Road Trips from Queenstown Worth Planning in December

Most people treat Queenstown as the destination. In December it makes a better starting line. The days are at their longest, and three of the best drives in the country start from here: north over the Lindis to Tekapo and Aoraki Mount Cook, west through the Haast Pass to the glaciers, and over the Crown Range to Wanaka.

All three are worth more than a day, and all three are on sealed highway the whole way. With a car from Evolve Rentals and unlimited mileage on every rental, the only thing to decide is how many nights you can spare.

Why is December a good time for a road trip from Queenstown?

Light, mostly. December has the longest days of the year, so a five hour drive still leaves an evening at the other end. The winter chain season on the Crown Range is over, the lakes are at their bluest, and there is time to stop at every lookout that asks. The one catch is that it is summer for everybody, so book beds along the way before you go.

How long is the drive from Queenstown to Lake Tekapo?

About 256 kilometres, or three hours on State Highway 8 through Cromwell and over the Lindis Pass, one of the great tussock drives in the South Island. Omarama, on the far side of the Lindis, is the natural place to stop. Hot Tubs Omarama has private wood fired tubs looking out over the basin, and an hour in one turns a long drive into a very pleasant afternoon. Bookings are through their site.

Arrive in Tekapo with the afternoon to spare. Walk the lakefront to the Church of the Good Shepherd, watch the colour of the water change as the light goes, and stay the night, because Tekapo is at its best after dark. It sits inside the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, and a clear night there is the best argument for staying over that we know of.

How far is Aoraki Mount Cook from Tekapo?

Around 100 kilometres, and a little over an hour, the last 55 of them on the road up the side of Lake Pukaki with the mountain growing in the windscreen the whole way. Give it the full day. The Hooker Valley Track is the one to do: an easy three hours return from the White Horse Hill car park, over three swing bridges to Hooker Lake, which in summer can have icebergs floating in it. Parking at the track is paid, so have a card ready.

The road to Mount Cook is a dead end, so the sensible plan is Tekapo for one night, the Hooker Valley the next day, and a night at Mount Cook or Twizel before the drive home.

How far is Franz Josef Glacier from Queenstown?

About 353 kilometres and roughly five hours of driving, which is why nobody should do it in a day. The road runs through Wanaka and along Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka to Makarora, then over the Haast Pass into rainforest, and the change in scenery is as dramatic as anywhere in the country.

Stop at the Blue Pools, ten kilometres past Makarora, an easy hour and a half return walk to water so clear it looks painted, at its best after a few dry days. Bring insect repellent, because the sandflies take the West Coast very seriously. Thunder Creek Falls is a short walk from the road further on, and past Haast the coast road takes in Knights Point and Lake Matheson before Franz Josef. Allow two or three days, and fill the tank in Wanaka before the long quiet stretches.

Is Wanaka worth staying the night?

Yes, and it is the easiest of the three. Wanaka is about 70 kilometres from Queenstown over the Crown Range, an hour and twenty minutes of the best road in the district. Plenty of visitors give it an afternoon, and a night lets you have the lakefront once the day trippers have gone home. Our Wanaka day trip guide is a good start, and it makes a natural first night on the way to the glaciers.

If this is your first time driving in New Zealand, our guide to driving in New Zealand covers the roads and the rules worth knowing, and our long summer drives for January has more once you are hooked.

Getting the car sorted

We bring the car to you, which nobody else in Queenstown does and which is the whole reason Evolve exists. Somebody from our team meets you where you are staying, walks you round the car, and you can be on the Lindis by lunchtime. Or collect from us at 153b Glenda Drive in Frankton, near the airport and already on the right side of town for the road north.

Every rental comes with unlimited mileage and free additional drivers, which matters a great deal on a five hour day. So book your car with Evolve Rentals, share the driving, and add the extra nights. December is too good to spend going back and forth.

FAQs

How long does it take to drive from Queenstown to Lake Tekapo?
About three hours for 256 kilometres on State Highway 8 over the Lindis Pass. Omarama makes a good stop on the way.

Can you drive from Queenstown to Mount Cook in a day?
You can, but it is better as two days, with a night in Tekapo and a full day for the Hooker Valley Track, which takes about three hours return.

How far is Franz Josef from Queenstown?
About 353 kilometres through Wanaka and the Haast Pass, roughly five hours of driving. Allow two or three days to do it properly.

Are the roads from Queenstown to Tekapo and Franz Josef sealed?
Yes. Both routes are on sealed state highways the whole way. In summer the thing to plan around is the distance, not the road.

Do Evolve rentals have unlimited mileage?
Yes. Every Evolve rental has unlimited mileage, and additional drivers are free.