Christchurch Travel Forum

My partner and I are planning a trip to NZ in nov-dec with Christchurch as the base for a week stay. How doable is the drive from Christchurch to Nelson? I've read that the road thru the mountains (via Murchison) offers great views but is this too tiring of a drive? As of now, the intent is to pick up a car in Christchurch (a few days spent here), drive to Nelson (another few days), drop the car off in Picton, then take the train back to Christchurch to fly out. With only a week's time, the sampling is limited but we dont want to back dog-tired either. Thanks for any insight.

It is no problem to drive from Christchurch to Nelson either way. On a hot day both drives are tiring. It is nearly the same distance (about 420 km) and takes the same time (6 hours net).

The inland route is especially nice between Culverdon and Springs Junction. The drive from Springs Junction to the junction with SH6 (on SH 65) is very boring, just farmland and some artificial pine forests, with one exception: the Maruia Falls. Then you drive along the Buller River for a while (but the most spectacular part of the Buller valley/gorge is to the west).

If you are not in a hurry I suggest you drive to St. Arnaud (Nelson Lakes National Park) at Howard Junction, and then carry on to Nelson.

But do not underestimate the beauty of the coastal road either. From Cheviot the drive is beautiful, up and down hills, and it even becomes spectacular south of Kaikoura when you drive right along the coast where fur seals relax on the rocks, with the towering Kaikoura Ranges (up to nearly 2900 metres high) in front of your nose and the beaches on the other side. North of Kaikoura you have a great seal colony at Ohau Point.

A while after that you reach the Marlborough wine country, a pink lake (Lake Grassmere) and the desert-like landscape around Blenheim. Further north you touch the beautiful coastline of the Marlborough Sounds Havelock), until the road goes up and downhill dramatically before you reach Nelson.

If you have time, you could drive up to Picton and make the scenic drive along Queen Charlotte Sound and join the main highway at Havelock. Beautiful!

Thank you for your informative repsonses. The details matter a lot!

Have you given any thought to flying into Wellington, taking the ferry to Picton, picking up a car there and drive over to Nelson and then down the 1 to Christchurch and finish up there with a couple of days to visit that beautiful city. If you have time, a day trip to Akaroa, just east of Christchurch would be fantastic.

This could utilize your time better and give you a few days at the end to relax in Christchurch.

Martin, why should those people fly into Wellington, take the ferry to Picton and pick up a car to drive to Nelson, if they are already in Christchurch?

I am a big fan of Wellington and have been there four times in the past year, it is even fantastic as a day trip from Chch, as you can do and see so much in day there.

If they arrive in Auckland, they can fly to Nelson, pick up a car there and drive down to Christchurch.

Ferry and all this stuff is a lot of action if they have just one week to spend on the South Island.

To see a bit of the capital, hopefully enjoy the ferry crossing if the weather is good, the beautiful entry into Picton in lieu of driving both to and from Nelson.

This way they use the same day but venture closer to Christchurch for the final day or two to rest up.

Just my thoughts as I have seen this part of the country also and thought they could see more diverse sites and cities, and, this is probably the way I would do it it someone traveling with me wanted to see Picton and Nelson and not want to continue around to the west side of the island and down.