Luxury the Kiwi Way: 14 Days of Affordable Indulgence with Bargain Rental Cars

📍 Navigation Tip: Use the Auckland Southern Motorway (SH1) for quick access to city hotels from the airport.

🛍 Souvenir Idea: Visit the Auckland Art Gallery shop for stylish locally made gifts.

📸 Photo Op: Capture the Viaduct Harbour skyline at sunset from Wynyard Quarter.

Welcome to Auckland! Pick up your car from Bargain Rental Cars at the airport or city depot and kickstart your journey in the City of Sails. Visit the Sky Tower for panoramic views or unwind with a stroll around Viaduct Harbour.

Stay: A budget-friendly boutique hotel in central Auckland

Where to Eat:

• Breakfast: Bestie Café
• Lunch: Depot Eatery
• Dinner: Federal Delicatessen

📍 Navigation Tip: Park your car at the Downtown Carpark near the ferry terminal for easy access. near the ferry terminal for easy access.

📦 Packing Tip: Bring swimwear, a sunhat, and reusable water bottle for the day.

📸 Photo Op: Snap views from the Mudbrick Restaurant terrace across the Hauraki Gulf.

Leave your rental in secure parking and ferry to Waiheke Island for a taste of wine country. Sample local vintages, relax on white sand beaches, and enjoy the island’s laid-back lifestyle.

Tip: Book your return ferry in advance and bring a picnic for a scenic vineyard lunch.

Where to Eat:

• Breakfast: Island Coffee
• Lunch: Mudbrick Vineyard & Restaurant
• Dinner: Ostend Store

⛽ Fuel Stop: Fill up at BP Otorohanga before heading into Waitomo. before heading into Waitomo.

🐛 Fun Fact: The glowworms emit light through a chemical process called bioluminescence.

📸 Photo Op: Capture bubbling mud at Hell’s Gate or geysers at Te Puia.

Drive south to Waitomo to experience the enchanting glowworm caves, then onward to Rotorua. Visit geothermal parks and soak in a natural hot spring spa.

Drive Time: ~4 hours | Distance: ~330 km

Stay: Lakeside motel with easy access to attractions

Where to Eat:

• Breakfast: Huhu Café (Waitomo)
• Lunch: Capers Café Rotorua
• Dinner: Atticus Finch

📍 Navigation Tip: Most attractions in Rotorua have free on-site parking.

🛍 Souvenir Idea: Grab carved pounamu (greenstone) from the Rotorua Night Market.

📸 Photo Op: Take a photo with a traditional carved Māori gateway at Te Puia.

Spend the day at Te Puia and the National Kiwi Hatchery to learn about Māori heritage and native wildlife.

Where to Eat:

• Breakfast: Scope Café
• Lunch: Third Place Café
• Dinner: Pātaka Kai at Te Puia

📦 Packing Tip: Pack all fragile souvenirs in carry-on luggage for the flight.

📍 Navigation Tip: Allow 90 mins drive time Rotorua to Tauranga with a coffee stop in Te Puke. with a coffee stop in Te Puke.

📸 Photo Op: Capture the sunrise from Mount Maunganui beach before flying out.

Today, enjoy a leisurely drive from Rotorua to Tauranga, taking in the beautiful Bay of Plenty scenery along the way. Drop off your vehicle at Bargain Rental Cars’ Tauranga branch, then take a short shuttle ride to Tauranga Airport. From there, enjoy a scenic flight to Christchurch. Upon arrival, collect your new rental from Bargain Rental Cars and explore Hagley Park or take a punting ride on the Avon River.

Where to Eat:

• Breakfast: Ciabatta Bakery
• Lunch: The General (Tauranga)
• Dinner: Harbourside Tauranga

📍 Navigation Tip: Arrive at Greymouth station 20–30 mins early for TranzAlpine boarding.

📸 Photo Op: Capture the Southern Alps from the open-air viewing carriage.

🧠 Fun Fact: The TranzAlpine crosses 223 km, including 16 tunnels and 5 viaducts!

After your glacier adventure, make your way back to Greymouth for the return TranzAlpine train to Christchurch. Relax and take in the awe-inspiring scenery from a different perspective. Spend the evening in Christchurch enjoying local cuisine and the vibrant arts scene.

Where to Eat:

• Breakfast: Full of Beans Café
• Lunch: Monteith’s Brewery Greymouth
• Dinner: Twenty Seven Steps

🌤 Weather Tip: Conditions change quickly—keep a rain jacket and sunnies handy.

