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The road trip from Dunedin to Christchurch boasts a scenic south island coastal routes and exotic wildlife which makes this journey unforgettable.
The distance between Dunedin to Christchurch is 360 km and it takes around 4 hours 30 minutes to complete. While it is totally possible to complete the drive in just half day without stopping, you would be missing out on a ton!
If you’re planning to drive in reverse from Christchurch to Dunedin, this itinerary will totally do the trick.
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Scenic South Island Road Trip Dunedin to Christchurch drive itinerary
Places to stop
1) Dunedin
Dunedin is New Zealand’s second-largest city, rich in Scottish heritage, featuring breathtaking landscapes and remarkable biodiversity.
The peninsula hosts the rarest penguin on the planet, the yellow-eyed penguin. Additionally, you can encounter little blue penguins, massive albatrosses, seals, sea lions, and numerous species of birds.
Some of the highlights with its distinct Scottish influenced architecture in Dunedin include Larnach Castle, New Zealand’s only castle and Dunedin Railway Station. If you are into nature, visiting the Tunnel Beach and joining the memorable albatross tour would be the best bet.
2) Moeraki Boulder
You can’t possibly miss the famous Moeraki Boulders when traveling along this coastline. The Moeraki is famous for its unique large and spherical rock formation Koekohe Beach on the Otago coast.
According to the Maori legend, the boulders are squashes that were cast ashore from the legendary sailing canoe Araiteuru when it met its fate upon arriving in New Zealand many centuries ago.
Situated around 75km from Dunedin, Moeraki beach is easily accessible via the State Highway 1.
You have the possibility to park at the beach carpark and it is a short walk along the beach to the builders.
Another option is to park at cafe / gift shop, though there will be quite a few steps down if you park there.
2) Katiki Point Lighthouse
Our next stop is Katiki Point Lighthouse, a mere 7.7km or around 20 minutes from the Moeraki Boulders Beach.
The site is open from 7:30 am until 5:30 pm every day and access to the site is free of charge. It is a bit of a walk down from the lighthouse with stunning coastal views to see the New Zealand fur seals and wild birds.
The area is also home to the rare species of yellow-eyed penguins in the world also nicknamed as hoiho.
Unfortunately during our visit, we didn’t catch a glimpse of them as they are not usually out during midday. But we did saw around 20 fur seals sunbathing so it was well worth the walk 🙂
Spend at least 1 hour here. Do remark that there is only a non-flush toilet provided near the lighthouse.
3) Oamaru
Continue up south another 44km via State Highway 1 to Oamaru.
Oamaru is the third largest city in Otago, after Dunedin and Queenstown.
Discover the Victorian Precinct, where you can encounter shops, galleries, and traditional crafts set against some of the Southern Hemisphere’s most intact Victorian streetscapes and 19th-century architecture.
If you have time to spare, you will want to visit the Whitestones City, an interactive museum that will transport you to the 19th century with its beautiful showcases of what life looked like in the Victorian era. Entry is free of charge but you can pay by donation.
Another option is to visit Steampunk HQ, a fun and quirky place with imaginative and fascinating exhibitions, just a stone’s away from the Victorian Precinct.
After all the visits, stroll along the the Esplanade which overlooks the gorgeous view of the Friendly Bay.
Just next to the Esplanade is the Oamaru Harbour Tourist Park, which includes the Steampunk playground, where you will find unique and fun art and sculptures. Public toilets can be accessed here.
You may choose one of the campers site if you wish to spend the night as the Oamaru blue penguins only appears at night.
4) Tame Wallabies EnkleDooVery Korna, Waitame
Tame Wallabies EnkleDooVery Korna is a wallaby park situated in Waitame, only 35 minutes from Oamaru.
For only a small entry fee, spend an hour here feeding and petting the cheeky wallabies with different personalities in the enclosures.
The owner, Gwen, is a pleasant and knowledgeable lady who gave us the overview of the park and how to interact with the wallabies.
We were given each a pair of slippers and a bag of food after washing our hands. The best part of the experience is being able to self-guide ourselves around the many paddocks.
Overall, a wonderful day out, especially if you are travelling with kids 🙂
5) Timaru
Next stop is Timaru, a port city in New Zealand, situated 44 km from Waitame via the State Highway 1.
Some of the highlights in Timaru are Caroline Bay Beach, famous for its Little Blue penguins sighting and Timaru Visitor Centre, which houses some Maori rock art displays. Other options would be visiting Timaru Botanic Gardens.
As time is a bit tight for us, we chose to stop by at Tuhawaiki (Jack’s) Point in Timaru, hoping to catch the captivating view of canola yellow fields, but unfortunately when we went there, there wasn’t any 🙁
Since there’s always plan B, we opted to capture the pretty views of the coastal beach near the parking lot instead 😀
6) Christchurch
Wrap up the last part of the trip to Christchurch by driving for 64 km, which should take you around 2 hours.
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island located in the Canterbury region. There are so much to see here in Christchurch, so make sure to allocate few days to see them all.
Highlights include the amazing new Riverside market complex, the Botanic Gardens, the Port Hills, the Art Gallery, New Regent Street (with a must-visit to Rollickin Gelato), fantastic new shopping districts, Quake City, and the poignant yet beautiful Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial.
Additionally you can visit Akaroa, a small French town just an hour and a half south of Christchurch, for a perfect day trip.
More stops between Dunedin and Christchurch
Shag Point Lookout
Just 15 minutes south from the Moeraki beach lies Shag Point Lookout, which is a fantastic stop to see the local wildlife.
Temuka
Temuka is home to the renowned Temuka Pottery and famous for its outdoor activities, making it a perfect stop.
Geraldine
Geraldine is frequently referred to as one of the prettiest towns in New Zealand. Stop by at Peel Forest Park Reserve where you can take short 15-minutes walk to visit the infamous big tree.
| Save on your NZ trip with these resources! These are the companies that I recommend to use when travelling: |
| Flights: Expedia for cheapest and promotional offers on flight options. Accommodations: Booking.com or Hostelworld for the large selections of hotels and hostels. Cars : RentalCars for comparable car rental prices from a wide range of rental car companies. Private tours and activities: I always choose Viator or GetYourGuide for their reputable choices of tours and activities. |
Final Thoughts
These are only a small selection of the stopovers during a road trip in this beautiful region of New Zealand.
What other stopovers would you recommend and why? Comment below!
Related post: Milford Sound Day Trip from Te Anau: Explore the Stunning Landscapes of New Zealand
