New Zealand’s South Island is made for a family road trip. In two weeks, children can stand in front of a glacier, walk beside a lake below snowy mountains, pan for gold, ride a heritage train and climb a castle tower. Many families do it by campervan. The distances look small on a map but the roads are slow and the weather changes fast, so a good plan matters. This guide sets out a loop from Christchurch with easy walks that suit children, the rules on car seats and campervan camping, and the practical details that make the days go well.
Every place here has its own page on JuniorTravelClub, with details from the Department of Conservation (DOC) and the attractions’ own websites. Distances are straight-line figures worked out from each place’s coordinates. Mountain and coast roads are much longer, so check each driving day before you set off.
The route at a glance
- Start and finish: Christchurch
- Stops: Aoraki/Mount Cook, Queenstown or Wanaka, Te Anau, Franz Josef and Greymouth
- Length: about two weeks, as a loop
- Works for: all ages. The walks in this guide are short, and several suit pushchairs or small legs.
Before you go
Car seats
New Zealand’s transport agency, NZTA, says all children under seven must use an approved child restraint suited to their age and size, and the driver is responsible for that. A child aged seven must use a restraint if one is in the vehicle. NZTA also recommends keeping babies rear-facing as long as practicable, at least until they are two. If you’re hiring a car or campervan, confirm the seats are included and suit your children.
Campervans and freedom camping
If you’re travelling by campervan, read the camping rules before you go. DOC explains that where a sign says “self-contained vehicles only”, only certified self-contained vehicles may stay overnight, and that a self-contained vehicle needs a fixed, not portable, toilet. A tent attached to a vehicle is treated as part of the vehicle. Rules also vary between councils, so look out for local signs. With children, booking DOC campsites or holiday parks for most nights is the simpler choice. Our campervan guide for families covers sleeping, packing and daily rhythm.
Weather in every season
DOC repeats the same warning across the South Island’s parks. At the Tasman Glacier, snow, freezing temperatures, strong winds and sunburn are possible in every season. Fiordland says to pack for cold, snow, strong wind and heavy rain at any time of year. Bring layers, rain jackets and sun hats whatever the month.
Cards for parking
Several DOC car parks don’t take cash. The car parks at White Horse Hill near Aoraki/Mount Cook and at Franz Josef Glacier both take cards only.
Day by day
Days 1–2: Christchurch
Start with an easy day. The Christchurch Botanic Gardens are free to walk into, with a paddling pool, a playground with a Liberty Swing, and picnic spots under the trees. Close by, entry to the Collection Highlights at Canterbury Museum is free.
On day two, visit Ferrymead Heritage Park, where children under 5 get in free. The playground sits among the exhibits, between the school house and the model railway, and a heritage train and tram run on some days for an extra fare. It opens Thursday to Sunday, and every day in school holidays.
Days 3–4: Aoraki/Mount Cook
Aoraki/Mount Cook Village is about 200 km south-west of Christchurch in a straight line. Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park has a simple campsite at White Horse Hill with basic toilets, treated drinking water and a cooking shelter. Hot showers are in the village, which also has a petrol station and a few cafés and restaurants. The campsite is busiest from Christmas to mid-February. Under-5s stay free.
For a glacier view, the Tasman Glacier View Track needs no booking and starts from a free car park with picnic tables and a day shelter. It is a steep climb with more than 300 steps, so it suits children who walk well. There is no food or drinking water at the track, so bring your own.
Days 5–6: Over to Queenstown or Wanaka
Continue south-west towards Queenstown or Wanaka, a good place to rest for a night or two before Fiordland. Use the time for a lake beach, a playground and laundry.
Days 7–8: Te Anau and Fiordland
Te Anau is the gateway to Fiordland National Park. You don’t need to commit to a multi-day tramp: the Borland Nature Walk is an easy 40-minute return loop, and the Upukerora River Track follows the Te Anau lakefront. The DOC visitor centre gives local information and hut tickets free of charge. It is closed on Sundays, so plan around it if you need advice.
Day 9: Te Anau to the West Coast
Franz Josef is about 290 km north of Te Anau in a straight line, and much further by road. This is the longest drive of the trip, so split it with a night on the way if you can.