📍 Navigation Tip: Take SH8 and SH6 for the most scenic route.

📸 Photo Op: Lake Pukaki – stunning turquoise water with Mt Cook backdrop.

Pick up your Bargain Rental Car in Christchurch and begin your road trip to Queenstown. This full-day scenic drive takes you through the Canterbury Plains, Lindis Pass, and dramatic South Island landscapes.

Drive Time: ~6.5 hours | Distance: ~480 km

Tip: Break up the drive with a stop in Twizel or Cromwell for coffee and local produce.

Where to Eat:

• Breakfast: Little Poms
• Lunch: Ministry of Works Café (Twizel)
• Dinner: Fergburger

🧥 Packing Tip: Bring warm, waterproof layers and motion sickness tablets.

📸 Photo Op: Snap Mitre Peak from the deck of your cruise boat.

📍 Navigation Tip: Milford Road can be icy in winter—take a guided tour if unsure.

Book your cruise here. Book a coach-cruise-coach tour from Queenstown to Milford Sound. Enjoy the towering cliffs, waterfalls, and dolphins – one of NZ’s must-see wonders.

Where to Eat:

• Breakfast: Bespoke Kitchen
• Lunch: Provided during cruise (pack or included)
• Dinner: Public Kitchen & Bar

🎁 Souvenir Tip: Vesta Design and The Bead Shop offer NZ-made gifts.

📸 Photo Op: Skyline Gondola summit at sunset.

🎟 Activity Tip: Book jet boating or bungee adventures here

📍 Navigation Tip: Park at Boundary Street Car Park and explore the town on foot.

🎒 Packing Tip: Pack comfortable walking shoes for exploring town on foot.

Ride the Skyline Gondola, wine taste in Gibbston Valley, or take on adrenaline sports like jet boating or bungy jumping.

Tip: Leave your rental parked if indulging in wine tastings – many local operators offer transport.

Where to Eat:

• Breakfast: Vudu Café & Larder
• Lunch: The Cow Restaurant
• Dinner: Rātā by Josh Emett

📍 Navigation Tip: Watch for scenic pull-offs at Lindis Pass.

📸 Photo Op: Tekapo night sky under the Dark Sky Reserve.

🎒 Packing Tip: Bring a tripod and wide-lens camera for astrophotography.

🛍 Souvenir Tip: Shop for artisan cheese or lavender products in Tekapo.

Drive to the Mackenzie Basin, known for its night skies and turquoise lakes. Stay in Twizel for Mt Cook access or Lake Tekapo for stargazing.

Stay: Affordable lodges with starry night views

Where to Eat:

• Breakfast: Yonder (Queenstown)
• Lunch: The Stoaker Room (Cromwell)
• Dinner: Poppies Café (Twizel) or Kohan Japanese Restaurant (Tekapo)

🎒 Packing Tip: Bring sunscreen, trail snacks, and hiking shoes.

📍 Navigation Tip: Park at White Horse Hill for access to the Hooker Valley Track.

📸 Photo Op: Swing bridge over the Hooker River with Mt Cook behind.

🗺 Fun Fact: Aoraki / Mt Cook means “Cloud Piercer” in Māori.

Take a short drive to Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park. Hike the Hooker Valley Track or visit the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre.

Distance: ~70 km round trip

Where to Eat:

• Breakfast: Astro Café (Tekapo)
• Lunch: The Old Mountaineers’ Café
• Dinner: Hermitage Hotel Dining

📍 Navigation Tip: Tekapo to Christchurch drive is scenic but sparse—fill fuel in Fairlie.

📸 Photo Op: Snap lupin fields if visiting between Nov–Dec.

🌤 Weather Tip: This route can be windy—check road alerts in advance.

Stop at Church of the Good Shepherd and Tekapo Springs en route to Christchurch. Drop your car at the city or airport location.

Drive Time: ~4 hours | Distance: ~290 km

Where to Eat:

• Breakfast: Jack Rabbit Café (Tekapo)
• Lunch: Fairlie Bakehouse
• Dinner: 5th Street Restaurant

📍 Navigation Tip: Bargain Rental Cars Christchurch Airport is located near the terminal.

📸 Photo Op: Final shot of Christchurch Airport’s glass terminal.

🎒 Packing Tip: Ensure passport, charger, and water bottle are easily accessible.

🕒 Departure Tip: Return your vehicle at least 2 hours before your flight.
Drop off your rental with ease and board your flight home with unforgettable memories.

Where to Eat:

• Breakfast: Child Sister Café (near Christchurch Airport)