from Wanaka. In short, I found the road to the lakes very impressive, one of the most beautiful roads we took in New Zealand!
The Blue Lakes and the hike itself weren’t too impressive. I’m not saying it was a disappointment at all, but it’s also not the spectacular view I thought it would be, but it sure was nice to be out in nature.
The hike goes through a nice forest.
After the hike, we took it easy and stayed at our campervan to do some laundry, cleaning, and other small things.
Unfortunately, we had quite a bit of bad weather here, so we didn’t do much else in Wanaka. If we hadn’t already paid for the night, we would have continued our trip that same day, but we stayed the night and went to Queenstown the next morning.
Highlight: The dinosaur playground (for the toddler) and the wine (for us)
Toddler rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — dinosaur playground is the GOAT (Dino?)
Wanaka to Queenstown: The Road
This is a much-debated topic, as there are basically two options to go from Wanaka to Queenstown (or vice versa).
The short way: over Cardrona, the long and safer way: over Cromwell. We went over Cardrona, and I thought it was very easy to do, and there is an amazing viewpoint just before Christchurch.
The only part that’s a bit funky is after you go all the way up the mountain, there will be a part with lots of U-turns. If you just drive super slow, there is nothing to worry about. Even with our huge 7,5-meter-long campervan, it’s totally double, and I found it quite fun to drive. The road itself is in great condition.
Days 11-12: Queenstown (23-24 January)
Queenstown. The ‘Adventure Capital of the World.’ And look, it kind of lives up to the hype. Kind of.
Let me give you my honest take: The surrounding area of Queenstown is beautiful. The lake, the mountains, it’s stunning. But it’s also the most touristy place on the South Island by far. Prices are higher, the streets are packed, and there’s a certain’ theme park’ energy that doesn’t exist anywhere else on this trip. I expected a small, authentic town, but it was a commercial place with no charm, if I’m being really honest.
Along the way, just before we went to Queenstown, we met a few other travelers who said they planned to stay only in Wanaka, so they skipped Queenstown entirely! And they were on a 6-month trip! This surprised us a bit because it’s not thát bad, but I was a bit disappointed. Please note I’m just talking about the town center itself, not the beautiful places like Deer Park Heights, Glenorchy, the lake, etc.
That said, we still had a great time. Two days felt about right.
What We Did
There are lots of activities to do around Queenstown:
Deer Park Heights
Deer Park Heights is an absolute must-visit and, for me, was one of the main highlights of our South Island trip. Go there! Book in advance to ensure you have a spot; only about 70 cars/campervans per day are allowed on the premises.
Glenorchy
A ‘picturesque’ little mountain town that was quite interesting to see, I thought the road to the town was already worth it. Go to Mrs Woolly’s General Store for coffee and cake, it’s basically the only store there, so you can’t miss it.
Bike Tour
We rented bikes to cycle from Arrowtown back to Christchurch. This was really fun. We had the choice to get a shuttle to Arrowtown and cycle back from there, which made the road a bit easier, so we opted for that, and it was just lovely to cycle through nature
Arrowtown
I loved Arrowtown, and I honestly thought Queenstown would be a bit more like this little, authentic town. It’s basically just one street, but it’s such a cozy and beautiful town with way more charm than Queenstown city center.
The Skyline Gondola
It’s kind of worth it. But the view from Deer Park Heights is way cooler, and you get to see the area from multiple angles there. My recommendation is to visit Deep Park Heights and skip the gondola.
What We Skipped
Bungee jumping, jet boats, and skydiving. With a toddler, these weren’t options. If you’re traveling without kids, Queenstown is the place for adrenaline stuff. For us, it was more about enjoying the scenery.
Fergburger. There’s always a line. Is it worth the wait? I don’t know, it was raining a lot and I didn’t feel like waiting in the rain for an hour, so I skipped it.
Day 13: Queenstown → Te Anau (25 January)
Te Anau is kind of like the gateway to Milford Sound. It’s a small, quiet town.
There’s not a lot to do in Te Anau itself, but it’s a great place to stock up and get gas for the car (please don’t forget this, there are no gas stations after Te Anau anymore).
We walked along the lakefront, found a nice playground, and used the afternoon to prep for the big Milford Sound day tomorrow.
