Four days is the right length for New Zealand's Southern Alps Highway, the 735 km crossing from Queenstown to Christchurch on State Highways 6 and 73. Four days lets you climb over Haast Pass, keep a free morning under Fox Glacier, and cross Arthur's Pass without driving tired, which matters on a mountain route where the weather turns within an hour.
This is a stop-by-stop plan for the Southern Alps Highway, staged so the glacier day and the alpine crossing each hold a weather margin. The driving is rated moderate and any car handles it, including EVs, so the real planning is where to sleep and which walks to leave flexible.
The Southern Alps Highway at a glance
The route runs the length of the South Island's west, starting in Queenstown and finishing in Christchurch. SH6 carries you over the Southern Alps at Haast Pass, down to the Tasman coast, and up through glacier and rainforest country. SH73 then turns inland to cross the main divide a second time at Arthur's Pass before dropping to the Canterbury Plains.
- Distance: about 735 km, Queenstown to Christchurch
- Time needed: 4 days
- Difficulty: moderate, sealed highway, any vehicle
- Best season: November to March (New Zealand summer)
- EV-friendly: yes, with chargers in the main towns
The route in four days
Here is how the 735 km breaks down, staged so the glacier and the pass each get their own day rather than being rushed at the end of a long drive.
| Day | Drive | Overnight | Don't miss |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Queenstown to Haast, over the pass | Haast | Lake Wanaka, Haast Pass rainforest |
| 2 | Haast to Fox Glacier | Fox Glacier | Fox Glacier valley walk, weather permitting |
| 3 | Fox Glacier to Hokitika | Hokitika | West Coast beaches, Hokitika Gorge |
| 4 | Hokitika to Christchurch, over Arthur's Pass | Christchurch | Otira Viaduct, Arthur's Pass kea |
Day 1: Queenstown to Haast over the pass
Start with a night in Queenstown so you set off rested. Head north along the shore of Lake Wanaka, where the water sits right against the road and the peaks rise straight out of it. Wanaka town is the last proper stop for fuel and supplies before the mountains, so top up here.
From Wanaka, SH6 climbs into Mount Aspiring National Park and over Haast Pass, the lowest of the three main-divide crossings but still a steep, winding road through dense beech forest. Short waterfall walks line the descent, and the Gates of Haast bridge sits where the river thunders through a rock gorge. You end the day on the Tasman coast at Haast, a small settlement that works as a base for the glaciers ahead.
Day 2: Haast to Fox Glacier
This is the shortest driving day on purpose. The run up the coast from Haast to Fox Glacier is easy, which leaves the afternoon open for the glacier itself. Fox Glacier flows down almost to rainforest level, and the valley walk brings you close to the terminal face when conditions allow.
Keep the plan loose. Glacier walks, heli-hikes, and the valley track all depend on the day's weather and the current track advice, so book with margin and treat the forecast as the deciding vote. If low cloud sits on the ice, nearby Lake Matheson often still delivers its mirror reflection of the peaks on a calm morning.
Day 3: Fox Glacier to Hokitika
Day three runs north up the West Coast on SH6, trading glaciers for black-sand beaches, driftwood, and the Tasman Sea pounding in from the left. The coast here is wild and often wet, which is exactly what keeps the rainforest so green.
Hokitika is the day's destination, a former gold and greenstone town that still works pounamu, New Zealand jade. Detour inland to the Hokitika Gorge, where a swing bridge spans turquoise glacial water the colour of mint. It is a short walk and a good leg-stretch after the coast road.
Day 4: Hokitika to Christchurch over Arthur's Pass
The final day crosses the Southern Alps a second time. SH73 climbs from the coast into Arthur's Pass National Park, where kea, the alpine parrots, patrol the car parks and the Otira Viaduct carries the road around a slope too steep and slip-prone to build straight across. Stop at the pass village for the short Devils Punchbowl Falls walk if you have the legs for it.
From the summit the road drops through limestone country and out onto the Canterbury Plains, with the braided Waimakariri River running alongside. Save Christchurch for after you arrive. The Botanic Gardens and the rebuilt central city deserve an evening and a slow morning, which the Arthur's Pass crossing day does not leave room for.
When to drive the Southern Alps Highway
The catalog season is November to March, New Zealand's summer, when the passes are clear, the days are long, and the glacier walks and alpine tracks run their full schedule. Late October, right now, is the start of that window, with fewer crowds than the January peak.
Winter driving is a different trip. Snow and ice can close Haast Pass and Arthur's Pass at short notice, and chains are often required. Even in summer, heavy rain on the West Coast can trigger slips, so build a spare half-day into the plan and never force the next town through a closure.
Fuel, chains, and road conditions
Keep the tank topped up at every town. The stretches over both passes are long and remote, and services thin out fast once you leave Wanaka or Hokitika. Carry chains when the season or the forecast calls for them, and know how to fit them before you need to.
Check the NZTA Journey Planner for SH6 and SH73 before you leave each morning, and again after any heavy rain, wind, or snow. Closures and one-way sections can appear mid-trip, which is the main reason the four-day pace works. It gives you room to wait out a slip or a storm instead of racing the light over a mountain road.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need to drive from Queenstown to Christchurch?
Four days is ideal for the full Southern Alps Highway via the West Coast. That covers the 735 km with a glacier day at Fox and an unhurried crossing of Arthur's Pass. You can link the two cities in a single day on the inland route, but you would skip the glaciers and the coast entirely.
When is the best time to drive the Southern Alps Highway?
November to March, during the New Zealand summer. The passes are reliably clear, daylight is long, and the glacier and alpine walks run their full season. Late October is the shoulder, quieter and often fine, with a bit more weather risk on the passes.
Do you need a 4WD or chains for the Southern Alps Highway?
No 4WD is needed. The whole route is sealed and rated moderate, so any car, including an EV, handles it in summer. Carry chains in winter or whenever snow is forecast on Haast Pass or Arthur's Pass, and fit them when conditions or signs require.
Can you see Fox Glacier on the way from Queenstown to Christchurch?
Yes. The West Coast staging on SH6 runs right past Fox Glacier, and the valley walk brings you close to the ice when the weather allows. This itinerary gives it a full afternoon so a cloudy morning does not cost you the glacier.
Is the drive from the West Coast to Christchurch hard?
The Arthur's Pass crossing on SH73 is a steady mountain climb on sealed road, with the Otira Viaduct easing the steepest section. It is straightforward in good summer conditions. The main hazards are weather, slips after rain, and kea that wander onto the road, so drive the dim hours slowly.
Plan your drive
See the full Southern Alps Highway route guide for the stops in order, add a side trip to Milford Sound before you leave Queenstown, browse more mountain passes, and build your own version on the interactive map.