Days 10–11: Franz Josef Glacier
At Franz Josef Glacier, children get a real glacier valley without a long hike. The short, easy Peters Pool Walk ends at a small kettle lake that reflects the valley and mountains. There are flush toilets at the glacier car park and none further up the valley, so go before you set off. The track and access road can close because of flooding, rockfall or landslides, so check conditions at the national park visitor centre in Franz Josef first. You can park free on Cron Street or at the Glacier Base car park near the visitor centre. More about the wider park is on our Westland Tai Poutini National Park page.
Day 12: Shantytown, Greymouth
Drive north to Greymouth, about 130 km from Franz Josef in a straight line. Shantytown Heritage Park is the stop children remember. A heritage train ride and theatre shows come with the ticket, gold panning gives them something to take home, and all attractions run rain or shine. Children under 5 get in free. The train departs at 11:00, 12:30 and 14:00.
Days 13–14: Back to Christchurch
Cross back over the mountains to Christchurch, about 160 km from Greymouth in a straight line, and spend the last day somewhere the children choose.
Variations
- Add Dunedin: from Te Anau, go east to Dunedin for Larnach Castle, open 365 days a year. Children get a tower to climb, stables and outbuildings to explore and gardens to run through, all on the same ticket. There is no public transport to the castle.
- Add Nelson Lakes: north of Christchurch, Nelson Lakes National Park has a lake circuit with a water-taxi shortcut and Lakehead Hut, both recommended by DOC for families, a good first overnight tramp. Book the Kerr Bay campsite well ahead for Christmas and Easter.
Good to know with kids
Pick walks by the child, not the view
The Peters Pool Walk, the Borland Nature Walk and the Te Anau lakefront are easy. The Tasman Glacier View Track has more than 300 steps. Nelson Lakes’ Lakehead Hut is a family overnight. Keep the big tramps for when the children are older.
Food and water
Many trailheads have no food or water. Pack lunch and refill bottles in the towns. At Nelson Lakes’ Kerr Bay, the day shelter has a kitchen, but no pots, pans or cutlery.
Toilets
Go before every walk. There are flush toilets at the Franz Josef Glacier car park but none up the valley, and the nearest accessible toilets for the Tasman Glacier track are at the Aoraki/Mount Cook visitor centre, ten minutes away by car.
Valuables
DOC warns that isolated trailhead car parks at Nelson Lakes are prone to theft. Don’t leave valuables in the car anywhere on the route.
Rainy days
Shantytown runs in any weather. Canterbury Museum and the conservatories at the Botanic Gardens are good indoor stops in Christchurch.
Plan and book
Download offline maps and sort mobile data before you land: New Zealand eSIM on Airalo. Book DOC campsites and huts on the DOC website, and confirm car seats with your rental company.
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Frequently asked questions
What are New Zealand’s car seat rules for children?
NZTA says all children under seven must use an approved child restraint suited to their age and size, and a seven-year-old must use one if it’s in the vehicle. NZTA recommends rear-facing until at least two.
Can we freedom camp in a campervan with kids?
Only where it’s allowed, and some sites are for certified self-contained vehicles only, which need a fixed toilet. Rules vary between councils. With children, DOC campsites and holiday parks are usually easier.
Which glacier walk is best for young children?
The Peters Pool Walk at Franz Josef Glacier is short and easy and ends at a small kettle lake. The Tasman Glacier View Track has more than 300 steps, so it suits older children.
How long do you need for the South Island with kids?
Two weeks covers Christchurch, Aoraki/Mount Cook, Fiordland, the West Coast and Shantytown at a family pace. With ten days, choose either Fiordland or the West Coast.
Is there anything to do on a rainy day?
Shantytown runs rain or shine, with a train ride, theatre shows and gold panning. In Christchurch, Canterbury Museum’s Collection Highlights are free.
Do children pay at DOC campsites?
Usually less than adults. At White Horse Hill and Kerr Bay, children aged 5 to 17 pay a child rate and under-5s stay free.
What should we pack for the South Island?
Layers, rain jackets, warm hats and sun protection in every season, plus water bottles, snacks and a card for parking machines that don’t take cash.
Tickets & tours for these places
Bookable tours via GetYourGuide. Affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