We stayed at Te Anau Lake View Holiday Park, which is a bit of a strategic holiday park. We wanted to fully charge up everything before Milford Sound and get a proper shower, because the next couple of days are quite remote.
We planned to drive the next day, all the way to Milford Sound for the boat tour we booked at 44 pm. Luckily, we chose to drive there in the morning already, and not only a few hours before, but I’ll explain why below.
Stay: Te Anau Lake View Holiday Park
Pro tip: Fill up your gas tank in Te Anau. There are no gas stations between here and Milford Sound.
⚡ Quick Travel with kids Tip: There is an amazing playground in Te Anau called Lion's Park. There are even BBQ, toilet, and shower facilities!
Day 14: Milford Sound (26 January)
Milford Sound! I wanted to go here so bad, and we’re finally here! Well, almost! It’s quite a drive from Te Anau, with many incredible stops along the way.
You might have read about this, that the driving time Google Maps says is way longer in real life in New Zealand. While I didn't find that true for almost all other roads in New Zealand, with a campervan, it took just as long as Google Maps said it would, but the road from Te Anau to Milford Sound is different, and it took way longer than we thought it would.
We left Te Anau around 11 am (the boat tour started at 4 pm), and even then, we had to hurry to catch the tour boat. Here’s why: the road is winding, often narrow, steep, it rains, and there are many epic photo stops along the way.
Stop at Monkey Creek, one of the best spots for a quick stop on the way to Milford Sound:
And Milford Sound is one of the few places in New Zealand where you can spot a Kea!
The drive there is spectacular. You pass through ancient forests, alongside lakes, and through the Homer Tunnel, which is a single-lane (Yes!) tunnel carved through the mountain.
So, because it’s a one-lane tunnel, you have to wait at a traffic light. This can take quite a long time. I think we had to wait here for about half an hour before we could pass it.
For me, Milford Sound and the road to it were the highlight of New Zealand.
The boat cruise itself is incredible, just to see the vastness of the area, waterfalls falling down, and we saw a few seals chilling in the sun.
Our son did great on the cruise. The boat is big and stable, and there’s plenty of space to walk around.
And the road back, once again, is just as incredible.
After Milford Sound, we drove to our campsite: Cascade Creek.
Stay: DOC campsite in the area (check Cascade Creek or other Fiordland DOC sites)
Highlight: The cruise. Obviously.
Toddler rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — waterfalls = toddler magic. The long drive = less magical.
⚡ Quick Tip: Book your cruise well in advance. They sell out in peak season. Also, Cascade Creek DOC campsite between Te Anau and Milford Sound is a beautiful spot, but you need to book it in advance; even though it's a big campsite, it was fully packed when we arrived. Consider staying there the night before instead of Te Anau. We stayed after the cruise.
Week 3
The third and final week of the trip. This week we drove all the way from Milford Sound straight to the Catlins, and I’m really glad we did. Week 3 was full of epic campsites, wildlife, and beautiful landscapes. Landscapes that were very different than what we’ve seen so far.
My wife and I discussed this route for a long time because there are basically 3 options to go back to Christchurch.
Go back over the West Coast:
Which means driving all the way back to Queenstown and from there past the Blue Pools (which we already drove and saw) to the West Coast, where there are way more sandflies. It sounds like a no-brainer now, writing this…). The pro is that you’ll see some epic coastlines and more of the mountains, and go back to Christchurch through Arthur’s Pass, Castle Hill Rocks (Or all the way north to Nelson, but for us that wasn’t doable in 3 weeks)
Go back exactly the same route:
Not really an option of course…
Go back over the East Coast:
We had to drive a long way through flat land with hardly any nice stops along the way to the Caitlins, and then go up to Christchurch eventually.
We chose the East Coast for a few reasons (and I’m really glad we did):
- Minimal to no sandflies
- We’ve already seen some of the mountains (Mt Cook, Fiordland mountains, etc)
- The East Coast is more spacious and wide, so it is easier for our son to run around.
- Lots of wildlife to see. (Seals, sea lions, penguins, Dolphins)
Day 15: Fiordland → The Catlins Coast (27 January)
This is a day we added to the itinerary that wasn’t in our original plan, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions of the trip.
I was really glad we went over the East Coast, for me, it was actually the highlight after Milford Sound.
