Being in New Zealand will make you feel like you are in your own version of Lord of the Rings as you go from rainforest to mountains to prairie to countryside in the blink of eye when roadtripping. Along the way you will come across waterfalls, hot springs, meat pies, backpackers, new friends and countless sheep. Some of my best memrories traveling have occurred when being on a road trip in the Land of the Long White Cloud.
It makes me think back to my original post: New Zealand: On The Open Road. Below are enlarged versions of the photos in that post along with some additional ones highlighting what it is like to be out on the New Zealand open road.
State Highway 8 heading towards Lake Pukaki and Mount Cook Village.
State Highway 8 heading towards Lake Pukaki and Mount Cook Village.
State Highway 8 staring at Lake Pukaki and Mount Cook.
State Highway 80 heading south away from Mount Cook Village.
State Highway 6 along the Kawarau River in Cromwell.
State Highway 6 along Lake Hawea.
State Highway 6 along Lake Hawea.
State Highway 6 along the West Coast of the South Island.
State Highway 13 between Arthur’s Pass and Christchurch.
State Highway 73 heading towards Christchurch.
Speaking of countless sheep. 🙂 Lots of mingling time.
What are your favorite memories from being on a road trip in New Zealand?
The Adventures of elATLboy 
Love NZ
Do heart the NZ! 🙂
First time going over the Desert Road. It’s just so fantastic to see the landscape change from green to desert then back to green again.
I can imagine. Love being able to see so many different landscapes in a short period of time. Haven’t been on that stretch of highway in my time on the North Island. Taupo closest been too. Hope to sometime! 🙂
Man, these pictures are making me homesick.
I got goosebumps just putting the photos together. Unreal seeing the scenery up close. Hope you have the chance to get back soon!
Definitely driving past Lake Wanaka and the drive up the east coast for me 🙂
Lake Wanaka is a beautiful lake to hang around too. Like the town of Wanaka, a quieter version of nearby Queenstown. Enjoy your New Zealand travels.
Thanks- you too!
I fell in love with the stinky but awe-inspiring geothermal park in Rotorua. There’s no place like New Zealand!
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You kinda just get used to the smell around Rotorua after a while. Beautiful sights all around there for sure. I second that as far as NZ is concerned. 🙂 A magical place.
Did not realize there was such a range of ecosystems on this beautiful island. Beautiful pictures.
Thanks Ted! It’s pretty remarkable how such a small country can have so many different regions and climates.
I miss New Zealand so much! Your photos got me all nostalgic! I have so many pictures in front of Lake Punakaki. I couldn’t get enough of the color of the water!
I miss it myself more every time I write a post or process New Zealand pictures. 🙂 Snapped a lot of shots myself around Lake Pukaki and Mount Cook! So scenic.
Your Hwy 6 along Lake Hawea looked very familiar. Climbed that hill to shoot fellow cyclists on a tour back in 2004!
Cool beans! Quite the scene to cycle to and observe. One of my favorite spots from South Island road tripping. 🙂
Hiiya love all your pictures of NZ they look amazing 🙂 im planning a trip there hopefully next year and ive done a blog post about it and needing help could you check it out and help me out with different and not so tourist things to see and do please ? that would be brill if you could here is the link https://thebeautyinsidelife.wordpress.com/2015/09/10/1021/ thanks again if you can x x x
Hope you do to get to NZ soon, it is such a magical place. In general I would say just road trip no matter the means. Best way to see the country and it’s diverse terrain. The South Island would be my choice going through the West Coast, Queenstown and Wanaka. Lake Wanaka and Hawea are worth a look. Grab a Pergburger in Queenstown. Looking for something way off the beaten path, I would suggest Okarito Beach while checking out the glaciers on the West Coast.
Hope this helps!
http://www.traveldudes.org/images/okarito-beach-west-coast-new-zealand-deserted-beach-and-great-surf/15480
Thank you so much im planning on staying there for at least 6 months thats why i want some more original places to see and do and this is a big help im wanting a much help, tips and ideas as possible to make the most of my trip rather than just doing the “normal” tourist things i just dont want to regret missing doing something 🙂 im going to write these places down now !!! x x x