So we drove straight to Purakaunui Bay Campsite (Perhaps my #1 camping spot we stayed at, I loved it)
The Catlins is a remote, forest/swamp kind of land in the far south of the South Island. Most people skip it entirely because it’s out of the way. But that’s exactly why you should go.
The drive from the Milford Sound area down to the Catlins is long (sometimes a bit boring) but beautiful. And because it’s all flat, you can easily drive a lot of miles.
Purakaunui Bay Campsite: a coastal DOC spot that had us parked on the edge of the beach overlooking the ocean. Just us (ok and 4 other campervans), the waves, and a few seabirds. Our son played in the sand, and he loved it so much. This was actually the campervan experience I’d been dreaming about.
The road to the campsite is really interesting, you can see the landscape gradually change, and there were some moments that made us think, are we in the right place? Are we supposed to drive here? Turned out we were right on track. It felt like I was in a Planet Earth episode about coastlines.
💡 Lesson learned: In our original itinerary, we had more time allocated to the towns, we realised we wanted to stay more in remote locations, and we were able to change it halfway. Swapping that for the Catlins was one of the best trade-offs we made. If you're debating between spending extra time in a small town or exploring somewhere wild and remote, always choose wild and remote.
Stay: DOC campsite or freedom camping Purakaunui Bay
Highlight: The raw, untouched coastline and the feeling of being genuinely off the beaten path
Toddler rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐+ wide open spaces, sand, birds, and water streams
Day 16: Catlins -Dunedin (28 January)
From Purakaunui Bay, we drove to Dunedin with some detours and stops along the way:
Papatowai Country Store & “Peake’s Kitchen”
Awesome hamburgers and a fun place for a quick stop
Florence Hill Lookout
Amazing view of the coastline, there are lots of epic views on that road.
Cathedral Caves
I read mixed reviews online, but I found it totally worth it to go there, it’s a pretty cool sight, and the 15-minute walk (downhill tho) through the forest is also nice. Make sure to check the tide times, as you can only go there with low tide. There might be a line of campervans waiting in front of the gate. You can only go up the parking lot when it opens.
Purakaunui Falls
A beautiful waterfall with such a nice walk to it, totally worth it.
Nugget Point
From there, we drove up to Nugget Point. I wanted to go here for a long time as I found the photos I saw online so fascinating. I was not disappointed!
It’s a dramatic landscape area with a lighthouse at the end and a series of rocky islands (‘nuggets’) sticking out of the ocean below.
The walk to the lighthouse is short, maybe 10 to 15 minutes, and the views are incredible. You can spot seals, sea lions, and sometimes penguins on the rocks.
We bumped into two friendly locals who shared lots of great tips for the rest of our journey.
This day was a really long day, but totally worth it.
From Nugget Point, it’s about 2.5 hours to Dunedin.
Stay: Dunedin (Otago Peninsula): Portobello Village Tourist Park (holiday park, good time for a laundry, shower reset, and dumping trash and the toilet stuff). The campsite isn’t that interesting.
Drive: ~200 km total
Day 17: Otago Peninsula (29 January)
Again, I’m going to be completely honest, Dunedin itself was a bit of a disappointment. Maybe I had too high expectations, or it was the grey weather, but skipping the town itself would have been a better choice.
That said, the Otago Peninsula is incredible.
Things we did:
Tunnel Beach
This is a must! You walk down a steep track through farmland and then through a hand-carved tunnel in the rock that opens up onto a wild, secluded beach surrounded by sandstone cliffs. It feels like discovering a secret.
Not ideal for toddlers on the steep descent, but we managed with the carrier. The hike is totally doable, but with our son on our back, it was a bit tough as it goes all the way down and later on up again when going back. Takes about an hour, I think.
Allan’s Beach
Allan’s Beach on the Otago Peninsula is where you go for wildlife. We saw huge sea lions just hanging out on the sand only meters away from us, and if you’re lucky, you might spot yellow-eyed penguins. There was a female seal lying just at the end of the path ot the beach, we had to walk past it quietly, which was such a unique experience to be so close. I really enjoyed this.
Albatros Spot
We went there but didn’t see any albatros, and there wasn’t a tour at that time, so we just enjoyed the area for a bit. Looots of seaguls tho! (And more cute seals)
Highlight: Tunnel Beach — genuinely one of the coolest spots of the trip
Toddler rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — sea lions on Allan’s Beach are fascinating
We found a really cool free campsite: Ocean View Car Park
You have to be there on time, but it’s free, and it’s right behind (in front?) the beach.
Day 18: Ocean View Car Park →Ōamaru (30 January)
Oamaru is one of those towns you don’t hear much about, but turns out to be a highlight. Known for its blue penguin colony.
Every evening around dusk, the world’s smallest penguins waddle back from the ocean to their nests. You can watch from viewing stands near the harbor.
We stayed at Ōamaru Harbour Tourist Park. Making a reservation was a bit difficult. You have to call them during opening hours in the morning, share your credit card number, and then pay later on when they are present at the campsite, which is early in the morning or afternoon, but we were gone in the afternoon. So it takes a bit of figuring out, but I found it totally worth it.
Things we did
Here are the activities we did and places we ate on the road to and in Ōamaru:
Katiki Point Lighthouse
Quite a nice area to go for a walk and see many more seals
Pantai Moeraki Boulders
What can I say, it’s fascinating to see, but not something to hang around for hours. Our son loved playing on the beach, but we stayed there for 30 minutes to continue our trip toŌamaruu.
Ōamaru Penguins experience
Just incredible. We didn’t book ahead to see the penguins; we kind of freestyled this part of the trip, but luckily, there were a few spots left at 99:30 pm(which was a bit late for our son, but he managed to stay up!). But I’m glad we did the penguin experience.
Everyone had to be super quiet for around 30 minutes, then when it got darker, we saw some action in the ocean in front of the coast, and then there were these cute little blue penguins coming on shore to bring their caught fish to their babies on land, who had been waiting all day. It was the cutest thing ever.
The penguins walk very carefully. One would take the lead, and the others would follow. When the coast was clear, they ran to their nests. Absolutely incredible experience.
It's not allowed to take photos while the penguins come on land, I only was allowed to take
When we parked our campervan back at the campsite, our son went to bed, and we sat in the front chairs, tired but happy. Then, I couldn’t believe my eyes, I said, “Ooh, a penguin! There was a penguin walking across the campsite, and apparently, there was a nest beneath the toilet/kitchen house. We say baby penguins and their parents just sitting there, the best thing ever to see.
Del Mar Restaurant -Ōamaru
I can really recommend eating here, super friendly staff, great food, and the perfect place to eat before the penguin show starts.
Oamaro city center
I found this town actually really nice, much nicer than most other towns we visited. You’ll see authentic old buildings, kind of like in an old British town. Worth it to stop there for a bit, but unfortunately, we had a long drive ahead of us to Akaroa.
Stay Ōamaru Harbour Tourist Park (after the penguins)
Highlight: Blue penguins at dusk
Toddler rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐+ penguins!
Day 19-21: Ōamaru — Akaroa (Ōnawe Peninsula) (31 January)
Akaroa was the perfect way to end this trip. It’s a small town on a volcanic peninsula about 90 minutes from Christchurch, and it has this lovely French influence from its colonial history. It has quite charming streets, bakeries, and a beautiful little harbor.
The harbor is home to HHector’sdolphins! The wworld’ssmallest and perhaps rarest dolphins. We took a boat cruise to see them, and it was beautiful.
We arrived on the 19th day around 66 pm, planned our dolphin trip the next day, explored the town, and continued our trip the next morning to Christchurch.
And just like that, three weeks in New Zealand came to an end.
Stay: Akaroa TOP 10 Holiday Park (Actually, one of the best holiday parks we stayed at was because of the view from the campsite.)
Highlight: Hector dolphins and French pastries — a combination I didn’t know I needed
Toddler rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — more dolphins and more pastries, please
Days 22-23: Christchurch → Home (3-4 February)
We spent our last night at a campsite near Christchurch Airport (North South Holiday Park Christchurch) before returning the campervan and catching our flight back to Seoul via Singapore. The weather completely changed, and the sun was shining, so we found a campsite with a small pool, and our son loved it. It was a fine place to start preparing the return of the campervan:
- Emptying toilet
- Filling up the cooking gas tank at the nearby gas station
- Filling up with gas
- Cleaning the interior a bit
- Throwing away trash
Returning the campervan was a breeze; again, the folks at Wendekreisen were so kind and relaxed about everything. It took only 20 minutes, and then they drove us for about 9 minutes by van to the airport. Perfect on time for our flight at 12:00 pm
And honestly, as I sat in the airport lounge, I was already thinking about when we could come back, … can we not just stay a bit longer?
Budget Breakdown
Well, that’s a wrap, a big wrap! Going to New Zealand was a real journey, and it wasn’t cheap, but in the end, we all found it totally worth it. It’s the most expensive trip I’ve ever taken, and so this was a real bucket-list trip for both of us.
Because we lived in South Korea at the time, we were relatively “close by,” at least more than we probably ever would be. So we figured this would be the best time to do it.
New Zealand isn’t cheap, but a campervan trip is still one of the most cost-effective ways to see the South Island, especially if you cook your meals and book DOC sites or stay at freedom camping rather than holiday parks.
Here’s the money we spent:
- Campervan hire (21 days): $8844,20 NZD
- Fuel: $580 NZD
- Campsites & holiday parks: $550 NZD
- Groceries: $600 NZD
- Eating out: $150 NZD
- Activities (whale watching, Milford cruise, etc.): $130 NZD (Whale watching got canceled)
- Miscellaneous: $300 NZD
- Flight Tickets from Seoul to New Zealand: $5703,55 NZD
Total: $16,857.75 NZD
$11,154.20 NZD without flights
Daily average: $531.15 NZD per day (without flights). That’s$317 USD per day
⚡ Quick Tip: Download the Gaspy app to find the cheapest fuel near you. Gas prices vary a lot between towns.
Campervanning With a Toddler
Campervanning with a Toddler requires some planning, at least for us, and our two-year-old, it was super doable. Just make sure to stop every once in a while, go to the playground on the route, and plan to drive during nap time (the shaking and noise of the campervan made him fall asleep super fast)
Here’swhat worked:
Nap Schedule vs. Driving Schedule
This is the big one. Our son naps once a day, usually after lunch. So we structured drives to overlap with nap time. Leave after lunch, drive while he sleeps, arrive by mid-afternoon. When it worked, it was beautiful. When it didn’t, there was a lot of singing.
Car Seat in a Campervan
You’ll need a car seat. Most campervan companies can provide one, but we brought our own because our son was already used to it. Make sure it fits — some smaller vans have awkward seat belt configurations.
Best Toddler-Friendly Hikes
Not all hikes on this itinerary are toddler-friendly. The ones that worked best:
Kea Point Track (Mount Cook) — mostly flat, great views, 2 hours return.
Mount Iron (Wanaka) — short enough for a morning.
Allan’sBeach (Dunedin) — flat walk, sea lions at the end. Nugget Point — very short walk to the lighthouse.
Tip: When carrying your kid in a hikingcarrier, make sure you have long enough pants for him or her; sitting in the carrier makes the trousers go up and without really realizing it their legs might get burned from the sun, whic can happen fast.
Playgrounds
Every parent knows: a good playground can turn a bad day into a great one. Standouts: Roys Bay (Wanaka) — the dino playground, best of the trip. Te Anau lakefront — solid playground with lake views. Various holiday parks — most Top 10 parks have playgrounds.
Practical Tips
Here are some practical tips I learned along the way:
Noise
Driving in a campervan can make quite a lot of noise. One thing that really helped was putting a towel over the cooking stove so the stovetop ddoesn’thit the metal grill all the time.
Left-over food
Sometimes you have some food left or other items you might not use. At many camp sites, there is a fridge where you can leave your unused food so other people can use it, a nice, sustainable solution!
Check-out times
Almost every campsite, DOC Holiday Parks, and free campsite has a check-out time of 110:00 am. Personally, I found this quite a nuisance; it forced us to rush sometimes in the morning to get everything ready to leave on time. Especially with our son in the morning, this was a bit of a hassle sometimes.
I can understand check-out times in hotels because they need to clean the room, but these campsites are just a piece of grass, so II’mnot sure why they have these early check-out times. It surprised us, not in a good way, so it’s something to keep in mind when you’re planning your trip.
Fuel & the Gaspy App
Fuel iisn’tcheap, and prices vary a lot between towns. Gaspy shows real-time prices at every station. Fill up in smaller towns and don’t let your tank get below a quarter; some roads have no stations for 100+ km!
We found out, and we’re told by locals as well, that the prices around Queenstown are higher for basically everything. Especially, gas was more expensive. It’s worth it sometimes to take a short detour to a less expensive gas station.
SIM Card & Data
Pick up a local SIM at the airport. Spark and Vodafone both have good coverage. But we ddidn’thave reception in more places than I thought we would. In Milford Sound, Kaikoura, and around Catlins, there was no reception whatsoever, not even 1 bar.
Weather in January
January is summer, but “summer ” here is relative. Expect 15-25°C, with rain possible at any time. During the night ot often got as cold as 5°C. We had everything from sunshine (Mt Cook) to sideways rain (Kaikoura), and sometimes the same day.
The UV is very intense on a clear day, but even on cloudy days, you can burn. Sunscreen on everyone, especially the kids.
What to Pack That You Won’t Think Of
Clothesline for drying towels. We got one with two suction cups at the end, which made it easy to hang it up inside the campervan. However, the windows might get wet because of condensation.
- Power bank for off-grid camping nights
- Waterproof shoes
- Reusable grocery bags (plastic bags are banned)
- A good rain jacket for everyone.
- Sandfly repellent
Driving Tips
New Zealand drives on the left. One-lane bridges are common, and signs tell you who has the right of way. Some roads are gravel, especially near remote campsites.
FAQs
Is 3 weeks enough for the South Island?
In my experience, three weeks is a great amount of time; I wouldn’t have wanted to do the trip any faster. You can see all the major spots without rushing, and you’ll have time for rest days. Two weeks is doable, but you’d have to cut some stops and drive much more each day, and every hour spent driving is an hour not hiking or exploring…
Is a campervan worth it vs. hotels + rental car?
For us, absolutely. The flexibility of stopping wherever you want, cooking your own meals, and waking up in beautiful locations is the best. Plus, with DOC sites and freedom camping, it’s way cheaper than hotels. I do have to say that many campsites are just campsites; they could be a parking lot or just a concrete floor, with no cool surroundings to see. Hotel locations might be in more unique places with better views than some campsites.
Best campervan size for a family of 3?
Go 4-berth even for a family of 3. You need the extra space for a car seat, baby gear, and general living. A 2-berth would feel very cramped. I was really glad we went for the Koru Star 4 Freedom with 2 queen-size beds.
Do you need to book campsites in advance?
For popular DOC sites and holiday parks in January, yes. Whitehorse Hill, Lake Pukaki, Wanaka, Queenstown, and sites near Milford Sound should be booked in advance, some as far as weeks in advance. For freedom camping and smaller DOC sites, it’s first-come, first-served; try to arrive before 3 pm.
Is freedom camping safe with a toddler?
Yes. New Zealand is very safe. We camped with our son multiple times and never felt uncomfortable. Use CamperMate to check reviews of specific spots, and always have a backup place.
What This Trip Taught Me
Three weeks on the South Island changed me. I know that sounds dramatic, but there’s something about waking up next to a lake with your family, cooking breakfast in a tiny kitchen, and watching your 2-year-old discover penguins, play on the beach for the first time that just rewires your brain a little.
After our trip, when we returned to Seoul, the concrete city hit us right in the face.
I never experienced anything like it. My wife and I both thought, what is this dirty grey city, and where is all the nature? At that moment, it dawned on us that New Zealand truly was something special.
If I had to pick five highlights from the 3-week trip (in random order):
- The road to Mount Cook and the mountain itself, including the night sky at Lake Pukaki
- Deer Park Heights (The views, the deers, the Lord of the Rings location, you know from the movies)
- The road to Milford Sound and the cruise (Just spectacular)
- The blue penguins in Ōamaru (my son’s face was the best part of the whole trip).
- Purakaunui Bay Campsite (Just an incredible National Geographic-like landscape)
Please note, these are just five spots. If I really had to choose, there were way more incredible places, obviously.
But what I discovered was that my favorite moments in New Zealand were the quiet ones. The DOC campsite was next to a vast beach where nobody else was around. The freedom camping spot at Lake Pukaki. Waking up with the mountains right outside the window instead of a holiday park fence.
New Zealand’s South Island is made for campervanning. The roads are good, the campsites are everywhere, and the scenery is beyond anything you can prepare yourself for. And yes, you can absolutely do it with a toddler, and you should!
